The genesis of wildlife conservation in Montana

Abstract

The years between 1864, when Montana became a territory, and the establishment of a Game and Fish Commission in 1895, marked the genesis of wildlife conservation in Montana. A conservation community of pioneers, governors, legislators, and sportsmen, influenced by eastern cultural standards, appeared in Montana during the territorial and early statehood periods. Sportsmens’ clubs and eastern sporting journals played pivotal roles in these formative years. The advance of civilization to the Frontier necessitated restraint against the backdrop of excessive resource exploitation stimulated by the abundance of natural resources and the ideal of progress and manifest destiny. The evolution of wildlife legislation in Montana in the nineteenth century reflected a serious concern to protect and preserve the wildlife. THE GENESIS OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION IN MONTANA