It Really is Up to Us! Protect the Hunt!

Every hunter knows someone who has heard the words...”No...we don't allow hunting here anymore.” Sometimes that decision comes after years of allowing respectful hunters onto private property. Sometimes...It only takes one bad experience.

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, your Host Downrigger Dale sits down with Information Bureau Chief for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks', Greg Lemon to talk about one of the most important hunting initiatives we've seen in years. It's called Protect the Hunt, Respect Access and while there are some incredible prize packages involved, when YOU get involve that's not really what this program is about. It's about preserving something that's becoming harder and harder to find...Access. 

During this conversation you'll hear the true story of how one unfortunate incident permanently changed access on Rigger's own family ranch, why FWP believes hunter ethics matter more now than ever, and how just a few minutes of your time could help strengthen the relationship between hunters and Montana landowners for years to come. 

 When you watch or listen to this Podcast you'll also learn how to enter for a chance to win an amazing lineup of prizes including guided hunts, rifles, optics, hunting gear and much more simply by completing the Hunter Landowner Stewardship Program. Just for taking a few minutes to learn about how you can help protect our hunting access. That’s a pretty incredible reward for just a few minutes, right? Now this is SUPER IMPORTANT: make sure you watch or listen all the way through so learn how to enter this amazing contest, it’s gonna be HUGE!!

 Whether you've hunted Montana your entire life or you're just getting started, this is one podcast every hunter should watch or listen to. So watch the podcast first, then use the links below to learn more about the Protect the Hunt program, take the stewardship course, and enter for a chance to WIN BIG."

 Links:

• Click here to learn more about the Protect the Hunt Program and get all the details about the prizes.
• To take the Hunter Landowner Stewardship Course and get entered to win, click here
• Click the links below to learn more about the wonderful sponsors:

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers   | Capital Sports - Helena | Leupold | MeatEater |  Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife | Montana Stockgrowers Association
Montana Wildlife Federation | OnX Hunt | Pheasants Forever | Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation | SCI SW Montana Chapter | VIAM Outdoors
Town Pump | Maven | Weatherby | Montana Knife Company | Montana Outfitting Company | SITKA Gear
Kenetrek Boots | GPO USA | Vortex Optics | Stone Glacier | Christensen Arms | Eylar
Lone Mountain Coolers |  

•  Questions for Greg? Click here to send him a message.
• Questions for Downrigger Dale? Click here to send him a message.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

And thanks so much, everyone, for joining us here. I want to get into a really interesting program. Last year, if for you long-term listeners, I had Greg Lemon on. You guys all know Greg. If you listen to our radio show every Saturday morning or this podcast, we've had Greg on a lot. He's, of course, with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. And get his official title here. It's Director of Communications, I believe, but I'll get that from Greg here in a second. But he we talked about this new program that I just think is a wonderful program. So many of you email me and you say, hey, Gregor, we're having a tough time getting more landowners to let us on to hunt. We want to get more access. And the FWP really listened about that. And they created this great program where landowners and hunters now, I think the whole program since it started has just caused a lot of mutual respect between both groups. I think it's caused more, for sure, more access, but it's going to continue to do that. And it really gives you, as hunters, some great ideas of how to get that precious access from landowners, especially those landowners that may not be in block management, but still would be open to having you hunt. There's some great ideas and things. And we'll have Greg explain all this to you. But this, I don't want you to go anywhere because this podcast is going to help you get the all-important access. And if you're a landowner, you're definitely going to want to stick around for this. That's next. And just popping up on your screen right now is Greg Lemon with the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. Greg, what is your title? Is that director of communications? Do I have that right?

SPEAKER_02 2:03

Well, it's you're pretty close. I am the division administrator for the communication and education. In my division, we do all of our public communications and social media, website, our video program. And then on the education side, hunter education, our aquatic education, a lot of our in-the-school programs. I've got the responsibility for some of the most fun that we do at FWP, and that's working with people and telling telling people about the outdoors.

SPEAKER_03 2:32

You and your staff have done a great job. And especially by creating things like what we're going to talk about today. I think this program is very important. In fact, for those of you that watched all a while back, we had Christy from the director of the FWP on the program with us. And we were talking about corner crossing. But of course, in that whole discussion, stuff came up about access. And because that corner crossing issue has been a pretty complex one. And there's some definite both sides of the issue on it. And a lot of you, you got a little hot with me when we had the director of the FWP on. And I think a lot of you were thinking, well, that's the only person I'm going to talk to. And I tried to tell you, we're going to have the other side get to talk about it too. But some of you weren't patient. But uh I do thank a lot of you who then got back to me and said, Hey, sorry, I jumped down your throat there. That was a really good interview. What we found though was that really the two sides really aren't as near as far apart as I think they thought we were, or anyone. And uh but anyway, we got on this topic about the respect to the hunt. And she had asked me, she said, What do you think? What what are you thinking as far as and I think this was before we started recording or maybe just after? And I said, I'm telling you that it's up to us program, I think is one of the most significant things FWP has done uh in this area in a long time. And uh she was very appreciative of that. It's something that you guys are real proud of. So, Greg, has that program become what you thought it was going to become? I for me, it surprised me. I think it was way bigger for the first year than I ever thought it would.

