Montana: Miles City Resource Management Plan Will Affect Motorized Off-road Big Game Retrieval

The Bureau of Land Management has released a plan that updates the 1996 Big Dry Resource Management Plan and the 1985 Powder River Resource Management Plan.  The Plan will guide the future management of approximately 3 million surface acres and 12 million acres of federal minerals in Carter, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, McCone, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sheridan, Treasure, Wibaux and portions of Big Horn and Valley counties.

The plan can be viewed by clicking here.   

The draft plan presents five management alternatives.  Alternative E is the BLM’s preferred alternative.  Alternatives A, B and E would prohibit motorized big game retrieval.  Alternative C would allow such retrieval between 10am and 2pm only for hunters possessing a state permit to hunt from a vehicle on publicly accessible BLM-administered lands during the big game hunting season.  Game retrieval would occur in a minimum timeframe, using the shortest route, and minimizing resource damage.  Alternative D would allow motorized game retrieval between 10am and 2pm for all big game hunters.

Public comments are being accepted until June 5^th and can be emailed on line at the website for the plan or can be faxed to 406-233-3650.  For further information, please contact Project Leader Mary Bloom at (406) 233-2852 or by clicking here.  Below is the list of public meetings that the BLM will be hosting on the plan.

For all those hunters who recreate in this planning area, it is important to take the time to attend one of the public meetings as well as to review the plan and its five alternatives to determine whether and to what degree the plan will affect your future opportunities to hunt on these public lands.

Public Meeting Schedule
(Open House Format)

May 6, 2:00-4:00 pm
MSU Sidney Extension Office
1499 North Central Avenue
Sidney, MT 59270

May 6, 6:30-8:30 pm
VFW Hall, VFW Post 7886
Jordon, MT 59337

May 7, 2:00-4:00 pm
Ekalaka Events Center
EKalaka, MT 59324

May 7, 6:30-8:30 pm
Thee Garage Showroom
19 West Montana Avenue
Baker, MT 59313

May 8, 6:30-8:30 pm
Terry Elementary School
Terry, MT 59349

May 9, 2:00-4:00 pm
Forsyth Haugo Center
(Call for directions)

May 9, 6:30-8:30
Broadus Community Hall
223 South Wilbur Street
Broadus, MT 59317

May 13, 6:30-8:30 pm
Miles City BLM Field Office
111 Garryown Rd
Miles City, MT 59301

For more information, call the Miles City BLM Field Office at (406) 233-2800