Montana On The Ground

Independently reported news stories of Montana's people, land, water and wildlife.

Panel highlights flaws with federal land transfer attempts

May 04, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

Some people may be so fed up with the federal bureaucracy that they want the states to control public land. But that would remove more options than people think so it may be best to just keep working with what we’ve got, according to a Montana panel of experts.

On Wednesday night, about 100 people listened to a panel of five speakers representing diverse interests discuss whether it would be better to allow states manage public land. On the whole, the panel agreed state control probably wouldn’t improve much, depending on what was being measured.

Montana Forestry Division anticipates normal fire season

May 04, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

It appears that Montana may have a normal fire season, but “normal” is still nothing to take for granted, according to the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

On Wednesday, Mike DeGrosky, DNRC Fire Aviation and Management Bureau Chief, told the Legislative Environmental Quality Council that long-range forecasts appear to indicate that Montana will an average fire season, but that still means plenty of fires.

Delayed map pits hunters against outfitters

April 28, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

The recent release of a map supposedly representing outfitted lands in Montana has created yet another sore spot between Montana hunters and outfitters.

A few weeks ago, the Montana Department of Labor and Industry released a map generated by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks showing that the amount of land potentially used by outfitters has almost tripled since a similar map was released four years ago.

Mine clean-up plan finalized but company is bankrupt

April 18, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has chosen the best way to finally close a Lewistown area mine, but Montana could once again be stuck with the bill.

On Friday, the DEQ published a final environmental report detailing requirements for the protection of water and soils as part of the proposed closure of the CR Kendall Mine in the North Moccasin Mountains in Fergus County. The problem is the mining company, ATNA Resources Ltd., declared bankruptcy five months ago.

Judge tells USFWS to reconsider wolverine listing

April 04, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

A federal judge ordered the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take its wolverine ruling back to the drawing board, and this time, apply the best-available science.

On Monday, Missoula federal district Judge Dana Christensen was stern and meticulous in his criticism of the 2014 USFWS decision not to list the wolverine as threatened. In his 85-page ruling, he said the USFWS decision was “arbitrary and capricious” because it purposely ignored the best-available science on how climate change and genetic isolation would negatively affect the elusive carnivore.

Polls get opposite results on federal land transfer question

March 29, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

Groups have seized upon a recent poll that appears to show that Montanans favor federal-land transfer. But with other polls showing the opposite, the issue isn’t cut and dried.

Fed wildlife grants helpful but don't go far enough

March 23, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has received another grant of about $850,000 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for non-game wildlife conservation. But a blue-ribbon panel thinks state wildlife agencies need 20 times more.

On Monday, the USFWS announced that the State Wildlife Grant program would divvy almost $50 million between the states and territories of the U.S for use in 2016. The 16-year old matching-grant program is intended for conservation of primarily non-game wildlife and their habitat.

FWP commission considers conservation easements, land donation

March 10, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

Fish, Wildlife & Parks has been able to preserve some critical habitat thanks to Habitat Montana funds. But a legislative restriction on the money may cause FWP to lose some opportunity.

At Thursday’s meeting, FWP commissioners gave the go-ahead to start negotiations on four conservation easements and one donation of land that would benefit elk, mule deer and sage grouse and, in some cases provide additional access to public land.

Montana plans for grizzly-bear hunt if delisting isn't challenged

March 09, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

On Wednesday, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service representative updated the legislative Environmental Quality Council on what the future might hold for grizzly bears in southwest Montana as long as endangered-species delisting moves forward.

Matt Hogan, USFWS Mountain Prairie Region Deputy Director, told the committee that a big part of the delisting proposal released last week is the associated Conservation Strategy, which should ensure Yellowstone area grizzly bear population stays viable after delisting. The conservation strategy sets bear mortality limits and regulatory mechanisms that Montana, Wyoming and Idaho must use if they implement hunting seasons.

Montana's takeover of federal stream permits unlikely

March 07, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

On Monday, a legislative committee heard testimony from several environmental professionals who, although frustrated, said it was better for Montana to defer to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers when it comes to permitting projects that require construction work in or near streams or wetlands. Such projects include dam, levee, bridge or road construction, and they sometimes require wetlands or streams to be moved.

USFWS to delist Yellowstone area grizzly bears

March 03, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

Grizzly bears in the greater Yellowstone area may soon be treated like any other species if the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s second delisting proposal is approved.