SPEAKER_02 4:21

Yeah, it I feel like we're still finding ways to make it better. So, uh what I think this year has really shown is that from the industry standpoint, and that includes outfitters and landowners as well, there's a lot of support for what we're trying to do here. And so we the this the last year we got uh a couple of big name. We had Weatherby, we had Onyx, we had 6 a.m. outdoors, we had some folks on for raffle and raffle items, which was great. We got a lot of exposure that year, and I think this year we we just have the doors have been knocked down with some of the raffle items that we have to incentivize folks to take this test. And really what we're talking about is we're talking about a re for for most of us, it's a refresher program on why hunting ethics are important, why hunting safety is important, and why it's important to develop and maintain and respect the access that we get from private landowners. And I've said this, I say it all the time. We all know that most of hunt most of the hunters out there do it the right way. Yep. They're appreciative of the access, they pick up their trash, they don't shoot towards buildings or livestock, they do all the things that you want hunters to do. But I tell you, and you've heard this from landowners over the years too, is those few people that cause a problem that make a landowner think, you know what, I'm not gonna mess with public access anymore. I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna sign a uh contract with an outfitter, or I'm just gonna close the gates altogether. And so the the reality is from an enforcement standpoint, our wardens aren't gonna be out there picking up every every bad actor. We need hunters to step forward for one, understand the importance and the of the accents that they're being given when they access private land, and two, being responsible on behalf of the rest of us to turn people in when they're breaking the rules or going the extra mile to make sure that trash is picked up or things are taken care of.

SPEAKER_03 6:37

Yeah, I think one of the reasons this has hit home to me so hard was I grew up in a small ranching community just west of Missoula, out in the French Town Valley. And we our ranch was way out in the middle of nowhere, up in the nine-mile area. And it was a large ranch, and so a lot of the locals in a small community, we know everybody, they really loved hunting on that ranch. A lot of elk were up on that ranch and that. So it was important. It just took one person, one, and it was a pretty big deal. They accidentally shot one of my dad's prized bulls, and that was the end for the rest of his life. He never allowed any more hunting other than family or very close friends. And of course, it made my life a live in hell in a small community saying, Hey, how come your old man won't let us hunt anymore? But I get it. That was a big deal, and it cost him a lot of money, and it just was over. When we look at the big picture here of what you guys are trying to do, you're people that are working so hard to get landowners into block management and all that, it just takes one person and wrong place, wrong time, can cause really a few thousands of acres to go gone. So it's that's what this program is all about. Maybe you could take us back to when this first started. What gave you guys this idea to do this? Because you guys have tried a lot of different things, and a lot of them are great and work. Of course, the block management's a huge one that's fantastic. But tell take us through the history of what it became last year, and then let's compare it to where we're going with it this year.

SPEAKER_02 8:25

Yes, this conversation internally started. Boy, it it's been nine years ago. We had a meeting with a bunch of staff, and the concern at the time, this was right after one of those sort of elks on elk herd on the flats and hunters shooting into herds of elk, uh, the bad press that came along with that, the frustration from landowners and our enforcement folks. And we got together and said, is what is there anything that is an agency that we can do with this about this? And the reality is that there's stuff out there that you might think is unethical, I might think is unethical, but is still legal. Yeah, but uh one that people talk about a lot are the really long shots, the equipment today that can shoot accurately to a thousand yards. Some people think that's ethical, some people think it's not, but it's not the department's place to make that decision, right? And so that part of ethics, you know, that's maybe not us. And where we got to after uh after talking with staff for a day meeting is our real the real place where we stand in the breach is that hunter landowner relationship. We work with landowners through our access programs, hunter, we engage hunters all the time. So we thought, okay, what is it that we can do with that hunter landowner relationship? And so we started nine years ago trying to come up with ideas, trying to think through what we could do to be effective. And then a few years ago, we got a hold of what had been in place for a while, the Hunter Landowner Stewardship Program. And it had been a pretty lengthy test online, and then in it's probably been around for 25 years now. And what we had forever was a lot of text, a lot of reading, some tests, and then and you got through all that, you got a certificate, got to test your ALS number, and then you got a hat. But we were only getting dozens of people through that a year. And so we worked with the PLPW, the private lands public wildlife council, and Ed Beale, the chair, just retired owner of Capital Sports. And Ed, and we said, Ed, what if we redo this Hunter Landowner Stewardship program? We make it easier to take, we modernize it, we put some video to it, we really focus in on what the educational outcomes are we're looking for, and put our best educational folks behind it. And that's what we did. So we spent a couple of years really refining that program and then use the raffle to incentivize it. And in the process of doing that, we built some of the programs and the messaging around Protect the Hunt. And so that's kind of the background of how we got to where we are today, knowing that if we can demonstrate to landowners as hunters that we care, we're willing to invest our own time into learning more about how to be safe, ethical, and value landowners, that even if there is that one-off instance where somebody accidentally shoots your prize bowl, that the landowners are going to see that that's not the majority of hunters. The majority of hunters care, they're doing it right, and they're putting their money where their mouth is.

