Tribal Land Trespass Fee?

[ewade07]

Does anyone know if there is a way to obtain access to tribal lands (to walk across) in order to access public lands in Montana? Anyone have any experience with this?

 

[rmrwade]

yes, just contact tribal fish and game and get their permits. some do it online and others are in person only and can be difficult to catch in the office.

 

[bobr1]

Not sure exactly, most of the tribes have a recreation and hunting website. You may be able to contact them and see.

 

[Wingnutty]

It will greatly depend on the reservation and tribe.

 

[Marmots]

Tribal permits usually work the same as a state fishing license, and you get the lm the same way. There's usually an online portal, or you can buy them at sportsman oriented stores and gas stations in the area.

 

[goodgrouper]

For the Salish Kootenai tribal use permits in the Flathead you just get them at any license provider, a lot of controversy over the price hike last year. Everything went up ant least 400%.

 

[Marmots]

For the Salish Kootenai tribal use permits in the Flathead you just get them at any license provider, a lot of controversy over the price hike last year. Everything went up ant least 400%.

That's nuts, I remember paying something like $20 during the three years I lived on the rez. I guess the story is that the Missoula crowd discovered the place during COVID and use skyrocketed.

 

[S-3 ranch]

It will greatly depend on the reservation and tribe.

My uncle lived in St Ignasis Mt and a flathead permit is mandatory if you want to hunt or fish in that part of Montana
and can be obtained @ reservations F&G to access mission mountain wilderness

 

[goodgrouper]

I grew up in Polson and a lot of my family still lives there. They have to have these permits even though they are residents. Non tribal. $200 for a use permit, camping permit, and separate camp fire permit. That’s an expensive overnighter.

 

[ewade07]

Well, i just called the tribal headqurters and i was told that i do not need to purchase any sort of permit or trespass fee to cross tribal lands to get to public, as long as all i am doing is walking through i was told i am in the clear. Still makes me leery....

 

[WCB]

Well, i just called the tribal headqurters and i was told that i do not need to purchase any sort of permit or trespass fee to cross tribal lands to get to public, as long as all i am doing is walking through i was told i am in the clear. Still makes me leery....

I'll start a go fund me right now for you....

 

[ewade07]

I'll start a go fund me right now for you....

Yea. I find it hard to believe what she said. Definitely going to have to do some more digging.

 

[Marmots]

Well, i just called the tribal headqurters and i was told that i do not need to purchase any sort of permit or trespass fee to cross tribal lands to get to public, as long as all i am doing is walking through i was told i am in the clear. Still makes me leery....

If it's the Flathead reservation, that's reasonable and consistent with what I experienced. The only time I ever heard of a permit getting checked or a ticket get written was when a lady I worked for parked her horse trailer on tribal land and was running through a dressage routine.

I got stopped by tribal enforcement twice between 2012 and 2015. In one case the officer asked me if I had seen a missing kid, in the other case they stopped me to ask if I had seen a fire in the drainage I was hiking out of. They didn't check my permit or license in either case, and I am clearly not a tribal member and was loaded down with camping and fishing gear.

 

[Legend]

The fee can really depend on the officer.

Two friends of mine were hunting near the Fort Peck reservation, not on the reservation. They were stopped by 2 tribal wardens, yes the wardens were trespassing on deeded land.

The wardens took both of their shotguns. Claimed they needed permits as this was their land. BUT if the each gave them $200 they would give them their guns back and forget the made up violation. One buddy paid them and the other spent 2 years trying to get his shotgun back.

I am sure this is the exception but black and white does not always exist when working with the tribes.

 

[mtblackdog]

Meh as someone who grew up on and around rez's. Walk away. Ive even got rez tickets for speeding and such and tore them up and threw them out the window. Until a county sherriff, state warden, Hi po or FBI show up. And 99,9% of the time thats not gonns happen for walking across rez land. I had a crow warden threaten to take our guns while pheasant hunting on private land on the rez. I told him to get lost or call a higher authority. He left. Tribal tickets have no bearing until one of those other entities are called in unless your a member.