Wilderness-Sportsman.com
Not many people have been to Southwest Montana. It is a place of very few people, wide open country, and remote lakes and rivers. It is often described as the "classic west", the place much imagined by many people on the west coast and east coast. It is an incredibly wild land, more wild than most places in the lower 48. The core of this wildness is the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. Massive mountain ranges and world famous rivers like the Big Hole and Rock Creek flow through this land.
This national forest is currently developing a Forest Management plan that could be in place for as long as 15 years. Much of the land on this forest is rare roadless country.
One of the top roadless areas is the West Big Hole. This is an area of magnificent peaks and gradneur, with good populations of elk, moose and bear.
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Unfortunately, much of the forest is becoming an off road vehicle war zone. There is a ton of illegal riding in areas documented under Rare 2, and even in areas that should be protected wilderness. Much of the forest is roaded and motorized, so it makes sense to keep what remainig wildlands there are intact and protected. In addition, industry is competing to develop the last rare roadless lands. Please contact the Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest and tell them you want roadless areas on the forest protected. You can also visit wildmontana.org and get their specific talking points for comment purposes (or just visit the story at the Wilderness Sportsman).The comment period expires at the end of October. Contact info:
mailto:comments-northern-beaverhead-deerlodge@fs.fed.us
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
420 Barrett St.
Dillon, MT 59725
ATTN: Revision