Interesting onX Maps report on impact of corner crossing out west

https://www.onxmaps.com/onx-access-initiatives/corner-crossing-report

Greedy landowners that don’t want to loose their ability to lease access to outfitters. It’s all a money grab. It’s sad that it’s come to this.

Too mad to type. Adjoining landowners use it graze it for free, and the tax paying public that pays for it gets screwed

The issue is finally on the radar and marching towards what will hopefully be a rational decision

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.outdoorlife.com/hunting/corner-crossing-case-headed-to-federal-court/%3famp

In a world where the ability locate the exact point where 2 corners meet, it is indefensible to say that an adjoining landowner is somehow deprived of his property rights because someone stepped from one piece of public land to another.

The ONLY reason corner crossing isn’t specifically legal is because large western landowners don’t want the public using public land.

OnX has a pretty good video about this. Definitely worth the time to watch if your are invested in public land hunting. It’s called project landlocked

Wow! I didn’t know I owned the air space above my farm. When do I get my residual payments from Northwest, Delta and all the others using my air space? All they have to do is look at the NFL Regs. Your body can be out of bounds as long as your feet aren’t.

Randy Wieland wrote:

Too mad to type. Adjoining landowners use it graze it for free, and the tax paying public that pays for it gets screwed

They do not use it for free. BLM land use is very much controlled. The BLM tells them the exact day they can put their cattle in and the day they have to take them out. Also how many head are allowed on each parcel so it doesn’t get over grazed.

Fascinating read.
Question, Can I assume that out in the wild west you are not required to “post” your land as we are in MN?
BTW – another law I do not understand completely.

Wyoming BLM land is $1.35 per animal grazing fee . Considering the cost of beef , pretty sweet deal for cattle producers . Years ago in Colorado while elk hunting on BLM . I ran into a group of guys from Texas hunting same BLM . I was seeing elk sign big time and was very hopeful . Until my conversation with the other hunters . Seems the rancher adjoining the blm sent his cowboys on horseback up on the mountain and pushed the elk right out and down to the ranchers land . There was not a single elk left . Despite couple day old sign . Those guys witnessed it . They were not happy to say the least .

slowpoke wrote:

Wow! I didn’t know I owned the air space above my farm. When do I get my residual payments from Northwest, Delta and all the others using my air space? All they have to do is look at the NFL Regs. Your body can be out of bounds as long as your feet aren’t.

Yes those are exactly the points that the ban on corner crossing flies in the face of. The landowner does not own the air, that principal is firmly established.

Unless your a giant western ranch owner…

Slippery slope with the air above your land. You don’t own air space clearly states that, but who is to say you cant build a house with footings on your property five feet up your house extends out over to the neighbors property.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Slippery slope with the air above your land. You don’t own air space clearly states that, but who is to say you cant build a house with footings on your property five feet up your house extends out over to the neighbors property.

Just a routine check on your local building codes will answer that for you.

Extending your building over the adjoining property intrudes on his legal airspace. “A landowner owns as much of the air above the surface as she can reasonably use in connection with the surface.”

I’m stuck more on the bad apples argument/reasoning for this to have held up so long versus the infinitely small “point” at which 4 corners meet argument.

For every law-abiding person legally pursuing game with every intention of NOT trespassing or impacting someone’s privately owned land, there are 2 that are more than willing to bend the rules knowing there may not be another human being within many miles. Western large scale landowners will work tirelessly to keep the bad apples away regardless of what opportunities it may take away for anyone else.

Do I personally agree with how things are currently being handled related to this issue with corners? Not exactly. Do I think it will ever change? No. These large landowners have way more leverage within their rural state representation than any of us here in MN with a couple hundred acres of land or a city lot in suburbia understand. Even though it’s easy to argue BS on this ruling or interpretation of the law, nothing is going to change.

There are very strict rules for ranchers who lease BLM sections, for instance they can’t fence or grade roads without written permission. Also rancher’s craze land only a few months each year then it is rested so grass can grow for next year. They also can’t cut trees or clear land without permission.

Many ranchers do allow hunters to access BLM and even parts of their ranch for hunting. Some also charge fees for big game but usually free to shoot prairie dogs. I’ve hunted out west for 45 years and have always hunted private and BLM land on many different ranches. It’s not always easy as ranches change owners and open or close based on new owners preference.

Building relationships is the key, offering to help goes a long ways.

Wayne

Randy Newberg has done a couple of very good videos on this issue.
He has on a couple of lawyers to discuss.
The videos are on YouTube.

Update on the case from Carbon county in Wyoming. The 4 men charged with criminal trespass and trespass to hunt were found not guilty by a jury in less then an hour of deliberations.

Michael Best wrote:

Update on the case from Carbon county in Wyoming. The 4 men charged with criminal trespass and trespass to hunt were found not guilty by a jury in less then an hour of deliberations.

One battle won, to be sure, but the war isn’t over.

From the Coyboy State Daily:

“In addition to the criminal action settled Friday, Iron Bar has filed a lawsuit against the four hunters, seeking damages for trespassing. The lawsuit was originally filed in state district court in Carbon County, but was moved to U.S. District Court, where proceedings continue.”

This is a classic case of using the legal system as a harassment tool. This case should immediately be thrown out of US District Court because by definition there can be no damage from trespassing if no trespassing occurred.

I would like to see the 4 hunters sue the Iron Bar ranch for harassment and whatever else a good lawyer can come up with.

I agree with you.
Hunter harassment would be brought up to my attorney if I was in there shoes.

From a National standpoint this is only one small battle.

Great example of rich people using their money to try to strong on the average Joe. It is sickening. I agree with you grouse that they should sue for harassment. Its similar to when you get a Karen that’s livid that you are fishing near their dock on public waters.

Wayne Daul wrote:

Many ranchers do allow hunters to access BLM

You do not need permission to access BLM land IF it is accessible from the right of way. If you have to cross private land then you need permission. Most times we try to talk to the rancher to let them know we are going out there. And he can tell you where the cattle are at. Its a great help to stop at the area BLM Office and you can get maps of the land and who is renting it.

It sounds like round 2 for 3 of the 4 guys starts in June.
They are being charged for same charge just for the prior year.

Hunters face new corner-crossing trespass charges

slowpoke wrote:

You do not need permission to access BLM land IF it is accessible from the right of way.

If you have to cross private land then you need permission. Most times we try to talk to the rancher to let them know we are going out there. And he can tell you where the cattle are at. Its a great help to stop at the area BLM Office and you can get maps of the land and who is renting it.

You can hunt BLM land if you can access it from a public road OR from another parcel of public land that you legally accessed.

Buffalo Fishhead

Sportsmen’s Access

click the photo to the TRCP link

Now the prosecutor is dropping the charges.
Sounds like the civil suit will be this summer in federal court.

https://oilcity.news/community/wyoming-community-2/2022/05/08/prosecutor-dismiss-new-corner-crossing-charges/