Archery season is over, Big Game Rifle season set to get underway
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The Big Game hunting season is upon us. Deer and Elk season opens this Saturday, October 21. Pheasant season opened last Saturday and Archery season concluded last Friday.
Hunters routinely face obstacles in coming up with the perfect hunting getaway and this fall there are plenty a things that will likely get in the way.
Gaining access to suitable hunting locations can be difficult any season but this year will prove to be an even greater challenge.
This fire season has been off the charts as far as severity goes and just this week a fire was fought just north of Chinook. The resulting conditions along with continued drought and months of stress on the land and landowners will surely limit access in Blaine County.
Chris Carpenter of Chinook Tire and Lube is familiar with the situation throughout the region and states that despite the potential for limited access, sales of hunting licenses continue to be brisk.
One suggestion is that hunters, especially those not from the area is that they are completely unaware of the situation within the county.
Bureau of Land Management land south of Chinook is expected to be limited and will be open to foot traffic only in some areas.
As far as landowner permission hunters are to get permission from any landowner before gaining access.
According to the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks website they offer these suggestions for Public Land Hunting Opportunities:
Montana boasts over 30 million acres of state and federal lands, nearly one third of the state. Much of that land provides excellent hunting opportunities. However, like all good hunting ground, finding a productive area that is legally accessible takes some effort. At a minimum you will need a good set of maps and some time to spend for scouting to determine available habitat and game populations. Use rules and restrictions on public lands differ depending on the managing agency.
Access to State Lands: School Trust Lands
There are 5.5 million acres of state school trust lands in Montana. These lands are managed by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) with revenue collected from the use of these lands used to support Montana Schools. All hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities that occur on state school trust land require possession of a State Recreational Use License which is available from all license agents where hunting and fishing licenses are sold. BLM and Forest Service maps are typically the best source for identifying state school trust land.
Remember, only those state lands that are legally accessible via a public road, navigable river, or adjacent federal lands are available for hunting without permission from the adjacent landowner. You must have permission from the landowner before crossing private land to access state or federal lands.
