If they can’t make the Capitol rotunda ring with shouts of “Keep It Public,” public land proponents are hoping that they can make legislators’ phones ring. On Tuesday, public land and wildlife organizations held a virtual Rally for Public Lands online to try to drum up opposition to several bills, which together would take millions away from public land projects and initiatives, said Rachel Schmidt, former Montana Office of Outdoor Recreation director. “And there’s also a bill that would ...

A bill that would have tapped hunter license dollars to pay for elk damage to crops in areas well over population objectives and limited permits passed an initial vote in the House on Tuesday before being voted down in the appropriations committee. House Bill 697 from Rep. Joshua Kassmier, R-Fort Benton, would allow compensation only in hunting districts where elk populations are 200% over objective or more, and where the state limits elk hunting permits. Kassmier brought an amendment to the ...