New Effort To Make Private Land Access Easier

CBU opinion. Their has been a systematic closure of public lands access in the past approximate 30 years. CBU believes in public lands access, but also in private property rights. CBU is concerned as to the direction of this new government sponsored effort for private land access while more public lands are being closed everyday.  CBU will be reviewing this in more detail.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a new effort to encourage owners and operators of privately held farm, ranch and forest land to voluntarily provide public access to land for the enjoyment of wildlife-dependent recreation, including hunting or fishing, under programs implemented by state or tribal governments.

“This administration is committed to preserving and enhancing the great conservation legacy of our nation’s hunters and anglers to benefit current and future generations,” said Vilsack. “This program will not only help achieve conservation goals, but also increase opportunities for hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation by providing greater access to privately held lands for wildlife-dependent recreation.”

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FWP may buy 89 acres for fishing access

The state may buy 89 acres on Sixteenmile Creek for a new fishing access site. The site is about five miles long and follows the abandoned Milwaukee Railroad right of way along the creek west of Ringling. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks would build a small parking lot on the property, along with an access road and a restroom.

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Judge lifts motorized ban in parts of Lewis and Clark National Forest

 A federal judge has lifted bans and seasonal restrictions on motorized travel in some areas of the 1.8-million acre Lewis and Clark National Forest in north-central Montana after the U.S. Forest Service reached a compromise with motorized groups who had filed a lawsuit.

An environmental group called the Montana Wilderness Association, which intervened in the lawsuit on the side of the Forest Service, immediately attacked the decision and said it is considering filing an appeal.

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Off Trail: Road south of Big Timber in dispute between landowners, Forest Service

Limited public access was reopened Wednesday across private land to the Gallatin National Forest at Cherry Creek, 10 miles south of here.

Landowner George Matelich said it was an oversight that no-trespassing signs hadn’t been removed by that morning. He had advertised the June 30 reopening of the access route in an advertisement in the Big Timber newspaper. Matelich apologized and removed the signs and unlocked the gate from his property to forest land by noon. New signs were installed by Thursday.

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Halting invasives: Center spreads new recreational ethic of inspect, clean and dry

Many fly anglers have forceps, line snippers and flies attached to their fishing vests, but Matt Wilhelm has an item less frequently seen — a tiny blue scrub brush with stiff white bristles.

The brush isn’t to keep his fingernails clean. Wilhelm uses it to scrub his waders after he finishes fishing. The idea is to remove any invasive species that might be trying to hitch a ride on his gear to another waterway.

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Senate committee discussion draft of revised S-1470

 Senator testers office was unwilling to provide CBU with a copy of this draft to CBU or the public. CBU is keeping up to date on this and we will post Senator Testers counter proposal.

To read the draft S1470 Title I Discussion Draft 1

Corps seeks opinions on Missouri study

Concerned about how the Missouri River is being managed for recreation, fish and wildlife or irrigation? Now is your chance to comment.

The Army Corps of Engineers will hold a public meeting today at Fort Peck to collect suggestions on how to define the scope of studies that will be conducted for the Missouri River Authorized Purposes Study. The meeting will be held at the Fort Peck Interpretive Center from 5 to 8 p.m. with an open house from 5 to 7 p.m.

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Gallatin County Commission to meet Wednesday, discuss Bear Canyon Road agreement

The regular Tuesday meeting of the Gallatin County Commission has been rescheduled to Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. due to the June 8 primary election.

The commission is scheduled to discuss an interim agreement regarding Bear Canyon Road, the source of an ongoing dispute between the county and U.S. Forest Service.

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Diverse coalition behind Rocky Mountain Front plan

 A rancher who loves grizzly bears. A taxidermist who’s fed up with hunting. A country girl who’s gone to work for a national environmental group.

They’ve convinced oil companies to stop drilling.

They’ve got state and federal agencies to start talking. And now they’re all campaigning to save a landscape that seems to hate people.

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