OnX Layer with Outfitter Leased Lands

[MooseCaboose]

Maps showing the total acreage leased by Montana outfitters aren't provided in a very useful format.

There's been quite a controversy in getting these maps made and their accuracy is in doubt because these are self reported numbers.

"The information is considered so important that Gov. Bullock amended House Bill 274 during the 2013 Legislature to ensure that reporting of outfitted lands in Montana continued." However, "MOGA fought 'tooth and nail' to get the reporting requirement stripped from the bill." FWP's Alan Charles said, “I have not seen a real commitment from the Board of Outfitters to give the public accessible information.”

Even further, in 2000 a Montana Legislative Audit Committee report said the Board was “so poorly organized that it cannot properly regulate the outfitting industry or determine whether growth in the industry has reduced public access to land for hunting. “I honestly don’t know if they have the capacity to do it right, which means we should send it out to a contractor,” Mac Minard, executive director of the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association.

This got me thinking, wouldn't this make an excellent onX Hunt map layer?

Perhaps Big Fin or others with a connection to onX Hunt could try and get this data set into the hands of some people who know how to make a useful map. Then we the hunting public could access the information in a medium that is actually useful, rather than a tiny pdf map. If we are going to spend taxpayer dollars making a map, we might as well spend them on a useful one.

Who We Can Contact

Though its probably too late for any kind of legislation this session, but if you are not pleased with how this data is presented email comments to The Montana Outfitter and Guides Association, to the Head of the Board of Outfitters Steve Gallus, and to the rest of the members of the BOO. Also we should let Governor Bullock know we aren't pleased. He appoints them after all. We could also contact onX to encourage them to pursue this further.

Here is a link that lists the rest of the Board of Outfitter Members, if any of you know how to contact them directly.

Links to the Maps

1. On The 2018 Map, it lists 6.5 million leased acres
   
2. On The 2015 Map, it lists 18.6 million leased acres
   
3. On The 2012 Map, its lists 6.8 million leased acres
   
4. On the 2011 map, it lists 6.9 million leased acres
5. On the 2005 map, it lists 5.6 million leased acres

Credit to katqanna for her original post from 2015 for many of these links.

 

[NYyotekiller]

I guess I’m not understanding why this map is being produced. If it is for wildlife game management purposes then it is sufficient? Not sure it could be used for anything but that. Someone tell me if I’m wrong.