Senate committee hears bill to expand block management access to landlocked public lands

House Bill 763, presented to the Senate Fish and Game Committee by Representative Josh Seckinger, would amend Montana’s block management program to make it simpler for landowners to provide access across private property to adjacent public lands. Seckinger said the bill is intended to reduce paperwork and ‘‘make it easier for landowners to participate and allow more public access to public land,’’ while emphasizing that participation would remain voluntary and that landowners would not be required to allow hunting on their property.

Seckinger told the committee that roughly 3,000,000 acres of public land are effectively landlocked and that nearly half of that area is state land. Supporters from conservation, hunting, and sportsmen’s organizations said HB 763 would reduce administrative burdens and open corridors to existing public lands.

Major proponents included Matt Leo (Backcountry Hunters and Anglers — Montana chapter), Paul Fielder (co-chair, Montana Legislative Sportsman's Caucus), Tom Jacobson (Montana Wildlife Federation), Scott Bollinger (Montana Conservation Society), Natalie Wright (Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund), Ryan…