Agreeing with concerns voiced by MT BHA and many other Montana sportsmen, the Fish and Game Commission today agreed unanimously to deny a FWP proposal to trade 360 acres of the 5500 acre Marias River WMA to an adjacent landowner for use of an existing road across an adjacent landowner. There are already two public public access points on the WMA, but no road leading down into the Marias River bottom.
Hunters can easily access the river bottom by hiking down from the road access points or a 14 mile float thru on the WMA. In 2012, BHA members Mike Penfold, Bill Cunningham and Greg Munther floated through the WMA and camped on the WMA midway along on the float. We found deer, waterfowl, fresh grizzly tracks and even an ancient bison skull that washed out of the streambank.
There are too few float hunting opportunities in Montana. A road into the bottom would place more people into the bottom, thereby reducing the quality of a float or hike in hunt. In addition to no need for a road for river access, MT BHA felt the road access price of giving away 360 acres of land too high, the displacement of grizzly bears would be likely .
View MT BHA Comments on the Marias River Access Issue Here.
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