Besides turkey and bear hunting, fishing, and camping, we've had a busy spring here in Montana. Take a look at what we’ve been up to the last three months at the Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers:

Montana BHA’s statewide mule deer raffle raised a record amount for mule deer conservation - collectively, you all helped raise the most money this Montana tag has ever generated: $56,620! This exceeded the previous Montana mule deer auction record ($41,000) by 38 percent. Thank you to everyone who entered and congrats to the lucky winner, Matt E!

Photo courtesy of BHA life member and corporate partner, Tony Bynum.

We supported the Bureau of Land Management’s Proposed Action to acquire approximately 17,000 acres in the Gold Creek and Twin Creek areas of the Blackfoot River Watershed about 20 miles east of Missoula.

We supported Phase I of the Montana Great Outdoors Conservation Easement which would improve access to existing public lands or publicly accessible private lands and provide critical habitat and/or migration corridors for the species like elk, deer, black bears, Shiras moose, and turkeys on 32,981 acres.

Montana BHA submitted comments on the Utility-Scale Solar Energy Development PEIS/RMPA in which we emphasized the prioritization of habitat and access when considering solar development on BLM.

We’ve also been busy on the ground with stewardship season in full swing with multiple fence removal projects. In early June, we joined state corporate partners, Grizzly Liquor, and The Nature Conservancy to remove 1 mile of old barbed wire fence on the Blackfoot BMA.

A week later, we joined the National Wildlife Federation in the Grasshopper Valley where 20+ volunteers showed up to remove nearly three miles of old fence.

Video by The Herd Studios

We ended the month with fence pull projects on the Spotted Dog Wildlife Management Area and on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge where we collectively removed over 4 miles of fence.

Upcoming Events

July 20 Salmon River Cleanup Float (Challis, ID)
July 20 Irwin Fence Removal (Irwin, ID)
July 19-21 Trail Maintenance: Helmet Pass (near Ennis)
July 27 - Fence Removal: Pumpkin Creek (near Miles City)
July 27-28 Eagle Rock Ranch Fence Pull with NWF (near Wise River)
August 9-11 Trail Maintenance: Johnson Lake (near Phillipsburg)
August 23-25 Trail Maintenance: Star Meadows (near Kalispell)

View all Montana events here.

Montana BHA Says Goodbye to Regional Policy Manager, Kevin Farron

Earlier this month, Montana BHA said goodbye to long-time BHA staffer and Regional Policy Manager, Kevin Farron. Kevin has been with BHA for six-and-a-half years, first serving as the Montana Chapter Coordinator wrangling volunteers, then as the Regional Policy Manager for Montana and the Dakotas.

If you’ve learned about or engaged in policy issues here in Montana, Kevin has likely been behind it. With a degree in English and Communications, he excelled at keeping members informed and up to speed on conservation issues across Montana.

Not only was he a master of communication, he also showed up: be it a F&W Commission meeting, conservation coalition meeting, the Montana legislature, or meetings with FWP staff, Kevin was there. He crisscrossed the state and put countless miles on his rig to make sure the voice for our public lands, waters, and wildlife was heard.

Ultimately, no one embodies the BHA ethos quite like Kevin. He worked tirelessly for Montana BHA--always keeping the mission of the organization at the forefront of his mind--and he will be greatly missed.

Join us in thanking Kevin for everything he’s done and wishing him well on his next adventure!

Open Board Positions

We are looking for members to join our board. The following positions are currently open:

Missoula Valley Board Member (applications due August 1, 2024)
Southeastern Regional Board Member - Billings/Miles City (open until filled)
Southwest Montana Board Member - Butte/Anaconda/Dillon/Deer Lodge (open until filled)

Recipe from the Backcountry

If you're hitting the water this summer, try this Whitefish Melt recipe from MT BHA Stewardship Leader, Micah Fields!

Meateater Experience Sweepstakes

Join the MeatEater crew for world-class fishing, delicious meals, and great conversations. For more details, check out the "Prizes" section.

Enter here by August 18 for a chance to win this incredible experience and support BHA’s mission!

All proceeds will go directly to BHA’s efforts to protect public lands and waters, advance initiatives like “Corner Crossings” and “Save the Cutoff,” and promote conservation in the halls of Congress.

Join Us!

Like what you see? Want to support our continued work in Montana? Join, renew or gift a membership here!

Thank you for your continued support and we'll see you on the trail!

Sincerely,

The Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

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