SPEAKER_03 11:59

Exactly. And the other thing that I love about what you guys did is you just didn't rush into this. You did a lot of research. You brought up Ed Beal. He talked owning one of the most popular sporting goods stores in the entire state, Capital Sports. He talked to more hunters than probably you or I have ever talked to, man.

SPEAKER_01 12:19

Sure.

SPEAKER_03 12:19

So you got a lot of great feedback from a guy like that that says, hey, this is what I'm hearing. And he's talking directly to these guys, they're his customers. And so that was huge. And you did a lot of that. In fact, we had Ed on this program talking uh very much about that and why he got involved. And so we're seeing and hearing all this stuff. So when this thing decided to, you decided, okay, we got some we put some incentives in there and that, and now let's kick it off and see what happens. When it when you were building the incentive part of this, which was let's face it, it's kind of like I did with my kids when they were growing up. Bribery works really well. And you guys found some great prizes and said, hey, take this test and you'll get involved. Tell us about uh that element of it and how you came to to putting that in. And do you think that was a big difference maker in it?

SPEAKER_02 13:14

Yeah, it it started a couple the the top thinking through can we do a raffle started a couple years ago. And our first year, our raffle was a pair of binoculars, and Ed donated those, Ed and Blue Paul donated those, and we got uh somewhere around 700 people that entered the raffle. And last year we cut we just I've got a really great staff, and they don't see any limitations at all. And so I said, gosh, wouldn't it be nice if we could donate uh or we could raffle off a rifle? And within a week, somebody on my staff, Lauren Carnop, who is our videographer, she got a hold of Weatherby, and they didn't even hesitate, they didn't blink, they said, sure, we'd be happy to. And that kind of started opening the eye, opened and opened our eyes that the industry is really, especially the hunting industry, is really behind this. And so Onyx has always been a great champion. If they've been there, they were there last year. All you had to do is to take the test, and you'd get a uh three-month free subscription. And then but before the season was over last year, Montana Knife Company had contacted us and wanted to be a part of it. Ed's always been a part of it, and then we started, Ed and I started thinking together like maybe a guided hunt would be enough to really push the the incentives to where we'd get a lot of people taking the tests. And so it didn't take much reaching out before we got two hunts on board, and then Ed stepped up with just just a huge hunting package from Capital Sports. That Christensen rifle that that's all decked out with everything you need. You could go from not being a hunter to being the the best decked out hunter in the woods by winning that prize package. And so when you look at what we have now, oh my gosh, there's gonna be some really happy people once we start drawing prizes. And I'll tell you, it really does speak to just the importance that this whole hunting community puts on hunter ethics and landowner relations.

SPEAKER_03 15:26

Well, and I think what it does is it really punctuates it because I think a lot of hunters are gonna say they're either gonna be interested in this or not. I don't know if they say, Well, I won't take that test or give you any thoughts about it unless you put me in there for something. It but it was more of seeing this incredible prize package that you guys put together, it showed everybody, okay, this is serious. These guys really are investing in this and believe strongly in it. Maybe I'm gonna take a look at it. And so I think that really, especially a lot of the people that watch or listen to this program, had a lot of great things to say about it. So obviously it got their attention. Now, what I want to do is talk about this year because this, you guys really went all out here and came up with some cool stuff. We're gonna take a quick little break, but when we come back, do not go anywhere because you're gonna find out what some of those incentives are for this year. That's next. Over the years, you've heard me talk a lot about Superior Hardwoods of Montana. Yeah, I've talked a great deal about their incredible reclaimed wood from old barns, green elevators, old homesteads, even an old log flume zigzagging down a mountainside in Montana. If there's an amazing piece of wood that can be reclaimed and turned into an unbelievable, one of a kind wood floor, paneling, or just about anything, Superior Hardwoods of Montana has found it, created it, and showed all of us right there online at superior-hardwoods.com. They truly are artists that just happen to use wood as their canvas. And yes, I've also talked about their amazing ability to find some of the most unbelievable exotic woods from all over the world. I was asked the other day if Superior Hardwoods of Montana ever just sold normal wood floors or paneling, or do they only sell wood products that are incredible and unusual? I had to stop and think about that question for a minute. No, not because I could not think of a case where Superior Hardwoods of Montana sold just some usual nice looking flooring or paneling. They do that a lot. I had to think about it because the folks at Superior Hardwoods of Montana make really any piece of wood incredible and unusual. Simply because you will not find any, let me say that again, you will not find any place on earth that cares more about what they sell than Superior Hardwoods of Montana. I guess that's why they've been in business since 1977. It's a a passion of everyone at Superior Hardwoods of Montana. I know that because I've known these folks for most of the 65 years that I've been around. So believe me when I say at Superior Hardwoods of Montana, they absolutely cannot wait to guide you through the woods. Go see them next time you're in Missoula, or why not go see them right now at superior-hardwoods.com. Superior Hardwoods of Montana. Go see them. Back here on the Montana Outdoor Podcast. I'm with Greg Lemon, and we're talking about this Protect the Hunt program, it's up to us program. Was very successful last year. It's just continued to grow. In fact, last year, about how many people did participated in it, Greg?

