Largest Private Western Land Owners Controlling Huge Amounts Of Public Land

[5MilesBack]

So you have a problem with not having access to this public land apparently. I can see two quick solutions that would make more access to these lands but I have a feeling you'd still have a problem with those horrible billionaire landowners.

Solution one: the landowner leases access through his private property to an outfitter that can then take clients hunting on the public land.

Solution two: the landowner gives access through his private property to the public via trespass fees to hunt said public property.

So be honest........would these be acceptable to you to solve your disdain for these landowners, or would you still have a problem because these evil landowners are getting $$$$$? I'm thinking you have a problem with the money aspect even though you think you're a capitalist. You probably hate that landowners can sell landowner vouchers too.

Personally, I wouldn't do either option.....as people just don't appreciate private property.

 

[elkliver]

Let’s make a list of all the Largest western states land owners who are also controlling vast amounts of our public lands. Mainly interested in the landowners who are tying up our public lands for their own personal gains and private hunting for their families, business associates, and friends. Let’s compile a list of total acres , private acres , public acres controlled . Also comment if these land barons allow the public on their public controlled lands. Name the landowners and the family they are associated with and other known land holdings they have in all western states.Many of these landowners and families are some of the greediest , self absorbed people in the USA.
I will start out with one ranch I am familiar with that has over 20% of its land that is public.
I think a movement needs to be started to free up these public lands for hunting, and not just cow elk.

1) Stan Kroenke - Married into the Wal~Mart family
Q Creek Ranch Wyoming - total acreage 550,000 acres
Over 100,000 acres of this ranch is public land and does not allow public hunting or access

Q Creek does allow public access if you apply for it. Hunting access programs. Or at least they used to. I have hunted it around Hanna WY

 

[CJ19]

Sorry you can’t keep up. I am not whining. I made a few points and one of them was that these are public lands and contrary to your beliefs I don’t agree that somebody should have to hire a pilot to access these lands where legal and I am of the belief that not all states allow you to access to hunt via a helicopter. I also don’t believe that the governments should step in and require them to allow access through their private land. However I am not opposed to calling out some of the giant swaths of public land that are landlocked via private land and try to apply pressure to get access.

So there are about 20 threads about the Ambler Road in AK with people commenting that a road is being built that will provide too much access and it should remain remote and incredibly difficult to access, primarily by air. Here is a thread where we need to build roads because a remote piece is too hard to access. I am curious why one needs more access and one less access.

 

[Hunter26]

So there are about 20 threads about the Ambler Road in AK with people commenting that a road is being built that will provide too much access and it should remain remote and incredibly difficult to access, primarily by air. Here is a thread where we need to build roads because a remote piece is too hard to access. I am curious why one needs more access and one less access.

Completely different things. Plus I never said we need more roads. You are grasping for straws. Sorry if I upset you. You keep trying to make arguments against statements I am not making. Let’s agree to disagree.

 

[CJ19]

Completely different things. Plus I never said we need more roads. You are grasping for straws. Sorry if I upset you. You keep trying to make arguments against statements I am not making. Let’s agree to disagree.

Sorry you can’t keep up. I am not whining. I made a few points and one of them was that these are public lands and contrary to your beliefs I don’t agree that somebody should have to hire a pilot to access these lands where legal and I am of the belief that not all states allow you to access to hunt via a helicopter. I also don’t believe that the governments should step in and require them to allow access through their private land. However I am not opposed to calling out some of the giant swaths of public land that are landlocked via private land and try to apply pressure to get access.

what would that access look like. You want to force access onto private property but not have a road is somewhat confusing. What would this access that you are not opposed to applying pressure to get look like?

 

[HunterGatherer]

So you have a problem with not having access to this public land apparently. I can see two quick solutions that would make more access to these lands but I have a feeling you'd still have a problem with those horrible billionaire landowners.

Solution one: the landowner leases access through his private property to an outfitter that can then take clients hunting on the public land.

Solution two: the landowner gives access through his private property to the public via trespass fees to hunt said public property.

So be honest........would these be acceptable to you to solve your disdain for these landowners, or would you still have a problem because these evil landowners are getting $$$$$? I'm thinking you have a problem with the money aspect even though you think you're a capitalist. You probably hate that landowners can sell landowner vouchers too.

Personally, I wouldn't do either option.....as people just don't appreciate private property.

Option 3 …

https://idfg.idaho.gov/ifwis/huntplanner/images/accessyes/AccessYesEnrollment.pdf

 

[bradmacmt]

Coming from the ranching side, we have about 6 sections (6 square miles) landlocked, not all one chunk. A very popular river runs along some of our place. In the 90's there was a good bit of float traffic on the river totally legal. Some would pull to shore eat a lunch and hang out before floating down. Not an issue, in fact my dad built a little "park" for them to do so complete with trash barrels. Also, guys would ask if they could come hay or brand in exchange for some huntin.. All was good then when dad gave an inch people took a mile. Lunch at the park turned into a free-for-all camping all over the pasture, leaving trash and firepits everywhere. Hunting turned into inviting half their state up to a point that one guy shot a horse near the barn thinking it was an elk... I know not everyone is like that cuz I'm not. But it will be a cold day in hell before I make it a free for all to cross this ranch to access public lands. I would absolutely do some land swappin but I'm not buying shit unless it's at the same price they gave my mom's side of the family for White Sands....

And to top it all off, land locked public is what you get when you let the government have a hand in ANYTHING!!

