GOVERNOR APPOINTS NEW FWP COMMISSIONERS

In 1893, game populations in Montana were in trouble and the Montana Legislature adopted closed seasons for elk and moose. At the urging of sportsmen, they realized that greater regulation and governance was necessary. In 1895 legislators fashioned the  Montana Fish and Game Board, today’s version of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission. The first Board’s were selected through the direct involvement of sportsmen and local sportsmen clubs to the extent of recruiting and selecting members.

 Today the Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission is designated as a quasi-judicial board under state statute2-15-3402. “The number of and qualifications of its members are as prescribed by law and the appointment of each member is subject to the confirmation of the senate…”

 As detailed, the commission consists of five members appointed by the Governor. At least one member must be experienced in the breeding and management of domestic livestock. The five districts are not the same as the seven (7) FWP Regional Administrative Districts. Appointments are to be made “without regard to political affiliation and must be made solely for the wise management of fish, wildlife, and state parks and other outdoor recreational resources of this state. A person may not be appointed to the commission unless the person is informed or interested and experienced in the subject of fish, wildlife, parks, and outdoor recreation and the requirements for the conservation and protection of fish, wildlife, parks, and outdoor recreational resources.”

New Commission Appointments

The terms for three FWP commissioners, Steve Doherty, Vic Workman, and Shane Colton expired January 2009. Commissioner Shane Colton (District 5) from Billings has been reappointed and with seniority, he has been selected as the Chairperson with a new term ending January 1, 2013. Commissioners Dan Vermillion from Livingston (District 2) and Willie Doll from Malta (District 4) end January 1, 2011. Commissioner Doll fills the slot as one member experienced in the breeding and management of domestic livestock.

The newly appointed commissioners awaiting confirmation are Bob Ream, Helena, for District 1 and Ron Moody, Lewistown, for District 3.

Ron Moody, 62, is a life-long hunter/angler that collects the literature of hunting and fishing and has a small business in classic outdoor books. He writes a bi-monthly column on the future of hunting in the 21st Century. His column, titled “NIMROD’S TRACE,” is published in ‘Montana Wildlife’ and online at: http://www.huntingandfishingjournal.org/misc_page.html

Ron became a Montana Hunter Ed Instructor in 1990 and has remained continuously active since; he also participated in the statewide committee to develop the current Hunter Education curriculum in Montana. He continues to advocate for new policies and venues for better educating hunters. Despite his many conservation leadership roles, he still views Hunter Education as the single most important activity for the future of hunting and wildlife conservation.

Ron also currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Montana State Library Commission that has within it’s charter, responsibility for the State Natural Resource Information System (NRIS) as well as the Montana Natural Heritage Program. The Heritage Program is the state biological survey of all animal and plant species. 

Ron recently was elected Chair of the BLM Resource Advisory Council (RAC) for Central Montana where he has served for the past five years. He is an active member in the Public Land/Water Access Association in Montana (www.plwa.org). Ron also is a past officer of Montana Wildlife Federation (www.montanawildlife.org). He previously served as President of the Southeastern Montana Sportsmens’ Association and as Secretary and Director of the Billings Rod & Gun Club.

His awards include: the Fred Carver Sportsman of the Year for 1997, the Don Aldrich Conservationist of the Year for 2003, and the Conservation Communicator Award for 1995.

Ron is clear about his personal mission that brings him to the FWP Commission. “Early in my adult life I realized that I, as an American Citizen, had received an almost unimaginably great outdoor inheritance from my predecessors. Teaching Hunter Ed taught me that I had a duty as a hunter to at least preserve that inheritance for future Americans - and make it better if I could.” “Everything I’ve done since then, in my mind, has followed a straight line back to fulfilling that duty.”

“Today the hunter-conservationist must be able to wear many hats. We must be warriors for protection of the freedoms and resources we cherish. But we also must be respectful diplomats and good neighbors in our relationships with other stakeholders such as private landowners and non-hunters.”

“Perhaps most importantly in these uncertain times, we are called to be explorers of the future where we must discover new ways of making our ancient heritage worth preserving in a changed world.”

Bob Ream was born and raised on a small farm in southern Wisconsin.  His father worked for USDA Soil Conservation Service, in Wisconsin, Washington DC, and then for the State Department on international agricultural development in Southeast Asia. 

Bob attended the University of Wisconsin (BS and PhD) and University of Utah (MS), with degrees in agriculture and plant and animal ecology. 

In his professional career Bob worked at the University of Denver for three years, worked in Forest Service Wilderness Research for three years, and then taught and conducted research at the University of Montana for 28 years.  Bob has conducted and participated  in research on natural wolf recolonization in the northern Rocky Mountains, was instrumental in starting the interagency elk-logging studies in the early 70’s in cooperation with the state, BLM, and US Forest Service, and taught courses in big game management, habitat management, population modeling, conservation of natural resources, recreation river management, wilderness management, and basic ecology.   Bob helped start the Wilderness Institute at the University of Montana.  Ream has sponsored numerous student field trips on the Rocky Mountain Front, Missouri River Breaks, and many other roadless lands in Montana.  He also served as Acting Dean of the School of Forestry for 15 months in 1993-94.

Bob also served in the Montana House of Representatives for 16 years, elected to this position eight times.  He distinguished himself in the House as Chair of the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee during two legislative sessions and as a leader on taxation issues as member and vice-chair of the House Taxation Committee.  Former Rep. Ream introduced a number of bills on tax reform for Montana and sponsored bills for stream access, superfund, hazardous waste management, forest management in the streamside management zone, game farm management, and numerous other natural resource bills.

Bob retired from the University of Montana in 1997 and also stepped down from his legislative position at the same time.  Bob was elected Chair of the Montana Democratic Party, and was re-elected in 1999, 2001, and 2003.  

Bob is an avid outdoorsman, hunter and angler with considerable experience, 30 years in natural resource issues – wildlife issues and management, wilderness allocation, national parks, forest management, etc.  He is familiar with state and federal natural resource agencies and has an in-depth, comprehensive understanding of FWP statutes and a long history of involvement in their activities and policies.His experience in politics enhances his professional background to provide a good balance of academics and practical application to natural resource management.

Coming from a long line of hunters and growing up on a farm, Bob understands the importance of sportsman-landowner relationships.  As a kid, he beat the corn rows of southern Wisconsin for his parents and grandparents’ pheasant hunting.  Besides being a hunter, he has canoed many of Montana’s rivers, climbed many of its peaks, and backpacked many of its trails.