SPEAKER_02 19:01

We had about 2,000 people go through the program last year.

SPEAKER_03 19:05

That's a lot.

SPEAKER_02 19:06

And I tell you, that this it is a lot, but um this year we're shooting for it's a lofty goal, but we're shooting for 10 times that. So we're gonna be really putting the coals to it and trying to get a lot more people to take the test.

SPEAKER_03 19:20

Right. And like I was saying before the break, coming up with these prize packages in that, I think it showed hunters. Okay, these guys are serious. This means something. But I also think that kind of woke up some landowners too, as far as okay, these guys are putting their money where their mouth is. They're they've done the research in that. So let's talk about what the prize package stuff is looking like for this year and how people can get involved.

SPEAKER_02 19:48

Sure. So entering the raffle is really easy. You just go to fwp.mt.gov slash protect the hunt. You can take the go through the hunter landowner stewardship program, take the test, and then enter to once you do that. If you pass but with an 85% score, then you can enter to win the raffle. And so we talked through a little bit. We've got Maven Optics has got a Bino and Range Finder. We've got five individual on X Elite hunt memberships that we'll be giving away. The MPG Ranch is donated a chaperone hunt, and this one is a really cool one. So the the winner will get a chaperone hunt on the MPG ranch, and they only allow lead-free ammunition. So to make sure that you're hunting with equipment that's lead-free and accurate for their means, they're gonna provide the hunters with rifles to use. So wow, the suppressed decked-out rifles that they'll be able to use for that hunt. And and then the person who wins can also bring along a friend who can harvest either an antler or less elk or an either sex whitetailed deer on the ranch. It's not so it's not officially a guided hunt, and we call it a chaperone hunt. And the the bull that you'd harvest would have to be selected in a sense by the chaperone, so they'll have to you'll look over the see see what and then see what they want to harvest. But what an opportunity for you and a buddy to go out and harvest a couple animals.

SPEAKER_03 21:26

That's big time, big time, yeah. Because that that's yeah, you just don't get to do. So that is awesome. So they're gonna set you up with the really cool rifles, the the whole bang, have that chaperone, the person there with you. That's obviously probably knows right where a lot of stuff is.

unknown 21:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:47

Oh, yeah. So and they'll have and then they'll be there to help you get the critter out out of the field, obviously. And so we also got MOGA Montana Outfitters and Guides Association and Montana Outfitting Company. Donated a guided hunt, and this one's cool where they'll let the winner select which hunt they want. And this is an amazing opportunity. So you'll get to pick from either a mule deer or white tail rifle hunt. That's a three-day hunt, fully guided meals lodging for one hunter, a bull elk, or you can select a bull elk hunt and that'd be a five-day hunt, fully guided meals lodging. Or an antelope hunt for two hunters, that'd be three-day hunt guided lodging meals. Cow elk rifle hunt for two hunters. Again, fully outfitted, you know, three-day hunt, guided lodging, all that stuff. Or a varmint hunt for four hunters. That'd be a three-day, fully guided varmint hunt, including meals and lodging. They've really stepped forward. Holy smokes, I guess. Yeah, a really valuable prize package. And imagine winning this and being able just to pick what dream hunt you want to go on.

SPEAKER_03 23:00

Yeah, that's insane. And especially the lodging, the meals, the whole deal. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 23:06

Right.

SPEAKER_03 23:06

So now all they have to do to enter any of what you've just talked about so far is just take the test and take the test and then 85 or higher.

SPEAKER_02 23:16

You got a pet. Yep. 85% or higher, and then enter the raffle. Wow. And then we've got so Montana Knife Company jumped in on this. And if you haven't handled any of their blades, oh my gosh, like what a what an amazing product they have they put out. They've got a full culinary set. Just uh kind of an unbelievable opportunity. But Weatherby again, a step forward. They've they're donating a Vanguard Obsidian, so one of their real workhorse rifles. And then we talked about the Capital Sports package. That includes a Christianson rifle, Vortex Optics, Scone Glacier Pack, the Lone Mountain Bear Cooler, Kennetrek Boots, 500 sit $500 Sitka gift card and a $500 Capital Sports gift card. Wow. So yeah. I'm I gotta tell you, like I've I was blown away, just absolutely floored with the response we've gotten. And we people just we didn't some of these folks, we didn't even really have to ask them. We just told them what was going on and they uh jumped right in. So I can't thank these our our partners enough on this.

SPEAKER_03 24:28

Yeah, and as as we've been going along, you guys were seeing some of this going across the screen of the the different prizes. And if you go to the podcast description, I'm gonna have links to those sponsors, and you'll be able to take a look at it again and all that. Don't worry or think you got to take notes here. It'll all be right there on the podcast description for you. So then it doesn't cost you anything to do this, just got to take the test, score an 85 or higher. Now, as far as all these different prizes, how do you get into one or the other? Or is it just kind of on a first come, first serve, or are you in for everything, no matter what you do?

