MBA Work Party – Forman Ranch

September 2008

At our annual convention in Missoula this last Spring, Alan Charles, who is head of the Block Management Program, reminded us (sportsmen/bowhunters) that hunting is more than just showing up and asking permission to hunt during the hunting season. He informed us of a situation involving the Forman family. Mark Forman was married to Yvonne, who is the daughter of Cecil Brown (now also deceased). Mark died in a spring calving accident at the ranch. Because of Mark’s death and Yvonne working as a school teacher, the family and ranch could use some help with some basic chores. The neighbors had pitched in and helped the family through calving season and were still helping them out. The MBA Board took note of this comment and decided to help the Forman family because it was not only the right thing to do, but they have allowed public hunting through the Block Management Program for years. The ranch has been enrolled in block management since 1993, with 16,352 acres enrolled that provides hunting opportunities for mule deer, whitetails, turkeys, and upland birds, primarily sharp-tailed grouse and sage grouse.

The MBA decided to form a “work party” to help the Forman family with whatever they needed help with around the ranch. Because of Yvonne’s understandable hectic schedule and situation, we were given some short notice to put out an announcement to our members, so a few Board members volunteered to participate in a “work party” to provide assistance in fencing. We contacted Alan Charles and he recommended we contact the FWP Region 7 office and see if any of them would be willing to participate. As it turned out, we had more FWP personnel than MBA Board members helping. Regardless, it was a great showing, and we were more than happy to work with FWP or whomever. MBA Board members who participated in the “work party” were Jeff Noble from Broadus, Peter Iacavazzi from Bozeman, Ernie McKenzie and Jim Gappa from Billings.

It was a pleasure to get to meet the Forman family, Alan Charles, Bryce Christensen and his staff who volunteered their time and energy to this event. I believe we did help the Forman family with fencing the two pastures for a day. It gave me great pleasure helping a Montana family in need of a little assistance and just letting them know we heard of their situation and we do care. I hope to be involved in another work party next year. I think this was a win-win situation for all involved.

No matter what the relationship, attention needs to be given and they need to be maintained in order for them to survive. Contact with landowners should be more than September, October and November. I wish to let all landowners who allow public hunting know that we appreciate them granting permission to hunt their property.

- Jim Gappa, MBA President