United Property Owners of Montana, Inc.

UPOM Inc., Newsletter - July 15, 2007

In case you missed it: State angling for management rights on private land

Taking a drastic step away from Montana's traditional respect for private property rights, Governor Schweitzer stated recently that he believes the state has the right to access private land to manage elk herds suspected of carry brucellosis. Schweitzer's position undoubtedly gives a boost to the movement to erode private property rights to allow public access on private land, and should be an alarm bell for all Montana property owners. Here's an excerpt from a Billings Gazette account of the story:
"...In Montana, state officials hope to increase elk hunting and hazing near Yellowstone and expand a testing program to gauge which herds are badly infected..."

"Once identified, the state could argue it has the right to access private land to manage elk - a tricky proposition given Montana's tradition of individual property rights. Montana's governor cited a recent case in which the state removed a group of bison from private land over the owners' objections..."

"'There's a precedent,' Schweitzer said, adding the state was considering all its options to deal with the disease in wildlife."

While this article raises all sorts of questions about wildlife management, disease control and economic losses to cattle producers, it also alludes to an upcoming battle for private property rights. The governor is stating that there is a precedent for access to private land to manage elk. They are chipping away to gain public access to private land and this represents a huge step in that direction.

Even more alarming were some of the online comments in response to the story. Here are some of the more outrageous comments on the Billings Gazette web page:

"It's not that the ranchers have too many elk. It's that the elk have too many ranchers!"
"It's time that the livestock industry be taken off welfare and that it take full responsibility for its creation of disease problems in wildlife."
"Step 1. No cattle on public lands, including public land now leased to ranchers for grazing at below cost rates. Step 2. If ranchers don't want elk, buffalo, wolves, or grizzlies mingling with cattle on private property, let ranchers fence them out of their private property."
"This all smells of incredible greed and job perpetuation. Leave the wildlife alone, they managed for thousands of years without our interference. Wolves are being killed because they are eating cattle grazing on our public lands after elk/deer migration while the wolf pups are growing up. Remove the cattle and the wolves won't kill them. Clean up your act please and quit whining that the wildlife are killing off your cattle."
"I think the cattle ranchers need more education on this matter! They have no idea what they are talking about! It's like follow the leader!"

NRA endorsement ignores Schweitzer administration's reductions to hunting access, opposition to private property rights

We know a lot of Montanans were upset at the NRA's endorsement of Governor Schweitzer in his re-election. Though Schweitzer maintains a pro-gun policy, his opposition to private property rights and actions that have limited access to hunting opportunities should have disqualified their support for him.

UPOM joined with other groups in lodging our disapproval of the NRA's endorsement, and we urge all Montana property owners to do the same. Here's the message we sent to the NRA:
Dear Mr. LaSorte:

The Board of United Property Owners of Montana, Inc. was extremely disappointed to read of NRA's endorsement of Brian Schweitzer for Governor of Montana.

UPOM is an organization of landowners, businesses, and sportsmen dedicated to protecting private property rights. Governor Schweitzer's administration has been a poor advocate of hunting in Montana. With recent changes in the archery elk and antelope regulations, the FWP
Commission has limited hunter opportunity in Montana to a degree not seen before. In the face of abundant wildlife populations, FWP has chosen to use their license structure to all but eliminate non-residents from archery hunting in Eastern and Central Montana. They have alienated the private landowner and created some of the worst landowner/sportsmen relations in recent history. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks have determined that approximately 75% of deer and antelope and 35% of elk taken each year are harvested on private land; ratios that are in close proportion to where the wildlife exists on private versus public land. Ignoring the existing generosity of landowners and attempting to force more access to private land will only be detrimental to the future of hunting in Montana.

It is in the best interests of hunting to work with the private landowners in Montana. Brian Schweitzer's administration has failed to do this, and in fact has chosen to take punitive measures against the private landowner in attempt to force public access. We would strongly encourage NRA to reconsider their endorsement of Brian Schweitzer.

Sincerely,

United Property Owners of Montana, Inc.

(Darren LaSorte is the NRA-ILA's Manger of Hunting Policy)

A message from Don Proue's daughter

In May, UPOM co-found Don Proue was injured during a team roping event, and he remains hospitalized. Don's daughter Jenny shares the following update on Don's progressing condition:

We are thrilled to report that Dad continues to make progress on a daily basis. He is currently at the Advanced Care Hospital of Montana in Billings, where he is receiving excellent care. At times, Dad is very alert and responsive and is able to answer questions and recognize individuals. He is also regaining physical strength and coordination with each passing day, and has been able to do some assisted walking and other activities in physical therapy. We are so encouraged by the progress Dad has made, and continues to make, and we believe wholeheartedly that his recovery is a result of two things: the amazing amount of prayers that have been said on his behalf, and Dad's unyielding determination to get better. He continues to be an inspiration to us all.

Thanks so much for your continued prayers for Dad's complete and total recovery.

God Bless,
Jenny (Proue) Gilbert

JOIN US!
You can now join UPOM as a Landowner Member, Allied Business Member, or Supporter.
Please take the time to go to our website at www.unitedpropertyownersofmt.com, where you will find more information on our organization. You can join online or print out a membership form and mail it to us. If you have already contributed to UPOM, your contribution can be credited toward your membership.