Having worked on a very large ranch here in SW MT, and having seen first-hand the entitlement of Joe Public, I agree, and totally understand the frustration of large landowners who try to do a good thing with the public. It usually becomes a huge pain in the ass and a totally disappointing exercise. The hook and bullet crowd are often the worst offenders I'm sad to say.

As to your "government" comment, I think we both know landlocked parcels are generally a direct result of the "checkerboard" pattern of land ownership created by federal land grants to railroad companies in the 19th century. Of course, the railroad Co's lured 1000's of people to the West with the sale of those 1/4 sections. Could very well be how your family got your ranch? Or at least those who were before you...

 

[bradmacmt]

Agreed there are several individuals who are stellar and not land locking public lands but instead own all of their land. Ted Turner and his family who own the Vermejo are a great example.

Ted Turner and family are some of the very finest land stewards in Montana, and they're the 3rd largest landowners in the USA (2,000,000 acres).

 

[Lvthntitall]

Find 1000 people that feel the same as you. Each person throws in $10,000 giving you $10,000,000 to start buying up some of the properties around said public lands. Then you would be able to open up your land and the public land to everyone. You would be able to mange the grazing and give out your landowner tags for free to the public.

 

[jmez]

A class warfare capitalist that enabled the enemy. Quite the conundrum.

Sent from my moto g power - 2025 using Tapatalk

 

[Hunter26]

what would that access look like. You want to force access onto private property but not have a road is somewhat confusing. What would this access that you are not opposed to applying pressure to get look like?

Let me draw you a specific diagram of how it will look. The road will start on the south end following the river up north…Bro I don’t know if you would need a new road through the private property or not. It is all hypothetical. Private property often times has roads on them to begin with but once again I am not talking about adding any roads. All I am saying is I don’t have a problem calling out some of these large landowners that are locking up public land to see about getting access. Anything else you are trying to put words in my mouth. Once again, I am sorry I hurt your feeling and you can’t accept a point of view that is not yours. Maybe it is a bad point of view so I ask for your forgiveness all mighty.

 

[Riplip]

Let’s make a list of all the Largest western states land owners who are also controlling vast amounts of our public lands. Mainly interested in the landowners who are tying up our public lands for their own personal gains and private hunting for their families, business associates, and friends. Let’s compile a list of total acres , private acres , public acres controlled . Also comment if these land barons allow the public on their public controlled lands. Name the landowners and the family they are associated with and other known land holdings they have in all western states.Many of these landowners and families are some of the greediest , self absorbed people in the USA.
I will start out with one ranch I am familiar with that has over 20% of its land that is public.
I think a movement needs to be started to free up these public lands for hunting, and not just cow elk.

1) Stan Kroenke - Married into the Wal~Mart family
Q Creek Ranch Wyoming - total acreage 550,000 acres
Over 100,000 acres of this ranch is public land and does not allow public hunting or access

As they say, don't hate the player hate the game. These people are just better players than you in every way possible.

Please make sure to update us on your list and how your movement goes - LOL.

 

[fwafwow]

I’m in. +1 for The Movement.

IMHO you may need some marketing and PR guidance. Fundraising help too. Start with a catchy name. (The Movement sounds ominous. Or related to bowels.) Something that incorporates a few of the key themes. “We want what you have.” “I used to work for The Man, now I’m fighting The Man.” Etc

Merch too (rough concept below). Online sales are ideal, but don’t discount big box. Walmart has lots of locations. And it would be ironic!

 

[Zeke6951]

The reason many hunters want to access landlocked parcels is because the hunting is good, and the animals are a plenty, because there is not public access. If these lands were opened up to everyone they would be like all the other public easily accessible land.

 

[fwafwow]

 

[wapitibob]

I’m in. +1 for The Movement.

IMHO you may need some marketing and PR guidance. Fundraising help too. Start with a catchy name. (The Movement sounds ominous. Or related to bowels.) Something that incorporates a few of the key themes. “We want what you have.” “I used to work for The Man, now I’m fighting The Man.” Etc

Merch too (rough concept below). Online sales are ideal, but don’t discount big box. Walmart has lots of locations. And it would be ironic!

View attachment 983094

Pure gold

 

[Dogone]

Not a single one of the landowners land locked anything. Our idiotic Federal Gvmt did. Not their problem. They aren't going to go build a road through their private land so you have access.

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You are correct. What idiots allowed land to be surveyed without allowing access? Did their brains got grasp the concept of legal access? Or did the think everyone would just get along and allow access forever.

 

[pacoalcracker]

Its real easy to solve this problem. All that needs to be done is enough support be gathered by the public for the govt to take whatever land necessary to create a right of way for the public access to the public land, and do it legal by eminent domain. The govt just pays the landowner whatever the going and reasonable rate is per acre and it's done. The landowner has zero recourse no matter how rich they are. The only requirement needed is that it is for the public benefit. Thats how they take land for roads, schools, parks, etc etc. and it's done and done often in every single state. The state of Pa took my dads best friends 40 acre farm for a vo-tech school. Nothing he could do about it. They paid him the going rate for the land, but did allow him to keep the farmhouse and 2 acres for a garden. Get enough support, get this widely known to the public across the entire country and watch shit happen. Grass Roots movement has changed a lot of things for the better in America. Public land is just that...PUBLIC. Don't allow the rich to take or control what isn't theirs, EVER.

 

[Customweld]

You are correct. What idiots allowed land to be surveyed without allowing access? Did their brains got grasp the concept of legal access? Or did the think everyone would just get along and allow access forever.

When all of that ground was surveyed out and dispersed, hunting on public land wasn’t even conceived as a thought yet.

 

[Jethro]

I’m in. +1 for The Movement.

Probably need to join forces with the tag crisis group.