Southwest Montana’s first Habitat Conservation Lease, 3,528 acres of the Granger Ranches LP , goes to the Fish and Wildlife Commission for consideration at its Oct. 9 meeting.

The ranch, located near Cameron in the Madison Valley, would be the first Habitat Conservation Lease in Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Region 3. The 40-year lease is projected to cost between $980,200 to $1.07 million.

The lower payment reflects a reduction “to address overlapping conservation values,” FWP noted.

Also before the commission at its meeting is a 40-year lease for 2,964 acres of the Larry Smith Conservation Lease in Phillips County west of Malta at a proposed cost between $294,600 to $347,000.

When originally proposed, the Smith lease was considered for 11,762 acres, the majority of which was on

See Full Page