Field & Stream and Trout Unlimited Name the Best Wild Places

NEW YORK-Field & Stream, the world's leading outdoor magazine, and Trout Unlimited, the country's oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization, today named the "Best Wild Places" in the American West. The six locations, which are all located on public lands, are considered the finest intact public wildlife habitat remaining in the Western united States. For more information, please visit FieldandStream.com or tu.org.

"American's have a unique opportunity to visit some of the nation's best wild places because they're located on public lands," says Anthony Licata, editor of Field & Stream. "As avid outdoorsmen and -women, Field & Stream readers understand the link between intact habitat and healthy wildlife, but if we don't guard wild landscapes against use that will degrade them, they'll be lost forever. That's why I'm so excited about the destinations we've identified with Trout Unlimited. These are areas worthy of visiting and worthy of saving."

The six destinations named "Best Wild Places" were hand-picked by the staffs of Field & Stream and TU. They offer outstanding wildlife habitat on public lands and unparalleled hunting and fishing opportunity; but also face threats from outside forces that could severely degrade or extinguish the quality of their assets in the years to come.

Field & Stream and Trout Unlimited will begin a series of online features this week, available at FieldandStream.com and tu.org that detail each of the destinations. The articles provide travel information, virtual tours, hunting and fishing opportunities, wildlife viewing tips, and information on how to get involved in the effort to protect these areas. The magazine will also feature all six destinations in a feature story in its upcoming December/January print edition.

"These are high-quality landscapes that offer some unique fishing and hunting opportunities on public lands all across the West," said Chris Hunt of TU's Sportsmen's Conservation Project. "But they all face challenges that could significantly degrade the quality of the experience. They need a hand from sportsmen and -women to ensure the continuation of our hunting and fishing heritage."

The Best Wild Places are:

• The Roan Plateau, Colorado

Situated north of I-70 near the town of Rifle, the Roan Plateau is home to some of Colorado's best trophy mule deer and elk hunting opportunities, as well as two populations of genetically pure and unique Colorado River cutthroat trout. Much of the Roan has been leased for oil and gas drilling, and the current plan, while on hold thanks to court proceedings, would likely impact both water quality and big-game migration corridors. The Roan's natural gas can be developed, but it must be developed responsibly to protect the area's priceless above-ground resources so important to anglers and hunters.

• The outlaw triangle, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado

So named because Butch and Sundance used this country as a hideout, it' s located on the border of northeast Utah and southwest Wyoming. This unique complex of high-desert steppe and canyon country is priceless to anglers and hunters the world over. The Green River below Flaming Gorge is likely the West's top tailwater fishery. To ensure this remains the case for generations to come, TU is seeking to have the canyon reach of the Green designated as an official scenic resource. On nearby Little Mountain, natural gas drilling threatens some of the West's best pronghorn, mule deer and elk hunting, as well as a handful of streams home to native Colorado River cutthroat trout. Protecting these sporting resources while a responsible drilling strategy is formed is of vital interest to sportsmen and women.

• The Alpine Triangle, Colorado

This slice of high-country real estate in Colorado's prized San Juan mountains is not only a destination for bighorn sheep, elk, and deer hunters and backcountry trout anglers, it's home to some cultural artifacts in the form of ghost towns, abandoned mines, and historic late 1800s structures. The area is also a destination for off road-vehicle users seeking to ride the Triangle's vast network of four-wheel-drive roads and trails. Unfortunately, it is drawing the attention of the hard-rock mining industry, which could doom the area's sporting resources.

• The Gila Country, New Mexico

This vast region of remote fishing and hunting territory is home to great deer, elk and turkey hunting and fishing for the rare and native Gila trout and other game fish. Unfortunately, the area is being harmed by irresponsible off-road vehicle use. There's a place for everybody in the Gila, but when one use begins to trump others, something must be done. TU hopes to work with the ORV community to designate legal and legitimate off-road trails while either relocating or closing trails that impact fish and game, and fishing and hunting.

• The cabinet-Yaak Mountains, Montana

The Cabinet-Yaak Mountains rise along the northwest Montana border with Idaho and are home to some of the best wild country left in the Treasure State. Home to deer, elk, moose and other game animals, as well as west slope cutthroat trout and bull trout, the region is truly wild, but it lacks the protection that accompanies its description. Working with U.S. Sen. Jon Tester on his Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, TU hopes to protect much of the Cabinet-Yaak and several areas like it in Montana as wilderness, while ensuring jobs in the forest products industry for Montanans who often struggle to find work close to home.

• Blue Lakes and the Pine Forest Range, Nevada

This unique high-elevation lake chain in northwest Nevada is a sporting gem, and offers anglers the unique opportunity to catch tiger trout in an alpine setting. Additionally, the Pine Forest range offers great hunting for chukar, sage grouse, and mule deer, and has potential for elk and bighorn sheep. Finally, some of the streams running off the mountains have potential for Lahontan cutthroat trout reintroduction. Unfortunately, the management of the area today is held hostage by restrictive wilderness study designations. TU would like to protect the best of the best in the Pine Forest Range, while releasing other areas from wilderness study to enable to some habitat enhancement that is not allowed under current management. The idea would be to safeguard the existing sporting resources while creating new opportunity for public-lands hunting and fishing for future generations.

For more information on the Best Wild Places, visit FieldandStream.com and tu.org.

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Field & StreamÂ, The World's Leading Outdoor Magazine, is the country's largest special-interest title and most recognized outdoor publication. Devoted to the complete outdoor experience and lifestyle, Field & Stream (FieldandStream.com) gives its readers the knowledge and inspiration to pursue the sports they love. It celebrates the outdoor experience with great stories, compelling photography and sound advice, while honoring the traditions hunters and fishermen have passed down for generations. Established in 1895, Field & Stream is published 11 times per year by the Bonnier Corporation.

The Bonnier Corporation (bonniercorp.com), one of the largest consumer-publishing groups in America and the leading media company serving passionate, highly engaged audiences through more than 40 special-interest magazines and related multimedia projects and events.

Trout Unlimited is a private, non-profit organization with more than 150,000 members dedicated to protecting and restoring North America's trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds.

Contact:
Amanda McNally, Field & Stream, (212) 779-5527 or amanda.mcnally@bonniercorp.com

Chris Hunt, Trout Unlimited, (208) 406-9106 or chunt@tu.org