Big Sky Coutry: For upland hunters, these words conjure images of wingbeats rising from a sea of grass. With long hunting seasons, plentiful birds, and beautiful landscapes, eastern Montana is one of the top bird hunting destination s in North America. While the hunting is no secret, changes to Montana's socioeconomic fabric may be less obvious to visitors. As ranching becomes less profitable, land is plucked up by out-of-state money. Some buyers want a tax haven with a nice view, while others just want a slice of the mythical West. One organization wants an opportunity to turn back the hands of time.
A vision to “re-wild” healthy prairies teeming with bison, mule deer, and native grouse may sound like heaven to some, but it has fueled discord that simmers just shy of a modern-day range war. The outcome of this struggle will not only shape the prairie landscape, but the future of the wildlife that call it home.
American Prairie is a conservation non-profit with the goal of stewarding private land for wildlife. (Photo courtesy of Dan Towsley) American Prairie Non-Profit American Prairie (AP) was established in 2001 with a mission to purchase and steward private properties that connect large swaths of public land in east-central Montana. The conservation non-profit chose the region from the Hi-Line to the Missouri River corridor for the project because it holds one of the most intact remaining prairies in North America. The region also holds the bulk of Montana’s sage grouse, abundant sharp-tailed grouse, pheasants, partridge, and a suite of other wildlife.
Landscape-scale conservation is no small undertaking. Founded by native Montanan and Silicon Valley executive Sean Gerrity, American Prairie has undergone an evolution in names and influence since its inception, but it has always been driven by large donations from industry magnates. Some Montanans see the outside money and AP's new ideas as unwelcome changes.
Ill-timed cattle grazing can impact brood-rearing habitat, as well as reduce available cover that is detrimental to upland bird survival. (Photo courtesy of Dan Towsley) Sustainable Grazing Practices that Help Wildlife Most eastern Montana landowners take the notion of stewardship seriously. Ranchers try to maximize livestock production without overgrazing or otherwise degrading the land. However, ranchers face increasingly common drought years, skyrocketing operation costs, and a market controlled by behemoth meatpacking companies.
Beset by financial stresses, even the most conservation-minded ranchers must do what they can to stay in business. That can mean grazing livestock earlier, longer, and harder. Wildlife, including upland birds that rely on the same habitat, sometimes get the short straw.
Livestock grazing is not incompatible with game birds. In fact, native sharptailed grouse and sage grouse evolved on a fluctuating grassland landscape. Both species need fire and grazing to build mosaic plant communities. However, some ranching practices can be detrimental to native grouse and other game birds.
“The primary difference between American Prairie's operations and traditional ranching operations is the substitution of cattle for bison as the primary grazer when and where possible,” says Danny Kinka, AP’s wildlife restoration manager, when describing AP’s land management strategy. “Bison graze differently than cattle, spending far more time away from water sources. This facilitates recovery of riparian habitat and is associated with higher bird diversity and cervid occupancy. Relatively conservative stocking rates and ongoing efforts to plant back native prairie plant species extends habitat restoration into the uplands.”
As is customary, public land grazing leases were transferred to American Prairie with their private ranch purchases. Despite significant opposition, in 2022 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) greenlighted bison grazing on 63,000 acres of American Prairie leases. AP has disease testing protocols, but some neighbors are worried that bison will spread brucellosis if they wander intoneighboring cattle herds.
The vast majority of BLM land in Montana is still under conventional cattle grazing leases, but some feel that American Prairie's conservation-focused leases are a lost opportunity for cattle producers. The BLM and other federal agencies are tasked with a “multiple use” directive that mandates management for different purposes. As multiple use shifts from concept to reality, it threatens the almost exclusive control over these public lands that ranchers have enjoyed for over a century. Ranches are built on hard work, but they are also built on a foundation of cheap public land grazing.
American Prairie has implemented many changes, including grazing bison instead of cattle, in an effort to restore wildlife habitat. (Photo courtesy of Dan Towsley) American Prairie’s Wildlife Management Approach American Prairie is focused on restoring native plants and animals to the prairie, but they consider hunting to be compatible with their mission.
“To the extent that hunters and their organizations have an interest in not only increasing access to the public's wildlife, but also in seeing it thrive and recover, we have and will continue to partner with these organizations.” says Kinka.
Unlike most landowners, American Prairie has biologists on staff that shape their hunting protocols each season. While AP allows hunting, they may limit hunter numbers or target species in certain areas, based on fluctuations in game populations and habitat conditions. AP coordinates with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (MTFWP) to formulate these strategies.
How does AP’s management approach affect upland birds? Local hunter and Montana Backcountry Hunters and Anglers board member Doug Krings thinks it is too early to say.
“It’s actually pretty difficult to prove that [AP’s] strategies have improved or degraded bird hunting based on a couple of terrible drought years. I have, however, viewed the habitat on many of their properties. I’ve found for the most part that these places are definitely starting to look more natural. This should lead to better populations of upland birds.”
