Starting July 1, people using Montana fishing access sites and wildlife management areas who don’t already have a conservation license with their fishing or hunting license are supposed to buy one under a new law passed this legislative session. The change made by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Greg Gianforte means that people who are using a Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks fishing access site only to float the river, hike, birdwatch, or picnic, for instance, will have to purchase a ...

Summer has arrived! When we haven't been attending bow shoots, boots-on-the-ground stewardship projects, or chasing the salmon fly hatch, here’s what we’ve been up to since our last quarterly blog from Montana BHA: Corner Crossing Last month, “corner crossing” became the hottest topic in the hunting community when a federal judge in Wyoming ruled that, at least for the case in front of him, it did not constitute as unlawful trespass.  But what impact does this decision have on the legality ...

In Montana, is Corner Crossing “unlawful,” “illegal,” or something else entirely? Across the country, the concept of “corner crossing” became the hottest topic in the hunting community when a federal judge in Wyoming ruled that, at least for the case in front of him, it did not constitute as unlawful trespass. You can read the full 32-page summary judgment here. As you can imagine, this has riled Montanans up from both sides of this issue. So what exactly are we talking about here?  In ...

On June 3rd, 2023, despite a dismal weather forecast, 23 conservationists showed up to pull more than a mile of old woven and barbed wire fencing in SW Montana. BHA members and volunteers from all over the state met up with Simon Buzzard from the National Wildlife Federation who provided some conservation history and project goals before we loaded up and drove towards the work site, a region called Horse Prairie. So why were we focused on this specific part of the state? In 2020, Montana ...

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ deputy director has raised the hackles of some Montana land access advocates. A recent federal court ruling in Wyoming regarding public access at the corners where a checkerboard of public and private parcels meet has prompted questions about how the ruling may apply in Montana, an FWP spokesman said. As a result, on Thursday the department issued a short press release. “Corner crossing remains unlawful in Montana, and Montanans should continue to obtain ...