Great Burn Recommended Wilderness 🔥

[PaulRevere]

I just left my comments to the Forest Service and encourage others to do the same thing! Who doesn't love roadless Wilderness?! Below is a link to BHA's page that provides more information and a link to public comment.

Montana Take Action: Nez Perce-Clearwater Forest Plan Revision

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is the voice for our wild public lands, waters and wildlife.

www.backcountryhunters.org

 

[44hunter45]

Ironic that the NPS is shooting goats in multiple locations. I tweeted the BHA link out. My 60 followers will get right on this!

 

[Irrelevant]

Ironic that the NPS is shooting goats in multiple locations. I tweeted the BHA link out. My 60 followers will get right on this!

I commend the Olympic NP for spending the last three summers doing captures and relocations into the cascades first, before any goats are shot. I wish the Grand Tieton NP would have done the same.

 

[44hunter45]

I commend the Olympic NP for spending the last three summers doing captures and relocations into the cascades first, before any goats are shot. I wish the Grand Tieton NP would have done the same.

I have a son in Seattle. His roommate is considering signing up to be on a "team" in Olympic NP. My son doesn't want the politics of it.

 

[Irrelevant]

I have a son in Seattle. His roommate is considering signing up to be on a "team" in Olympic NP. My son doesn't want the politics of it.

Him (your sons friend) and everyone else. There are going to be thousands of people applying, only a few will get selected, someone in the first wave will be an idiot, will make a mistake, and it'll all be over. Then the NPS will proceed with aerial gunning.

 

[44hunter45]

See, even the thread started in order to give attention to a local herd issue, turns into a discussion about the non-native ones.

Dang my ADHD. I can never stay on topic. Sorry. I always have to make that glib comment and then something goes off the rails.

 

[Irrelevant]

I submitted comments in support of MAX wilderness.

 

[BuzzH]

I also submitted comments recommending no more motorized access.

I used to hunt Indian Ridge, East, Middle, West Forks of Indian Creek, Cedar Log Creek, and occasionally Straight Creek and the roadless portion of Thompson and Bear Creeks.

Only place I've ever seen a live wolverine in the lower 48 was just west of Admiral Peak right on the Idaho/Montana State line while archery hunting elk.

Also one of the first places I ever went on a true backpacking trip with my Dad and Brother was to Kidd Lake right on the ID/MT line...caught some awesome cutthroats on that trip.

Definitely country that qualifies for Wilderness.

 

[theat]

The Great Burn is an area well worth protecting as wilderness. It has been awhile, but I have spent many days backpacking, fishing and bear hunting in that country. Here are a few pics from some of those trips.






On the day that the following picture was taken, there were two guys snowmobiling along the ridge on the right side of the photo. While I was watching them in between glassing a couple of bears, I saw two nannies and a kid go running down the mountain and cross the creek before ascending the ridge on the left side of the picture. By the time they got up there, they looked exhausted. I am 100% sure that snowmobile use in this area has a negative impact on the remaining mountain goats living there.

 

[MTGomer]

I also submitted comments recommending no more motorized access.

I used to hunt Indian Ridge, East, Middle, West Forks of Indian Creek, Cedar Log Creek, and occasionally Straight Creek and the roadless portion of Thompson and Bear Creeks.

Only place I've ever seen a live wolverine in the lower 48 was just west of Admiral Peak right on the Idaho/Montana State line while archery hunting elk.

Also one of the first places I ever went on a true backpacking trip with my Dad and Brother was to Kidd Lake right on the ID/MT line...caught some awesome cutthroats on that trip.

Definitely country that qualifies for Wilderness.

First place I ever went too was Kidd and Cedar Log lakes and later Leo Lake.

One of my dads favorite stories is catching the big ones at Kidd, hiking over the hill to Cedar Log and cooking them for dinner when some others showed up and just assumed they were caught in Cedar Log.

I haven’t been in that country in a while.

 

[BuzzH]

First place I ever went too was Kidd and Cedar Log lakes and later Leo Lake.

