Revamped Hunter Stewardship Program Launched
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has revamped the Hunter Landowner Stewardship Program for 2025, and hunters who pass the test this year can get three months of an onX Hunt Elite Membership and be entered to win a rifle from Vanguard Black Hills rifle from Weatherby or a Madison Tipi tent from VI AM Outdoors.
In Montana, maintaining positive relationships between hunters and landowners is a critical part of our culture and our heritage. To help promote hunter ethics and build awareness and knowledge about the importance of investing in hunter/landowner relationships, FWP has revamped the Hunter Landowners Stewardship Program to help hunters understand the importance of private land access and provide training on landowner expectations and hunter ethics.
“The relationships between hunters and landowners are an important part of the Montana tradition. We continue to look for ways to enhance those relationships and protect hunting access,” said Greg Lemon, communication and education division administrator for FWP. “With the amazing support of onX, Weatherby and VIAM Outdoors this program can reward hunters who take the initiative to educate themselves on what’s important to landowners and improving hunter ethics.”
About the program The Hunter Landowner Stewardship Program teaches skills to help hunters behave appropriately when hunting private land and build an understanding about why their actions and ethics are important.
The program covers general safety, access programs, minimizing impacts to private land and landowners, and basic guidelines for things like noxious weeds, gates, and trash.
To take the program and be entered to win, go to FWP’s Website.
It’s Up To Us
The new Hunter Landowner Stewardship Program is a central component of FWP’s It’s Up to Us campaign, which is an education and outreach effort to highlight the importance of good hunter behavior and the value of cultivating good relationships between hunters and landowners.
FWP and partnering organizations promote five key components for hunters to consider while in the field.
•Plan ahead for access
•Respect private property
•Practice safe hunting
•Turn in poachers
•Say thank you Additionally, FWP will be hosting the “Thank a Landowner” web portal again this season, beginning in October. This is an easy way for hunters to pass on a note of thanks to landowners who have allowed them access. Hunters can also share a photo. FWP collects these submissions and mails letters and photos to all landowners who were identified. Last year, nearly 600 hunters submitted a thank you note to private landowners through the portal.
