Montana News
Montana BHA Rendezvous Camp Out, June 14-16 at Aspen Grove Campground, Lincoln
Finally a chance to meet your Montana kindred souls, swap stories, share skills and build friendships. Families are welcome. If you have someone who wants to join BHA, bring them along. The Campground is alongside the Blackfoot River which should be fishable. Campground has pull-thru campsites and basic toilets and water but no electricity. Should be able to accomodate tents up to at least mid size trailers.
Aspen Grove Campground is reserved from Fri pm June 14 to Sunday at 2 pm June 16.
Saturday nite BBQ and Campfire provided by MT BHA. You are welcome to come just for the day or for the entire weekend.
Some activities may be announced at a later time. If you have a special outdoor skill that may be interest and want to share with group, let us know.
To plan for space and BBQ supplies and possible activities please let us know if you plan on attending by emailing munther(at)bresnan.net
This is bear country so bear camping regs are in place. Come prepared.
Directions:
Travel 6 miles east of Lincoln on Montana Highway 200, then follow access road to Aspen Grove Campground. There are two separate facilities here; one is for overnight camping and another is for day use.
Elk Need Staunch Advocates
The following Op-Ed was written by BHA's own Greg Munther, in partnership with Gayle Joslin of Helena Hunters and Anglers; Casey Hackathorn of Hellgate Hunters and Anglers; Skip Kowalski of the Montana Wildlife Federation; and Kathy Lloyd of the Clancy Unionville Task Force. An original version of this article can be found here.
Elk hunting is more than a hobby to Montanans. It is a way of life for many Montana elk hunters that are growing concerned about plans for managing the Helena National Forest, especially its standards for big-game habitat.
Elk hunting brings friends together, gets us outdoors, provides healthy meat for our families, and generates revenue for our economy. This is why it is hard to understand the rationale for the recent proposal to lessen the Helena National Forest’s own requirements to provide critically important elk security in the upper Blackfoot River drainage.
Practically all elk hunters use motorized vehicles to get to the woods, and then burn boot leather to get close to their prey. We all need motorized access, to a point. Hunters need access to quality habitat. But when habitat suffers, elk hunters lose opportunity and “access” becomes meaningless.
All animals, including elk, need quality habitat to provide food, water, shelter from the elements and security cover.
MT BHA Receives Conservation Award
Montana chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers was recognized for its outstanding efforts protecting habitat and hunting and fishing opportunities in the Treasure State!
Chapter Chairman Greg Munther accepted the award for the most effective conservation group of the past year, given by the Montana Wildlife Federation. In giving the award, federation president Tim Aldrich praised Munther and the chapter's dedication to conservation, in particular pointing out efforts to protect national forest backcountry from motorized traffic and protecting quiet fishing opportunities on the Blackfoot and Clark Fork Rivers.
MWF President Aldrich said, "For a chapter of a National organization, the Montana Chapter of Back Country Hunters and Anglers has left an incredible mark on the hunting, fishing and conservation summary of recent accomplishments. Their entirely volunteer organization has taken on critically important issues, developed cooperative relationships with like-minded organizations and just been amazingly effective."
The Montana Wildlife Federation is the oldest and largest conservation group in Montana, dating back 77 years. Thanks to MWF, Greg and all our members! Help spread the word -- BHA is making a big difference!
MT BHA Hosts Quiet River Success Celebration
Quiet Waters volunteers from Hellgate Hunters and Anglers, Trout Unlimited, Clark Fork Coalition and local homeowner associations joined Montana BHA in a celebration of the new motorized rules on the Bitterroot and Clark Fork Rivers.
Nearly 30 people attended, most of whom played a part in achieving Quiet River success. Special recognition was given to many who played key roles, including Pat Saffel, Montana Department Fish Wildlife and Parks biologist who agreed to initiate action to regulate motorized use. New rules now exclude motorized use on the entire Bitterroot River except for small motors during the duck season.
The Clark Fork above Kelly Island is closed to all motorized craft and below Kelly Island motor use is open during a 6 week spring window and for small motors during fall duck season.
Testimony for Rehberg hearing on Rocky Mtn Front Heritage Act
April 21, 2012 Choteau MT
My name is Greg Munther and I am the Chairman of Montana Backcountry Hunters and Anglers.
Some hunters and anglers are happy shooting a deer from their pickup in an alfalfa field. Some fisherman are happy catching newly planted trout from a pond.
But Backcountry Hunters and Anglers are different. For us backcountry folks, our love of the Front means getting deep inside it. The most pristine parts of the Front are the attraction to us and further back is better.
For us, the Backcountry Experience is as important or more important than the filling a tag or a creel full of trout.
We like to sweat, climb a ridge or wade a stream until we are fall-down tired. The harder it is the better we like it.