“For many Montanans, spending weeks in the mountains on a hunting trip is part of a long family tradition,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “However, the new Forest Service decision would limit the ability of sportsmen to spend hunting season camping on public land.  I’m urging the Forest Service to take a long, hard look at how this will affect public access opportunities for Montana’s hunters.”

Recently, Forest Service officials announced a decision to end their policy of allowing waivers for extended hunting camps on Lewis and Clark National Forest beyond the usual 16 day camping limitation after this season.  The decision will prevent many hunters who spend the entire hunting season on National Forest land from doing so in the future.  

“As a hunter and lifelong proponent of our state’s hunting heritage, I ask you to reconsider this blanket policy that will limit hunting opportunities in the Lewis and Clark National Forest,” said Rehberg in a letter.  “A site specific approach to managing long term camping during hunting season is a much more appropriate response.”

Letter:

October 26, 2007

Tom Tidwell

Regional Forester

USDA Forest Service - Northern Region One
P.O. Box 7669
Missoula, MT 59802

Dear Mr. Tidwell,

In August of this year, President George W. Bush signed an Executive Order “to facilitate the expansion and enhancement of hunting opportunities and the management of game species and their habitat.”  In signing this order, President Bush asked federal agencies to recognize the importance of hunting to our nation’s heritage.  It has recently come to my attention that a decision issued by the District Rangers in the Lewis and Clark National Forest will detrimentally impact this hunting heritage for several Montana families. 

Since 1982, Mr. Nick Dole of Billings, along with several friends and family members, has set up camp in the Jefferson Division of the Lewis and Clark National Forest.  In order to camp for longer than the 16 day camping limitation, Mr. Dole has applied for and received a waiver in order to be able to camp for the entire five week hunting season.  This tradition, sanctioned for a quarter of a century by the Forest Service, has become an important part of Mr. Dole’s hunting heritage.  Unfortunately, a decision by the Forest Ranger in the Jefferson District will end the policy of allowing waivers for extended hunting camps after this hunting season.  I have also learned that all of the other Districts within the Lewis and Clark National Forest have adopted the same policy, impacting many Montanans like Mr. Dole who have enjoyed extended hunting camps for years.   

As a hunter and lifelong proponent of our state’s hunting heritage, I ask you to reconsider this blanket policy that will limit hunting opportunities in the Lewis and Clark National Forest.  It is my belief that managers of our public lands should take an active role working to increase hunting opportunities for our citizens.  With recent evidence indicating a drop in the number of hunters across the country, the need for this role has become increasingly apparent.  Reversing this decision would be another small, but important step in promoting hunting here in Montana.  Instead of a blanket policy, a site specific approach to managing long term camping during hunting season is a much more appropriate response. 

Thank you for your timely consideration of this request. 

Sincerely,

Denny Rehberg

Member of Congress