Who Owns The Most Montana Land? Real Montanans Know The Answer
We all know the big-name landowners in Montana like Ted Turner, but who really owns the most land in the Big Sky State? You might be surprised.
Montana isn't small by any means. With the fourth largest state in the United States, it can take you 8-9 hours to drive across the whole thing. With that much land, who has the most acreage in their back pocket? That is to say, who owns the most land in Montana?
The Great Falls Tribune did a cool article a while back lining out the big hitters in the Montana land game. Most people think it's Ted Turner with a staggering 148,870 acres (as reported by the Tribune), but he doesn't even come close.
The newspaper reports the LDS church even has more land than ol' Teddy T with a whopping 151,840 acres (as reported by the Tribune), and it only goes up from there.
The Plum Creek Timber Company holds nearly a million acres! They have a hold on 765,925 acres (as reported by the Tribune) that are spread all across the state. Are you getting sick to your stomach yet? Just wait. You'll feel better in a moment. Those three land-owning moguls don't even compare to the largest landowner in Montana. Care to take a guess who it is? I'll give you a hint. Look in the mirror. That's right. It's you, fellow Montana citizen.
Feel better yet? Montana has an incredible 30,000,000 plus acres according to our own Fish, Wildlife and Parks. That means you, me, and any other Montanan owns these public lands full of fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, and other amazing outdoor opportunities. If you haven't realized it yet, we are extremely lucky. That's bigger than some states and even countries.
So, the next time you're upset about out of staters buying up all the land, remember you have a voice and this is your land too. Let's fight for it, preserve it, and respect it.
Cheers to you, fellow Montana landowner.