Chapter IV - Block Management Effectiveness 



Recommendation #2 



We recommend the department develop methods to: 



A. Coordinate access provided under the Block Management 

 Program, the Upland Game Bird Habitat Enhancement 

 Program, and Habitat Montana. 



B. Publicize and monitor hunting on conservation easements and 

 the Upland Game Bird Habitat Enhancement Program 

 projects. 



Private Land/Public 

 Wildlife Council to Review 

 Access Issues 



The Private Land/Public Wildlife Council is also charged with 

 addressing access. The Governor asked the council to make 

 recommendations on how best to achieve the goal of providing 

 public hunting access on private land and isolated public land. The 

 Governor also encouraged the council to focus on specific issues and 

 ask questions like "How big should block management be, what role 

 should it have in the broader scheme of hunting access, and what 

 resources and incentives are necessary to maintain it at whatever 

 level the council recommends?' The council will be discussing these 

 issues leading up to the 2001 session. 



Access Coordination 

 Needed 



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/appointing an access coordination function. This 

 function could ensure the three programs coordinate to ensure land 

 open to free public hunting is publicized and hunting is monitored, 

 and recommendations from the council are incorporated into 

 department operations. 



Access is one of the biggest issues the department faces with the 

 hunting and non-hunting public. Having three different individuals 

 in two separate divisions and a council working separately is not 

 conducive to a comprehensive coordinated approach. 



Page 36 



The Wildlife Division Programmatic EIS Record of Decision states 

 "Public comment overwhelmingly favored FWP involvement in 

 obtaining public access for recreation on both public and private 



