Land Tawney - September 15, 2005
National Wildlife Federation
Wildlife Threats
Fall is in the air….we wake up to crisp cool mornings….geese honking overhead, and elk bugling in the back country. I count my lucky stars living here in Western Montana, last night on my way home from the Bitterroot…I saw multiple groups of 10-15 mallards at twilight setting their wings to feed on fields on the edges of the Bitterroot Mountains. This morning at a gas station near the Clark Fork River on Orange street, 75 geese flew over head…and tomorrow I head into the Bob Marshall Wilderness to chase after wiley wapiti consumed in the rut.
With bountiful populations of wildlife all around us, take a gander at why we are so fortunate. Much of what we have today can be traced back to sportsmen and women who placed upon themselves this country’s initial game laws, undertook habitat restoration, and stood up for fair and equitable access for all Americans. The main vehicle of activism came through local rod and gun clubs formed throughout the country at the turn of the century. In the early 1930’s Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling saw an opportunity to bring together over 36,000 local rod and gun clubs at a national level. At the urging of “Ding”, President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed a call for conservation leaders in 1935 at the first North American Wildlife Conference to discuss the state of conservation in North America. At that meeting, Darling laid out his plan for the “General Wildlife Federation”, later to be known as the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). Over 2,000 rod and gun club representatives from across the country were in attendance.
What evolved from that national meeting was the greatest awakening of everyday, grassroots sportsmen and sportswomen in history. Opening the meeting, President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated that the purpose of the meeting was to:
“...bring together individuals, organizations and agencies interested in the restoration and conservation of wildlife resources. My hope is that through this conference new cooperation between public and private interests, and between Canada, Mexico and this country, will be developed; that through these proposals existing State and Federal governmental agencies and conservation groups can work cooperatively for the common good.”
Attending this national meeting were Ray G. Lowe, Chairman of the 1936 Montana State Fish and Game Commission; Great Falls Wildlife Association President, Louie W. Wendt; the president of the Sanders County Sportsmen’s Association; two board members of the Montana Wildlife Conservation Association; an Assistant Regional Forester; and a Montana State Fish and Game Department game warden. These seven, and representatives from all 48 states were urged to go home and organize state federations, state groups that would create a powerful collective to work for conservation and the restoration of fish and wildlife in America.
Three months later, on May 15, 1936, at the Placer Hotel in Helena, the Governor of Montana Elmer Holt was introduced to the first assembly of the Montana Wildlife Federation (MWF).
After 70 years MWF remains the true voice for conservation minded hunters and anglers with over 7000 members and 23 affiliated clubs across Montana.
Today we reap the benefits of the foresight of those who came before us like Theodore Roosevelt, Aldo Leopold, Ding Darling, MWF’s first President L.W. Wendt and countless others.
Now is not the time for Montana’s hunters and anglers to become complacent, instead it’s time for the second Awakening! Different threats face wildlife today. The privatization of wildlife runs rampant through the selling of hunting licensees to the highest bidder and the leasing of hunting rights on private land. Our public lands are in danger from unchecked gas and oil development, illegal off road vehicle use, and restricted access. Private lands continue to be bought up and subdivided or restrict access. Invasive species and global warming pose even greater threats.
Hunters and anglers must stand up and speak for wildlife for they cannot speak on their own.
Recently a new affiliate of the Montana Wildlife Federation was formed in Missoula, the Hellgate Hunters and Anglers (HHA). A group of conservation minded hunters and anglers with a mission: To conserve Montana’s wildlife, wild places, and fair-chase hunting and fishing heritage.
I strongly encourage that local sportsmen and women get involved with HHA or their local rod and gun club. If you need help finding a local club contact the Montana Wildlife Federation in Helena, MT.
September 22nd the International Wildlife Film Festival will be holding a reception and roundtable discussion on “Hunting in America, Understanding a Conservation Ethic” at the Roxy theater in Missoula from 5:30 to 8pm. On hand will be leading experts on the North American Wildlife Conservation Model like Shane Mahoney and Jim Posewitz, as well as J Dart from RMEF, Tom France with NWF, Eric Neuse with the IHEA and others.
HHA are helping sponsor the event along with other local and national conservation groups. Come down and meet some of the HHA board members. There should be a lively discussion and at the very least get folks geared up for Montana’s bountiful hunting season.
Bottom line, get involved somehow, somewhere, in some way! Our children stand to reap the benefits we sow today, we must remember the past to guarantee the future.
In Theodore Roosevelt’s words, “I admire the man and woman who take the next step, not those who theorize about the 200th.”
If your hunting elk this season…shoot straight, waterfowl…shoot often, and above all TAKE THE NEXT STEP and GET INVOLVED!
This has been Land Tawney, Regional Representative with the National Wildlife Federation…Thanks for listening!
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