Big Game Security Amendment

Big Game Security Amendment

Big Game Security is a foundational issue for HHAA, and its protection and enhancement drives much of what we do.  In essence, big game security is competition for space: the science and politics of big game security is revealed in attached documents.  

HHAA’s stated responsibility to defend wildlife habitat, that provides big game security, drives our position on everything from hunting seasons to land management proposals.  

Forest Service policy changed with respect to Forest Plan standards that, in the past, have defined big game security as requiring vegetative cover.  

That deviation came when amendments to the Forest Plan deleted forest cover as a criteria for big game security.  

These amendments came out with Travel Plan revisions for Divide and Blackfoot.

HHAA challenged these amendments, both at the Forest Service Objection process where they were ignored, then in court.  

The HLCNF withdrew the amendment for Divide, but continued to use it in the TSH Project.  

City of Helena Tenmile-South Helena Forest Restoration Collaborative Committee’s comments recommending “protecting Roadless area values in the project area, especially in the Lazyman IRA that has previously been proposed for wilderness designation.  As such, the Collaborative recommends that the USFS not use heavy, mechanized equipment (skidders, forwarders, etc.) in the Lazyman IRA, with the exception of private land buffers” (at 9.6).

Inventoried Roadless Areas & Lazyman-Black Mountain IRA

HHAA will continue to fight for forest cover as a criteria for big game security. 

Big Game Security

Habitat

Photos of illegal road constructed in March 2020 to the Lazyman IRA. This road, which the Forest Service says is a FEATURE, not a road, is 22’ wide and extends approximately one-half mile to and along the IRA boundary.