One of my dads favorite stories is catching the big ones at Kidd, hiking over the hill to Cedar Log and cooking them for dinner when some others showed up and just assumed they were caught in Cedar Log.

I haven’t been in that country in a while.

Last time I fished Cedar Log lakes was probably about 1992...tons of fish, but pretty rare to catch anything over 12 inches. I have pictures of the fish in Kidd Lake that we caught, 18-20 inchers and fat, July of 1977. Caught them using insect green teeny nymphs behind a casting bubble.

I haven't been back either for a long time, more than 25 years.

Awesome area...

 

[Irrelevant]

you guys made me have to scope it out a little harder. Looks like some cool, unpopulated country.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I submitted my comments. That area holds a special place in my heart as my first backpacking trip was an off-trail route into Fish Lake. It is a beautiful area, well-deserving of wilderness designation.

 

[HighWildFree]

Submitted my comments as well. Make a trip into there every summer

 

[PaulRevere]

Thanks to all the folks showing their love for the Great Burn. All of our wilderness study areas deserve the same amount of devotion!

 

[diamond hitch]

I have spent most of my career in all of the primative/ wilderness areas in Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Cental California. I have seen some loved to death, some too nasty to visit, but most lucky to exist with the mismanagement of the federal agencies. Turning anything over to the government for mismanagement or worse no management causes me concern. I don't support development without very careful study, I have seen the wholesale destruction of trails and access with motorized access. Some destroyed so bad it is nearly impossible to get through it on foot or horseback. Often wilderness just means the FS doesn't have to do anything,. I guess I support primative management with a a desire to see the Forest Service revamped and restructured but allowing controlled, nonpolitical management. Natural systems are somewhat catastrophic that take generations to heal and evolve.

Everyone wanted an Elkhorn Wilderness until it burned to a crisp. Now not so much. We really shouldn't blindly sign off on wilderness designation because the agencies are too inept to manage their own trails and outhouses. Trails tend to disappear without the ease of management such as a chainsaw. The massive trail system of northwestern montana was abandoned after the FS took it off the fire management budget. The trail system was developed after the 1910 fire that created the Great Burn. Just because it is a wilderness doesn't make it better or safer.

Why can't we unite to fix the Forest Service. Oh I know cause you can't fix stupid!!!

 

[BuzzH]

No offense, but you don't understand forest succession, fire history, FS funding, etc. etc.

The area in question doesn't necessarily need wilderness designation if it continues to be managed for non-mechanized travel. The trouble is, every acre that isn't designated is at risk from the motorized/mechanized crowd. The only way to stop the continual push to open up every last acre to mechanized and motorized use is to designate it wilderness...and this area has been a prime candidate for wilderness designation as long as I've been alive.

I'm not as uncompromising in other WSA's and other areas...this one should have been wilderness a long time ago.

 

[MTGomer]

I’m far from being convinced that every WSA meets criteria or should be listed but this one is a no brainer.
The only thing that I could possibly see to be a negative is that capital ‘W’ and different hatch on the OnX could attract more people.

 

[diamond hitch]

Buzzh, I do understand all of those things. I worked for the forest service, for 5 years, with the forest service for 43 years. Spent my tour of duty in DC. With one of my degrees in wildlife management I also know what is required for success for future game management. Try a little harder. It time to cure the cancer and quit putting bandaides on the problem.

 

[BuzzH]

Buzzh, I do understand all of those things. I worked for the forest service, for 5 years, with the forest service for 43 years. Spent my tour of duty in DC. With one of my degrees in wildlife management I also know what is required for success for future game management. Try a little harder. It time to cure the cancer and quit putting bandaides on the problem.

I know a few people that work for the FS and not many I know would agree that trail maintenance budgets are tied to fire funding.

Not many would agree that trails in Wilderness need to disappear because chainsaws aren't in use, or that the FS uses wilderness designation so they can "do nothing" more would tend to say it's a funding issue via congress.

Management decisions, even the decision not to actively manage, is still a management decision.

Managing wilderness is not a no cost endeavor and the FS puts a lot of work into them for "not doing anything".

At least in my experience.