Director Named For U of Montana’s New Hunting/Conservation Center

A new chapter begins at the University of Montana, blending hunting and conservation in a way that feels both innovative and deeply rooted in tradition.

MEET NICOLE TATMAN

Libby Riddle with UM News Service tells us that the University of Montana recently named Nicole Tatman the inaugural director of the new Center for Hunting and Conservation. The center builds on an existing partnership between UM’s top-ranked Wildlife Biology Program and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), one of the most effective conservation and hunting advocacy organizations in North America.

THE DIRECTOR'S BACKGROUND AND DUTIES

Hunting is a powerful conservation tool for big game species and their habitats. The center’s director will facilitate and lead innovative research that strengthens hunting’s role in conservation, as well as teach and mentor students in the University’s W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation.

Dr. Tatman has spent the last decade as the big game program manager for the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, where she oversaw the management and research of elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep and other game species. She has spent 1,700 hours in small planes and helicopters conducting aerial surveys for wildlife. She facilitated regular hunter-engagement meetings across the state to communicate harvest recommendations, research outcomes and management changes to the hunting community.

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ACCOLADES

Clayton Christian, interim UM president and Montana Commissioner of Higher Education, was quoted in the release as saying, “The Center for Hunting and Conservation is a one-of-a-kind effort to advance wildlife research and drive positive outcomes for Montana’s hunting heritage and culture. Dr. Tatman is a great addition to the college, and her arrival will continue to strengthen the partnership between UM and RMEF.”

UM and RMEF established the Center for Hunting and Conservation in May 2025. The partnership offers opportunities to engage new and diverse hunters and conservationists, starting with students at the University.

More about Dr. Tatman and the center can be found here.