Fifteen percent of the available big game combination licenses would be set aside for nonresidents owning a minimum of 2,500 acres under a bill designed to spread out hunting pressure and reward landowners. House Bill 635, sponsored by Rep. Joshua Kassmier, R-Fort Benton, had its first hearing on Thursday before the House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee in Helena. The measure would also allow landowners to purchase an additional bonus point to increase their odds of drawing a hunting ...

Few things can motivate Montanans to stand outside for close to an hour in below-zero temperatures like rallying to protect public lands. That’s what more than 200 people from around Montana did on Thursday after the call went out across the state to show state politicians that Montanans are watching legislators’ attempts to steal money from a popular public land fund. During the past five Legislative sessions, the Public Lands rally was held in the rotunda, where loud chants of “Keep Public ...

On Thursday in Helena, hundreds of people braved below-zero temperatures and snow showers to “Rally for Public Lands” at the State Capitol. This was the fifth legislative session that conservation organizations have held the Rally for Public Lands. “Let's sort of make sure that our legislators are aware how important our public lands are economically and for our outdoor quality of life, and make sure that as they're doing their business during the session that they prioritize our access and ...

A broad assortment of industry groups, conservation nonprofits, ranching families and hunting and fishing access advocates on Tuesday testified in opposition to a bill that would impose term limits on many conservation easements acquired with state funding.  If passed, Senate Bill 357 would put a 40-year term limit on many conservation easements purchased with state funding by agencies such as Montana, Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The measure includes exceptions for easements that are smaller ...

The sale of wildlife trail camera images and location trail data for hunting on public lands would be prohibited under a bill that was heard and quickly advanced from committee Thursday. House Bill 547 brought by Rep. Jill Cohenour, D-East Helena, seeks to curtail the technological creep into hunting by drawing an ethical red line over the sale of images, video and data on public lands. Supporters of the bill cited services that have been offered in other states where a person essentially ...