87-1-227. Hunting rights on adjoining federal wildlife preserve. (1) The department shall negotiate for and enter into written agreements with owners, lessors, lessees, or others having control of areas, tracts, or parcels of land adjoining or contiguous to any United States federal wildlife preserve, including any wildlife refuge for migratory waterfowl in any section of Montana, for the purpose of securing equal hunting and shooting rights for all resident holders of fish and game licenses in Montana on such adjoining and contiguous lands and preventing such preserves from being surrounded by lands whereon such licensees may not enter. The department shall, further, open or cause to be opened to public hunting and shooting of migratory waterfowl on any roads, lanes, and trails not a part of the traveled portion of any federal-aid highway system within a 1-mile limit from the boundaries of any such preserve or refuge. The department shall cause any such area, tract, road, lane, or trail to be plainly posted with clear signs showing the boundaries of the areas, tracts, roads, lanes, or trails open to shooting and hunting by licensees.

(2) The department is hereby authorized to negotiate the payment of a reasonable sum to landowners, lessors, or lessees for the right of the department to create a public shooting area upon their lands. The amount that may be paid for such purpose shall rest in the discretion of the department.

History: En. Secs. 1, 2, Ch. 224, L. 1943; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 417, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 26-1120, 26-1121.