Hunting season is here. Many hunters— including me — will head out this weekend in search of good times and a chance at harvesting Montana’s publicly owned game. While afield I’m often reminded of how lucky I am to hunt and to participate in the North American Model of Wildlife Management. This fuels my desire to preserve our traditions and opportunities and push back against efforts to privatize and commercialize our wildlife. Time afield also provides an opportunity for introspection. ...

A recent vote by the Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation Land Board will set aside 5,700 acres of state-managed public land in the Big Sky State. The new public land will provide access to an additional 100,000 acres owned by both the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the United States Forest Service (USFS). The land sits in the central part of Montana at the base of the Big Snowy Mountains. It is being sold to the state for $8.2 million by a local children’s ...

Early in the year, the Utah Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers was approached by Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) Big Game Coordinator, now Wildlife Section Chief Covy Jones to have a seat on the Elk Management Plan Committee to re-write the long-term strategic plan for elk management in the state. As a chapter, we’ve been working hard to increase engagement with the Division on critical issues such as this, and immediately accepted the seat at the table. We knew we had our work ...

On Election Day ballots will include Constitutional Amendment HCR-5014.  Voting “Yes” for this amendment to our State Constitution would give the Kansas Legislature direct authority over the management of fish and wildlife to the Legislature as opposed to KDWP professionals trained in the fish and wildlife management.  Supporters of the bill will argue this amendment creates a checks and balances to limit bureaucracy, however, KDWP’s internal checks and balances is the Wildlife Commission. ...

The Montana Land Board has approved acquiring a new piece of land to become a Wildlife Management Area. In a four-to-one vote, the board acquired more than 5,000 acres, at the base of the Big Snowy Mountains.Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has cited the lack of public access to the mountains as a primary factor for an elk population which is 900% over objective.Initially, the land belonged to Forrest Allen of Cody, Wyoming, and it was donated after his death in 2019 to a children's ...