SPEAKER_02 25:09

Yeah, you're in for everything. So we'll just draw, we'll start drawing, and when we get, and we haven't that's one thing we haven't decided quite yet on when we want to close the raffle, but it'll be sometime after the first year. We'll close the raffle, we'll let and we'll let people know way in advance, and then we'll probably do one last push. Like, hey, if you want to get into this raffle, you got to get in there and take the test, and then we'll we'll draw start drawing for those prize packages from the general pools. There got there are gonna be a lot of winners this year.

SPEAKER_03 25:39

Yeah, a heck of a lot of winners and very happy winners. Now, I want to take one one more quick break here, and when we come back, uh, if you can uh maybe share a little bit about what people will see on the test. No, folks, we're not gonna give you the answers, but just to give you a little idea of that, because not only is this an opportunity to enter, but the the test is pretty cool. And it you're gonna learn some stuff too. We'll do that right after this. There would not be a podcast if it weren't for the support of great Montana-owned companies like Rocky Mountain Truck and Trailer. So if you enjoy any of these podcasts and you happen to need a new trailer for work or hauling things on your next adventure, why not go see the folks that support what you like to do? For example, you can find right now at Rocky Mountain Truck and Trailer something that all folks who love Montana's outdoors can always appreciate. And that is top-tier toughness. That's what we need here in Montana's Great Outdoors. Whether we're on the job site or the open road, headed for our favorite fishing spot. Here's what I want you to do right now. Head to Rocky Mountain Truck and Trailer either the next time you're in Missoula or right now at rmtte.com. Rocky Mountain Truck and Trailer is your dealer for baseline equipment dump trailers. You're gonna love these. What's great about anything from Baseline is everything they make is built to work as hard as you do. Baseline is a heavy-duty, high-performance trailer that hauls, dumps, and delivers no matter the load. Backed by real expertise and hometown service, you can trust. And the only place you'll find them is at Rocky Mountain Truck and Trailer, there at 568 Expressway in Missoula, or on the web at rmtte.com. As my friends at Rocky Mountain Truck and Trailer put it, baseline is basics done best. And don't forget, gang, you can also find the Diamond C Single Axle PSA Trailer. PSA stands for premium single axle trailer, by the way. And I have to tell you, premium is an understatement. The Diamond C single Axle PSA has a sleek design, rock solid frame, and unbeatable performance. The PSA is your go-to for daily hauling, whether it's at the job site or at the campsite. And you guessed it, you will only find them at Rocky Mountain Truck and Trailer, your local Diamond C single-axle PSA trailer dealer, right there at 5680 Expressway in Missoula. Or go see them at rmtte.com, Rocky Mountain Truck and Trailer, your workhard and playhard headquarters at rmtte.com. Back here on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Greg Lemon's here with me, and we're talking about this incredible price package. You guys have outdone yourselves with this, Greg. The list just blew me away. And all you have to do to enter it, so all that stuff you just heard before the break, you're in all of it. As long as you take the test and score an 85 or higher, how do you take the test? I have the link right there in the podcast description. So that's easy. You go there, do it. Talk about the test itself, Greg. What are some of the things that they get tested on and why did you guys pick those things?

SPEAKER_02 29:18

Sure. So we worked really closely with PLPW. I talked about before Ed Beale chairs that committee, and we worked really closely with them and really pulled a lot of the educational objectives from our old test to create this Hunter Landowner Stewardship Program. So we talk, we we talk to landowners, one on the east side of the state, one on the west side of the state, we talk to them about what hunter ethics, hunter behavior. We go through some ethic scenarios, we talk about hunter ethics. And one of the things I tell people is if hunters walk go through this program and they come through it with thinking about what their personal ethics are, like that's a win. Right. Because a lot of times people find themselves, good people find themselves uh making unethical decisions because things happen fast when you're in the field. That that elk you've been chasing for all afternoon suddenly right at the fence line and it's about to jump over and you feel pressured to get a shot off, there's no way that elk's gonna die on the property you're hunting on and you put yourself in a compromised position. But it happens fast. And so if we if people can just if we can just get people to think, hunters to think about stuff when they're out in the field, that's a win in my books. But so we go through a lot of that. Another thing that this came from Francis, who's our hunter ed coordinator. Francis really uh reminds us all that the safest hunters that are out there right now are the youth, the kids that have just gone through hunter safety because it's so fresh in their mind. Exactly, yeah. But the crusty old guys like you and me, we're the ones that need a little more refreshing, right? Because it's it's been so long since we've been through Hunter's Ed. And so this gives you a little some some safety stuff to think about, and it's all really good. It's not brain surgery, we're not talking about complicated issues, talking about the basics of Hunter Ed that some of us just lose sight of over the years, and so that's a lot of the stuff that's in the test and or in the program. And so it's you'll watch this, you'll watch these the series of videos, and then you'll take an exam. It's really quick and simple. And when you pass that with uh B or better, uh 85% or better, then you get you go to the next step and enter your information to uh be in the raffle.

SPEAKER_03 31:52

Okay, I've got on the screen right now the the FWP website. Do you see it there on your screen, Greg? Oh, yeah. Okay. So now let's go through it so we everybody can see how you find this. So where do I go? This is the home page here.

