Cabela's peddling Montana lands?

Advocates for Montana hunters and anglers are returning their catalogs to Cabela's on news that the sporting goods manufacturer has been involved in the sale of wildlife habitat in the state through its Trophy Properties Web site.

The concern is that Cabela's brokering service is fueling the increase in land prices that may put valuable lands out of reach for the state of Montana. On example is the 10,000-acre Lincoln Ranch along the Marias River in north-central Montana. The ranch was donated to the Catholic Church by the landowner when he died in March, with the condition that if the church sells the property, the state has right of first refusal. But with Cabela's Trophy Properties involved, the price could escalate to the point that the state couldn't afford the site, and instead becoming public land for hunting and fishing, the ranch will fall into the hands of wealthy, out-of-state owners who will post it off limits to the public.