Guidelines for hunting, fishing, trapping or recreating on State Trust Land

From Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

GLASGOW — With the upcoming general hunting season, many people will likely hunt State Trust Land at some point.  These lands, which can provide great recreational opportunity, are managed by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

Although State Trust Land is generally considered “public land,” specific rules and regulations apply to these lands that hunters and other outdoor recreationists need to follow. Below are some general guidelines for hunting, fishing, trapping and recreating on State Land.  For more information, go to http://dnrc.mt.gov/divisions/trust/recreational-use-of-state-land or contact one of your local DNRC offices — see contact info below.

What are “State Trust Lands?”

• State Trust Lands, often called just “state land,” are properties managed by the DNRC for the sole purpose of generating income for public schools and other public institutions. Typically, most state parcels are the sections 16 and 36 of each township. However, some areas such as north of Glasgow and western Daniels County have large blocks and/or many other pieces of state land beyond the typical 16 and 36 sections.

Hunting, fishing or trapping on state land

• By agreement between DNRC and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, people who possess a valid Montana conservation license from FWP will be authorized to engage in hunting, fishing and trapping on legally accessible state trust lands that are not closed or restricted to such use.

• Prior to trapping on state trust land, all persons 12 years old and older must first apply for and be issued a “Special Recreational Use License for Trapping” — SRULT — from a DNRC office.

Recreating on state land

• People desiring to conduct all other types of noncommercial and/or nonconcentrated types of activities falling within the definition of “general recreational use,” such as camping, hiking, skiing, sight-seeing, horseback use, etc., unless such activities are conducted in conjunction with and incidental to hunting, fishing, and trapping, will be required to possess a “State Land Recreational Use License,” which is available from any authorized FWP license agent or through FWP’s online license service.

Access to state land

• Legally accessible state land is state land that can be accessed by dedicated public roads — roads usable by the public under state or federal law, or which are under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Transportation, or a county or municipal government — public rights-of-way or easements; by public waters such as rivers and streams that are recreationally navigable under Section 23-2-302, MCA; by adjacent federal, state, county or municipal land if the land is open for public use, or by adjacent private land if permission to cross the private land is secured from the land owner.

• A good idea is to have land ownership topographic maps and/or a GPS system that can help identify the state land you wish to hunt. The FWP Hunt Planner map is a good, free resource, avialable online at : https://fwp.mt.gov/gis/maps/huntPlanner .

• Entry from state land onto private land, regardless of the absence of fencing or proper notice by the landowner, without permission from the landowner, is trespassing.

• Most state land boundaries are not marked, and many are not fenced. Please refer to area BLM or USFS maps for land ownership patterns, or consult with the adjacent landowner or lessee, to determine the boundary locations on the ground. A land ownership GPS can help with this as well.

• Posting of state land with orange paint or signs such as “No Hunting” or “No Trespassing” is illegal. Lessees may post state land with blue paint to signify no unauthorized use. However, if such land is legally accessible, and has not been closed or restricted to recreational use by rule or by DNRC, recreational use by individuals with a proper recreational use license is permitted.

Restrictions/rules

• Motorized Vehicle Use is restricted to federal, state, and dedicated county roads or other roads regularly maintained by the county, or to other roads which have been designated open by DNRC.

• Off-road travel is prohibited.

• Snowmobile use is allowed on roads if permitted by local traffic laws or regulations.

• On leased lands, snowmobile use is restricted to the roads mentioned above.

• On unleased lands, snowmobile use is allowed in all areas except where it is expressly prohibited.

• Disabled hunters who possess a permit to hunt from a vehicle issued by FWP are authorized to drive on any road on state land, except a road closed by the department by sign or barrier.

• Parking by recreationists on state land is allowed within 50 feet of a customary access point; on federal, state and county roads in accordance with local traffic laws or regulations; or within 50 feet of a road designated open by DNRC. Parking must not block other vehicle access to the tract, damage the land or a lessee’s improvements, or otherwise create a hazard.

• Discharge of firearms must be conducted in a careful and prudent manner.

• Firearms may not be discharged within 1/4 mile of an inhabited dwelling or outbuilding without permission from the inhabitant; or on state land where DNRC has restricted firearms.

• Discharge of firearms not in conjunction with licensed hunting may require prior notification to the lessee.

• Open Fires on leased or licensed state land are restricted to designated campgrounds.

• Pets must be kept on a leash or otherwise under the control of the recreationist.

• Interference with a lessee’s or recreationist’s legitimate use of state lands is prohibited.  Remember, respect each others’ rights.

• Block Management Areas and Wildlife Management Areas, administered by the FWP, may include state land. Recreational use of state land in these areas must be conducted in accordance with the rules and regulations specific to that management area. A Recreational Use License is still required for recreational use of state trust lands enrolled in these areas.

• Overnight use — camping — on leased or licensed state land outside of a designated campground is allowed within 200 feet of a customary access point but is limited to two consecutive days. Recreational overnight use of state lands is limited to 16 days in a 30-day period in a designated campground and on unleased or unlicensed lands outside a designated campground unless otherwise allowed by the department.

• Overnight horseback use for more than two consecutive days on leased or licensed lands or for more than 16 days within a 30-day period for unleased and unlicensed lands is prohibited without a Special Recreational Use License. Horses may be kept overnight on state lands with the following constraints: 1) the horses do not remain in a stream riparian zone for more than 1 hour; 2) horses are to be fed with only certified noxious weed seed free forage; and 3) the horses must be restrained.

• Fireworks are prohibited.

• Littering is prohibited.

Enforcement

• Fish Wildlife and Parks game wardens enforce the laws and rules pertaining to recreational use of state lands for hunting and fishing. DNRC personnel and other state and local law enforcement personnel may also be involved in the enforcement of these laws and rules.

• To Report violations, contact a Montana Deptartment of Fish, Wildlife and Parks warden or call 1-(800) TIP-MONT

For more information or specific questions on state land, people can contact an office in their area.

Central Land Office

Helena

406-458-3500

Eastern Land Office

Miles City

406-232-2034

Northeastern Land Office

Lewistown

406-538-7789

Northwestern Land Office

Kalispell

406-751-2240

Southern Land Office

Billings

406-247-4400

Southwestern Land Office

Missoula

406-542-4200