Annual Banquet June 12, 1999

Last Year's Big Banquet

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Today approximately 1,000 elk, 1000 mule deer and 1,000 whitetail deer winter on approximately 67,000 acres of grassland and low elevation mountains that comprise the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area. This is the largest wildlife management area controlled in Montana by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP). Deriving its formal name from the confluence of the Blackfoot River and Clearwater River near the junction of Montana Highways 200 and 83, the management area is known simply as "The Game Range" to local citizens in the Seeley Lake area. The beginning of The Game Range dates back 50 years to 1948 when the Boyd family decided to sell what was then known as the "Boyd Ranch," a large ranching operation running as much as 6,000 sheep and 1,400 cattle.

Montana's Largest Wildlife Management Area Game Range File Photo Bill Thomas, FWP

Montana's FWP purchased the Boyd Ranch in 1948 with revenues from Montana hunting licence sales and money from the federal government through Pittman-Rovertson dollars collected from excise taxes on firearms and ammunition. Thus was born the Blackfoot-Clearwater WMA, 45 miles east of Missoula, Montana, and 15 miles south of Seeley Lake, Montana, with the southwest corner of the Game range starting near the junction of Highway 200 and 83. Mike Thompson, FWP wildlife biologist charged with the Game Range management, writes a weekly column for the local Seeley Swan Pathfinder newspaper. Several of his columns have information pertaining to this 50th Anniversary Celebration, a land acquisition project on the Game Range in conjunction with the anniversary. Several of his articles are linked below for your information.

Mike Thompson FWP Wildlife Biologist writes an on-going column called "Game Range Ramblings" in the weekly Seeley Swan Pathfinder. Articles to the right deal with special interest in the Game Range during this 50th Anniversary Year and a campaign to raise funds to acquire 7,800 acres of Plum Creek leased land to protect the future integrity of the Game Range.

A Sense of History and Purpose (A background story with curent numbers of wildlife) Monte Dolack to Paint Game Range Poster (Monte Dolack tours Game Range with Thompson) Paradise is No Accident (A brief history of the Blackfoot-Clearwater Game Range) Game Range Celebration Will Span a Full Year (June 12, 1999 is set for Jubilant Observance) Game Range Anniversary Project Gains Momentum (25 representatives from 7 organizations involved) 1998 Was A Very Good Year (Mike Thompson in Good Spirits at New Year's Time) Something for Everyone on the Game Range (People can access the Game Range part of the year)

Annual Banquet June 12, 1999

Last Year's Big Banquet

Please Adopt This Project!

RMEF People Blackfoot/Clearwater

Join - How You Can Help!

Welcome Blackfoot/Clearwater

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