by Tony Jones, President, Ravalli County Fish & Wildlife Association
Ravalli County Fish & Wildlife Association (RCFWA) is one of the oldest sportsman’s clubs in the State of Montana with roots going back over 100 years. When RCFWA incorporated in 1948, an objective in its Constitution reads: “To promote highest standards of relationships between sportsmen and farmers, ranchers and other lands owners.”
RCFWA members continue to acknowledge the importance of private land to public wildlife. Elk, deer, and migrating waterfowl feed on hay fields, pastures, and harvested grain fields. In keeping with the sportsman-landowner relationship, many times over the years RCFWA members have provided the manpower to FWP to fence ranchers’ haystacks to keep out elk and deer.
In 2006, citizens of Ravalli County voted to implement a $10 million bond so that landowners, particularly agriculture families, could secure their land for future generations as a working farm and ranch. Since that time, over 10,000 acres have been protected from development. Along with the agriculture ground, the public has gained the Skalkaho Bend Park in Hamilton and the C. Ben White Memorial Fishing Access Site on the West Fork. Along with the fishing site, there’s also a trailhead and new trail that ties into an existing trail on Hart Bench.
RCFWA members believe so strongly in the Open Lands Program that members donated $10,000 to both the Skalkaho Park and the C. Ben White Site, along with smaller donations for other projects, totaling $27,000 over the past 12 years. RCFWA members encourage you to vote for the renewal of the Open Lands Bond so that landowners wanting to preserve their land and our way of life have an avenue to do so. As more and more people discover our beautiful valley, a huge part of the attraction is seeing fertile agriculture ground with lush green open fields. The protection of undeveloped private land and the role it plays to our public wildlife is more important now than ever.
Vote Yes to Ravalli County Open Lands on November 8th.