Jim Posewitz ~ 2016 Inductee

With apologies to Montana author Norman Maclean, and perhaps to 13th Century Zen Master Dogen Zenji, for Jim Posewitz there’s never been a clear line between anything and fish and wildlife conservation. It’s all one.

In a career of unparalleled accomplishments, “Poz” made extraordinary contributions to the people of Montana.

Upon graduating from Montana State University on a football scholarship out of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Poz started his career with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in 1961. As young fisheries biologist in Great Falls and then Glasgow he advocated for the Missouri River’s entry into the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

Later, he helped pass the Montana Water Use Act of 1973, worked for passage of the Montana Strip and Underground Mine Reclamation Act in 1980, Montana Environmental Policy Act, and the Major Facilities Siting Act, and influenced numerous other pieces of Montana legislation.

With these new tools, he led efforts to ‘reserve’ in-stream flows in the Yellowstone River and protect the Rocky Mountain Front from an energy exploration frenzy.

He arm-wrestled with state and federal highway administrations to avoid impacts to rivers – including Interstate 15 through Bison Creek Canyon north of Butte and Interstate 90 along the Clark Fork and Saint Regis Rivers.

Poz worked for Montana FWP for more than 30 years; created Orion: The Hunters Institute and served as its executive director as well a founding board member and executive director for the Cinnabar Foundation.

He’s penned four books on hunter ethics and history, including Beyond Fair Chase: The Ethic and Tradition of Hunting, Inherit the Hunt: A Journey into the Heart of American Hunting, Rifle in Hand: How Wild America was Saved and Taking a Bullet for Conservation.

Today, he continues to write eloquent opinion pieces for Montana newspapers and present his learned conservation philosophy at an array of venues. His knowledge of Montana conservation history is second to none.

“Jim Posewitz is a conservation legend in the Northern Rockies,” said Collin O’Mara, president and chief executive officer of the National Wildlife Federation upon presenting Poz with NWF’s 2015 Conservationist of the Year Award.

“Whether it has been fighting for the reintroduction of bison onto the Great Plains…promoting fair chase hunting ethics…or preaching about the historic role of hunters in conservation…Jim has been the conscience and heart of the conservation and wildlife community for decades.”

For anyone who’s driven the highways from Helena to Missoula, or Helena to Great Falls there’s ample sign of Poz’s influence.