BMA on USDA lands in SE MT closed for season

[rogerthat]

I want to be very clear on this, the bma was not closed due to deer numbers. That was just one of the many excuses that were used, fire danger also (after we had a record setting fire season ending event a week before the start of big game). The deer number thing was just an opportunity that was seized upon to close access to the BMA. They have been wanting to do this for years. Mind you these are federal lands owned by the federal govt!!! Don’t get lost in the “MT mule deer poor management” mantra which is a statewide FWP issue. There are boat loads of whitetails in this area. They could have closed it to specifically mule deer if that was actually a concern. It wasn’t!

 

[rogerthat]

Let me dumb this down. Maybe this will illustrate my point. People used to have access to a boat ramp and to fish the Yellowstone river. USDA closed that. People used to be able to get permission to trap and hunt coyotes. USDA closed that. People used to walk their dogs, hike and ride bikes out there. USDA closed that last year, placing signs that this is not allowed now. (Many still ignore these signs), now the BMA closure. Do you guys get the point now? See where this went and why this was bad?

Sen. Tester is working to restore access but he shouldn’t have to. Daines office has also been contacted. These lands are federally owned! 50,000 acres!