Montana hates conservation easements?

[Irrelevant]

Montana Is on the Brink of Destroying One of Its Most Successful Conservation Programs

The fate of Montana's conservation easement program—which helps ranchers and the hunting and fishing public—depends on politics.

www.outdoorlife.com

Gotta love crap like this. McKean with another W..

 

[Big Fin]

Yes, this is one of his best and most critical pieces. I’m leaning on Andrew for some folks willing to talk on a podcast about this attack on the right of a property owner to do what they want with their propert. This attack on conservation easements is one more bullshit act of hypocrisy by those who claim they are property rights advocates until someone does something with their property that these ass clowns don’t like.

Anyone trying to restrict, confine, or alter what a property owner wants to do with their property under the ruse of “principle” has probably got a Lenin book under their pillow. The majority of the Montana Legislature and the Montana Land Board are fighting for rights, for sure……they’re fighting for the right to tell landowners what they can’t do with their property.

I hope folks read this article. The same attacks are happening in DC at the Federal policy level. These purveyors of hypocrisy hope we aren’t paying attention.

For decades these fringe operators tell us “no more fee title purchases, use easements.” OK, we start using easements to solve the conservation challenges of our times and now these same anti-property dudes say they don’t like easements. Some folks are pissing down our backs and trying to convince it’s raining.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Incredibly frustrating to keep hearing politicians bitch about the “overreach” of easement programs, while we have more interest from landowners than we have money to spend on easements. They are most certainly not speaking for the majority of landowners, and are taking away a valuable financial option right at a time when many could really benefit from it.

There are efforts to actually undo perpetual easements already acquired at the federal level. Talk about a waste of sportsmen’s dollars…many, many millions of them at this juncture.

 

[Hem]

Incredibly frustrating to keep hearing politicians bitch about the “overreach” of easement programs, while we have more interest from landowners than we have money to spend on easements. They are most certainly not speaking for the majority of landowners, and are taking away a valuable financial option right at a time when many could really benefit from it.

There are efforts to actually undo perpetual easements already acquired at the federal level. Talk about a waste of sportsmen’s dollars…many, many millions of them at this juncture.

Thanks for that comment Hunting Wife.
You know if conservation.easements are limited we can subdivide and develop more land. Certain familiar Montana elected officials made millions by developing . But heck, they got the boots, jeans, buckles and hats for the illusion.

 

[Irrelevant]

I've read that article three times now. It should absolutely be required reading for any registered voter in the State. Publish it in the damn voters pamphlet

 

[WIbiggame]

This is from the AG speech on opposition to one of these easements. Pretty hard to listen to imo.

Montana Chapter of BHA on Instagram: "Give this a watch/listen. With complete disregard for private property rights, Attorney General Austin Knudsen makes it very clear how he feels about conservation and new public lands, regardless of how widely

346 likes, 28 comments - montanabha on August 15, 2022: "Give this a watch/listen. With complete disregard for private property rights, Attorney General Austin Knudsen makes it very clear how he feels about conservation and new public lands, regardless of how widely supported they are or who...

www.instagram.com

 

[JLS]

Incredibly frustrating to keep hearing politicians bitch about the “overreach” of easement programs, while we have more interest from landowners than we have money to spend on easements. They are most certainly not speaking for the majority of landowners, and are taking away a valuable financial option right at a time when many could really benefit from it.

There are efforts to actually undo perpetual easements already acquired at the federal level. Talk about a waste of sportsmen’s dollars…many, many millions of them at this juncture.

Anyone who is surprised by this hasn’t been paying attention for the last few decades. It’s frustrating, infuriating, and all too common.

If @neffa3 would have titled this “Do I need a 3/4’ton diesel?”, it would have 10 pages of replies. That may be relevant to how these clowns keep getting elected.

 

[Schaaf]

This is from the AG speech on opposition to one of these easements. Pretty hard to listen to imo.

Montana Chapter of BHA on Instagram: "Give this a watch/listen. With complete disregard for private property rights, Attorney General Austin Knudsen makes it very clear how he feels about conservation and new public lands, regardless of how widely

346 likes, 28 comments - montanabha on August 15, 2022: "Give this a watch/listen. With complete disregard for private property rights, Attorney General Austin Knudsen makes it very clear how he feels about conservation and new public lands, regardless of how widely supported they are or who...

www.instagram.com

It was a fee title acquisition to expand Mount Haggin WMA. But his reasoning stays the same for easements.

Knudsen’s a low grade lawyer that has yet to win a meaningful case and just got his ass handed to him in court for illegally blocking public access to a Veterans Park in his hometown.

 

[WIbiggame]

It was a fee title acquisition to expand Mount Haggin WMA. But his reasoning stays the same for easements

Thanks for clarifying! I am trying follow the best I can. This site has really helped thanks to people like yourself! Again thank you

 

[NDGuy]

This is from the AG speech on opposition to one of these easements. Pretty hard to listen to imo.

