Did anyone 'Corner Cross' this year while hunting?

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Just because LEO says it's illegal doesn't mean it is. I've had two encounters where LEO tried to pull some shit with me and in the end that didn't fly and they were wrong... in one case I got a phone call and grovelling apology as well.

Back to the topic from OP, no I didn't corner cross and I had a place I really wanted to access which I could have with a corner cross but I'm still leery of dealing with arguments and potential hassles. It's a shame because we should all be able to access lands that are "public".


This^
I did the same last year. Not because I didn't think I would be in the wrong but because I didn't want to waste valuable hunting time dealing with some jackass entitled landowner.
 
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It is illegal in MT. And you must have permission to hunt private land in MT whether it is posted or not. This is stated in the hunting regulations.

That is what you get from a majority Republican state legislature made up of many wealthy landowners. Private land rights are paramount. Good for 2A and other conservative causes, BAD for anything public hunting related. If it doesn't end in some sort of revenue stream, they aren't going for it. Some have been trying to kill stream access for as long as I've been alive (45 years).

Jeremy
Wrong (the first sentence)
 
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Titan_Bow

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When I was researching some spots this year in Wyoming, I found this 10,000 acre piece of public that was completely boxed in by a few thousand acres total of private. I looked up the private landowner and found their ranches website. They were proud of the their 15,000 acre ranch where they offer guided hunts…. It’s very frustrating, I feel if you as a private land owner get to completely control and limit access to public property, thereby defacto having that land as basically yours, then you should have to pay the property taxes on it al least. Or maybe in lieu of that, offer an access easement. It’s really just welfare to landowners in many cases, allowing them to double or triple their land mass without paying for it


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Taxes would be a bad idea. Farmers and ranchers pay penny’s in property tax, and then that would give them that much more pull as “owner” of said lands.

The government (the voting public) needs to force in easements down section lines.
 

2ski

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Thought it was said it's not trespassing if it's not posted???
You can't drive on anyone's land. You can walk on it, if it's not posted.

That said, if you have a gun, one can make the argument that you're hunting. So walking or driving across someone's land with a gun leaves it open for someone to say you were hunting. You trespass while hunting I'm pretty sure you lose your hunting license for a period though don't quote me on it.
 

mnhoundman

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You can't drive on anyone's land. You can walk on it, if it's not posted.

That said, if you have a gun, one can make the argument that you're hunting. So walking or driving across someone's land with a gun leaves it open for someone to say you were hunting. You trespass while hunting I'm pretty sure you lose your hunting license for a period though don't quote me on it.
Gotcha, thanks!
 

jrypka

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I didn't. As much as I love public land, I want people to respect my private land, so to this point I haven't tried it. The whole 'do unto others' thing. Though the argument that says it's illegal is pretty damn weak IMO.
 

Wrench

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My dad's place has a corner that makes a checkerboard with BLM. Dad isn't fond of hunters, but I am the one who makes contact with people.

I don't have any issues with guys hitting the BLM ground via the corner, but I do not want to have to fix our fence to provide access.

Our neighbor who makes the rest of the checkerboard will happily send the warden up your azz.

I'd personally be fine with easements....but don't feel we should donate property to create them....and given the cost to survey and fence, we aren't going to write that check again.
 

manitou1

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When I was researching some spots this year in Wyoming, I found this 10,000 acre piece of public that was completely boxed in by a few thousand acres total of private. I looked up the private landowner and found their ranches website. They were proud of the their 15,000 acre ranch where they offer guided hunts…. It’s very frustrating, I feel if you as a private land owner get to completely control and limit access to public property, thereby defacto having that land as basically yours, then you should have to pay the property taxes on it al least. Or maybe in lieu of that, offer an access easement. It’s really just welfare to landowners in many cases, allowing them to double or triple their land mass without paying for it


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That, my friend, is why landowners become politicians here in WY. They make the rules to suit their pocket book.
 

Rich M

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I think it has yet to be seen if we can access our land. Isn't that what this thread is about?

And in fact who gets which "rights" to the land is decided all the time. Google "realty bundle of sticks" sometime.
I used to own land. Bought it for the sole reason of hunting on it. Couldn’t keep the local sheriff’s kinfolk off there. Call LEO get 0 results. Not worth owning recreational land if others are gonna moich off it. Sold land made money but regrettably no longer own hunting land. Have no regard for trespassers. “Get off my lawn” comes to mind. LoL

Maybe the corner crew can get a real law passed regarding access that removes all doubt. Until then, anyone can give it a go and see what happens. Roll the dice? Sure a leasing outfitter or landowner will help folks find out.
 

Rich M

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So at what point do the citizens of the U.S. get to ask for compensation for the free use of our land by all those who have it landlocked? That's just as legitimate an argument as having to pay landowners for easements.
Most of those lands have grazing easements, do they not? Would the land be considered paid for if that was true?

The politicians are either funded by the rich guys or they are the rich guys. Tough nut to crack.
 
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Most of those lands have grazing easements, do they not? Would the land be considered paid for if that was true?

The politicians are either funded by the rich guys or they are the rich guys. Tough nut to crack.
If grazing access was the only privilege they had for their lease money then yes. But of course we all know they have exclusive access that includes hunting rights, so no.

You're spot on about the politicians though. Across the board. Every politician is in someone's pocket.
 
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I'll add that around here, where EVERYTHING is leased, grazers don't automatically get hunting rights. In fact they rarely do. Both are leased separately and the landowner profits from both. That is one reason I no longer have a deer lease. Because I had no control over the livestock or when the livestock owner came and went.
 

204guy

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I used to own land. Bought it for the sole reason of hunting on it. Couldn’t keep the local sheriff’s kinfolk off there. Call LEO get 0 results. Not worth owning recreational land if others are gonna moich off it. Sold land made money but regrettably no longer own hunting land. Have no regard for trespassers. “Get off my lawn” comes to mind. LoL

Maybe the corner crew can get a real law passed regarding access that removes all doubt. Until then, anyone can give it a go and see what happens. Roll the dice? Sure a leasing outfitter or landowner will help folks find out.
I don’t really have an opinion about issues in the Everglades because I don’t live in Florida and I’m not knowledgeable about them. Though on second thought I have been to Florida twice in my life so in Internet forum terms I’m an expert.
 

Rich M

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I don’t really have an opinion about issues in the Everglades because I don’t live in Florida and I’m not knowledgeable about them. Though on second thought I have been to Florida twice in my life so in Internet forum terms I’m an expert.
You’re allowed an opinion. You can talk about whatever you like and tell us we’re whiners. Perfectly fine. Folks from across the country provide input into the Everglades.

The main reason it took me >45 yrs to hunt out west was trespass issues. Had been impressed the it was a big deal and NR would get arrested for stepping over a property line that may or may not be fenced. Been reading about that kind of stuff since 1978.

OnX fixed it and i went. So has everyone else. We’re pretty careful about staying on the correct side of the line and want to.
 

Geewhiz

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I've got a question for all of you savvy folks, that I have not seen addressed.

Pertaining to accessing landlocked or otherwise inaccessible lands. Lets say you have a piece of state or national forest that is landlocked by private. Lets say there is a private road that is often used by an adjacent landowner to "check cows/water" or "resupply salt blocks" that begins on adjacent private land and then proceeds to continue across and/or through the public property. Theoretically, when that road enters the public piece of property, does it become a public roadway, assuming access could be legally obtained? Or is that road way somehow still considered a private road even when traversing public property?


If the roadway is not a public roadway, then why the H do the adjacent landowners get to access it whenever they want for whatever reason they want?


Were talking about Montana here.
 
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