Sportsmen's groups are not helping

I am an average Montana resident who likes to hunt and fish. I work hard to have good relations with the landowners who allow me on to hunt or fish. I am not politically active, but have followed some of the issues this legislative session.

It is clear to me that some of the so called “sportsmen’s groups” are doing more harm than good. Montana Wildlife Federation and Montana Sportsmen’s Alliance appear at almost every committee meeting and seem to consistently support anti-landowner positions. My message to them is STOP, you are not helping.

I strongly support public access to public land but bills like HB 235, the fence post jumping bill, ought to be worked out in partnership with landowners, not jammed through by force as the “sportsmen’s groups” are trying to do. The same groups also object to higher trespass fines, seeming to want it both ways.

Now I understand they want a protest rally at the capital, an act that will only drive the wedge between sportsmen and landowners in further. STOP, you are not helping.

I think these are the same folks who supported I-161 and promised better access, more money for Block Management and so on.

None of that has come true. In fact it is just the opposite. Please STOP, you are not helping.

For the sake of sportsmen like me, STOP attacking landowners. You are not helping.

I don’t think you represent the majority view of sportsmen who seek productive relationships with landowners and truly appreciate the privilege of hunting or fishing on private ground. Your actions and behavior are hurting sportsmen-landowner relations and the result is less and less private land is open to access. So, PLEASE STOP, you are not helping.

Rory Copeland,

Montana City