Montana Agency Purchases Land North of Yellowstone

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — About 160 acres of private land north of Yellowstone National Park has been purchased by the state of Montana for a wildlife management area.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and The Conservation Fund announced this week that the state agency purchased the land from The Conservation Fund for $550,775.

The land abuts the Dome Mountain Wildlife Management Area and is habitat for elk that migrate between the valley and Yellowstone.

FWP regional wildlife manager Howard Burt says the land is important elk winter range and also important for a lot of other species that use the game range, including grizzly bears.

The land was appraised at more than $1.3 million, about twice what FWP paid for it.