An Analysis of the Montana Block Management Landowner Evaluation Compared to Region Size and Region Population

Abstract

Montana’s Block Management Program (BMP), initiated in 1995, provides managed hunting access on private and isolated public lands through partnerships among private landowners, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), and public agencies. Montana BMP’s primary aim is to balance hunting access with the management of wildlife resources, while also addressing the impacts of hunting on private lands. Although the program offers financial incentives, liability protections, and FWP support, landowner satisfaction and enrollment vary across Montana’s regions, indicating a need for more localized analysis. Therefore, my study examines how regional factors—specifically enrolled acres, total land area, and population—relate to landowner satisfaction with BMP elements like monetary compensation, hunter behavior, and interactions with FWP. I used data from the 2020 Block Management Landowner Evaluation Survey and integrated Montana census data with geographic information systems (GIS) to calculate population estimates by region and applied regression models to uncover trends in BMP participation and satisfaction across FWP’s seven regions. I found a strong positive relationship between enrolled and total acres in regions with low population density, suggesting that areas with more land available for BMP often see higher enrollment. In contrast, regions with higher population densities had fewer enrolled acres, possibly due to competing land use needs. Satisfaction trends were complex: satisfaction with hunter behavior tended to be higher in regions with more land and lower population density, where hunting impacts may be more distributed. However, satisfaction with financial compensation and FWP interactions was less strongly tied to land metrics, implying that other factors beyond financial incentives influence landowner satisfaction. I suggest from these results that BMP might enhance participation by focusing on larger properties in less populated regions. Nonetheless, the factors influencing satisfaction seem to be multifaceted, calling for further investigation into landowner motivations. Regional, tailored approaches and program adjustments will be essential for BMP to continue supporting Montana’s hunting traditions, meeting diverse landowner needs, and advancing wildlife conservation efforts.