BRETT FRENCH | bfrench@billingsgazette.com
Much like the current U.S. economy, Montana’s most-prized hunter access program is facing a K-shaped conundrum.
On the one hand, the Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Block Management Program is seeing increased demand, rising from around 250,000 hunters in 1999 to close to 700,000 in 2024, a 180% increase.
That’s the rising side of the K.
On the decline side is the number of acres enrolled by private landowners in the popular program, which has declined from a peak of 8.8 million acres enrolled in 2002 to 6.8 million in 2025, a nearly 23% decline.
As a result, more hunters are being squished into less space, and they’ve been vocal in demanding FWP address their crowding concerns.
Surveying landowners
Jason Kool, FWP’s landowner sportsmen coordinator, told the Private Land/Public Wildlife Committee at its recent meeting that a series of surveys has been sent to Montana landowners to assess what might incentivize them to participate in the state’s public access programs.
The Legislature has already raised the fees paid to Block Management participants, with $12.3 million paid out last year compared to about $5.5 million five years ago.
Maybe other incentives such as nontransferable hunting licenses or permits, or free bonus points to use in drawings for hard-to-get hunting permits might work, Kool suggested. Or maybe the landowners would prefer assistance like fencing repair in exchange for providing public access.
FWP is hoping answers from landowners, only about 1,200 of which have responded so far, will help guide its future decisions.
Staff outreach
In addition to surveying landowners, Kool said FWP will be asking its regional staff to prioritize participation in its access programs by emphasizing that staff develop relationships with landowners and local agricultural organizations.
Another goal is to simplify and communicate the existing programs to landowners, possibly by producing a comprehensive guide that outlines options and incentives, as well as an outreach campaign to increase awareness of what FWP has to offer.
“A lot of these landowners out there are unaware of this stuff,” said PLPW member Paul Ellis, owner of Sunday Creek Outfitters. “I think the department needs to do a better job of reaching out to all landowners, and not only on this subject, but just overall season setting, population objectives and those kind of things too.”
PLPW member Dave McNaney, of Hysham, agreed and went beyond Ellis’ suggestion.
“If there is more landowner input to season settings and season quotas I think you would have a lot more landowner participation in these access programs,” he said.
Right now, he said landowners are “just told how many elk and deer we want, and this is how many you’re going to feed.”
Mike Mershon, board chair and president of the Montana Wildlife Federation, suggested the department prioritize contacting landowners with property bordering public lands to focus its work.
Last year, PLPW compiled its own list of possible factors affecting landowner enrollment, including a lack of trust in FWP, a lack of understanding of access programs, concerns about a landowner losing control of their property if they enroll and the purchase of traditional ranches by new owners who are using the land for their own hunting.
“So we’ve identified what we would like to do, and now we need to go through the planning process,” Kool explained.
Feature photo: Debibishop from Getty Images Signature
