The Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act removes three Montana wilderness study areas—totaling approximately 104,000 acres—from their protected wilderness study designation, allowing them to be managed under standard land management plans instead. The bill affects the Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Area (81,000 acres managed by the U.S. Forest Service) and the Hoodoo Mountain and Wales Creek Wilderness Study Areas (11,380 and 11,580 acres respectively, managed by the Bureau of Land Management). According to the bill's findings, federal agencies previously determined these lands unsuitable for wilderness protection, and their release would enable sportsmen access, wildlife habitat projects, and wildfire mitigation work while maintaining existing environmental protections through applicable management plans. The bill contains no new federal funding or specific implementation timelines beyond the immediate removal of wilderness study area protections.
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