Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) proposes to acquire two parcels totaling approximately 3 acres in fee title along Big Spring Creek in Fergus County, Montana for the purpose of providing public access to Big Spring Creek and establishing a fishing access site (FAS). In addition, FWP proposes to develop approximately 0.5 acres of those acres, including a parking area, the potential installation of concrete vault latrine if necessary, fencing, picnic tables, informational and directional signs. The proposed Upper Big Spring Creek FAS is located along Big Spring Creek 7 miles southeast of Lewistown along Fish Hatchery Road (County Road 466) across from the lower unit of Big Spring Trout Hatchery.
(Acquisitions, Trades & Leases - 06/18/2013)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) proposes to acquire approximately 36 acres of land in Lewis and Clark County, Montana along Prickly Pear Creek for the purpose of establishing a fishing access site (FAS). Prickly Pear Land Trust, the current landowner, has offered to donate the property in fee title to FWP. The proposed FAS is located 3.5 miles northeast of Helena north of Olsen Road in the Helena Valley in Lewis and Clark County.
(Acquisitions, Trades & Leases - 06/14/2013)

Region 2 FWP proposes to enter into a 6-year lease for hay on a small portion of its Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area (BCWMA) located in Missoula County. The proposed BCWMA-Vannoy Ranch lease would allow the Vannoy Ranch to annually hay a 15-acre, weed-infested, non-native hay meadow on the BCWMA in exchange for annual weed treatment, fence removal, and irrigation management services on the WMA.
(Acquisitions, Trades & Leases - 04/11/2013)

Region 2 FWP proposes to renew a lease of pasture on its Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area (BCWMA) located in Powell County. The proposed lease between FWP and the Two Creek Ranch (Lessee) would exchange grazing on 1,050 acres of primarily non-native pasture on the BCWMA, in exchange for implementation of a rest-rotation grazing system on 1,000 acres of privately managed native grasslands that provide important elk winter forage. Additionally, infrastructure maintenance and weed treatment on the BCWMA would be performed by the Lessee. The lease would be effective from May 15, 2013 to August 31, 2018.
(Acquisitions, Trades & Leases - 04/11/2013)

Region 2 FWP proposes to renew a lease of pasture on its Aunt Molly Wildlife Management Area (AMWMA) located in Powell County. The proposed lease between FWP and the Blackfoot River Ranch would exchange grazing of approximately 300 acres of non-native pastures on the AMWMA, for implementation of a rest-rotation grazing system on 640 acres of privately managed native grasslands that provide important deer and elk winter forage. The lease would be effective from May 15, 2013 to August 31, 2018.
(Acquisitions, Trades & Leases - 04/10/2013)

FWP seeks public review of its proposal to acquire 3 conservation easements (Murray Douglas, Murray Creek, and Douglas Creek) on approximately 10,760 acres of private land north of Drummond in Powell County. The purpose of this proposal is to secure critical fish and wildlife habitat and to maintain compatible recreational opportunities and access for the public. A draft environmental assessment (EA), management plan, and socio-economic assessment have been prepared for this proposal.
(Acquisitions, Trades & Leases - 03/22/2013)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) has developed a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared for the proposed action of an agricultural lease renewal on the Blackleaf Wildlife Management Area (BLWMA). The 9000 acre BLWMA is located approximately 12 air miles west of Bynum along the Rocky Mountain Front occupying land in Teton County. The proposed agricultural lease would allow haying to be utilized as a management tool to remove residual vegetation and improving vegetative condition thus enhancing the availability and palatability of elk and deer forage on the portion of the BLMWA to be hayed. Haying has been successfully used on the BLWMA in the past.
(Acquisitions, Trades & Leases - 02/26/2013)

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (MFWP) has developed a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared for the proposed action of a grazing lease renewal on the Blackleaf Wildlife Management Area (BLWMA). The 9000 acre BLWMA is located approximately 12 air miles west of Bynum along the Rocky Mountain Front occupying land in Teton County. The proposed grazing lease would allow cattle to be utilized as a management tool to remove residual vegetation and improving vegetative condition thus enhancing the availability and palatability of elk and deer forage on the portion of the BLMWA to be grazed. The BLWMA has been successfully grazed with a rest-rotation grazing system since 1990.
(Acquisitions, Trades & Leases - 02/26/2013)

The attached Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared for the proposed renewal of a cattle grazing lease on the Wall Creek Wildlife Management Area for a 3-year period (2013-2015). This project proposes to continue a long-standing agreement with federal (USFS and BLM), state (FWP and DNRC), and local ranching partners, the Wall Creek Grazing Association. Wall Creek WMA has been grazed by this arrangement since 1982. Benefits and purposes for this arrangement include: 1) an exchange of forage to benefit all parties by the improvement of condition and palatability of the forage base, 2) to employ a 3-pasture rest-rotation system across land ownerships in the elk wintering area to improve and maintain winter range conditions for elk, and 3) to enhance the desirability of the WMA lands to reduce elk presence on nearby private agricultural lands where game damage may occur. Currently, elk number 1,500-2,000 on the WMA and surrounding lands. This lease will be new from previous leases in that it will define responsibilities of the lessees regarding game range maintenance activities in exchange for receiving the low grazing rate. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks invites you to comment on the attached proposal. The public comment period will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. March 18, 2013.
(Acquisitions, Trades & Leases - 02/26/2013)

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is proposing to extend the grazing lease on the Fresno Reservoir Wildlife Management Area (WMA) for two years ending September 15th, 2014. Grazing would continue to be managed under the current rest-rotation grazing system. During this extension, a new management plan for this WMA will be developed evaluating habitat conditions, role of livestock grazing, and management priorities for this area. The Fresno Reservoir WMA is located in western Hill County approximately 23 miles northwest of the city of Havre. It is northwest of Fresno Reservoir along the western edge of the Milk River. Extension of this grazing lease for another two years under the current system would not result in any foreseeable significant impacts to the vegetation or wildlife on the WMA, nor would it have any foreseeable significant individual or cumulative impacts on the physical or human environment.
(Acquisitions, Trades & Leases - 02/15/2013)