SPEAKER_02 32:07

So yeah, so you wanna click on Hunt. Got it. Okay, click on hunt. Okay, there's a menu there. You're gonna go down to Hunter Education, Hunter Ethics. I'm sorry. Go down to Hunter Ethics.

SPEAKER_03 32:21

Got it right there. Okay. There we are.

SPEAKER_02 32:24

There you have it.

SPEAKER_03 32:25

Yeah. So here we go. A new in 2026 protect the hunt raffle. There's all your info. And again, gang, this is in the um podcast description, so fear not. This shows you all those great prizes and all that. And then so you can look, get more information. Then we would click on start the test, but it may actually stimulate some people as far as okay, if I want to get access this and keep it, these are some of the things I'm gonna have to make sure I do.

SPEAKER_02 32:56

Yeah. No, I think that's right. And I think it's important, it's an important thing just in general for landowners to know that there's this opportunity out there. And I don't doubt that in years to come we'll have landowners that say, Hey, I want you to take this this program that FWP has before you come out and hunt my place. And that's what it's geared for. It's geared to be something that people can learn from, find value. And even if you took it last year and you entered the raffle last year, I'd take it again. Yeah. Enter the raffle again. There's no nothing that you can enter at one time this year, but there's nothing that prohibits you from entering it this year if you did it last year.

SPEAKER_03 33:37

Yeah, and you're probably gonna find and learn something new there. Now, as far as these questions on why you asked what you did, did you talk to landowners too about what you expect if you're gonna let somebody get on your place in that?

SPEAKER_02 33:50

Yeah, you bet. So the PLPW has is that we have landowners on the PLPW, and so their feedback was really critical in helping guide some of the the test questions and the subject matter content of the program. So yeah, they've been there every step of the way on refreshing this up and getting it relaunched.

SPEAKER_03 34:13

Yeah, I just think this is you guys haven't made it mandatory, but I I wouldn't be offended if you did. I just think it's good common sense. And kind of along that line, when I did that, those two podcasts about Corner Crossing, I just love our viewers and listeners to this program because a lot of them do think about it and give some great input. And in fact, one one person said couldn't we solve a lot of this by just making people take a test so that the landowners can be assured that when somebody comes knocking at their door, these people know how they need to behave and why that's important and from don't make big ruts in the when it's wet out and all that kind of stuff. Do you see that maybe as a uh possibility down the road?

SPEAKER_02 35:07

Yeah, I think it's been talked about. It's certainly one of the things that's really tricky about incentives is the the incentives is you have to make it feels like you gotta make the incentives uh significant enough that the people that you really want to take the test. Right. And there's like I said, most of the people out there, this stuff, they could answer these questions with their eyes closed. They have no problem. They understand ethics, understand personal ethics, understand hunting safety. That's the majority of hunters. And the few hunters that are out there that we really want to behave better, to not cause problems, they're unlikely to just voluntarily take a test like this or go through a program like this. So we're hoping with this incentive, as these incentives, as significant as they are, that they'll get folks like that that'll take the test. And you may be somebody that's been a problem person in the past, hasn't been ethical, hasn't had much regard for the land or the landowner, that they'll see something like this, the opportunity to win a guided hunt or uh a uh set of Maven Optics, and they'll come in and they'll take go through the course just to be entered in the raffle, and they'll a light bulb will click on it and they'll say, Oh, this is that's that's right. I need to do better here. So that's something that you know we we feel I feel like we gotta get the incentives up enough to get those people in the door, or we call it this that's the carrot, we could the other parts of the stick, that's to make it mandatory, so everybody has to do it. And that certainly is a bit something that's been discussed, and I'm not sure where that conversation is gonna land, but it's been on the table.

SPEAKER_03 36:58

Well, but also I think it it really heightens everybody's senses, especially like you say, those hunters that would probably do all this anyway, but it heightens them to say when they see something that kind of activity going on, to maybe open their mouth about it, whereas maybe they don't want to get involved before, but now they might pick up the phone and call the game warden or talk to a person and say, hey, pick that up, don't do that. I think that's a big but I also feel that there's a there's another benefit that is gonna come from this, and that is in Montana, we have seen a lot of new people move here, and with that is gonna be a certain segment of the population that has never hunted before, that is learning a lot of this, where it's all simple common sense to some of us, may not be to them. And I think this is a wonderful tool to kind of teach new people how to be a good Montana.

