Mt. FWP Commission approves Milk River ranch buy

[Faster horses]

Associated Press

BILLINGS — Montana wildlife commissioners have approved the final piece of a $7.8 million ranch purchase along the Milk River near the Canadian border over the objections of neighboring landowners.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commissioners voted 4-1 Monday to buy 2,992 acres of the Milk River Ranch for $4.7 million to expand recreational opportunities.

Chairman Bob Ream says the state needed to act before someone else bought it.

But critics including neighboring landowners objected, saying a second appraisal was needed. Several landowners threatened to cut off public hunting access on their properties if the deal went through.

The state Land Board last month agreed to pay $1.1 million for an additional 1,513 acres of the ranch. The state is paying $2 million for rights to archaeological and paleontological artifacts

 

[Zilly]

Not being familiar with how things operate in Montana, I have to ask, is this a bad thing?

Around here, the state Fish and Game commission makes for a great neighbor. No more threat of development, the game wardens do a great job of keeping the trouble out, and it gives people a legal place to get out and enjoy the outdoors.

 

[Anonymous]

Not being familiar with how things operate in Montana, I have to ask, is this a bad thing?

Around here, the state Fish and Game commission makes for a great neighbor. No more threat of development, the game wardens do a great job of keeping the trouble out, and it gives people a legal place to get out and enjoy the outdoors.

Zilly its kind of a damned if you do-- damned if you don't situation....

Like most around here- I don't want the government owning more land--BUT when this came up for sale-- it was appraised at a very high value- which I understand is because of its pristine state and demand for hunting value...

Gary Anderson, a Malta real estate agent who had listed the property at one point for $16 million, said he had trouble coming up with a price tag for the ranch. He described looking at the parcel and wrestling with cost comparisons.

"I said this is historic, prehistoric, deeded land on both sides of the river. I said this is the crown jewel of the Milk River," Anderson testified. "If this passes by on this trip it will be purchased in the near future at many more times the dollars you're talking about today."

So the land was appraised at a rate higher than anyone using it for just AG production could make it pay-- which left three folks with the money to buy it-- the wealthy hunting investors to put it in a private hunting estate (like much of our land has been being sold/leased to and closes it off to public access) or the environmentalists like the World Wildlife Fund or Prairie Foundation that have been buying up a lot of the ranch land that comes available to make a mini-African serengeti type -- or the Fish and Game (government)...

Which is the lesser of the 3 evils :???:

At least with the F & G owning it access will remain open to the public-- and the voters of the state will have some control over it in years to come thru the political officers they elect...

 

[I Luv Herfrds]

Another way to look at it is now that land will be taken off the tax rolls plus out of production.
Plus the maintance to keep the spread of weeds down will be cut down since FWP has already said they are behind on maintaining the lands they have already purchased.