Montana Wildlife Restoration Members

Press Release: Montana’s Wildlife Legacy - Decimation to Restoration

The Most Complete “Written Reference” of Montana’s Wildlife Legacy

Contact: Terry Lonner
Phone: 406-587-3583
E-mail: tlonner@mediaworksmt.com

Just released, a historical wildlife book – Montana’s Wildlife Legacy ~ Decimation to Restoration, providing the most complete written reference of Montana’s wildlife legacy. It was co-authored by Dr. Harold Picton, Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Management in the Ecology Department at Montana State University and Terry Lonner, retired Chief of Wildlife Research and Technical Services for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Together they provided over 90+ years of combined professional wildlife and conservation experience while researching and documenting the decimation and restoration of Montana’s wildlife.

The book documents how exploitation and technology brought the legendary wildlife resources of Montana and the areas, which now include Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, to the brink of extermination by the end of the 19th Century. This led to major wildlife restoration and conservation efforts during the 20th Century. As we enter the 21st century, Montana is blessed with exceptional wildlife resources. This abundance of wildlife is not due to chance or accident. Montana’s wildlife restoration and conservation is truly a classic endeavor extending through six generations, five wars, an economic collapse and the greatest North American climate disaster of the 20th century.

Citizen leadership arose in generation after generation and melded with the leadership and science furnished by the state and federal agencies and universities to bring about this successful effort in wildlife restoration. This effort resulted in the creation of the National Bison Range at Moiese, Montana in 1908, which played a major role in the restoration of bison and several other wildlife species. Yellowstone National Park also played a key roll in the restoration effort, especially for elk and pronghorn antelope. The restoration included big game, upland game birds, waterfowl, furbearers and nongame. The first big game transplant was elk in 1910 supported primarily by sportsman. This effort produced a model example of the success of the hunter-funded North American approach to wildlife conservation in caring not only for wildlife and its habitat, but also for people.

The book is visually appealing, printed in full color with hundreds of illustrations, maps and historical photographs never before published – a “must read” historical wildlife book for anyone who enjoys and values Montana’s wildlife. Educators, students, historians, book collectors, tourists and anyone interested in Montana’s wildlife and its history will find it interesting and a valuable reference. It also contains the only complete record, starting in the early 1900s, of the thousands of Montana’s wild animals trapped and transplanted as citizens struggled to rebuild their wildlife resource during the 20th Century. Numerous individual interviews of Montana’s wildlife pioneers, along with their field notes and reports were used to write the story. It emphasizes how Montanans using passion, perseverance, science and government restored their wildlife resource during the 20th Century.

The wildlife resources that we enjoy today are a gift from the people of the 20th Century to the people of the 21st Century. They come with an important message, to care for and cherish them and to value and maintain them. Wildlife or any natural resource that is not valued tends to end up on the trash heap of human history.

The historical account of this unique contribution to Montana’s culture is available from the book’s website www.montanaswildlifelegacy.com . MSU’s KUSM TV in Bozeman, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks regional offices, sporting goods stores, bookstores and gift shops across the state. The book expands upon and complements the video documentary “Back from the Brink - Montana’s Wildlife Legacy” released in December 2005, which is also available from KUSM TV and continues to be featured on Montana Public Television. The DVD can be purchased on line at www.backfromthebrinkmt.org or also from the same locations as mentioned above for the book.