brett french

Despite more elk roaming Montana than ever before, one hunter’s three-day search in the Crazies turns up nothing but tracks, questions…and a lingering elk curse…

Montana’s wildly successful hunter access program is straining under its own weight, as soaring demand collides with stagnant staffing and outdated funding rules. Read more from Brett French here…

Montana officials approved a $1.2 million easement to protect 4,417 acres of prime sage grouse habitat north of Lavina, balancing the cost against dwindling conservation funds and rising development pressures.

Yellowstone backcountry ranger Kimberly Lewis shares the gritty realities and soul-stirring rewards of protecting America’s first national park. More from Brett French here..

Paddle into Yellowstone’s hidden gem—Shoshone Lake—where dragonflies dance over warm geyser-fed creeks and the wilderness drowns out the modern world. More from Brett French here:

Two female pallid sturgeon spawned below Fort Peck Dam this summer—now researchers are racing to see if their tiny offspring survived…More from Brett French here…

At the crossroads of wilderness and ownership, Anchor Ranch has become ground zero in a battle over who gets in—and who gets kept out.

Montana’s backcountry bighorn sheep hunt in the Gallatin-Yellowstone district lasted just two days before the quota was filled, leaving more than 100 hopeful hunters sidelined…

Montana’s newest conservation easements show how ranchers, hunters, and wildlife can all share the same ground — and win.

One map, 6.08 million acres flagged, and a federal agency tapping the brakes…

Montana native Jean Mikulas returns home to lead the ski area into its next chapter.”

Facing a steep decline in mule deer numbers, Montana wildlife officials are drafting a new plan that weighs disease, predators, habitat loss, and hunting limits — with passionate public input shaping the debate….

At the crossroads of wilderness and ownership, Anchor Ranch has become ground zero in a battle over who gets in—and who gets kept out.

Montana’s backcountry bighorn sheep hunt in the Gallatin-Yellowstone district lasted just two days before the quota was filled, leaving more than 100 hopeful hunters sidelined…

Montana’s newest conservation easements show how ranchers, hunters, and wildlife can all share the same ground — and win.

One map, 6.08 million acres flagged, and a federal agency tapping the brakes…

Montana native Jean Mikulas returns home to lead the ski area into its next chapter.”

Facing a steep decline in mule deer numbers, Montana wildlife officials are drafting a new plan that weighs disease, predators, habitat loss, and hunting limits — with passionate public input shaping the debate….

From meth-fueled fishing fugitives to overloaded freezers of trout, Wyoming Game and Fish wardens had no shortage of strange cases in 2024… More from Brett French here.

State biologists are rebuilding a vanishing island on the lower Madison in hopes of bringing back the trout. Read more from Brett French here…

Recreational shooting will be banned on three state land tracts near Logan starting July 15 after leaseholders raised safety concerns.. read more from Brett French here.

Montana’s fishing season is in full swing—but one popular Yellowstone River spot is still off-limits… Read more from Brett French here.

Some hunters and commissioners are raising red flags over Montana’s Elk Hunting Access program, saying it promises exclusive access but often delivers crowded conditions — all while landowners stack benefits from multiple state programs. Read more from Brett French…

A controversial gate on a rugged Montana road has cut off public access to thousands of acres of wildlands… Read more from Brett French here.