Jack Atcheson Tribute from PLWA.......A LTE from Jack Sr. in the Mont. Standard.....Mont. Standard Obit

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The Passing of an Access Warrior – Jack Atcheson Sr.

January 1, 2018

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On Wednesday, December 27, 2017, Jack Atcheson Sr., who was 85, peacefully passed away, in his home town of Butte.

Jack’s funeral will be January 4, 1:00 pm at St. Patrick’s Church, 329 W Mercury St, Butte, MT 59701

Tony Schoonen will be providing the eulogy.

In addition to being a hunter/angler, combat veteran and business owner, Jack Atcheson Sr. was a dedicated advocate for public lands and stream access in Montana.

In a PLWA interview on access, Jack passionately stated, “If we don’t keep it for the kid’s generation coming up, they’re losing it; they’re losing it almost everyday. Somebody has to fight, and I’m glad we’re all part of it.”

Jack’s access battling began on Oct. 1978, when three Montana hunters, one of which was Jack Atcheson Sr., were sharptail hunting in Malta, north of the Milk River, on BLM land. They tried to hunt the connected “blue colored” Montana state school trust lands section on the map, only to have the grazing lessee drive up in his pickup truck threatening them, “You guys get the hell off my land now!”

This incident sparked Atcheson’s quest to find out about these “blue” State school trust lands, joined by Tony Schoonen and later Jack Jones.

On March 31, 1980, Jack Atcheson Sr., Tony Schoonen, and Jack Jones formed and filed the Montana Coalition for Access on State Public Lands, Inc., funding their work out of their own pockets. The name would later be changed to Montana Coalition For Appropriate Management of State Lands, Inc. The Coalition led the charge for our state lands access.

Inspired by the State Lands Coalition, another coalition was formed, on April 14, 1980 – the Montana Coalition for Stream Access, Inc., which Jack was a member of. It was decided to first pursue Stream Access, which became law in 1985.

In 1985, the Public Land Access Association (PLAAI) was created to carry the banner, later embracing stream access, becoming Public Land/Water Access Association (PLWA). Jack was a PLWA Director from 2003 through 2007; and President of the association from 2003-2005.

In recognition of his hunting/angling conservation, Jack Atcheson Sr. won Outdoor Life Magazine’s Conservation Award, in 2000, for a “lifetime of achievement in the conservation of wildlife and wildlife habitat, and your tireless efforts on behalf of hunting and fishing access for American sportsmen.”

Continuing the fight for public lands/waters access, a warrior to the end, Jack wrote in 2016, “I’m pleased so many others picked up where we left off. Don’t give up. It’s amazing what a small group of sportsmen can achieve, if they try often.”

On the passing of Jack, PLWA Vice-President John Gibson lamented, “Jack was very instrumental in the fight for public access, especially in the background. I don’t think he got the credit he deserved, in the eyes of the public. We have lost too many of our founders recently. For access’ sake, I hope that we can replace some of these old warriors.”

There is a quote from Sir Isaac Newton, “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.”

Jack Atcheson Sr. is one of the those access giants!

Keep up the fight to keep public land public

• Jack Atcheson Sr.  (LTE)

State land is public land, once sold, public state land access is gone forever. Don't sell it.

Attorney Jim Goetz was hired to sue DNRC for access on public state land, and maybe hinder the selling of all 5.2 million acres. We won access, but selling of public state land is in the air again.

Republican Gov. Mark Racicot believed retaining public state land was more profitable.

However, the Montana Republican Party has never supported public lands or stream access. The Legislature authorized trading of isolated sections to consolidate state public land after the land had been appraised for full value. That would include wildlife habitat, especially big game, grouse, pheasants. Even a beautiful view must be considered a high value parcel. Appraising all public state land at low grazing prices, then or today is mostly fraud to the trust.

Gov. Bullock promises only truly isolated land sections will be considered and a Montana Fish and Game biologist will now vouch for the habitat value. Someone we can trust. I will vote for Steve Bullock. I can't vote for any politician who supports Donald Trump.

Access Across Section Corners — There is no law in Montana that prohibits crossing section corners.

Courts consistently find that entry into airspace above private property is, a trespass only, if the intrusion is significant. Stepping over a section corner or stretching my arm over a fence is so similar and takes but a few seconds. Landowners don't own the air and proving air damage would be difficult indeed! Does an extended arm warrant the same attention?

A man stepped across federal section corners in Wyoming is not guilty. Docket Ct2003-717S, LEO Sheep is a federal decision in Wyoming; about a road bed, but not on a section corner!

State and Federal agencies often reinterpret the law to suit their particular interest. You must see and read it yourself. Put your Congressman to work for you — consolidate, don't sell.

