Legislative Issues
Legislative Issues of Interest to Flathead Wildlife Members:
The Montana Legislature can affect the way we enjoy the outdoors. Flathead Wildlife, Inc. is heavily involved in the biennial Montana Legislatures and we remain in contact with some Flathead Area legislators year round. Successful initiatives included restoring funding to Habitat Montana, increased funding for parks and recreation, trails and nongame wildlife, more equitable funding for Aquatic Invasive Species, and restoring funding to FWP Enforcement and Fisheries Divisions. Flathead Wildlife comments on bills that could influence wildlife management and hunting and fishing opportunity. Flathead Wildlife supports private landowners but lobbies against bills that would privatize wildlife.
Flathead Wildlife continues the fight to protect and expand public access to public lands and for programs to encourage private landowners to open their lands to public use. Flathead Wildlife produced a draft bill and lobbied hard in the 2025 Montana Legislature to pass SB83 to expand Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks enforcement authority to year round for those private landowners and corporate timber companies that allow year round recreational access under access agreements. Previously Fish, Wildlife and Parks only had authority to enforce landowner rules during hunting season. Flathead Wildlife fights to protect Montana’s Stream Access Law, considered the best in the nation.
Flathead Wildlife is an affiliate with the Montana Wildlife Federation and participates in weekly calls with MWF’s legislative lobbyist. Together we maintain a legislative email system to alert to upcoming bills and train in how to interact with legislators to influence bill outcomes.
Flathead Wildlife, Inc. has commented on a national basis on greater sage grouse protection, bull trout management, wolf management and permanent authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund with full funding with revenues from offshore oil and gas leasing.