Montana Hunters.....We Need Your Help

^ me too. I like the part about "the initiating process done by fwp needs revisited " seems like fwp did their job, just need the land board to step up and do theirs. The split ownership is a non issue and as for rosendales concern over being the next big thing for oil in mt, well that's not where it's going to happen.
 
Schaaf said:
I would be willing to bet the landowners will be getting an easement one way or another. The other way won’t have public access and that split estate argument won’t hold water in court if The Nature Conservancy buys an easement. Chances are that Easement won’t allow public access.
Click to expand...

Is the Nature Conservancy looking at buying it? Why do you say chances are that easement wouldn't allow public access? I don't know much about the Nature Conservancy at all, other than I hunted on some of their stuff in Arizona this year.
 
It’s been my experience that the Nature Conservancy’s easements in Eastern Montana (I can’t speak for other places) don’t include public access. We ran into this exact scenario with a large chunk of land near Glasgow. The Buggy Creek FWP Easement from the Cromwell Family was voted down in 2008 due to apparent concerns about the value of the Easement. The Nature Conservancy announced their Easement on the Buggy Creek property last year and it does not include public access.

https://www.nature.org/ourinitiativ...ontana/milk-river-easement-at-buggy-creek.xml
 
It's up to the landowners as to whether or not access is allowed to their property. They were willing to allow access to their property for this conservation easement. Why would they not grant it in a conservation easement with TNC? In Western Montana, lands that TNC has purchased outright they always allowed access.

https://www.nature.org/ourinitiativ...t/clearwater-blackfoot-project-in-montana.xml

And yes, I was mailed the same form letter from Elsie about a week ago.
 
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It's not up to TNC to broker access agreements. That's on the landowner. Yes, they could still enter into block management, but a Habitat Montana easement provides access in perpetuity while still protecting the wildlife values. It's also what increases the value of the easement - sportsmen paying for access.

If this goes to TNC, then the landowner could still lease to a hunt club, outfitter, etc - or they could simply go to a friends & family style of hunting instead of the HM model, which has been hugely successful in increasing access & conserving high value wildlife habitat for 30 years.
 
Why would they not grant it in a conservation easement with TNC? In Western Montana, lands that TNC has purchased outright they always allowed access.
Click to expand...
There is a significant difference between The Nature Conservancy(TNC) conservation easement versus outright purchase. As you realize the easement is protection(s) as stipulated in the agreement, but the access provision is completely decided by the landowner. As a prime example, Turner's Flying D Ranch is a TNC easement and obviously without public access other than the road through the ranch to the Spanish Peaks trailhead and permission to use USFS trails which have portions which cross Flying D land near the southern boundary.
 
The landowners were willing to provide access into perpetuity with the original CE (and is still the best option, keep the pressure on the 3 that are holding it up). But if it comes down to a CE with TNC, the landowners may end up granting access in perpetuity with that CE as well. They've already shown a willingness to work with the public. If it all comes down to dollars and cents, maybe folks that are interested in access and conservation projects like this one should consider contributing to orgs like TNC that do this kind of work.
 
One week from today this will be up for a vote once again. It is still a longshot to pass. If there’s anyone you can gather that would be willing to write an email of support, now’s the time!
 
Just a heads up, this was postponed until next month because the real estate developer from Maryland has diverted his problems with the mineral rights to now having a problem with the appraisal.

But I’m sure they’re just doing their due diligence...
 
So, what’s the latest inside baseball on this? It seems the indefinite suspension is truly indefinite?
 
All, it's my understanding that the next land board meeting is set for June 18th. Please email the land board and let them know this needs to be on the agenda for this meeting and that there needs to be a unanimous yes vote, these people work for us and it's high time they do the work of the people.
Please take the time to email the land board. If you want to take part in conservation beyond buying a hunting license this is one real place the rubber meets the road. Be involved. Thanks
 
Watt21 said:
So, what’s the latest inside baseball on this? It seems the indefinite suspension is truly indefinite?
Click to expand...

Can we assume now that the land board members that voted to indefinitely postpone this Easement were in fact playing political games?
 
This is a big issue for hunters, recreationists and the landowner. Just went to the DNRC website and while they have a link "email the Land Board", it will not open. I did email DNRC but not sure if it will get to the Board.
 
Here is a copy of what I emailed them, sorry I'm not more politically correct.


Landboard, myself and an enormous number of montanans desire to see the horse creek conservation easement accepted. Please do your best to get this on the schedule for your June 18th meeting and get it passed with yes votes across the board.

Montana voters have voted you in to your positions to work for us, the people, this has been tabled long enough. If public access and wildlife are not a concern of yours just say so. If they are, like many of you have said from time to time, get behind Montanans and approve this easement on June 18th.

Sincerely
Ryan
 
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