Block Management Basics: What is Block Management?

Block Management is a cooperative effort between Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), private landowners and public land management agencies to help landowners manage hunting activities and provide free public hunting access to private and isolated public lands. In Region 7 alone, there are over 320 cooperators forming 266 Block Management Areas (BMAs) providing over 2.4 million acres of access.

Block Management Areas are unique and range in size from 200 to more than 100,000 acres. Some BMAs have diverse habitat types and offer a wide variety of hunting opportunities; others offer limited hunting opportunities for specific game species.

Across the state all BMAs are classified as Type I or Type II. Type I BMAs are areas where hunters administer their own permission either by using sign-in boxes or rosters, or areas that specify no permission is required. Type II BMAs are areas where someone other than the hunter administers permission, typically a landowner or FWP employee. Nearly all Region 7 BMAs are Type II. BMA use is managed through Region 7 headquarters in Miles City, with staff helping to direct hunters to BMAs with available opportunities.

For specific information on Block Management in Region 7 contact FWP at 406-234-0930 or for more information in other regions please go to http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/hunterAccess/blockman/.