Letters to the Editor
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December 8, 2021
There’s been a barrage of letters recently bashing the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission and the Department. Most seem to be coming from groups like Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Montana Wildlife Federation, and Montana Sportsmen Alliance, representing those who have been pandered to for the past 16 years by previous administrations. Former FWP commissioners from that era have also joined the attacks. The very ones who told us elections have consequences apparently only find it tolerable if it’s working for them.
The Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks was given a mission; the responsibility for protecting sustainable fish and wildlife populations. It worked fine until mission creep and politics began to include intangible things like quality of experience and overcrowding, and trophy opportunity. A new emphasis was put on growing mature bucks and bulls for trophy opportunity, and limiting permits to limit people and create that special experience for those lucky enough to draw the golden ticket. This elusive management style has led only to gross overpopulations that are damaging farms and ranches, while providing no measurable satisfaction for anyone.
Two thirds of Montana’s 145,552.43 square miles is privately owned. Agriculture is Montana’s leading industry, and privately owned farms and ranches provide valuable wildlife habitat. We’re in a historic drought where most ranches are having to sell off cattle for lack of feed, while wildlife go essentially unmanaged and unchecked in the chosen trophy areas of the state. FWP has been mandated by law to manage wildlife to objective levels which take into consideration the burden on private land. For the past 16 years FWP has abused the private land relationship in an arbitrary and unfair manner, and that must be corrected.
The current FWP Commission and Department appear to be making an effort to restore department rulemaking to the meet the goals of the appropriate mission – protecting sustainable fish and wildlife populations and minimizing the impact on private property. Popular or not, that’s what their job is. Let’s tune out the noise and allow this Commission and Department to do their job.
Mark Robbins
Fergus County Rancher
President, United Property Owners of Montana, Inc.
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