Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act
- Sponsor
- Rep. Downing, Troy [R-MT-2]
- Committees
- Natural Resources Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Sep 2, 2026
Bottom line
The bill removes wilderness study protections from three specific areas in Montana, shifting their management to existing multi-use land plans to enhance sportsmen opportunities and active conservation.
What it actually does
This bill releases approximately 103,960 acres of land in Montana from their current Wilderness Study Area (WSA) designations. Specifically, it removes the Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Area, Hoodoo Mountain Wilderness Study Area, and Wales Creek Wilderness Study Area from their respective federal wilderness study protections, allowing them to be managed under existing Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management land and resource management plans.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue that these areas have been repeatedly deemed unsuitable for wilderness designation by federal agencies following extensive studies and collaborative processes. Releasing them from WSA status would allow land managers to implement more active conservation strategies, improve public access for sportsmen, and conduct essential wildlife habitat and wildfire mitigation projects under existing, collaboratively developed land management plans.
Opponents contend
Opponents might contend that removing WSA designations, even for areas deemed unsuitable for wilderness, could open these lands to activities incompatible with their natural character, potentially leading to increased development, motorized access, or resource extraction. They may argue that retaining WSA status provides a higher level of protection against such impacts, preserving future options for wilderness designation.
The bill is short and clearly written, making it very accessible for a reader to understand its core provisions and implications quickly.
Section 3(a)
Release of Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Area
This provision removes the approximately 81,000-acre Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Area from its current designation under the Montana Wilderness Study Act of 1977. Upon release, the land will no longer be subject to the interim management requirements of a wilderness study area and will instead be managed according to the most recently adopted land and resource management plan for the Helena Lewis and Clark National Forest, which was revised in 2021.
Supporters argue
Proponents argue that this release is justified because the Forest Service has twice determined this area unsuitable for wilderness designation, most recently in 2021 after a 6-year collaborative process. They assert that removing the WSA designation will enable more effective management for wildlife habitat and wildfire mitigation, while also improving public access for hunting and other recreational activities, all within the framework of an existing, robust land management plan.
Critics contend
Opponents might argue that even if an area is deemed 'unsuitable' for formal wilderness, retaining its WSA status provides a critical safeguard against potentially damaging activities. They may express concern that shifting to a multiple-use plan could lead to increased motorized access, resource extraction, or development that degrades the area's wild character, despite the plan's stated protections.
Tradeoffs
This provision navigates the tension between strict wilderness preservation and a more flexible 'multiple-use' approach. It trades the potential for future wilderness designation for immediate management flexibility aimed at active conservation and enhanced recreational access, as determined by local land management plans.
Section 3(b)
Release of Hoodoo Mountain and Wales Creek Wilderness Study Areas
This provision releases the approximately 11,380-acre Hoodoo Mountain Wilderness Study Area and the approximately 11,580-acre Wales Creek Wilderness Study Area from their designations under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. Similar to the Middle Fork Judith area, these lands will no longer be managed under interim WSA rules but will instead be managed according to the applicable Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land management plans, specifically the Missoula Resource Management Plan revised in 2020.