Elk Habitat Protected, Public Access Expanded in Montana

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) worked with a conservation-minded family and a group of partners to permanently protect and conserve 2,810 acres of elk habitat in the Big Belt Mountains of west-central Montana. RMEF conveyed the land to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) which added it to the adjacent Beartooth Wildlife Management Area, expanding the game range by nearly nine percent.

“This Whitetail Prairie acreage is valuable year-round habitat for elk, antelope, mule deer and whitetail deer, mountain lion and a variety of other game and non-game species,” said Blake Henning, RMEF vice president of Lands and Conservation. “It is also a vital fishery since it contains three tributaries of the Missouri River.”

"Today, anywhere you look, the currency of successful wildlife habitat conservation is trust," said Jeff Hagener, FWP director. “It took cooperation among landowners, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, sportsmen and women and others to again demonstrate the power of working toward a common goal. The result will last longer than a lifetime and continue Montana's commitment to long-term conservation of special places that address the still critical need for healthy wildlife habitat."

RMEF’s Torstenson Family Endowment, the Mule Deer Foundation, Safari Club International and the Cinnabar Foundation provided funding for the project as well as Habitat Montana funds derived from Montana hunting licenses plus Pittman-Robertson funds provided through the taxation of firearm and ammunition sales.