Zinke Receives Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation's Excellence in Advocacy Award in Missoula

The Montana congressman was recognized for his support of hunting, public lands, and wildlife management — including a 2018 Interior Department order on elk habitat and his co-sponsorship of the Fix Our Forests Act.

By Samuel Von Worthington Staff reported Oct 7, 2026 2 min read

U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke visited Missoula Friday morning to accept the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation's Excellence in Advocacy Award, presented at RMEF's headquarters by president and CEO Kyle Weaver and chief conservation officer Blake Henning.

What this means for you

MontanaMontana is home to RMEF's headquarters in Missoula, and the organization's advocacy priorities — elk habitat, forest management, and active thinning — directly affect public lands across the state. The Fix Our Forests Act, if it clears the Senate, would reshape how the Forest Service and BLM manage fire-prone timberland in Montana.

Missoula CountyRMEF is headquartered in Missoula; the award presentation took place there, and the organization is a significant local employer and conservation voice in the region.

Watch nextThe Fix Our Forests Act remains pending in the U.S. Senate; no floor vote date has been scheduled.

RMEF leaders cited Zinke's record both in Congress and during his tenure as U.S. Secretary of the Interior in the first Trump administration. Henning specifically pointed to a 2018 secretarial order Zinke signed directing federal agencies to prioritize projects that improve winter habitat and migration corridors for deer, elk, and antelope.

"That led to a lot of emphasis on that kind of work by the federal government," Henning told MTN. "State wildlife agencies have picked that up, and nonprofit conservation organizations like ourselves have grabbed on to that — and that's been a priority for us for many years."

Zinke, who is the third elected official to receive the award, called the recognition a significant honor. "I think Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is a great organization," he said.

RMEF leaders also highlighted Zinke's co-sponsorship of the Fix Our Forests Act, currently the organization's top legislative priority. The bill aims to update federal rules governing forest management — including speeding up environmental reviews — to make thinning, prescribed burning, and other active management projects faster and easier to carry out.

"We need to do a better job managing our forests, our systems," Zinke said. "It's inexcusable to watch our forests burn down every year. That destroys habitat, threatens watershed."

The Fix Our Forests Act passed the House last year with support from all Republicans and some Democrats but has not advanced through the Senate. Its fate in the Senate remains the key variable for RMEF's near-term federal agenda.

Montana Sen. Steve Daines was the first recipient of RMEF's Excellence in Advocacy Award, in 2021. Kentucky state Sen. Robin Webb received it in 2024, making Zinke the third honoree overall.