Montana Chapter of BHA on Instagram: "Give this a watch/listen. With complete disregard for private property rights, Attorney General Austin Knudsen makes it very clear how he feels about conservation and new public lands, regardless of how widely

346 likes, 28 comments - montanabha on August 15, 2022: "Give this a watch/listen. With complete disregard for private property rights, Attorney General Austin Knudsen makes it very clear how he feels about conservation and new public lands, regardless of how widely supported they are or who...

www.instagram.com

 

[Irrelevant]

If @neffa3 would have titled this “Do I need a 3/4’ton diesel?”, it would have 10 pages of replies. That may be relevant to how these clowns keep getting elected.

Right? I mean how sad is that? I can't imagine how McKean must feel, all that effort, reporting, sticking your neck out, and barely makes a ripple.

 

[Beignet]

It really feels like one assault after another from MT anymore. Dreading what the next legislative session comes up with.

I did love Randy’s anecdote a few years back about going to Helena and essentially telling Kerry White & Co that they’re acting like communists.

Seriously though, how to get the general Montana sporting public to hold elected officials accountable when so much of the electorate is distracted by the national “culture war” red herring?

 

[Ben Long]

It's interesting to me that these so-called "conservatives" are going after one of the tools that is keeping the timber industry alive in western Montana. If you want active timber management, and fewer castles bristling with no-trespassing signs, then conservation easements have to be part of the picture. They've been a godsend here in NW MT, where we tend to take access and habitat for granted -- until it's gone.

 

[SAJ-99]

It's interesting to me that these so-called "conservatives" are going after one of the tools that is keeping the timber industry alive in western Montana. If you want active timber management, and fewer castles bristling with no-trespassing signs, then conservation easements have to be part of the picture. They've been a godsend here in NW MT, where we tend to take access and habitat for granted -- until it's gone.

I would think that if it threatened the timber companies they would get involved and put a quick stop to this. Maybe they are getting a carve out?

 

[Ben Long]

I would think that if it threatened the timber companies they would get involved and put a quick stop to this. Maybe they are getting a carve out?

I'm not sure anyone has asked them to speak out.

 

[Oak]

Anyone who is surprised by this hasn’t been paying attention for the last few decades. It’s frustrating, infuriating, and all too common.

If @neffa3 would have titled this “Do I need a 3/4’ton diesel?”, it would have 10 pages of replies. That may be relevant to how these clowns keep getting elected.

Haha, exactly. I'm sure @Big Fin is weary of hearing me bitch about how any threads on substantive issues get 6 likes and two comments. The closest we get on the tough issues is arguing about whether a R or a NR will get a tag to kill the last mule deer, and how much it will cost them.

 

[MNElkNut]

I read these posts, but seldom comment. As a NR, what can I say that is worth your time to read?

All I can do is offer words of encouragement. I appreciate all the public land/easement advocates out there! Good luck!

 

[rtraverdavis]

I read these posts, but seldom comment. As a NR, what can I say that is worth your time to read?

All I can do is offer words of encouragement. I appreciate all the public land/easement advocates out there! Good luck!

In states other than Oregon, it’s hard to read this stuff and not feel totally impotent in regard to helping change anything. But stuff like this is always a reminder for me of the dangers of radical politics being allowed to take hold anywhere, and how middle ground, while not always exciting or desirable, is critical to seek. This year, here in Oregon, we have the opportunity to elect a truly independent, moderate, and seemingly sensible governor—Betsy Johnson. I’m not crazy about all of her policy stances, but hopefully someone who isn’t beholden to radical party policies will prevent the sorts of things happening in Montana (or California) from happening here. I hope the citizens of Montana fight and beat this nonsense.

 

[Ben Lamb]

If anyone is surprised by the closeness of the vote or what the Attorney General has said how he is voting, it's their own fault.
Austin was a full-throated supporter of the transfer & sale of public land, has oftentimes been a co-sponsor of bills to eliminate access funding and was backed by UPOM during the election.

Going after him won't do a thing but embolden him to make even worse decisions.

Send your notes of thanks to Governor Gianforte & Secretary of State Jacobson. We are eager to jump down the Governor's throat for bad decisions, we should equally be eager to give him praise for leading others to the right one.

Send a note of concern to Commissioner Downing and ask that he work closer with the hunting community to understand why these acquisitions are important.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Secondly, while we are distracted with the political theater, FWP is moving forward with the incredibly poorly planned idea of short term easements: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MTFWP/bulletins/32855f5?reqfrom=share

We need all hands on deck next week, August 25th, to show up in Helena and online to comment opposing the implementation of the short term easements until they can address some serious flaws in the their EA.

For example - FWP claims these are for sage grouse conservation, yet there is no actual sage grouse metric in the EA and my understanding is that the agency hasn't even talked to the DNRC which managed the MT Sage Grouse Oversight Team.
Short term easements may be a good idea in some limited areas, but this is a penny wise and pound foolish proposal that needs to be sent back to the drawing board and redone, otherwise the commission will be doing what they had to during season setting - sifting through the BS to find a diamond. That's not fair to the commission and it does Habitat Montana a massive disservice.

Suit up folks. Be polite, be concise and ask them to stop this effort now, and work to clear the backlog of conservation easements & fee title before they start to siphon off sportsmen's dollars for their pet projects.

Fish And Wildlife Commision | Montana FWP

The Commission sets fish and wildlife regulations, approves property acquisitions, and approves certain rules and activities of the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Department as provided by statute.

fwp.mt.gov