SPEAKER_02 38:00

Yeah, no, I agree with that. I and I think the the number of hunters in the state has been pretty steady over the years, but as a percentage of the population, it's declined. And I think you're right. I think there are more people in the state that don't hunt than probably ever before. And how we act on the landscape, how we act with new landowners, as how hunters as us as hunters act with new landowners, all has a big impact. And so I think this this subject matter is in and being refreshed on things like that is really important. I want to also say one other thing, a couple other things that are part of this program. One is, and this was legislation passed last session, but it came from the it was an idea that came from the department, which was the block management enforcement network. And so now starting this year, if you there, if landowners can voluntarily be part of a program where if you violate a rule on a block management area, then you your first uh along with whatever the crime is of uh fine or whatever, you won't be able to hunt block management the rest of the season. No matter where you're at, you won't be able to hunt block management. If you do it again, you break it, break a block management rule again, then you're banned for I think three years. If you do it for a third time, then you're banned for life. So we've the legislation, the legislators are supportive of this too. And that's certainly more of the stick side, but we it but block those block management rules, and we tell people this all the time. This is part of our protect the hunt is know the know how to get access, know what the rules are. As a hunter, you you have to treat those block management rules as the law. You're on somebody's land, their property, you have to follow their rules, whether it's the roads to access, a game to harvest, the time to sign up for access, whatever it is, you have to follow those rules. And that enforcement network is now putting the putting teeth to those rules and making it important. And then the set the other thing is a little more of the carrot. So we have, we'll do it again this year. We've done it the last two years, a thank a landowner portal. I love it, and so you yeah, and I and so we had hundreds and hundreds of hunters participate this past hunting season, and it's just a place where when you hunt private land, you can go on to the portal, you can write a note, identify where you hunted, you can upload a picture, and we'll take care of that. FW will take care of getting landowners that information, those notes and those photos in a nice hard copy letter with a note from the director. And it's just a way because it because a lot of times, especially with block management, it's you don't have a relationship necessarily with the landowner that's what you don't get to meet them, yeah. But we still as hunters, I still appreciate that opportunity, and we want to give hunters a way to connect those dots and landowners a way to feel the gratitude that hunters have for the opportunity they're being given.

SPEAKER_00 41:28

I was on leave from the Army. I only had a little over a week to hunt with my two dogs, and the opportunity that was given to me to do so on this beautiful property was beyond measure. I had a successful hunt with my two dogs, and will always be thankful for the opportunity to hunt. Time is limited when in the military, and the opportunity to come back home and have a place that is available with game is spectacular. I'm so thankful to the landowners and their involvement in the block management program. Much thanks and appreciation for your involvement. Well, first of all, I'd like to thank you for your service, and uh this is nice, and and uh somebody that has a limited amount of time, like you mentioned, uh that that's good. I'm I'm glad that you know Montana's a big state, and it's a lot of there should be a lot of room to uh you know to hunt and and uh chase birds, chase deer, chase elk, whatever they're chasing.

SPEAKER_02 42:44

Like I said, there's different components, right? So there's the stick component with enhanced penalties for breaking block management rules, and there's the carrot component with this, an education component with this, with our Protect the Hunt and Hunter Landowner Stewardship program. And then the the real uh icing on the cake is let's think a landowner portal. So I feel like our I feel like that's something that's been evolved. You asked that earlier, what has changed? I think that's been something that's evolved is to have a program, the Protect the Hunt program, that really is a full program, has a lot of different components to it to try to be effective.

SPEAKER_03 43:27

And if I'm not mistaken, wasn't it like a thousand people or something like that that that participated in the Thank uh Landowner program?

SPEAKER_02 43:36

Oh, yeah. That's huge. Yeah, it's been yeah, and it's growing every year. It was that was two years ago. Last year was bigger than that. I don't have the numbers on me, but yeah, it's been really popular.

SPEAKER_03 43:48

And that really shows these landowners just how appreciative everybody is. And so I uh you'll also in that podcast description there'll be a link to that so you'll know how to find it. Boy, all you have to Participate in that. That makes a big difference. And it kind of helps make sure we continue to get that access, right?

SPEAKER_02 44:08

Yeah. And our think a Lanor portal will be open as we get close to hunting season. Yes, no. But that web it'll be yeah. But that website that you brought up, it'll all be there.

SPEAKER_03 44:20

So all that's going to be on the same place. And do participate in that one and share your stories. I love some of the stories that I've seen of the somebody taking their son or daughter out for the first time. And those things. That's just a whole set of insight that the landowner never gets to see that now they do. That's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_02 44:41

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:42

Greg, before we go, is there any other things that you want to share with us about this program and where it's going this year?

SPEAKER_02 44:50

I think we've covered a lot of it, but I just would emphasize that the agency, FWP, has been really focused on that hunter-landowner relationship. And that's why we're putting the emphasis that we are on education, on these sort of incentives, and also on developing the Thank a Landowner Portal, giving hunters an opportunity. We say gratitude goes a long way, and we believe it does. And so just there's sometimes whatever the topic is, people the temperatures get elevated all the time, and whether it's access or corner crossing or whatever. But I I guess I'd want your listeners to know that the that the department is dedicated to staying engaged in this conversation on how to improve on our landowner relations, how to make it better for landowners and better for hunters, and finding ways to bridge that gap that sometimes seems a little a little too far to get across.

SPEAKER_03 45:55

And I really think it helps erase that the very wrong impression that some people have out there that, well, the FWP doesn't really understand what a real hunter is. That's bull. I've heard that and seen that a few times. And so that's why I don't give any public comment. That makes no sense to me. Tell us about it. So speaking of that, and then I'll let you go. If somebody has a comment or maybe a question about now, how does this block management thing work? Or hey, I got an idea about this or that. Give us some advice as far as the best way to convey that to the FWP.

