Chris Scranton

Magical, memorable experiences happen in Montana’s backcountry: A hike to a majestic vantage point just as the sun sets. A fish caught in a remote mountain lake. A deer harvested after a long hunt, far from any road.

These are first-hand experiences that can’t be planned out or bought with a ticket. They are special because they happen off the beaten track, not on it.

The idea that the federal Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which protects such areas from machinery, development and overcrowding, could be undone bothers me, and it should bother you, too.

I’m now 70 years old. I love to hunt by myself and I especially like to get away from roads. I have a lot of “backcountry” stories. One in particular comes to mind:

I'd been out since before daylight in a foot of snow w

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