Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte is taking aim at an Oregon ballot initiative that would effectively ban hunting and fishing, urging activists behind the effort to leave Montana alone. Speaking in his capacity as chair of the Republican Governors Association, Gianforte called the proposal a threat to a way of life that Montana and other Western states have long defended.

The Oregon Initiative

Oregon Initiative Petition 28 — which has not yet been certified for the ballot — would eliminate hunting and fishing licenses and strip existing exemptions from the state’s animal cruelty statutes. Under that framework, hunters, anglers, trappers, farmers, and ranchers could face criminal liability for activities that are currently legal and culturally embedded across the rural West.

The measure has already cleared a significant procedural hurdle, gathering more than 10,000 signatures above the threshold required to qualify. The Oregon Hunters Association has come out in firm opposition, estimating that roughly one million Oregonians could be exposed to criminal charges if the initiative passes. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife puts the annual economic value of hunting and fishing in the state at approximately $2 billion.

Gianforte’s Response

Gianforte did not mince words in condemning the effort. “They are literally trying to outlaw hunting and fishing — that’s absolutely crazy,” he said, adding a pointed message directed at the initiative’s backers: “To all those Oregonians who want to outlaw hunting and fishing, please stay out of Montana.”

The governor framed his remarks in the context of his own record on outdoor access. During his tenure, Gianforte has overseen the expansion of public access to roughly 245,000 acres of land for recreational use and launched the Youth Hunting Story Contest to encourage the next generation of hunters.

Broader Stakes

The pushback from Montana’s governor reflects a growing concern among Western Republicans that activist-driven ballot measures in more liberal states could set precedents that eventually spread into neighboring states. As RGA chair, Gianforte has a national platform to amplify those concerns ahead of the November election cycle.

Hunting and fishing rights have become a recurring flashpoint in Western state politics, touching on property rights, wildlife management, agricultural livelihoods, and rural economic development. Montana voters have shown consistent support for outdoor access — a dynamic that Gianforte’s public land expansion record is designed to reinforce. Three ballot measures are already expected to go before Montana voters in November after signature deadlines passed earlier this year, making the broader question of citizen initiatives a live issue in the state.

Oregon officials have not yet confirmed whether IP28 will appear on the November ballot, and the initiative still faces legal and administrative review. Even so, Gianforte’s early and forceful response signals that the fight over hunting rights is likely to remain prominent in Western political conversations through the fall campaign season.