If you’re a member of the National or Montana
Wildlife Federation, don’t even think about hunting on the
Japanese-owned Selkirk Ranch. Zenchiku Land and Livestock banned
federation members from hunting this fall after the groups sued
Beaverhead National Forest to force reform of its grazing program,
reports the Montana Standard. Zenchiku president John Morse placed
an advertisement in several state newspapers, inviting the public
to hunt at the ranch, but warning federation members to stay out.
The ads also asked readers to “think before you support groups who
are dedicated to destroying our Western lifestyle.” Tony Jewett of
the Montana Wildlife Federation says Morse’s action reflects what
has become a familiar scenario in the state: out-of-state
landowners deciding to bar Montanans from private land. “We find
this to be an abysmal trend,” says Jewett. “It’s ironic that a
Japanese company would come in here and buy the land and then close
it.” Jim Peterson of the Montana Stockgrowers Association says the
sportsmen’s groups’ lawsuit, which has the potential to severely
curtail the Beaverhead forest’s grazing program, angered ranchers
at a time when they were beginning to make positive changes related
to federal grazing allotments (HCN,
5/16/94).
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Grazing reformers banned from hunting.
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