Chapter VI - Conclusion 



Introduction 



Block Management was formally created in 1985, although the 

 program existed in some regions since the 1970s. The program was 

 started in response to landowners' concerns about the number of 

 hunters, damage to their land, and the time it took the landowner to 

 deal with hunters. In 1995 the legislature created the enhanced 

 Block Management Program in response to concerns expressed by 

 landowners, hunters, and outfitters during the 1993 Legislative 

 Session. The enhanced program was designed to reduce conflicts 

 between landowners and hunters by providing tangible benefits to 

 landowners who allowed free public hunting. Compensation was the 

 primary tangible benefit provided landowners. 



Some Additional Land 

 was Opened to Public 

 Hunting 



One of the goals of the enhanced program was to open more private 

 land for free public hunting. We found over one-third of the 

 landowners enrolled in the program in 1996 were already 

 participating in block management, some since 1975. Many of the 

 regional staff acknowledged the enhanced program caused land that 

 was open to public hunting to remain open. A few staff thought the 

 program opened some land that had limited or no public hunting 

 prior to the enhanced program. 



Our survey results of landowners in the program showed the goal of 

 opening land to free public hunting was accomplished to a certain 

 extent. Of the 175 respondents to our survey of 307 landowners in 

 the program, 1 13 indicated their land was open to public hunting 

 when they enrolled in the program. Survey results show a total of 

 242,939 acres were opened up to general public hunting that were 

 closed or had limited hunting prior to enrollment. 



Program Tangible 

 Benefits 



Funding for landowner compensation is derived from market-based 

 outfitter-sponsored non-resident deer and elk combination licenses. 

 Because funding is limited to one source, and the tangible benefits 

 provided are money and one sportsman license, the program has not 

 grown since 1996. Most regions have a waiting list of landowners 

 who are interested in enrolling in the program. Based on survey 

 results and conversations with field staff, some landowners would be 

 willing to enroll in the program and not receive compensation. 

 Instead they would like to receive various hunting 



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