2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 87. Fish and Wildlife › Chapter 1. Organization and Operation › Part 3. Fish and Wildlife Commission › 87-1-303. Rules for use of lands and waters

87-1-303. Rules for use of lands and waters.
(1) Except as provided in 23-1-111, 87-1-301(6), and subsection (3) of this section, the commission may adopt and enforce rules governing uses of lands that are acquired or held under easement by the commission or lands that it operates under agreement with or in conjunction with a federal or state agency or private owner. The rules must be adopted in the interest of public health, public safety, and protection of property in regulating the use of these lands. All lease and easement agreements must itemize uses as listed in 87-1-209.
(2) Except as provided in 87-1-301(6), the commission may adopt and enforce rules governing recreational uses of all public fishing reservoirs, public lakes, rivers, and streams that are legally accessible to the public or on reservoirs and lakes that it operates under agreement with or in conjunction with a federal or state agency or private owner. These rules must be adopted in the interest of public health, public safety, public welfare, and protection of property and public resources in regulating swimming, hunting, fishing, trapping, boating, including but not limited to boating speed regulations, the operation of motor-driven boats, the operation of personal watercraft, the resolution of conflicts between users of motorized and nonmotorized boats, waterskiing, surfboarding, picnicking, camping, sanitation, and use of firearms on the reservoirs, lakes, rivers, and streams or at designated areas along the shore of the reservoirs, lakes, rivers, and streams. Areas regulated pursuant to the authority contained in this section must be areas that are legally accessible to the public. These rules are subject to review and approval by the department of public health and human services with regard to issues of public health and sanitation before becoming effective. Copies of the rules must show that endorsement.
(3) (a) The commission may not regulate or classify domestic livestock trailing as a commercial activity or commercial use that is subject to licensing, permitting, or fee requirements. Domestic livestock trailing on land owned or controlled by the department is exempt from the requirements of Title 75, chapter 1, parts 1 through 3.
(b) The commission may authorize domestic livestock trailing across land owned or controlled by the department that is designated as a wildlife management area. The commission may adopt rules governing the timing of and the route to be used for domestic livestock trailing activities to the extent that the rules are necessary both to enable the trailing of domestic livestock across the designated wildlife management area and to protect and enhance state lands. The rules may not:
(i) require a fee for domestic livestock trailing or related activities; or
(ii) prohibit or unreasonably interfere with domestic livestock trailing activities.
(4) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(a) "Domestic livestock" means domestic animals kept for farm and ranch purposes, including but not limited to horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and dogs.
(b) "Domestic livestock trailing" means the entering upon and crossing of department lands and the use of the lands for forage by domestic livestock for a maximum of 96 consecutive hours.
History: En. 26-104.9 by Sec. 10, Ch. 511, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 332, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 26-104.9; amd. Sec. 486, Ch. 418, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 560, Ch. 546, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 569, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 254, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 370, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 30, Ch. 235, L. 2013; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 349, L. 2017.