Most resident and nonresident hunters and landowners agree: FWP’s Block Management Program is a win-win for all parties.
For the uninitiated, the program is a cooperative partnership between private landowners, FWP and the public. Formally established more than two decades ago, the program has become a model for many other government agencies trying to balance the complex issues of responsible wildlife management, public access, and the socioeconomic concerns of private property owners.
This year, there are more than 1,200 landowners statewide who have enrolled about 8.5 million private acres into Block Management Areas, also known as BMAs. In Region 6 alone, about 280 landowners have opened more than 1.2 million acres of their land to the public.
Officials say the broad popularity and success of the Block Management program is based on many factors.
Contracted landowners receive hunter-impact payments for allowing public access. Landowners also get help from hunters in controlling wildlife, which may be damaging crops and otherwise affecting productivity. FWP benefits because increased hunter access helps the agency manage wildlife populations. And the public, of course, gains because Block Management opens up more free places to hunt. In some cases, BMAs provide critical links to adjacent public lands that may be otherwise inaccessible.
Block Management Areas are usually available only for the fall hunting seasons, which typically runs from Sept. 1 to the end of December. Permission for other activities, such as fishing, hiking, bird watching, photography or other uses must be obtained separately from property owners.
There are generally two types of Block Management Areas – Type 1, where bird or big game hunters administer their own permission by using sign-in boxes, and Type 2, where written permission must be obtained from the individual landowner, sometimes after making reservations. Type 1, the sign-in box, is the most common type of Block Management entry used in Region 6.
In all instances, permission to use these lands must be obtained before each day’s hunting commences, and permission stubs must remain with the hunter at all times as proof of permission to hunt that particular BMA. Maps and specific rules for each BMA, which can vary greatly, are available at the sign-in boxes and the other locations where permission is obtained.
“Hunting on BMA lands is a privilege, not a right,” said Region 6 Hunting Enhancement Coordinator Michael “Mikey” Nye. “Carefully following the rules, leaving gates as you find them, not harassing livestock, and not starting fires or spreading weeds will help ensure that these lands stay open. If you’re using these areas, please don’t forget to thank the landowner for giving you and others the opportunity to continue our hunting traditions.”
BMA booklets can be obtained by contacting the regional FWP office in Glasgow at (406) 228-3700 or the Havre Area Resource Office at (406) 265-6177.
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