Montana ranches ?

[NOCK NOCK]

So looking to get back into hunting Montana.

Question is...how does a guy go about getting hooked up with a decent sized ranch that allows hunting? Willing to trade my work, or pay a little for yearly access, just dont know how to get in touch with appropriate land owners. My Past hunting there has all been on public.

PM' please.

Thanks, Nock

[elkaholic123]

So many of the good sized ranches have given/leased hunting rights to outfitters! Or it’s block management ! It’s all about the mighty dollar anymore! Maybe try social media? Pick an area you want to hunt and look on onX maps for ownership and reach out to owners? If you have time spend a couple days driving around and knocking on doors 

[MADMAX]

P.m. sent

[Magnum_Willys]

Pay a little ? Trespass fees can be $3000 and up.  Block mgmt cheap but a lotta competition.

Good luck - there’s a free spot out there if you get lucky.

[bearpaw]

There's a lot of block management and different types of block management, look for one that controls the number pf hunters to avoid crowds. Make reservations early to get the good places! Good luck!

[mburrows]

I've knocked on a lot of doors the last couple years and have not gotten access to a single place for big game and I've done most of my door knocking well ahead of season. Every rancher I've talked to has been incredibly friendly and even helpful but theres so much competition out there anymore.  Many that arent in block that allow hunting charge a trespass fee, the low water mark that I've seen is $1000 for deer/elk properties. Between BMA, Land Trust, leases, their families hunting their ranches, its really tough to get good access for elk and deer.  I've heard of people getting access to kill cows but access to kill bulls is so hard to come by.

I have had some luck with access for waterfowl and upland though so its not all been a no I suppose.

Block management is a great option, I've had some really great hunting on both type 1 and type 2 block management.

[CamoDup]

Block management land is your best bet as others have said. Keep knocking on doors. Or one of my favorite tactics is to go sit at the local bar and start BSing with people. Buy some drinks for people. It's amazing what happens when you have a friendly conversation with people. I have gotten access to private 3-4 times over the years by doing this. Not just in Montana though. 

My group is lucky enough to hunt on about 12,000 acres of private for Antelope. One of our group members lived in Montana for awhile and has a good relationship with a rancher that allows us to hunt his place. I keep telling him to ask if we can hunt it for deer but we haven't yet. We've seen some nice muley bucks while hunting antelope in October. 

[NOCK NOCK]

Pay a little ? Trespass fees can be $3000 and up.  Block mgmt cheap but a lotta competition.

Good luck - there’s a free spot out there if you get lucky.

“A little” means different amounts to diff people.

I build beautiful live edge slab furnishings, hence the trade.
Pretty sure a lot of ranchers wives would go for this. ……happy wife, happy life, happy hunting for me!

[Gentrys]

The Block Management program will give you good opportunities.