Public Access in Idaho

[Touchdown88]

There's an area in SE Idaho that I'm gonna hunt this year that actually has a fence across the public BLM land. The ranch owns both sides of a BLM section but the fence runs straight through the public land making you believe that the ground is private. I have access to get to the landlocked public but feel uneasy about crossing a fence into public. The crazy thngs is that both OnX and Idaho's Hunt planner show the property as public. Any ideas in how to hunt it?

 

[FlyGuy]

Call Randy Newburgh!

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[itsTyrtruion]

lots of fences are not a reference to public vs private. I would ask if there are signs on the fence saying no trespassing but lots of signs in public areas are BS intended to scare people away... and in Nevada... the trespass laws specifically state barbed wire fences don't count.

 

[Carl]

Its most likely just a grazing fence to separate pastures. If I stopped at every fence I encounter on public ground in mt, I wouldnt get very far.

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[CorbLand]

If you have OnX and its stated as public dont worry about a fence. Like stated above, there are a lot of fences designed to keep cattle and other livestock out of specific areas, not so much to mark land ownership.

It is also illegal to mark public ground as private. Most landowners that do this will just yell and scream at you but wont actually do anything about it because they will get in trouble if they push it far enough.

 

[Wrench]

It's common for states and the fed to lease grazing, mineral and water rights to make a profit. The land is still usable for recreation with respect to the lease holder's interest....ie, not driving through crops, chasing cows, removing mineral....etc.

When crossing gates on public land, leave them as you found them unless signs advise otherwise. (Sometimes gates are left open to get cows home).

 

[Touchdown88]

Awesome. Thanks everyone. Makes me feel a lot better about my hunting plan for this fall.

 

[Neitz]

Another tool to use is the county assessors website.
It is my understanding (maybe wrong here) that OnX updates land ownership once a year.
I believe that as soon as a purchase or change of ownership "closes" with the county, the assessor will update their information.

Not convenient at all to do this research in the field, but if you're home and have the time it's worth looking into.

 

[The John]

also, in a free range area, people put up fences as cattle are allowed to wander wherever they would like unless you put up a fence to keep them out.

 

[10bands]

Yep the BLM has seemingly random fences all over Idaho. They aren't random though and it's perfectly fine to cross them. If all else fails call the regional BLM office they'll help you out.

 

[Oregon]

When I was a youngster, way before anything electronic telling me where I was, I wouldn’t cross a fence if I stumbled on one. I’ve been deer hunting the same giant hill on BLM for 30 years. Lots of little chunks of private around water. One year I was hunting same area as always and glass a guy building a fence right across a big flat I walk across to get to a beautiful canyon. I was crushed. I amble down and talk to the guy. First thing I ask is when did this get sold? He said, it didn’t, he got hired by BLM to put up a range fence, mainly to protect the few aspen trees left in the canyon from cows grazing in. Then I asked about another fence I thought was on public. My map reading skills were decent, but my map was 14 years old. Once again, he said that’s public as well.
Owner of OnX should get a Nobel prize.

 

[Mt Al]

Jump that fence!! Been doing it for years, but carry a map and your GPS (with chip) in case someone's underpants are in a wad. I buy the color region/township maps or just print them on a color printer. I've had four guides/land owner confrontations on public land. In MT its harassing a hunter. Bring out your phone in full view, turn on the recorder (video or sound), and state you're on public land, bring out the map, ask them their name, etc.. I turned in a guide in SE Montana for harassing and driving across state land, no road. He was out guiding the next day.

On the other hand, one time a guy drove up - I'm all ready for a confrontation - and he asks me to hunt on his land "what are you doing on public land? jump in!" You never know.