FWP wrongly under assault

A legislative dog-pile, of sorts, is in the works against Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, with some Republicans wrongly characterizing the agency as somehow being out of control.

We don’t believe that to be the case. In fact, it’s arguable that Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks may be the most accountable and responsive state agency there is.

Hunters and anglers keep a close eye on the details of the department’s policies and practices, and because it is almost all funded by hunting and fishing sales, those in the department are well aware of their constituency.

Here in Region One, there is a citizens advisory committee and there are frequent, well-attended hearings and meetings regarding fish, wildlife and parks. Most notably, there are the bi-annual hunting regulation meetings that draw scores of people from across the region to Kalispell.

At the last big meeting, department officials proposed a continuation of antlerless deer hunting opportunities. But most who attended were highly concerned about declining whitetail population trends, and they opposed the continued sale of “B-tags” in this region. The department got the message loud and clear, and B-tags have since been far less available.

One of the more controversial measures, among dozens aimed at the agency, seeks to almost completely freeze the department’s ability to acquire any more land, with Sen. John Brenden, R-Scobey, alleging that the agency has mismanaged land purchases.

That hasn’t been the case around here. Small fishing access sites, the Bull River Wildlife Management Area south of Troy and recent expansions of Lone Pine State Park are the acquisitions that come to mind. A freeze on the ability to acquire land could put the state in a position to miss important opportunities that would greatly benefit the public. It’s not uncommon for private landowners to offer sweetheart deals in the interest of seeing their property managed for conservation purposes in the future.

A freeze is just not unnecessary. The implication is that the department runs willy-nilly, without oversight, purchasing lands with no public benefit. In reality, the five-person Fish Wildlife and Parks Commission oversees any acquisitions, with plenty of public input, and all substantial acquisitions must be approved by the State Land Board as well.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is not some sort of rogue agency, and hopefully most legislators will recognize that and show some restraint. Don’t pile on!