more info about the land grab

[Nemont]

I did think that the Crow got some land. Other tribes in other states have done this as well, as I understand it.

Again, I could be totally wrong on this.

I cannot find anything that shows the Crow tribe got lands anywhere close to what the proposed swap is for the Fort Belknap Reservation and Tester's office doesn't seem to much care about such questions. Of course I am just a peon but I asked for other examples where these kinds acres were swapped to secure a compact. I have not yet heard anything showing this is a common practice on this scale.

Why could they come up with $460 million for the Crow to build a water system but nothing for the Fort Belknap tribes in the way of cash?

Nemont

 

[Nemont]

Here is an agreement with the Navajo which is far more complex and far reaching than the proposed compact with the Fort Belknap tribe and it doesn't require an additional acre to be swapped from the public to the tribe.

http://www.president.navajo-nsn.gov...RSSettlementAgreement_13098967_16_REDUCED.pdf

Just saying there has to be more than one way to settle this thing that doesn't require the loss of ownership of public lands.

Nemont

 

[Big Fin]

More info is needed and needed immediately. Silence and delay is not an option. As many have posted, this would be a new precedent and a terrible precedent.

Flood his office with e-mails and phone calls. His staff has heard from hunters but they need to hear even more and even louder.

I see no solution other than to drop anything that reduces public access.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Here is an agreement with the Navajo which is far more complex and far reaching than the proposed compact with the Fort Belknap tribe and it doesn't require an additional acre to be swapped from the public to the tribe.

http://www.president.navajo-nsn.gov...RSSettlementAgreement_13098967_16_REDUCED.pdf

Just saying there has to be more than one way to settle this thing that doesn't require the loss of ownership of public lands.

Nemont

I agree. Not afraid to admit I was wrong.

I've sent my comments in asking them to drop the Grinnell Notch.

 

[theat]

Here is the email I sent. Tried to be polite and courteous while also showing how displeased I am about the whole thing. More than anything I would like more specific info on why this is necessary, how it got to this point, and what lands are proposed for the give away.

Senator Tester,

I appreciate everything you have done during your time in office in support of sportsmen/women and the land and wildlife that we love. You have made some great strides in bringing competing interests together to compromise on such issues as the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act as well as made some difficult stances such as with the Wolf Rider.

After all of the great things you have done I find it hard to believe that you played a role in the Ft. Belknap Tribe Water Settlement. I realize that it is not a done deal and I hope that you will reconsider this massive public land give away.

As you know, for most of us montana sportsmen public lands are where we recreate. Access to these lands has been decreasing at an alarming rate over our lifetimes and I am disappointed to hear that you would have anything to do with perpetuating this trend. I personally have never used these lands but I do have friends that recreate in the Grinnell Notch area, and I would hate to see it lost.

I can find very little specific info on the BLM and State Lands to be given to the tribe. I would like to request a map of these lands as well as any other information pertinent to this settlement so that I may better understand it.

Thank you,

 

[shoots-straight]

I'm not saying cut him some slack on the issue, just don't treat him like an SFW board member.

I haven't treated him like anything, YET! Sense you mentioned it,giving away public resources IS something SFW would do. So on this issue, the gloves might come off.

This will be met with very feverish opposition. I didn't write the legislation, Denny Rehberg, didn't, and neither did our state legislature. Jon Tester did this! He should have received better council before writing it. He's not ahead of Rehberg enough to get away with this. IMO,this will translate into lost votes. If he loses the race, what good will he do for us? I think this plays well for Rehbergs camp.

Anyone that wishes to give away our public lands, should be met with stiff resistance, and suspicion. all bets are off once you go and mess with the sacred cow, or in this case the sacred lands. I think this falls in line with what the republicans are trying to do in the west, only it comes from across the isle.

This is a direct attack on the DIY sportsman of our state. These lands and others like them, are where we (DIY hunters) recreate. We all know that access is our #1 concern, so losing these lands would have an impact.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Here is the email I sent. Tried to be polite and courteous while also showing how displeased I am about the whole thing. More than anything I would like more specific info on why this is necessary, how it got to this point, and what lands are proposed for the give away.

Senator Tester,

I appreciate everything you have done during your time in office in support of sportsmen/women and the land and wildlife that we love. You have made some great strides in bringing competing interests together to compromise on such issues as the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act as well as made some difficult stances such as with the Wolf Rider.

After all of the great things you have done I find it hard to believe that you played a role in the Ft. Belknap Tribe Water Settlement. I realize that it is not a done deal and I hope that you will reconsider this massive public land give away.

As you know, for most of us montana sportsmen public lands are where we recreate. Access to these lands has been decreasing at an alarming rate over our lifetimes and I am disappointed to hear that you would have anything to do with perpetuating this trend. I personally have never used these lands but I do have friends that recreate in the Grinnell Notch area, and I would hate to see it lost.

I can find very little specific info on the BLM and State Lands to be given to the tribe. I would like to request a map of these lands as well as any other information pertinent to this settlement so that I may better understand it.

Thank you,

This is the perfect message. Nicely done.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

+1 on that letter. Very good job!!!

 

[----]

Woooo!!!
Pearl Jam!!!

 

[Ben Lamb]

And in other news:

HR 1505, the bill that would give the Department of Homeland Security control over all public lands from the Border 100 miles South gets a floor vote in the House next week.

 

[mtlion]

Woooo!!!
Pearl Jam!!!

You going Randy? I'm doing it.

Flame away buttholes.

 

[----]

You going Randy? I'm doing it.

Flame away buttholes.

Unless something weird happens, I'll be there.

I wish they would've done the stadium though, that would've been insane.

 

[tjones]

Woooo!!!
Milli Vanilli !!!

 

[howler]

Jon Tester
Jon is proud to have the support of fellow Big Sandy native Jeff Ament, Pearl Jam's bassist. Jeff grew up just a few miles from Jon's farm and the two have known each other for decades.


interesting

 

[MTELKHUNTER]

The Grinnell Knotch has a booming Sheep heard growing in it now.You can hunt it with a 680 tag now. To give up a sheep heard to the tribe is not a good deal to the sportsman of montana.

 

[THWAK1]

theat...

Well said!

 

[MTELKHUNTER]

There have a meeting in Zortman of July 3rd I will be there and i will post what I find out after the meeting. This whole thing sucks. Its to bad Tester is on the wrong side of this. It will cost him his seat.

 

[howler]

Dan you may be right about tester and the election, trouble is we would be getting somebody who is at least 10 times worse for sportsmen,.. If we keep the pressue on on this deal I think we can beat it. and the trouble with that is keeping the presure on, people seem to lose the fire after a few weeks and in the end loose.. this deal will take a few years for sure and 2 years from now we will still have to be writting letters and making those phone calls. Testos office has gotten the message and they know how we feel about it, It our job to not let them forget..

 

[MTELKHUNTER]

Steve I will be back in the Flathead a few days after the meeting thats when i will write my letter to the editor. and send it to every paper in Montana. When the general public finds out about this they will blow there tops. This will be Testers waterloo. he want have to haul his meat back to Wash He will be able to eat it at home.

 

[MTELKHUNTER]

I just got back from the meeting in Zortman. Neither Tester or Baucus' had anyone there. Only Congressman Rehberg had some one there. No one was happy with giving away the BLM public lands in the Grinnell notch. The Grinnell Notch is the only oasis left that is public lands in North central Montana That has Mtns and places for The public to hunt and ride there Horses or Atv's Not saying anything about the Bighorn Sheep, Elk, Whitetail or Mule Deer hunting. I think its time to send Tester back to his farm. He is sure not doing the job for us in Montana.