Antelope issued the following announcement on August 25.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is asking for public comments on a proposal to buy 5,677 acres that would provide critical wildlife habitat and public access to the Snowy Mountains in Golden Valley County.
The comments will help FWP measure public interest and support for the proposal and identify potential issues that would require further analysis. They also could provide insight for refining the proposal or developing alternatives.
Lying north of Ryegate, the property encompasses short-grass prairie, foothill and mountain habitats and is home to elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorns, black bears and other native species. It includes critical winter range as well as year-around habitat. The property is being offered for purchase by FWP from the private property owner.
If purchased by FWP, the property would be managed as a Wildlife Management Area (WMA). It is one contiguous block of land that would provide critical public access to more than 95,000 acres of public land, including the federal Bureau of Land Management’s 6,936-acre Twin Coulee Wilderness Area and the U.S. Forest Service’s 88,696-acre Big Snowies Wilderness Study Area.
FWP’s primary management purposes for the property would include enhanced wildlife habitat and compatible public recreation, including hunting and wildlife watching, while increasing access to outdoor recreation opportunities on this property and on adjacent public lands.
FWP is partnering with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in the proposal.
The scoping period – or time for initial public comment – runs through Sept. 19. After all comments are considered, FWP will decide whether to proceed with an environmental analysis, which would include further public comments.
Comments may be emailed to ataylor@mt.gov or mailed to:
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Ashley Taylor, Wildlife Biologist
2300 Lake Elmo Dr.
Billings, MT 59105
Original source here.
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