Ranch in Madison Valley Protected by TNC

[Washington Hunter]

Any of you guys from Montana familiar with the Sun Ranch in the Madison Valley? It's been protected with a conservation easement. I just wonder if they allow any hunting on the ranch. Well, even if they don't, it's great that it is protected forever from develpment.


http://nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/montana/press/press885.html

 

[1_pointer]

They do on some of their properties. It is a hope! Even if they don't the protected area can be used as a source for the surrounding area. Not such a bad thing IMO.

 

[Bambistew]

Actually the Sun ranch is just south of my home town. I don't remeber how many acres but its pretty big. They do let some cow elk hunters on later on in the year. They have a resident herd of about 1000 elk year round and once the migration starts that just about triples. The ranch borders wilderness, and basically locks it up. There is acess on either end of the ranch and its about 8 miles from one side and about 10 from the other to the middle of the ranch.

I am very happy that they put it in the easment. To much land in that area is getting chopped up and made into summer homes. There are quite a few other big ranches in the Madison Valley that are in the Conservation Easment.

It will do nothing but help the wildlife.

Ivan

 

[Lostagain]

In addition to what you folks state, it also IMO, It won't change anything about the operations of the place, for years there weren't very many head of livestock on the place. Basically its just a money grab so the owners don't pay any property tax, thus forcing the rest of you tax payers to foot more of the bill.
In one way these easements are really good= better protection for envir/habitat, and also really bad= forcing a shrinking tax base to pay for an increasing subsidies.

 

[Washington Hunter]

Lostagain, that is a valid point, but still, whatever it costs, I think it is worth it to save something for wildlife. Once it's developed, it's gone forever.