On Thursday, the USFWS announced it would remove the greater Yellowstone area grizzly bears from Endangered Species protection because the population has recovered. The decision was discussed at the most recent Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee meeting in December, although it’s been looming for more than a year.

Feds seeking comment on oil exploration south of Dillon

March 02, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

Even though U.S. oil prices have dropped to levels not seen in more than a decade, a Denver-based company is proposing a drilling project that could threaten prime wildlife habitat in southwest Montana.

The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and the Dillon Bureau of Land Management Office are conducting an environmental assessment of oil drilling in the Tendoy Mountains south of Dillon. They are accepting public comment until midnight on March 25.

Study: Elk harboring hampers FWP population control

February 27, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

A new scientific study adds fodder to hunters' claims that landowners who don’t allow public access contribute to elk overpopulation.

On Thursday, at a Wildlife Society meeting in Missoula, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologist Scott Thompson presented research out of the Missouri River Breaks area showing that elk, not surprisingly, tended to harbor on properties that exclude public hunters.

Big lands, human tolerance needed for wildlife restoration

February 24, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

Wildlife restoration has seen both triumphs and challenges in the past few decades, but challenges will dominate the future if biologists can’t learn to forge new relationships to overcome intolerance, according to leading Montana biologist.

This week in Missoula, some of the finest wildlife researchers in Montana are attending an annual state meeting of The Wildlife Society to discuss their latest projects and learn of new research on everything from bison to bighorn sheep and beavers. The conference theme is wildlife restoration, so during Wednesday’s kick-off session, experienced conservation leaders told their younger colleagues that future restoration efforts need to focus on large landscapes owned by several entities so the most important part of a biologist’s job would be building relationships with a wide array of people.

FWP commission: Send Idaho sheep home

February 18, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks commission joins other organizations in calling for the end of federally-funded sheep grazing in the Centennial Mountains.

After last week’s marathon FWP commission meeting, the commissioner sent letters to Montana’s Congressional delegation asking them to remove Montana lands from the area managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Experimental Sheep Station.

Livestock Board wants AG ruling on bison authority

February 18, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

As the Montana Board of Livestock struggles to keep the Department of Livestock out of debt, it’s asking the state attorney general to clarify the DOL’s responsibility related to bison.

During a discussion of economic affairs and long-range planning, Board of Livestock member John Scully asked the board to approve his letter asking Attorney General Tim Fox to clarify the DOL’s responsibilities related to bison.

Report: Private sheep pose threat to most Montana bighorn herds

February 16, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

Nonnative weeds threaten to choke out native grasses on Missoula’s open foothills, so sheep were put to work on Mount Jumbo’s leafy spurge. Unfortunately, Missoula’s wooly alternative endangers one native species that has surprisingly few places left to roam.

On Tuesday, conservation groups released a report showing that 85 percent of Montana’s wild sheep herds are at risk of disease due to nearby domestic sheep. The National Wildlife Federation, Montana Wildlife Federation, Wild Sheep Foundation and Montana Wild Sheep Foundation sponsored the report.

Commission approves elk shoulder seasons, reduced season near Gardiner

February 11, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

In many parts of the state, elk season will now last as long as six months.

On Thursday, the Fish, Wildlife & Parks commission sat through more than two hours of discussion and comments before approving, with a few modifications, the next round of elk shoulder seasons. For the next two years, rifle season will extend mostly from Aug. 15 until Feb. 15 in about 40 hunting districts. But outside the general season, hunters can harvest only cows.

Lawsuit would increase protection for Cabinet-Yaak grizzly bears

February 10, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

In refusing to increase protection and designate critical habitat in the Cabinet-Yaak region, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has probably hampered grizzly-bear recovery, according to a new lawsuit.

On Monday, the Alliance for the Wild Rockies sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the third time in almost two years for not giving more protection to grizzly bears in the Cabinet-Yaak region of northwest Montana.

Obama budget adds half-percent for federal land management

February 09, 2016 by Laura Lundquist

The Obama administration’s final proposal for an annual budget would allocate $13.4 billion to the Department of the Interior for everything from wildfire suppression to funding for scientific research. But with a Republican-led Congress in an election year, parts of the budget could fall by the wayside by September.