Jay Hanson is on MTFWP's upland advisory council and is an avid local hunter. He thinks American Prairie's land and wildlife management strategies are already proving beneficial. “In some areas where the grazing was turned over to bison or no grazing at all, the sage health improved in two years and sage grouse numbers improved dramatically.”
Opening access and allowing hunting is part of American Prairie's mission. (Photo courtesy of Josh Tatman) American Prairie’s Hunting Opportunities American Prairie opens over 125 square miles of their holdings to hunters as Block Management Areas (BMAs). That is 35 times more access than Pheasants Forever's Montana holdings. By another measure, it is triple the private land walk-in hunting offered in the entire state of Iowa. AP also provides access to landlocked or difficult to reach public land.
Sage grouse are a notable exception to American Prairie's public hunting opportunities. American Prairie prohibits sage grouse hunting on their deeded land. Although some hunters don’t like this restriction, Kinka says the species’ “warranted but precluded” Endangered Species Act designation justifies caution. He notes that American Prairie's sage grouse policy might change.
Krings thinks, “As a whole, [AP’s] access program is much better than most of the private lands in the area.” There are other BMA options in the region, but many landowners have transitioned to pay-to-play access.
American Prairie's new approach to private land management has earned them some political opposition. (Photo courtesy of Josh Tatman) The Politics of Conservation in Montana In eastern Montana, agriculture eclipses any other industry. Some fear that American Prairie's mission threatens this important economic base, although others see potential gains from hunting and ecotourism. If American Prairie is afflicting the local economy, it hasn’t shown up in the data. In fact, unemployment in the region has gradually fallen since AP was established, and population is up slightly. The agricultural sector is currently at a ten year high.
In Montana, powerful ranching families aren’t just figments of a screenwriter’s imagination. Ranchers have considerable influence in state politics. The Montana Stock Growers Association (MSGA) and other agricultural groups have successfully lobbied against American Prairie, recruiting allies including Governor Greg Gianforte and U.S. Senator Steve Daines.
Local hunter Jay Hanson thinks that opposition to American Prairie is mostly driven by a few influential people. “A small, vocal group, Save The Cowboy (STC), has been influencing other ranchers. The hunting community is much more supportive.” Neither MSGA nor STC replied to comment requests for this story. While AP’s opponents consider themselves a unified community repelling a dangerous interloper, some Montanans support AP’s efforts. American Prairie's Wild Sky program incentivizes surrounding ranchers to manage their properties similarly. Currently, sixteen surrounding ranches are enrolled in the program. AP also enjoys support among many local Native Americans, who are especially pleased to see bison return to the prairie.
AP has opened over 125 square miles in Montana to public hunters as Block Management Areas. (Photo courtesy of Josh Tatman) A Cultural Disconnect Krings thinks that American Prairie has tough work ahead.
“Most people don’t understand what they are actually doing for the landscape. It takes a long time to explain American Prairie's actual policies, and even then, many are skeptical,” says Krings. “I’m not sure if this attitude will go away in these rural areas.” Conspiracy theories and rumors seem to fuel opposition to AP, but there are pragmatic critiques as well. Some doubt that “rewilding” is anything more than a pipe dream given wildlife management limitations and a complex checkerboard of land ownership.
Many Montanans, even some that support AP’s efforts, feel the organization has been tone-deaf to local concerns in the past. American Prairie purchases land from willing sellers, but has been accused of opaque real estate transactions. Opponents argue that ranchers have stewarded the land for decades, maintaining the relatively intact landscape. These locals feel that AP hasn’t shown respect for their legacy.
New ideas are always met with some resistance, but effective collaboration is the only way to work toward landscape-scale conservation. There are other non-profits in the area who are also working hard to save the prairie, including the Sage Grouse Initiative/NRCS, Intermountain West Joint Venture, Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, and The Nature Conservancy. These organizations must walk a cultural tightrope. Despite the obvious opportunities to collaborate with AP, they must also maintain good working relationships with its opponents.
There are differing opinions on how, but everyone can agree that it is important to preserve Montana's wild places. (Photo courtesy of Josh Tatman) AP's Collaboration to Build Better Rangelands for Wildlife Continued discord over public and private land management in Montana is certain, but the outcome of these struggles will shape the future of upland hunting in the region. In eastern Montana, different management strategies are playing out on the same landscape, separated only by a few fences. This presents an exceptional opportunity to conduct research on how to best steward the land for upland birds, especially declining populations of native grouse.
As hunters, we can shape the future of this landscape by advocating for wildlife-friendly public land management. We can also support landowners who choose to preserve wild birds and their habitat for future generations. Krings hopes to see contention shift toward collaboration.
“Most area ranchers care a lot about the landscape. Many already protect wildlife habitat. If these types of ranches decided to work with AP and other non-profits, we could improve range conditions all over the state.”
American Prairie’s Kinka also sees a cooperative path forward.
“Threats to prairie grouse do not seem to come from well-managed cattle any more than bison. Habitat fragmentation and development pose a far larger threat to the birds’ survival and recovery. To that end, American Prairie and most of our neighbors are committed to the kind of land tenure that allows [game birds] to thrive, creating ripe opportunities for collaboration.”
