Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act

This bill aims to release specific land in Montana from its wilderness study area designation, enabling improved management and increased public access. It targets the Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Area , managed by the Forest Service, and the Hoodoo Mountain and Wales Creek Wilderness Study Areas , managed by the Bureau of Land Management. These areas, totaling over 100,000 acres, have been repeatedly determined unsuitable for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System by their respective agencies following extensive studies and collaborative processes dating back to the 1970s and 1980s. Despite these findings, over 1.1 million acres of public land in Montana, including these areas, remain under wilderness study designation, with over 700,000 acres deemed unsuitable for wilderness management. By removing the wilderness study area designation, the bill allows land managers to implement existing land and resource management plans, which were developed through multi-year collaborative processes based on resource needs and scientific data. This change is intended to provide for enhanced sportsmen opportunities, improved public access, and the ability to conduct crucial wildlife habitat and wildfire mitigation projects. Following their release, these areas will continue to be managed in accordance with applicable environmental and administrative laws, local input, and principles of multiple-use and sustained yield.