# Montana Block Management versus ND PLOTS



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Just looking at http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/hunterAccess/blockman/ where it's pointed out that Montana has 8,000,000 acres of public access in their Block Management program. The ND PLOTS has about 1,000,000 acres. Montanta is twice as big yet has 8 times the acres in their walk in program. $#&@*!^#>

How come?


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## slough (Oct 12, 2003)

Not sure. Just talked to some guys that were in Montana grouse hunting and they had very good things to say about the block management program. Said some blocks were 7 or 8 sections deep - wow. Wish ND would appropriate more funds for PLOTS, since game and fish revenues will be down due to decreased license sales plus the increased land rent values. Also wish it was easier for them to buy land and make more WMA's.


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## Powder (Sep 9, 2003)

How many individual landowners are involved? Like Slough said, there are some very large chunks in Montana that really are not an option in ND. It's more difficult to get many small parcels enrolled compared to fewer large parcels.


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## pat2121 (Dec 26, 2010)

I dont hunt ND anymore mostly because the 10 day liscense and no where to hunt. Been going to montana for 8 or 9 years. The block management is the best thing ever. In the 10 years + in ND never had someone stop me on the road and asked me to come hunt their land for pheasants or deer. In montana that happens at least 2 a year! Now if Minnesota would grow some balls and only let NR get 10 day permits for their boat tags for all the NR lake cabins!!


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## Machiavelli (Sep 12, 2012)

It all comes back to the Guides and Outfitters, and especially the ND Tourism Board. You would think that ND tourism would exist primarily to benefit their citizens, however it seems they primarily cater to a very small group of businesses, at the huge expense of ND sportsmen.

Until hunting and guiding take a back seat to ND sportsmen, the incentive is too large to keep ND lands private and in the hands of the guides and outfitters.

IMO if ND wants their own version of a Block Mgmt program, they'll need to have to get the ND Game and Fish on board to work with their landowner contacts to get the program off on a good PR start. Then they will need to be willing to invest enough money in certain key areas. They'll also need to enact legislation that makes it illegal to guide or have guided clients on that land, to keep ND's heritage of freelance hunting alive, and dissuade NRs using guides.


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## pat2121 (Dec 26, 2010)

had a great hunt in montana this past weekend lots of birds and few hunters on sat. no hunters on sun or monday. some of the crp was cut but still plenty of cover. got 33 birds on sat 27 on sunday and 21 on monday. only hunted till noon each day.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Machiavelli said:


> It all comes back to the Guides and Outfitters, and especially the ND Tourism Board. You would think that ND tourism would exist primarily to benefit their citizens, however it seems they primarily cater to a very small group of businesses, at the huge expense of ND sportsmen.
> 
> Until hunting and guiding take a back seat to ND sportsmen, the incentive is too large to keep ND lands private and in the hands of the guides and outfitters.
> 
> IMO if ND wants their own version of a Block Mgmt program, they'll need to have to get the ND Game and Fish on board to work with their landowner contacts to get the program off on a good PR start. Then they will need to be willing to invest enough money in certain key areas. They'll also need to enact legislation that makes it illegal to guide or have guided clients on that land, to keep ND's heritage of freelance hunting alive, and dissuade NRs using guides.


I don't believe the ND Tourism Department wants more public access. Never once have they pushed for it; only more commercial hunting. Same with habitat. Montana made that leap in logic, ND not.


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## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

Doesn't Cannonball and other high end outfitters hold hunts with the Governor and other influential elected leaders ?

Sounds like they have their ear and maybe a little more.


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## 94NDTA (May 28, 2005)

pat2121 said:


> I dont hunt ND anymore mostly because the 10 day liscense and no where to hunt.....


1,000,000 acres in plots, sounds small, but we also have well over 1,500,000 acres of grassland, WMA, WPA, etc.

So, you have 2.5 million acres of land you can hunt.

Not as bad as a lot of people say, imo.


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

It could be worse. I am glad we have as much as we do in plots. With that being said there is plenty of plots land that is pancake flat from edge to edge. The stuff that is good for hunting in many occasions I have witnessed "hunters" walk the same land they watched someone walk.

As there are more and more jerks out there it has been getting harder and harder to get permission. The only private land I have access to I have had access to for almost 20 years. That land is even getting harder to get onto as his boys are having their friends and kids hunt it now. I have not been able to get on any new land that is privately owned in over a decade.

Chuck Norris has two speeds: Walk and Kill.

Someone once tried to tell Chuck Norris that roundhouse kicks aren't the best way to kick someone. This has been recorded by historians as the worst mistake anyone has ever made.


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## Springerguy (Sep 10, 2003)

Never hunted in Montana but I'd guess that much of the funding comes from NR big game licenses. They charge a hefty fee but along with the fee comes plenty of access - at least that is what I've heard from friends that hunt in the state. ND, on the other hand, has really taken a stance to limit NR much in the same manner as SD...i.e. designing laws to give residents access to public access while limiting NR. The early season for residents only, resident only access to PLOTS are just a couple of examples. Also, it is extremely difficult to pull a NR deer tag in ND, not so difficult in Montana. I've heard Wyoming also has lots of public access as well.


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## pat2121 (Dec 26, 2010)

montana nr upland liscense is $130 I think the same as north dakota. A deer tag takes any where from 2 to 5 years in montana. from my understanding each farmer gets $ for each person that signs in at the sign in box. My 12 year old daughter and I have a great time out there and it is nice to be able to hunt somewhere with lots of birds and few hunters.


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