NEW- MT access question

[Bullzeyez61]

Hello everybody i am new to this site and am looking for some advice. I am E scouting Montana for this year hopefully i draw a general tag and can make my first trip out there and spend some time learning new country and tactics. My question is i see a lot of secluded BLM land parcels that do not have established roads leading to them but there are two tracks on ONX that lead into the parcel through private land from an established road. Are these two tracks i see considered legal roads to drive through to reach public grounds? I am having a hard time finding clear and concise laws and regulations in the handbook of weather or now they are legal to use. so far i think they are legal unless stated no trespassing or private road at the beginning of the two track. thanks for any help i can get.

 

[WI in the west]

i think generally it has to be a publicly maintained road almost everywhere. I wanna say almost never is a two track on private legal for anyone tk go driving down but im curious to here answers from actual montana people to know for sure

 

[jolemons]

Your only answer will only come from a county road map. Generally, a two track across private would be an indicator of a private road. There is a lot of landlocked public land in Montana that the surrounding landowners access, hence the two tracks.

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[Legend]

You are best off to get a road map from BLM. A lot of the two tracks people drive are not legal but are rarely enforced so it becomes quite annoying.

 

[Bullzeyez61]

thank you all for your reply's that is the answers i was thinking i was going to get. i have seen a few two tracks that are labeled BLM ACCESS ERASMENT and figured those ones are the legal access while all the other two tracks not labeled as a easement were private land access only. thanks again

 

[neil.hansford]

If you're talking about the two tracks represented by the double dotted line on OnX, yeah, most of those are private that go through private land. You generally can't use them to access landlocked public. There are exceptions I'm sure, but I'd plan on not using them unless a county map says you can.

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[Adam Gibbs]

I've found those access easements. Some are truly there and marked as opm, some are posted as private. Whether there really is an easement or not in those cases I couldn't tell you. We didn't chance it.

We did see forest service guys out there enforcing illegal off road use on NF and posting established two tracks that were not legal for travel.

Figure out what county you are going to be in and save the map to your phone. Use the BLM maps and forest service maps. You'll quickly be able to see what is legal and what isn't. Do not trust OnX in this regard. Where we were, everything private was very heavily posted. You really couldn't screw it up.

 

[MT257]

Just an FYI on the BLM two tracks you see. Some may be open at only certain times of the year as well.

 

[mtwarden]

The road needs to be a public road, ie a county road; "two tracks" that go through private are no go

If there is access through the private, the BLM will mark it as such with a sign.

As a few have posted above, even if the county road goes through BLM giving you legal access- you might not be able to legally drive those two track BLM roads.

 

[Bullzeyez61]

Thank you all for your input i really do appreciate it.

 

[Rangerpants]

Not sure what counties you are looking at, but I found some interactive maps on the Montana DOT website for my trip last year. I don't have them readily accessible, or I would link them for you. Unless it's a forest service road signed as such, a posted BLM road, or a county road, I wouldn't risk it.

I really had to do some digging to find the right maps of the county roads. Good luck finding what you need!

 

[WCB]

Don't bank on property or roads/two tracks being posted in MT. YOU are responsible to know where you are at. MT land does not have to be posted. Unless it is a county road or is marked as a public access point stay off. Easiest way to figure the exact spots you are looking at is to contact the BLM field office get their maps and ask specifics.

 

[Rangerpants]

My mistake, by posted as such, I also meant marked as such on maps, but I didn't make myself clear at all. Sorry! BLM and Forest Service maps are pretty good about showing road ownership, but aren't always totally clear. I erred on the side of caution as I did not want to accidentally trespass on a private road.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

I don't think you replace boots on the ground. Just can't. I was floored being blocked out of access to State land in central Montana for Antelope. Beautiful road. Huge cattleguard and gate at property boundary stating landowner and guest access beyond that point only.

 

[PRC_GUY]

Welcome!

Keep your wallet aside from forum, be aware of scammers.

 

[Bullzeyez61]

I have had a number of people tell me that a non resident can not hunt on national forest lands in Montana unless they are accompanied by a MT resident or a guide. I can not find anything about this when I read over the MT hunting regulations. does anybody have clarification on this?

Thanks again.

 

[bsnedeker]

I have had a number of people tell me that a non resident can not hunt on national forest lands in Montana unless they are accompanied by a MT resident or a guide. I can not find anything about this when I read over the MT hunting regulations. does anybody have clarification on this?

Thanks again.

I'm so tempted to mess with you on this, but it's good Friday!

There is no such rule, that is utter nonsense.

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[Bullzeyez61]

haha thank you

 

[Patterbuilt]

Had a place much like that that I wanted to hunt. Road into it looked awesome. Got ran off by landowners after dirty looks. Can’t blame em I guess, I get a bit protective of my cropland… Anyway, after visiting with the kid working the ranger station I learn that his family rents the adjacent ground and runs hunters there (and on the state land as well) Oh well, I’m just a nonresident Sounds like ya can’t hunt it bud

 

[mahnster]

I have had a number of people tell me that a non resident can not hunt on national forest lands in Montana unless they are accompanied by a MT resident or a guide. I can not find anything about this when I read over the MT hunting regulations. does anybody have clarification on this?

Thanks again.

Might be thinking of the Wyoming and the wilderness restrictions. Not the case in Montana.