Montana Block Management Thievery!

[The Hedgehog]

So today's August 21, the first day reservations are allowed for the program. According to the regional BMA HQ I spoke to last year and this year, do not call this landowner before 6AM, which is the earliest they take reservations. And remember, today is the first day reservations are allowed. It's in bold print, in the BMA handbook.

Last year, I checked in on this same BMA, called just shortly after 6AM and the landowner said, "Sorry, all booked up." I said, "For the entire archery and rifle season? in just a few minutes??" "Yup, goodbye."

Thinking this was bogus, and not entirely interested in hunting the small place anyway, I figured I'd try again to check the results of what I suspected. I read all the rules, called the FWP HQ, and followed the same process. I phoned at 6AM exactly and made it through.

Same guy. Same response.. "All booked up."

I said, "The rules say you cannot take reservations before today, and 6AM is the earliest that we can contact you.

This was the response, "We do things a little differently. We take the same people every year, and don't like dealing with all the hassles."

I told him that's not what the program is for, and you're basically stealing money from the FWP.

He said if you don't like it, call the regional HQ and complain.

I will.

That guy doesn't deserve to be taking dollars when there's no public hunting access provided. I didn't tell him my name or where I'm from, so don't think anybody else is going to get different results.

I did call a nice guy just after him and secured a nice small place to hunt antelope on the opener however.

 

[The Hedgehog]

http://mtrules.org/gateway/RuleNo.asp?RN=12.4.210

 

[smalls]

I bet that guy takes "Lions" mints from the honor system displays and doesn't pay for it.

 

[Danders134]

I am sure there is more of that going on than we believe, I have a problem with the ranchers that have acreage in BM, but not their whole ranch.. They know where the game is and open up small parts that don't have any and we continue to pay them for it.

 

[AH_14]

The idea of Block Management in Montana is great. The reality of the Program in our state is not so Great! I've heard lots of these stories and other similar issues across the state. I do think sometimes the landowners receive full compensation from FWP and their property is only public access for 25% of the season.
Always full on "those" weeks---"and those two sections are off limits!"
*Double dipping---taking full compensation---but reserving the ranch for family and friends for most all the year is not ok. And I doubt there is much anyone at FWP will do about it.

 

[Hem]

This sort of shenanigans has been going on for years. Even worse is BM property which is open to hunt such and such, but such and such don't live there.

 

[Hunts]

I went through this for a couple years with the Spear Lazy U BMA. I called FWP and they could not have cared less. The owners only let their friends hunt there. I eventually gave up.

 

[dmandoes]

post the names up.

 

[bigskyblueman]

Same thing with the CB Ranch after Sunny left.

 

[kansasdad]

Seems like it is a private hunting club with the dues paid by the Block Management folks. Very sweet deal if you can get it.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Block Management is a great program. But stealing is stealing, and that's what this guy's doing.

 

[AH_14]

And if 100 people or ranches are Stealing or reserving their property unfairly.....
That's where I say its NOT such a great program! The idea is great---

 

[BuzzH]

Easy solution to this problem, and that is to have the MTFWP administer the BMA program, including distribution of permission slips.

Wyoming handles it that way with they HMA program, the WYGF holds a random drawing for ranches that only allow a certain number of permission slips.

Guys like the one Greenhorn described above, would not be able to pull that in Wyoming.

The BM program in Montana is in need of a serious audit...and kick the leeches out of the program.

 

[RobG]

Easy solution to this problem, and that is to have the MTFWP administer the BMA program, including distribution of permission slips.

Has the legislature prevented this or something? I'd guess it would take a lot of temporary staff to deal with the volume. Maybe doing it through a website. Does the legislature or the commission make this rule?

 

[The Hedgehog]

The program has Type I and Type II. This is the Type II - administrated by landowners. It's not a problem with the program in my opinion. There's always going to be bad apples out there. This is one of them, hopefully he won't be getting a check next year.

 

[----]

Has the legislature prevented this or something? I'd guess it would take a lot of temporary staff to deal with the volume. Maybe doing it through a website. Does the legislature or the commission make this rule?

I think it's up to the landowner. FWP handles permission on many properties, in my experience a larger percentage than landowners do.

I agree with Greenhorn, it's a great program and I don't think much needs to change. The vast majority of the properties I've been on are run honest and provide some awesome opportunities. It restores a lot of faith for me in landowner/hunter relations to deal with these landowners every fall.

Of course there's a few turds in the punch bowl though, there always is.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Contact Alan Charles. He's the administrator for the program. Also get a hold of the commissioner for the district you are trying to reserve the BMA.

That's bs.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Got all the names I need. Alan Charles is one of them.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Sick balls, chopper.

 

[teamhoyt]

I to have run into this same thing in the past. I love BM areas but the program does need a tiny tweak. IMO a solution MAY be to require online reservation systems for those areas that require reservations or that limit hunters. Look up the BMA area, look at the calendar, make reservation, print permission slip. I have also asked permission on some BM's in the past for pheasant or deer and I have been told NO we are trying to let the populations come back, now I am all for that but either spell that out in the rules initially OR don't enroll. Like many have said the program is great just a few bad apples here and there can get frustrating.