Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Regional Access Projects program seeks to work with private landowners whose needs fall outside the limitations of Block Management Program to create, protect or improve access to private lands.
Regional Access Projects are creative ways to protect or improve existing access, create new access, or address landowner/sportsman conflicts associated with hunting access to private lands for the benefit of wildlife management and the residents and visitors of Montana.
To be eligible for a Regional Access Project, private landowners, or their representative, must be willing to provide public hunting access for commission established hunting seasons, and in accordance with program guidelines on private lands under their control.
Agreements will be between the private landowner and Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Agreement duration will be a minimum of one year with possibility of up to multiple years dependent upon the the improvements and/or access opportunity provided.
Landowner in collaboration with FWP determines when, where, and how the public may access private land and may restrict access during specific times in accordance with program guidelines.
Fish, Wildlife & Parks may provide hunter management assistance dependent upon need, property rules and program availability.
FWP may also provide signs and develop property maps with associated rules for each property enrolled in collaboration with the landowner.
Projects could include, but not limited to: a payment, or reimbursement for an installation of cattle guards, water crossings, fencing or other materials that improve existing access or serve as incentives to help secure additional access to or across privatelands.
Landowners enrolled in a Regional Access Project are provided liability protection under state law through 70-16-302, Montana Code Annotated (MCA) as long as fees for access/trespass are not charged. Landowners are also possibly eligible for reimbursement through FWP's Livestock Loss Reimbursement Program.
Landowners should contact their local Fish, Wildlife & Parks Hunting Access Coordinator, FWP Biologist or Warden to discuss options to meet landowner needs and desires.