ALT-Facts on Public Lands

[BigHornRam]

This guy may very well have been assaulted in one of these 5 Montana WSA's in question. Unfortunately he is unable to testify to his exact location at the time of this tragedy.

 

[MLaird]

There are some amazing pics in this thread!

I haven't taken an animal in a wilderness/wsa area yet, something I am going to try and remedy this fall.

 

[Gerald Martin]

There are some amazing pics in this thread!

I haven't taken an animal in a wilderness/wsa area yet, something I am going to try and remedy this fall.

Just be aware that you can't hunt in a WSA or wilderness area. Senator Daines has thus decreed.

 

[BrentD]

Has anybody heard from Senator Daines recently? Is he, hmmm, getting a clue?

 

[Southern Elk]

Has anybody heard from Senator Daines recently? Is he, hmmm, getting a clue?

I have. He reminded me that as a 5th generation Montanan he knows what's best. He also assured me that he has talked to everyone and there is total agreement that this is the right thing to do.

Everyone reading this needs to write him in opposition of this bill.

 

[Nameless Range]

The BS is so strong with that guy. We've been at this with him for years now. It's a pattern.

 

[Straight Arrow]

The BS is so strong with that guy.

Yes, and it seems the only constituent who has his ear is his old boss, Greg Gianforte.

 

[Sytes]

Foot/hoof vs the rest of the multi-billion dollar outdoor industry public land users...

GAO review per Congress order.

Forest Service Montana designated Wilderness "STUDY" Areas. The conclusion.
.


The FIVE WSA's Daines seeks to conclude with added bill content for Blue Joint as portion recommended Wilderness:

West Pioneer Wilderness Study Areas

Sapphire Wilderness Study Area

Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Area

Big Snowies Wilderness Study Area

Blue Joint Wilderness Study Area

This bill would release these 32,500 acres.

 

[publichunter1]

All Colorado and Wyoming Wilderness Areas

 

[Nameless Range]

Foot/hoof vs the rest of the multi-billion dollar outdoor industry public land users...

GAO review per Congress order.

Forest Service Montana designated Wilderness "STUDY" Areas. The conclusion.
.


The FIVE WSA's Daines seeks to conclude with added bill content for Blue Joint as portion recommended Wilderness:

West Pioneer Wilderness Study Areas

Sapphire Wilderness Study Area

Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Area

Big Snowies Wilderness Study Area

Blue Joint Wilderness Study Area

I don't see this as a hoof/hike vs the rest issue. It's not either/or.

I own a four-wheeler. Actually will be four-wheeling up to some mountain lakes this weekend. I think the evidence shows that Steve Daines is unbalanced when it comes to our public lands. I Don't think Wilderness is a good solution in many places given that it shuts mountain bikers out, and in the case of Wyoming, shuts out non-resident hunters. But I don't like what Daines is doing here. Here's the totals per:

(c) Description Of Land.—The land referred to in paragraphs (6) and (7) of subsection (a) and subsection (b) is—

(1) the approximately 151,000 acres of land comprising the West Pioneer Wilderness Study Area;

(2) the approximately 32,500 acres of land within the Blue Joint Wilderness Study Area not recommended for wilderness classification in the record of decision prepared by the Forest Service entitled “Bitterroot National Forest Plan” and dated September 1987;

(3) the approximately 94,000 acres of land comprising the Sapphire Wilderness Study Area;

(4) the approximately 81,000 acres of land comprising the Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Area; and

(5) the approximately 91,000 acres of land comprising the Big Snowies Wilderness Study Area.

Lots of acres recommended for Wilderness in the report above. If a final resolution is what Daines desires, wonder why he's only interested in codifying a reduction in land protections. Why is he only interested in one side of the coin all the time?It's par for the course for a guy who tried to sabotage Tester's FJRA - a well considered bill that opened some stuff up, promoted logging on our NF lands, created some new wilderness, and didn't shut out the bikers and snowmobilers by utilizing designations like Recreation Management Areas.

The fact that, as mentioned in the OP, he puts a blatant lie in a press release gives Montanans an idea of where things are headed if he is granted what he wants.

 

[Sytes]

Would you share a link, Bret? I'm not familiar with the info you shared. The GAO was the Congress ordered review. Are you saying that is not the WSA review Congress ordered or did I miss something within the GAO report?

 

[Ben Lamb]

Point of order: The Wyoming Wilderness issue is a state management issue. It's a state statute that disallows Americans from hunting in their own Wilderness areas without a guide, not federal law.

And yeah, we totally need more roads.

 

[Nameless Range]

Sorry riding in a car. Put the link to Daines bill in post above. No, I'm saying in the GAO review ordered by congress in the PDFs you shared above, there is plenty of study area acreage listed as recommended for big W. Daines' bill only taketh away, says this in section 2 line 6.

County commissions, sportsmen, farmers and ranchers, and outdoor recreation groups in the State of Montana support Congress acting to remove the land in the State described in subsection

I think that's BS, and though there are multiple reasons this bill should not move forward, one is we should not pass a bill with such a misleading generalization.

I think it's an unbalanced approach, with no balance coming from Daines in the future.

 

[Nameless Range]

Point of order: The Wyoming Wilderness issue is a state management issue. It's a state statute that disallows Americans from hunting in their own Wilderness areas without a guide, not federal law.

Totally get that, and understand that a law like that is possible in any western state. Still, find it to be a powerful argument against desiring any new wilderness in Wyoming. Call me selfish.

 

[MLaird]

Just be aware that you can't hunt in a WSA or wilderness area. Senator Daines has thus decreed.

Knowing I can't hunt there is gonna make it seem that much more satisfying

 

[The Hedgehog]

I think the original choice of words when saying "can't hunt" means they can't road hunt, or easily hunt, or can't walk because they are unwilling or unable. Only the "elite" can do that, right?

That's a great map of the MT roads. Not sure how much hunting I've done in wilderness areas, but I know I've hunted them in Montana, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico and Idaho. Wouldn't know where to start counting on the numbers of animals I have taken from them, especially if you include WSAs and restricted roadless areas, like those referenced on the map posted by Ben above.

For a chance at a knife, here's a picture of one of many whitetails I've taken from an eastern MT wilderness area, and it only took a few minutes to drag the whole deer to my truck. It's the last whitetail I shot, in 2002. After 16 years, I think I'm maybe due for a whitetail this year from MT. Medicine Lake Wilderness area.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Shot this mtn goat in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness area, and it was easy of enough of a place that while carving him up for the backpack ride out, we were able to glass about 20 women doing yoga down near our tents at the base of the mountains.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Here's a B&C awards bull elk taken in a wilderness area, within sight of Steve Daines' home.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Would rather see the wilderness yoga pics

 

[Ben Lamb]

Totally get that, and understand that a law like that is possible in any western state. Still, find it to be a powerful argument against desiring any new wilderness in Wyoming. Call me selfish.

I wouldn't worry about that, especially with Cheney trying to do the exact same thing in WY.