Question about Montana Deer Block Management Type 2

[Skynard]

Should I worry about signing up for block management type 2 in Montana for Mule Deer? Going over Thanksgiving break.

 

[8andcounting]

Should I worry about signing up for block management type 2 in Montana for Mule Deer? Going over Thanksgiving break.

Clarify worry ? What questions do you have ?

 

[JEL]

Yes

 

[8andcounting]

If you mean - should you get it reserved now ? Yes absolutely sooner the better .

 

[EYJONAS!]

Lots of the type 2 fills within the first morning of it being opened up for sign-ups.

It's pretty weird how that happens.....

 

[MThuntr]

Lots of the type 2 fills within the first morning of it being opened up for sign-ups.

It's pretty weird how that happens.....

Yeah very suspicious...I'd really like the Type 2 reservation process audited. Seems many are full within minutes

 

[EYJONAS!]

Yeah very suspicious...I'd really like the Type 2 reservation process audited. Seems many are full within minutes

I've called places a half hour after they've opened... nope were full this year sorry try back next.

Yeah sure......full of your buddies and family and getting a check on top of it.

 

[Skynard]

So I guess my question is am I too late?

 

[Gerald Martin]

So I guess my question is am I too late?

You won’t know without calling the specific BMA you want to hunt.

 

[mrklean]

was looking over the new BMA booklet and also online and i noticed many of the type 2 BMA say permission obtained on-site by land owner. Has that changed i remember 3-4 years ago most of the type 2 you had to call to get permission/reservations for some that only allowed a few ppl each day.

 

[8andcounting]

was looking over the new BMA booklet and also online and i noticed many of the type 2 BMA say permission obtained on-site by land owner. Has that changed i remember 3-4 years ago most of the type 2 you had to call to get permission/reservations for some that only allowed a few ppl each day.

I’m not sure but I don’t like it. Pretty hard to plan a hunt when you rely on obtaining permission on site ... go there and get denied access then what ? You can waste a bunch of time really easy . I wish all type 2s were call in reservation. One of the ones I hunt a lot in region 4 is a type 2 and it’s call in reservations and its great , never had one issue

 

[Straight Arrow]

My success obtaining permission by phone or on site has been dismal. Mostly in Region 7, but elsewhere too, I look for BLM or other public land nearby as a backup plan. I really prefer the Block Management access where you merely sign in at the gate box. It seems those are somewhat self-regulated by hunters as they seem to disperse or go elsewhere if crowding is an issue.

 

[Redside]

was looking over the new BMA booklet and also online and i noticed many of the type 2 BMA say permission obtained on-site by land owner. Has that changed i remember 3-4 years ago most of the type 2 you had to call to get permission/reservations for some that only allowed a few ppl each day.

Call the region headquarters most of the time you can get the phone number to the BMA. I've even seen where getting the map at the BMA or region headquarters had the phone listed but the online version did not.

 

[badlander]

I think as a general rule the type 2 block management areas get more pressure than many type 1 or BLM land out East.

Also, there are many that are full 5min after the calling starts….. or were full a week earlier with friends and family.

My best luck has been with the ones administered by the FWP. Also, for those, if you call the day before you can often get on because people have tagged out, or never showed up etc…

Ive also had one administered onsite by the landowner where we were supposed to be at the house in the AM, during the best time of the day to be sitting up high glassing someplace, only to find out the ranch manager got drunk the night before and wasn’t there. We didn’t get on for 2 hours before someone chased him down to get there and sign us in. Then, later he asked us how things were going, we told him of a good buck we had planned to sit in that night only to have him get on his horse, ride up the ridge and shoot the buck himself. Many lessons learned that day.

 

[8andcounting]

Call the region headquarters most of the time you can get the phone number to the BMA. I've even seen where getting the map at the BMA or region headquarters had the phone listed but the online version did not.

Good advice

 

[8andcounting]

I think as a general rule the type 2 block management areas get more pressure than many type 1 or BLM land out East.

Also, there are many that are full 5min after the calling starts….. or were full a week earlier with friends and family.

My best luck has been with the ones administered by the FWP. Also, for those, if you call the day before you can often get on because people have tagged out, or never showed up etc…

Ive also had one administered onsite by the landowner where we were supposed to be at the house in the AM, during the best time of the day to be sitting up high glassing someplace, only to find out the ranch manager got drunk the night before and wasn’t there. We didn’t get on for 2 hours before someone chased him down to get there and sign us in. Then, later he asked us how things were going, we told him of a good buck we had planned to sit in that night only to have him get on his horse, ride up the ridge and shoot the buck himself. Many lessons learned that day.

Disagree on the pressure part - I’d say type 1s get way way way more pressure

 

[badlander]

Disagree on the pressure part - I’d say type 1s get way way way more pressure

I'm sure it varies property to property. However, the type 2s i've hunted typically allow a set number every day and the good ones are booked full every day.

Many of the type 1s probably have more people signing in but most just drive the roads or walk to the 1st hill then leave and they may sign in to 2-3 in a day. The Type 1s that I typically hunt on are busy on the weekends but often pretty quiet all week.

 

[8andcounting]

I'm sure it varies property to property. However, the type 2s i've hunted typically allow a set number every day and the good ones are booked full every day.

Many of the type 1s probably have more people signing in but most just drive the roads or walk to the 1st hill then leave and they may sign in to 2-3 in a day. The Type 1s that I typically hunt on are busy on the weekends but often pretty quiet all week.

Yeh I’ll agree with that . The type 2 bma’s need a total revamp IMO, as far as how you sign in

 

[badlander]

Yeh I’ll agree with that . The type 2 bma’s need a total revamp IMO, as far as how you sign in

Yeah, we have had trouble with it every year one way or another. But, we've also had some good experiences salted in.

I will say this. We have a handful that we try to get on but when I don't it doesn't ruin my trip. We've shot nearly all of our biggest deer in SE MT hunting random chunks of BLM and state ground.

 

[mstolte]

Agreed that the call in process is flawed. It seems that there should almost be a lottery system for good BMAs to level the playing ground. I have given up using 2 BMAs and will now seek out only public land so I can plan and hunt on my time. True story: The reason I have given up trying 2 BMAs is because in 2020, I set my alarm to call the opening day to call BMAs and this one BMA stated that it was filled already after 30 mins and the reason is that they were limiting hunters do to COVID..... Very very strange.