LETTERS

Spot on The essay by Allen Morris Jones on hunting (“Getting There,” September-October) does a great job of expressing my own feelings about hunting each fall with my dad and brother. Thanks.

Michelle Miller Spokane, WA

Reverting to type? I read with interest your article on FWP’s elk movement studies “Where Are All the Elk?” (September-October). You confirm my own unscientific field observations made over the past ten years of more and larger herds of unhuntable elk in western Montana valleys and less sign or sightings on national forest land. I know of at least one herd that now lives most of the year within a mile of I-90 in an area where small bunches of elk were the norm for the past 50 years. As far as I know, no significant change in land ownership has occurred here. Wolves may be more suspect than you think.

I suggest that serious study of all possible causes be conducted. Historically, elk banded together and stayed in open areas to escape predators. Man and modern rifles changed that. Perhaps elk are simply reverting to type and only coincidentally taking advantage of safe havens that “No Hunting” areas provide.

Clair A. Brazington Nine Mile Falls, WA

Sage-grouse habitat is key In FWP director Jeff Hagener’s “Our Point of View” column on the recent sage-grouse season closure decision (September- October), he stated: “Though the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has said that hunting is not a major threat [to sage-grouse], it is important for us to show that Montana takes recent declines seriously.”

Jeff goes on to state that hundreds of millions of dollars have already been spent across the West. These taxpayer and sportsmen’s dollars are primarily going to private landowners and supposedly aimed at preventing further harm to the sage-grouse and its habitat. However, FWP’s own monitoring data since 2008,

which Jeff cites, indicates that dramatic declines continue state- wide for sage-grouse in Montana (down 62 percent). Declines are even worse in other western states. These declines are significant, so if the governor and FWP are “serious” about sage-grouse recovery, they should take the steps necessary to reverse these trends. Of course that would mean acquiring, protecting, and restoring habitat.

Closing the hunting season is a diversion to give the impression that something meaningful for sage-grouse is actually being done. What’s really needed are tough decisions about habitat protection and restoration, not further mitigation. Yum We tried your Blue Grouse and Shallots recipe (“Eating the Outdoors,” September-October) with pheasants in lieu of grouse. It was fabulous. Please keep printing new recipes.

Lee Ebeling Great Falls

If the governor and FWP are “serious” about sage-grouse recovery, they should take the necessary steps to reverse the trend.”

Glenn Hockett Volunteer President Gallatin Wildlife Association Bozeman Call before you fly

Director Jeff Hagener replies: Mr. Hockett is correct that one of the most important steps to recovering sage-grouse is protecting habitat. To that end, Governor Steve Bullock recently signed an executive order establishing the Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation Program, which seeks to maintain state management of the sage-grouse by protecting its habitat, while respecting private property rights. The executive order places restrictions on future oil drilling and other activities that disrupt sage-grouse breeding or migration. It also establishes nooccupancy zones that extend sixtenths of a mile around identified breeding leks. Roads will not be allowed in those areas, and other activities, such as oil and gas exploration, would only be allowed seasonally. Existing land uses, including agriculture, coal mines, and oil wells already in place, would be exempt. These new restrictions are aimed at preventing disturbances, protecting critical habitat, and increasing overall sage-grouse numbers. If they are successful, and if the U.S. Fish &

Wildlife Service does not list the species, I’m hopeful that Montana can reopen to hunting the areas we decided to close this year. As an operator of a licensed air taxi service, I would like to clarify a point made in your article “Finding a Way In” (SeptemberOctober). You state that using aircraft to access isolated public lands is legal. In fact, State of Montana recreational use rule 36.25.145 (15) states that state lands cannot be legally accessed by aircraft. Landings on certain areas of national forests may be legal, but no U.S. Forest Service administrator I have talked to has fully confirmed that. They tell me the agency does not want aircraft to land anywhere other than on designated airstrips. The Bureau of Land Management is the only federal agency that has acknowledged to me that aircraft landings are legal under certain circumstances on its managed lands. If you are contemplating using an aircraft to access public lands, it would be wise to contact the local federal or state agency office for information. Rick Geiger Cut Bank Write to us We welcome all your comments, questions, and letters to the editor. We’ll edit letters as needed for accuracy, style, and length. Reach us at Montana Outdoors, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 596200701. Or email: tdickson@mt.gov.