Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Block Management Access Corridor Program provides a payment to offset the impacts from allowing free public access to adjacent public lands for hunting.
Landowners in cooperation with FWP decide when, where and how they want to allow hunters through their property in accordance with program guidelines for the benefit of wildlife management and the residents and non-resident hunters of Montana. These agreements are considered and approved through the Fish and Wildlife Commission process.
To be eligible for a Block Management Access Corridor, landowners must be willing to allow public access through their private lands to adjacent public lands for hunting purposes from September 1-January 1.
Landowners in cooperation with FWP determine when, where, and how the public may access public land and landowners may restrict total numbers of hunters, as well as limit public access during specific times in accordance with program procedures.
Agreements will be between the private landowner or their representative and Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Agreement duration will initially be a minimum of one year with possibility of up to five years after the first five years of annual agreements.
Agreements that only provide access to adjacent public lands must include a notification of the adjacent public land leaseholder and allow them to support or object to the proposed access agreement.
The agreement must also include relevant terms of the adjacent public land lease and ensure the agreement does not violate or interfere with the terms of the public land lease.
FWP will provide hunter management assistance dependent upon need, property rules and program availability. FWP will also provide and post signs and develop property maps with associated rules for each corridor enrolled in collaboration with the landowner.
Landowners are eligible for an enrollment payment of $1,000 and an impact payment that is set at a flat rate with an agreement maximum of $25,000.
In addition, landowners are eligible for up to 5% of their contract total in a weed management bonus if they agree to use the funds for weed management activities on lands under their control.
Resident landowners are offered a complimentary sportsman's license without bear or non-resident landowners are offered an elk/deer big game combination license which they may designate to a family member or employee.
Landowners enrolled in Block Management Access Corridors are provided liability protection under state law through 70-16-302, Montana Code Annotated (MCA), as long as no fees for access/trespass are charged. Landowners are also possibly eligible for reimbursement through FWP's Livestock Loss Reimbursement Program.
Landowners interested in a Block Management Access Corridor can use the application below.
Deadline: March 15, 2026