For the past two years, Sen. Jon Tester has led an effort to extend federal protections to some of the most loved free-flowing rivers and streams in Montana. If signed into law, Tester’s “Montana Headwaters Legacy Act” would add segments of the Yellowstone, Madison and Gallatin rivers to the nation’s list of Wild and Scenic Rivers. Additionally, portions of 17 smaller streams including the Smith River, Hyalite Creek and the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone would gain federal protections ...

1. Why did Montana hunting and conservation groups formally file to intervene in the lawsuit by United Property Owners of Montana?   The coalition’s members – Montana-based hunting and conservation organizations – have continually opposed efforts to degrade Montana’s time-tested system of wildlife management and fought back repeated attempts to privatize and commercialize public elk. Montana is the envy of the world when it comes to wildlife held in public trust and the opportunity for the ...

Access to 8.3 million acres of public land in 11 western states is in limbo due to questions over the legality of crossing from one corner of public land to another, known as corner crossing. The checkerboard-like acreage is highlighted in a recent report by onX, a Montana-based online mapping company, which pointed out the amount is more than half of the West’s total landlocked acreage. In Montana, this amounts to 871,000 acres, according to onX, while Wyoming leads all western states with ...

For Americans who live or venture west of the Mississippi River or north to Alaska, no public lands are more important, more abundant or more accessible than those managed by the Bureau of Land Management. We are talking about 247.3 million acres of public land (70 million of them in Alaska). In the Lower 48, this means elk hunting in the Missouri Breaks of Montana, Wyoming’s best pronghorn and mule deer country, quail hunting in the borderlands of New Mexico, and black bear or even bison ...

On Thursday June 2nd the full RI House of Representatives convened to discuss and vote on business including this year’s shoreline access bill, H8055A, introduced by Rep. Terri Cortvriend (D, Middletown, Portsmouth). Following a short discussion and expressions of support from Representatives including Judiciary Committee Chairman Robert Craven (D, North Kingstown) and Minority Leader Blake Filippi (R, Charlestown, New Shoreham, South Kingstown, Westerly) the vote was taken and every ...