WHEREAS it is becoming more and more evident that the rights of Montana Sportspersons are continually being challenged, and that all Montana Sportspersons have the legal right to engage in lawful activities inherent to their heritage, that a "Legal Defense Fund" should be established to help Montana Sportspersons protect these activities such as hunting, fishing trapping and the taking of wildlife when It Is deemed necessary by the sound scientific data complied by those agencies, groups and individuals who pursue said activities.

THEREFORE the Montana Trappers Association (MTA) has instituted a special account, which will be titled the SPORTSPERSONS RIGHTS PROTECTION FUND.

This Fund, also Known as SRPF, will establish a coalition of funds from sportspersons and other interested parties to perpetuate and provide legal advice or action to protect the lawful rights of sportspersons to engage in legal activities such as trapping, hunting,, fishing and the taking of wildlife without continued frivolous regulations put upon them. This fund will not be used for individual problems or actions, but for State wide protection, lobbying and legal testing of regulations which are not based on sound scientific data.

The monies which will be put into the SRPF will be secured through private donation, sports groups such as but not limited to Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Montana WoolGrowers, Montana Stockgrowers, Walleyes Unlimited, Montanans for Multiple Use, Montana Houndsman Association and various other groups with membership that engage In the use of hunting, fishing, trapping or the taking of wildlife. The above said monies may be contributed through various activities which will include but not limited to: Donations, Raffles, Bake Sales, Auctions, Merchandise Sales, Memorials, and Estate or Trust Contributions.

The MTA will associate by membership or donation to these groups as determined by the amount of money in the Fund to establish an affiliation with said groups.

These groups shall be approached by any member of the Montana Trappers Association to contribute in a joint effort to protect the lawful rights of Montana Citizens who want to engage in the legal activity of hunting, trapping, fishing and taking of wildlife without the continued acts of harassment or implementation of frivolous regulations.

Administration of the SRPF will be handled by the SRPF Committee, Also know as SRPF Administrative Board. This Board shall consist of two members of the SRPF Committee, President, Treasurer, Vice-President East, Vice-President West of the Montana Trappers Association.

Notification of need shall be made from groups or interested individuals to the Administrative Board of SRPF through formal written request detailing the actions or activities are threatening the lawful rights of Sportspersons in Montana, who or what is/are behind these activities or threats, and why there is a monetary need to defend the lawful and legal activities or Sportspersons In Montana. Final authorization will be determined by a majority vote of the SRPF Committee.

Dispersal of said SRPF shall be limited to those activities or needs which encompass actions which threaten the rights of groups represented or other like groups, who engage in the lawful activities of hunting, trapping , fishing and taking of wildlife. These limited activities shall include lobbying during Legislative Session to protect the rights of said groups; defending group rights in courts of law, provided there is enough funds available in the SRPF account to do so, partial funding of Statewide information forums to defend these rights, and Statewide mailings to groups and interested individuals when Montana sportspersons rights are threatened.

Let it be noted; that these funds ARE NOT AVAILABLE to individual needs, actions, or causes.

Dispersal of the SRPF shall be accomplished as defined by the Bill Boehme motion, made and passed at the 5-2-1999 MTA Board of Directors meeting.

DISPERSAL OF FUNDS A motion that three of the four Individuals holding the MTA offices of:

1. MTA President
2. MTA Treasurer
3. MTA Vice President West
4. MTA Vice President East

must be in unanimous agreement of the dispersal of funds, in order for the dispersal to be made. Motion by Bill Boehme. Seconded by Jim Halseth. Motion passed. MTA Board of Directors meeting 5-2-1999.

SAID Sportspersons Rights Protection Funds will not be available for dispersal, except for affiliation donations to groups, until the amount in this account has reached a total of $10,000 or more. ALSO BE IT NOTED that this account shall not be depleted to lower than its original established amount of $3,000

The Sportspersons Rights Protection Fund will continue to be a viable institution as long as there is a need to insure the rights and actively pursue the preservation of the lawful and legal activities of Hunting, Fishing, Trapping and Taking of Wildlife under sound scientific data to safeguard the heritage handed down through the generations of Montanans who first explored, settled and established this State of Montana.