Report Summary 



Management Program, the Upland Game Bird Habitat Enhancement 

 Program and Habitat Montana, and monitor the hunting on 

 conservation easements and the Upland Game Bird Habitat 

 Enhancement Program projects. 



Currently, hunters cannot readily find a conservation easement or an 

 UGBP project to hunt because neither is publicly "advertised". The 

 department should publicize conservation easements and the Upland 

 Game Bird Habitat Enhancement Program projects. 



Access Coordination 

 Needed 



The Private Land/Public Wildlife Council is charged with addressing 

 access. With three internal programs in two divisions addressing access, 

 and an external council reviewing and making recommendations 

 pertaining to access, the department should consider establishing an 

 access coordination function. This function could ensure the three 

 programs coordinate to ensure land open to free public hunting is 

 publicized, hunting is monitored, and the recommendations from the 

 council are incorporated into department operations. 



Landowner 

 Compensation 



We examined the current compensation system and found the system 

 is based on the number of hunter days occurring during the hunting 

 season and does not differentiate compensation for actual or potential 

 impacts to the land or landowner. The current payment system 

 structure also does not recognize landowners' attempts to control the 

 number of hunters on the land to potentially increase the "quality" 

 of the hunt. While the current system provided a basis to establish 

 the program, we believe the compensation system should be re- 

 evaluated. 



Forms of Compensation 

 Other Than Money 



At the current time, the program is not growing due to lack of 

 resources and money to compensate landowners. Many field staff 

 and responses to our surveys indicated landowners would be willing 

 to accept some form of benefit other than money to enter into the 

 program. Suggestions included gates or fences, weed control, 

 tags/permits from special drawings, or a menu of hunting licenses 

 instead of just a sportsman license. Department officials should 

 explore options for the Block Management Program to provide 



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