Corner crossing case

[Ol' Red]

Yes. My uncle tried to make a system for hunters to use his land. Turned into a **** show. He put a flag on the access gate. Flag up, someone is already in. Flag down, you can hunt. Put the flag up or down on your way in our out. Had people leaving trash, cut his fence, (next to the gate!), And the final straw was a man at his door yelling at his wife demanding that the land was "his" hunting spot and no one else should be allowed to hunt there. After that he just posted the place no hunting.

Unfortunately the few trash hunters ruin it for the rest. I don't blame landowners for not wanting people to hunt. I do have a problem when they try to keep hunters off public land and when they internationally harbor elk herds on their land and do not allow hunting.

I know a lot of ranchers here in Wyoming. Most don't allow hunters without a ranch hand in escort. I sort of took offense to that at first, thinking they did not trust my skills. After hearing of cattle and horses being shot, roads torn up etc. I understood. Of course this costs money and time for the rancher and the hired hand. But I have seen some ranchers that block public roads and post property that they don't own to keep hunters off of public lands. There should be laws enforced on both sides. I am glad to see this finally getting some attention in court.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Yes. My uncle tried to make a system for hunters to use his land. Turned into a **** show. He put a flag on the access gate. Flag up, someone is already in. Flag down, you can hunt. Put the flag up or down on your way in our out. Had people leaving trash, cut his fence, (next to the gate!), And the final straw was a man at his door yelling at his wife demanding that the land was "his" hunting spot and no one else should be allowed to hunt there. After that he just posted the place no hunting.

Unfortunately the few trash hunters ruin it for the rest. I don't blame landowners for not wanting people to hunt. I do have a problem when they try to keep hunters off public land and when they internationally harbor elk herds on their land and do not allow hunting.

Then the land owner complain about the elk and deer eating up all their grass. I have watch several times the elk one side of a fence and us on the other. Not able to get the elk off the owner property. I kind of feel that maybe, if the rancher won't allow the elk to be hunted, then they can't be compensated for damage to their land. There is some rules in Montana, but I don't know just how much it's enforced on the amount of animals per acre. I know the Tunner said one thing and did something else. I don't know of the outcome, and this was years ago.
Drones: No allow during hunting season in Montana, and should be laws about flying over people property.
I can't say enough about trash hunter's and what they do. I keep an eye out for that. Now with location app's on your cell phone, you find out who owns the property. and let them know what you saw, licenses plates, and be willing to make a statement.
I go into cowboy camps and talk to them. Find out what gates they want to keep close or open. They can supply a lot of info on what around or Griz bears around.
So their's a lot that can be done on both sides.

 

[Ol' Red]

Then the land owner complain about the elk and deer eating up all their grass. I have watch several times the elk one side of a fence and us on the other. Not able to get the elk off the owner property. I kind of feel that maybe, if the rancher won't allow the elk to be hunted, then they can't be compensated for damage to their land. There is some rules in Montana, but I don't know just how much it's enforced on the amount of animals per acre. I know the Tunner said one thing and did something else. I don't know of the outcome, and this was years ago.
Drones: No allow during hunting season in Montana, and should be laws about flying over people property.
I can't say enough about trash hunter's and what they do. I keep an eye out for that. Now with location app's on your cell phone, you find out who owns the property. and let them know what you saw, licenses plates, and be willing to make a statement.
I go into cowboy camps and talk to them. Find out what gates they want to keep close or open. They can supply a lot of info on what around or Griz bears around.
So their's a lot that can be done on both sides.

I agree 100 percent with you. Certainly about the no hunters allowed, then no compensation for grass and hay being eaten by wildlife.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I agree 100 percent with you. Certainly about the no hunters allowed, then no compensation for grass and hay being eaten by wildlife.

Then they let in three hunters so they can still claim crop damage. Scam!

 

[Mike Matteson]

Then they let in three hunters so they can still claim crop damage. Scam!

I guess there would be a little more work on how to set that up. I can see where you are coming from.

 

[Muddyboots]

The simple thing we can ALL do is pick up trash when leaving or even out on the land. My son and I carry grocery bags we grab trash as we go on public land. Came out after dark one night, 2 CO's at truck. I opened back of truck and we tossed the trash collected into back. CO asked what are we doing? Said picking up after slobs. They looked at each other, said have a great night, here's my card if you need anything. Never asked for licenses.

I will bet if we make effort to pick up what we can it will be recognized and invoke change. Of course if trash is a 1937 Chevy truck or refrigerator prob not gonna work.

 

[Sockeye66]

FWP weighed in on the situation.

 

[FlGunner]

FWP weighed in on the situation.

I imagine that a lawsuit will be in the works from the public land users.

 

[jessej]

I called a BLM office yesterday and discussed this and the fly in subject.
VERY informative. They stand with the public on these 2 subjects. From what he told me, I expect the helicopter businesses will be getting very busy soon.
I'm already planning my trip.

I'm afraid that Fred Eshelman may have p\$$ed in the cheerios of a lot of rancher/land owners on this deal.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I imagine that a lawsuit will be in the works from the public land users.

Long time coming. Kind of has to happen, I guess. Good news is there is president now.

 

[FlGunner]

Long time coming. Kind of has to happen, I guess. Good news is there is president now.

It's complicated but ultimately the public is going to win it. Land owners like the guy in Wyoming want control because of how much it's going to devalue their land and authority when easement is granted and the acreage of a massive place is cut by whatever amount of acreage is public and then accessible. But what he should have done was not be so greedy to control what wasn't his to begin with. I think those land owners who own checkerboard parcels would be smart to try and broker a land swap with the state/government to keep their land all one piece and I'm sure if they were willing to do that they'd come out ahead. Until then hopefully folks will play by the rules and follow the law. It'll all work out.

 

[Montana'eer]

FWP weighed in on the situation.

No offense to anyone's political affiliations but FWP IS politicized and large landowner interests are at play because of $$. Our Governor is a large landowner and has been accused in the past of being a tad aggressive with access close to his holdings.

 

[PBramble]

No offense to anyone's political affiliations but FWP IS politicized and large landowner interests are at play because of $$. Our Governor is a large landowner and has been accused in the past of being a tad aggressive with access close to his holdings.

then remove him

 

[choprzrul]

That is good news. There should be a common sense solution to access to public land. The hard part is determining the air space above the private land. Roads that were traditionally used to cross private land for access to public land and then closed when the land is sold now locking the public out of the public land is also troubling. Someday we will all have hover boards and not touch the private land. That also doesn't give anyone the right to hover around someone's property and claim no damage was done because you didn't touch it.

I think there should be easements granted to the public for access to public lands at logical points of access. This should be able to be done on a case by case basis. Considering all the money we waste, I think we could afford to install permanent ladders at corners and proper gates and cattle guards at road crossing access points.

There should be a mandatory 20' easement at the corner of every public land checkerboard....a 10' triangle of permanent easement on each private land corner. Blanket federal law to establish