This is stuff I read about or experienced. I'm pleased so many others picked up where we left off. Don't give up. It's amazing what a small group of sportsmen can achieve, if they try often.

— Jack Atcheson Sr., Butte

Jack Atcheson Sr., 85

• Jan 1, 2018 Updated 3 hrs ago
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May 9, 1932-Dec. 27, 2017

Jack Atcheson Sr. was born May 9, 1932 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to parents Art and Dora Atcheson, who moved their family to Butte in the early 1940s. To quote Jack, “I have hunted since the age of 5. I left Butte when I was 15 to work at a logging camp in Libby, Montana. Bear season was open year round and the fat was used for the finest pies and pastries. Deer season seemed to be flexible as well. There were elk, moose, grizzly, a few caribou, and fewer people. I lived alone outside of town with a dog, a horse, and a pet crow.”

Atcheson was still a teenager when he enlisted in the Army, spending a year in infantry combat in Korea. He suffered frostbite in the Korean winter and had lifelong back pain from a near-miss from an enemy artillery shell. Describing his service, Jack wrote, “in 1951, I volunteered for combat in the Korean War and was promoted four times in one year to Sergeant First Class, at 20 years old. 45,000 Americans were killed and the violence was unbelievable. I was wounded only once, truly a miracle.” The VA would later claim his fractured vertebrae and embedded shrapnel were not combat related.

Atcheson left the Army as a Master Sergeant and returned to Butte, marrying his lifelong partner, Mary Claire. Together, they founded Jack Atcheson & Sons in 1955, originally a taxidermy business that developed into an agency for organizing outdoor adventures around the world. “I came home, finished school, went to college for a short time, but I was already making good money as a taxidermist and hunting consultant for Alaska and Africa. I dropped out so I could hunt more.” It was Jack who coined the term “hunting consultant” to describe his occupation, the term that is now commonly used—and preferred—by his competitors and colleagues.

Describing some of his accomplishments, Jack wrote, “I’ve arranged hunts for Jack O’Connor, the most famous hunting author ever, hunting with him on his last hunt. I’ve hunted with Jim Carmichael many times, General Craig Boddington, General Chuck Yeager, and Jim Zumbo of The Outdoor Channel.” He once had a seat with the Dalai Lama while hunting in Asia, and even hunted with the Shah of Iran before its overthrow.

Jack was an outspoken advocate for public land accessibility and opportunity. He was one of the leaders behind the passage of Montana’s Stream Access Law, guaranteeing access to the public. While president of the Public Land Access Association, he personally sued the State of Montana to “unblock” 5.2 million acres of public state land and millions more acres of federal land, for all generations to enjoy in perpetuity. In the year 2000, Time-Mirror and Outdoor Life Magazine awarded him the prestigious Outdoor Life Conservation Award. He was also honored by the National Wildlife Federation for the same reasons. Although remaining an active Montana sportsman until his final winter, Atcheson retired gradually from the family business. His motto and company slogan, “Go hunting now while you are physically able,” is an axiom Jack lived to the very end, remaining vigorous in hunting and conservation worldwide his entire life. Many of his adventures are collected in his memoirs, Hunting Adventures Worldwide (1995) and Real Hunting and Campfire Humor (2011).

Jack’s final statement was made as his family gathered on Christmas, where he spoke of his complete love and adoration for Mary Claire, his soulmate, traveling buddy, best friend, and wife of 62 years. He was absolutely crazy about her and his last words were of his precious girl. She survives, as well as his four children, Jack Jr. and wife Cindy, Keith and wife Niki, Brian, and Kristie and husband Lee; brother-in-law Charlie Anderson; grandchildren Andrew, Alissa, Adrianna, Trevor and fiancé Misty, Trinda, Brook, Braeden, Lauren, Bohde, Diani, and Malindi; great-grandchildren Kanyon, Jack, McKynlee, Tristin, William, Darla, Landon, and Hayden; and by Edie, Gene, and Tammy Oswald.

He is preceded in death by parents Art and Dora Atcheson; sisters Phyliss Best and Patti Andersen; and by brother-in law and sister-in-law Jim and Delores Sullivan.

It was Jack’s wish that, in lieu of flowers, those who choose to, are encouraged to make donations to grandson Trevor Atcheson’s GoFundMe page. With Jack’s passing, Trevor now has a tenacious guardian angel by his side as we continue to pray for his miracle of a new heart. Donations to pro-hunting conservation and public land access organizations are also encouraged.

Funeral services will be held at Thursday, January 4th at 1:00 PM at St. Patrick’s Church, immediately followed by a celebration of life at the Butte Mcqueen Club.

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