Wallowa-Whitman National Forest - No Longer Public?

[charvey9]

I found this really strange. A huge section of the Wallowa-Whitman National forest in Oregon no longer shows up as "public" land when viewing on google maps.

I've hunted this area a few times, and was looking at maps as recently as two weeks ago planning for a fishing trip this month. When I pulled up the map again yesterday, the Western section of the forest between highway 84 and butting up to The Umatilla and Malheur National forests does not pop up on the map.

I called the Wallowa-Whitman district office today, and they advised me that there has been no change to the forest boundaries and where not sure why it did not pop up on the map.

However, in light of recent public land sale talks, I am forming conspiracy theories. Any thoughts? Maybe the tree huggers at Google are just trying to fool me and protect this area for themselves.

I took a couple snapshots to compare what the forest boundaries should look like, and what appears to be missing on google maps. The section I'm referring to is circled on each picture.

 

[Shrek]

Maight be part of the new land use plan that is going to be "withdrawn". Obama's enviro nazis may be going to lock everyone out and the local Forest Circus performers haven't gotten the orders yet. Google of course knows everything. Get the heavy duty tinfoil

 

[TJ]

Both of those areas show up as FS lands on my google earth.

Of course I don't believe the conspiracy BS either! Must be the NSA.

 

[tipsntails7]

Weird, the amount of signs I've seen that say no trespassing staked right on public land out there is staggering though.

On a side note, charvey, have you seen all the BS going on with Weyerhaeuser on the west side?

 

[tttoadman]

Weird, the amount of signs I've seen that say no trespassing staked right on public land out there is staggering though.

On a side note, charvey, have you seen all the BS going on with Weyerhaeuser on the west side?

I live in the middle of all of the Weyerhouser land. I can understand them taking an opportunity to make a few dollars to help with maintenance, but the access fees they are charging are crazy. I refuse to pay it. I will stick to wilderness areas.

 

[Randle]

Same thing with Potlach ground in Idaho , the use fees they are charging is crazy. Seems to me there is more damage now that they are charging for use.

 

[Shrek]

I'm really surprised that every inch of private land isn't leased. Everything in the south has been for decades now. Average price per acre is a little over $10 in Georgia this year and premium is north of $30.

 

[SethH]

Sounds like we are on our way to having game belong to the king.

 

[The John]

Yeah, what Weyerhaeuser is doing is not exactly right in my book.

There have been lots of abuse regarding Weyerhaeuser's willingness to open gates and allow hunting and access in the past, but this fee is pretty steep. There is still a decent amount of open public land available to hunt on the west side OTC tags, but you're going to have to drive if you live in the PDX area.

I am hunting the eastside of the state this year, but im a Rifle hunter.

 

[Hunt'nFish]

Chad, I took a look at what your talking about. No conspiracy.
It just looks like Google Maps is not showing any Wallowa-Whitman NF
boundaries other than those listed as Wilderness.
Umatilla NF boundaries are showing though.

Go to Google Earth, boundaries are correct on there.
(as long as you have the proper USDA NF layering turned on.)
Mike Hunt'nFish

 

[BroodBuster]

We can blame the timber companies closing gates on all the ****ing tweakers! They're a plague!

 

[charvey9]

Chad, I took a look at what your talking about. No conspiracy.
It just looks like Google Maps is not showing any Wallowa-Whitman NF
boundaries other than those listed as Wilderness.
Umatilla NF boundaries are showing though.

Go to Google Earth, boundaries are correct on there.
(as long as you have the proper USDA NF layering turned on.)
Mike Hunt'nFish

Still weird. Was looking at it less than two weeks ago, and have looked at that area on google maps many times over the past year, and the boundaries were always there. Just disappeared.

 

[tipsntails7]

I live in the middle of all of the Weyerhouser land. I can understand them taking an opportunity to make a few dollars to help with maintenance, but the access fees they are charging are crazy. I refuse to pay it. I will stick to wilderness areas.

I don't have a problem either, except they are classifying some areas as access fees, and others are land leases? There were also a couple units that have been broken up into different lease areas, so you can only hunt half a unit. Then to top it off they have been screaming depredation for years, then it's like a light switched on and then realised they can make a ton of money.

Just means the east side will be ever more crowded, or the rivers will be shoulder to shoulder.

 

[tipsntails7]

I'm really surprised that every inch of private land isn't leased. Everything in the south has been for decades now. Average price per acre is a little over $10 in Georgia this year and premium is north of $30.

For the most part anything that's any good is leased out to guides

 

[Mike21]

Nothing to see here, that part of the wallowa Whitman is gone. Better stay on the west side, hunting sucks out here any ways.

 

[charvey9]

nothing to see here, that part of the wallowa whitman is gone. Better stay on the west side, hunting sucks out here any ways.

lol