Wyoming corner crossing lawsuit

[QuackAttack]

I’m surprised this isn’t concluded or that a major hunting org hasn’t jumped in to make precedent.

 

[drdrop]

Just in case you aren't kidding - all but one national or state org would touch this with a 10 foot pole due to the political concern of balancing private land owner interests and/or wealthy donors. To paraphrase what I heard from a hunter during the corner crossing panel discussion put on by the UW NR club (1 attorney/landowner, one law prof, stockgrower's VP, hunter) - At the state policy level, public land users will hopefully work with private land owners on what respectful corner crossing should look like.

We'll all need more than one org to work on that.

 

[QuackAttack]

In no world, will landowners willingly enable or allow corner crossings. It requires a court ruling. Their inholdings are “their” public land.

 

[jmez]

In no world will a bunch of billionaires lose a decision to public land advocates.

Sent from my moto g power 5G - 2023 using Tapatalk

 

[drdrop]

I'm highly optimistic the Unlawful Enclosures Act of 1885 provides all the answers we need for exercising the public's rights to cross corners. It's been a right that has been forgotten over the years, and is currently fully legal within the State of Wyoming for federal lands.

Once this gets sorted out in the federal courts, the conversation will then shift to how much rights the public will give up to the landowners.

 

[LostWapiti]

I’m surprised this isn’t concluded or that a major hunting org hasn’t jumped in to make precedent.

Lot's of landowners, outfitters, and private land hunters are big donors of most organizations. Someone like RMEF or SCI won't risk pissing off those donors. Remember most organizations don't really care about most of their members, but cater to few who control the money.

 

[QuackAttack]

Have any hunting organizations taken a stance on it?

 

[LostWapiti]

Have any hunting organizations taken a stance on it?

The only one I know of is Wyoming Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. I hope there are others but I am not aware of it. TRCP looks to not come straight out and have a stance that they want to legalize corner crossing but instead saying they want to take “actions” to unlock that land. Someone please correct me if I am wrong on any of this. It would be interesting to get a list of organizations who are willing to stand up for the hunting public.

 

[CJ19]

Public land hunters posting here would be well served to remember that there are plenty of private land owners that are and have a long history of being hunter and fisherman friendly. You can be pro public land and support this case without making an enemy out of all private land owners. Keep in mind many private land owners watching this may be worried about maintaining a healthy balance between private land ownership rights and public land acces.

 

[LostWapiti]

Where I can see this going is a lot of land swaps on the future to eliminate checkerboard. Well done land swaps are usually good for everyone. If you aren’t willing to consolidate your property to 100% ownership then you will have people hunting on “your” checkerboard. Ranchers should still be able to retain the grazing leases on the same land they always did when it was checkerboard. One way everyone can “win” is landowners may give up slightly more land ownership but gain even more grazing. Therefore increasing public access and also increasing ranching production. If I was a landowner, land swaps would be heavily on my mind.

 

[Clint Blackwood]

Public land hunters posting here would be well served to remember that there are plenty of private land owners that are and have a long history of being hunter and fisherman friendly. You can be pro public land and support this case without making an enemy out of all private land owners. Keep in mind many private land owners watching this may be worried about maintaining a healthy balance between private land ownership rights and public land acces.

I would like to meet some because they are few and far between. I have yet to meet someone who will let me fish and hunt on their land that wasn't family. Pay to play is the only way. Greed is always the ultimate winner.

 

[Clint Blackwood]

The fact is.. Elk Ranch has money.. they can sue anyone they feel like suing. YOU have to have the money to fight them.

Facts. Only money talks in this country.

 

[LostWapiti]

I would like to meet some because they are few and far between. I have yet to meet someone who will let me fish and hunt on their land that wasn't family. Pay to play is the only way. Greed is always the ultimate winner.

The further you get form population centers people are usually more likely to allow access I have found. Sometimes a bottle of whiskey can go a long way. On my NV archery pronghorn hunt last year I got a yes from everyone I asked. I also had a friend in a different unit who got rifle permission. The farmers don’t want them in their fields so that plays in to it. Access is definitely out the but very situationally dependent. Usually they have have to have a reason for allowing hunters besides the goodness of their hearts. People are stingy about elk and usually want a lot in return. I have never been given access to hunt elk. One guy let me hunt deer on his hand in MT but said I couldn’t shoot an elk.

 

[CJ19]

I would like to meet some because they are few and far between. I have yet to meet someone who will let me fish and hunt on their land that wasn't family. Pay to play is the only way. Greed is always the ultimate winner.

I think the belief that hunting and fishing friendly to the public has to mean permission to hunt or fish directly on their private property is a mischaracterization. Allowing fellow hunters to retrieve a wounded animal or access hard to reach areas of public land or water are all ways of being friendly to public land sportsman. I know many people that allow these things. Politely asking or remaining on a designated trail or access path is all many landowners ask.

There are certainly plenty of jerks about enforcing boundaries especially in the western usa which is annyoing to me. But i can tell you that the us vs them attitude that many modern public land hunters have is doing more harm than good to the cause of access. The amount of property destruction and garbage landowners have to deal with has turned many. When you combine that with the sense of entitlement that has started to become commonplace, it is a recipe for that access to be rescinded. Personally, i know several that have reconsidered public access due to dealing with jerks regularly now. I can provide many examples that i have personally witnessed.