More than 500,000 acres made available to hunters
BOZEMAN – Landowners participating in Montana’s Block Management Program were recognized recently for the public access they have provided to hunters in southwest Montana.
Block Management is a cooperative program between private landowners and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to help landowners provide and manage free public hunting access to private land and sometimes adjacent or isolated public lands.
FWP staff in southwest Montana hosted several dinners in late April to thank landowners for their contributions.
During the 2022 hunting season, 106 landowners in southwest Montana participated in the program, providing up to 517,537 acres of public access on private lands. The region has seen a steady increase in the amount of visitation from hunters, while the number of participating landowners has remained relatively flat. In 2022, block management areas in the region saw 92,178 hunter days, compared with a 10-year average of 81,881 hunter days.
In southwest Montana, 34 landowners have been enrolled in Block Management for 25 years or more. These extensive contributions represent long-standing working relationships and countless memorable seasons for hunters.
“We are so grateful to the landowners who generously foster access opportunities for Montana’s hunting public,” said Linnaea Schroeer, FWP’s regional recreation manager in southwest Montana. “We’re also thankful to the hunters who help keep these partnerships alive through safe, respectful and ethical hunting.”
Landowners interested in enrolling in Block Management can contact a regional office of FWP, and applications will be accepted until June 1. Access guides for the coming hunting season will be available by Aug. 15. Learn more by visiting fwp.mt.gov/hunt/access/blockmanagement.
