Chapter IV - Block Management Effectiveness 



landowners to allow free public hunting. Audit work showed staff 

 do not coordinate the access portions of the three programs. Many 

 staff thought hunting on conservation easements and UGBP projects 

 was monitored through enrollment in the Block Management 

 Program. This is not the case. 



The Wildlife Division Programmatic Environmental Impact 

 Statement (EIS) Record of Decision, issued April 1999, states the 

 department will use habitat programs to encourage and acquire 

 public access to private lands. The department is doing this by 

 requiring free public hunting be included in conservation easement 

 and UGBP contracts. What is lacking is any advertising of the areas 

 or monitoring of hunting to ensure areas are open to free public 

 hunting. 



If UGBP projects are required to be in Block Management: 



► landowners would be provided materials and/or personnel to 

 help manage hunters, 



► lack of monitoring of hunter use on UGBP projects and 

 conservation easements would be addressed, 



land in the programs would be publicized, 



► more land than just that enrolled in the project might be 

 available to hunting, and 



► hunters could be dispersed. 



The department generally agreed with coordinating access under the 

 three programs and publicizing and monitoring hunter use. Staff 

 pointed out that the UGBP statute allows landowners to limit access 

 to reasonable use. The department has not defined "reasonable use" 

 as is discussed in the performance audit of the Wildlife Division 

 (98P-11). 



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