SPEAKER_02 46:33

Yeah, so they can reach anybody can reach out to me directly on to my email is G-L E M O N at M T.gov. You can call me 406-444-4038. Or another avenue is to reach out to your commissioner. Every region in the state has a commissioner. Their information is on our website. Reach out to your commissioner directly and talk to them. But really, any any way to get to the department will work. And I'm happy for people to reach out directly.

SPEAKER_03 47:08

Yeah. Yeah. And do that because they're wide open to ideas. That's why Greg comes on programs like this. That's why we do what we do. So I really hope everyone will continue to participate in it. And right there in the podcast description is a link right there that says questions for Greg. You just click it and boom, the your email program opens up and you can type him an email right there. So real easy to do. And use it because I I think it's great stuff. But this price package is awesome. Thanks to all the sponsors and people that took part in this year. This is wonderful. And I really think people are gonna have some fun with it. You think the drawing will be what sometime earlier mid next year then?

SPEAKER_02 47:55

Or probably early next year, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 47:57

Early next year. All right. So, and that's the other thing is they're probably gonna cut it off sometime after the new year. So you sure and do this.

SPEAKER_02 48:06

Yeah, get it done now.

SPEAKER_03 48:07

Yeah, get it done and going. How last one I forgot about, but I wanted to ask you about how is it looking for space and availability for Hunter Zed? It's a big one that unfortunately I always get about three emails a year, three or four of dang it, we missed it. We put it off and put it off, and now I can't get Johnny into Hunter Z. Is a lot of that open now? Can kids start getting involved in Hunter Zed?

SPEAKER_02 48:33

Yeah, so we're coming. This is a bit this is our busy time of year. We're trying to get as many classes through as we can. We're trying to get as many field days scheduled for online students as we can. We have we're coming to about the end of a full year with our new education technicians that are out in the regions that are giving us a hand on these field days and classes. So if you have a child or a person or you're a person that needs to get through Hunter's Ed, particularly if you're under 18, yeah, get that going now. You can sign up for the online course whenever, but you can't sign up for a field day until you complete that online course. I just went through it with my youngest this year, and I he went through the online course and then an in-person field day, and but took a little bit. There's a lot in that course. That online course is pretty robust. But do that or sign up for an in-person class, our volunteer instructors are just unbelievable. And if you have the time to get through an in-person class, I highly recommend it.

SPEAKER_03 49:39

Yeah, and know your kids. Some kids do a way better in a classroom setting where they're talking with the instructor, and some are fine with doing it online. But we saw that during COVID. Some kids just don't retain. And so be honest with yourself. If they're not going to retain it, then you probably should do the class. Yeah. But yeah, anyway, that's great. So I hope everyone will get involved in that. Now, also, you guys started the apprentice program for trapping now, too, right?

SPEAKER_02 50:08

Yeah, we did. So that's in place now, and it mirrors the apprentice program for hunting. The the trapping program is really targeted at adult trappers because the way the law changed, it left some of our adult trappers high and dry. And so that gives them an opportunity to trap with a mentor until they're able to go get through the trapper education course.

SPEAKER_03 50:33

Yeah, it's a good one. And I think it's a fantastic idea because there's a lot to that. There's a lot to trapping that you gotta know. And learning from some of these masters, and the one thing I've know about trappers, and we've had a lot of them on this program, they are always wide open to saying, Yeah, I'll help you. What tell me what you need to know? So that's a that's a they're great people to learn from. So yeah, good one there. All right, Greg. If you got anything else, say it now, or we're gonna get out and start registering for all these awesome prizes.

SPEAKER_02 51:06

Yeah, great. Go do it. Thanks, Dale, for having me on.

SPEAKER_03 51:09

You bet. Greg Lemmon, everyone, thank you so much again, Greg, for taking the time. I know you're busy, but this is great stuff. So there you have it, folks. That's all you gotta do. It's a pretty simple thing. Just go online, take the test, and boom, you're entered for all that cool stuff. I cannot wait to hear from some of the winners next year on when they find out what they won and all that. That there's just some prizes that are once-in-a-lifetime kind of experiences. So I hope you do it. If you got any questions, as I said, Greg's email's there, mine's there. Be sure and jump into it. And so, until we talk again, folks, be safe out there and be good to each other. And we'll see you next time on the Montana Outdoor Podcast.

SPEAKER_01 51:53

Thanks for watching the Montana Outdoor Podcast. You know, there's no way we could do this podcast without the incredible support of sponsors like Superior Hardwoods of Montana, home of the largest selection of in-stock, high-end wood products and flooring in the western United States. Let them guide you through the woods at superior-hardwoods.com. And of course, Rocky Mountain Truck and Trailer in Missoula, home of boss no plows and accessories, and Diamond C trailers and accessories. Go see them on the web at rmtte.com. We'd love to hear what you thought of this week's podcast. When you get a minute or two, shoot us an email and tell us your thoughts. Same goes if you have any questions for Rigor or this week's guest. Just send your questions or comments to Downrigger at MontanaOutdoor.com. Hey, don't forget we should be dropping a new podcast this next Saturday. Until then, gang, we hope to see you soon out in Montana's great outdoors.