Don't like to do things "online?" Give us a call or send us an email, and we will put a membership application in the mail to you.
We must stand together if we are going to have a voice!

United Property Owners of Montana, Inc.

www.unitedpropertyownersofmt.com
Mark Robbins - President
Toby Dahl - Vice President
Don Proue - Director
Deanna Robbins - Treasurer

UPOM, INC. NEWSLETTER
May 20, 2008

UPOM, INC. CO-FOUNDER/DIRECTOR SUFFERS INJURY
Don Proue, co-founder and director of UPOM, Inc., suffered a severe injury May 9 in Laurel. The injury occurred while Don was participating in a team roping event, and he remains in a Billings hospital. Don and his family need all of the support we can give them at this difficult time. Don has been instrumental in the founding of UPOM, Inc. and getting it off the ground. We would like to ask everyone to remember Don and Betty and their family in their prayers.

WHAT UPOM HAS BEEN UP TO:
UPOM PARTICIPATES IN WATER RIGHTS NETWORKING CONFERENCE
Unwarranted government intrusion into water use, a drastic decrease in recreational opportunities, and the further erosion of private property rights were the primary concerns aired at a grassroots networking conference held this week in Butte. The conference, hosted by the Montana Stockgrowers Association and Citizens for Balanced Use, was focused at organizing opposition to S 1870 and HR 2421, titled "The Clean Water Restoration Act of 2007."

Despite the benign title of the legislation, it has far-reaching negative effects on Montana's resource industries and outdoor recreation. Of primary concern was the elimination of the term "navigable" from the 1972 Clean Water Act. According to water policy experts at the meeting, eliminating "navigable" from federal code could take away Montana's ability to control water decisions.

Three UPOM board members, Deanna Robbins, Mark Robbins, and Toby Dahl, attended the conference. "It's pretty clear that this is bad legislation intended to further the environmental movement's agenda," said Deanna Robbins. "Putting all water decisions in the hands of the federal government, and away from the states, sets the stage for them to begin chipping away at our other property rights."

"We're getting assaulted from all fronts," added Dahl. "UPOM got started to address hunting and fishing access issues, but we see a tremendous value in working with groups like MSGA and CBU and all the others on property rights issues. We either stand together and work together, or we're all going to get steamrolled by those who would take our rights away."

The tenor of the meeting in Butte was optimistic that the federal water legislation could be stopped, and all groups in attendance were encouraged to organize grassroots opposition that would be recognized by Senators Baucus and Tester and Governor Schweitzer. "Unfortunately, sometimes it's not about right or wrong, it's about which side makes the most noise," said Mark Robbins. "This isn't just a fight for what's right, this is a fight for our livelihood, for our way of life. I want my kids to have all the advantage I had in rural Montana, but they're trying to take that away. This legislation is just one example."

"Property rights are the next battleground in the environmental movement," Dahl added. "We either pick up the fight now, or there's going to be nothing left for us to fight for."

WHAT THE FWP HAS BEEN UP TO:
FWP SEEKING VENDOR FOR LANDOWNER RELATION SURVEY
The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks is seeking a vendor to conduct a survey to "gather information from landowners regarding their relations with FWP." A start date for this survey has not been announced, but we'd like to take this opportunity to alert landowners that an opportunity to comment on FWP may be forthcoming. This will be a great opportunity for landowners throughout the state to have a united voice on the issues developing around property rights.

WHAT THE FWP COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN UP TO:
FWP COMMISSIONERS JUMP ON OBAMA BANDWAGON

Presidential candidate Barack Obama held a press conference call recently to tout his strong "commitment to the rights and traditions of Montana's sportsmen."

According to a report by Bill Schneider of NewWest.net, "An impressive line up
spoke on Obama's behalf, starting with Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission chairman and former state senator Steve Doherty, who pointed out that roughly half of the people in Montana's hunt or fish and that he believed Obama would more strongly represent hunters, anglers and gun owners than Hillary Clinton...Doherty also said Obama supports the North American Wildlife Conservation Model, the backbone of wildlife management in United States, because it proclaims that wildlife is in the public trust, not owned by private landowners."

The Obama campaign also released a list of "Montana Sportsmen for Obama", which included Doherty and FWP Commissioners Shane Colton and Dan Vermillion.

Now we shouldn't have to point out that Senator Obama's positions on private property, hunting rights, and gun ownership are a little more in line with that of a liberal from Manhattan than a rancher from Miles City, but apparently our FWP Commissioners feel a closer kinship to Obama than they should.

Even Hillary Clinton has pointed out that Barack Obama has advocated for a ban on the "manufacture, sale, and possession of handguns." Said Clinton Montana campaign spokesperson Matt McKenna of Obama, "It's awfully hard to shoot a gun if you're not allowed to have one."

For any who doubt that there is a problem with the direction the FWP Commission is taking in Montana, look no further than the cozy relationship they're developing with the far-left Barack Obama.

United Property Owners of Montana, Inc.

Newsletter

UPOM Inc., Newsletter - July 15, 2007

UPOM, INC. NEWSLETTER May 20, 2008

UPOM, INC. NEWSLETTER
May 20, 2008