Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is proposing to buy 829 acres of private land to grow a wildlife management area near Anaconda. The $2.7 million property would become part of the adjacent Mount Haggin Wildlife Management Area that covers more than 50,000 acres of key habitat for deer, bighorn sheep, birds and native trout. FWP says making the section of private land public would protect prime wildlife habitat from subdivisions and development.
The process of turning private land into public ownership requires negotiations, an environmental review and public input. FWP is accepting the public’s comments on the proposed purchase until March 1.