Corner crossing

So it's loophole vs. Loophole. The private landowners use this loophole to lock people out of public land to have all for themselves. And the public hunters use a ladder as a loophole to get around it. I wonder who will win? I'm guessing the judge will be one of the landowners.

I stopped hunting 10 years ago when weyerhouser started locking people out and charging with permits. Its just too much a hassle trying to find more secluded areas to go and be legal.
 
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Yup, been keeping appraised with emails from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
It looks like WY is going to further define the law to make it so that passing through a private corner section without touching the ground is illegal.
I understand private property rights and the costly damage that JQ Public can do, but this is a travesty. In effect, it gives private landowners exclusive use of adjacent parcels of public lands without having to pay taxes for it.
 
The state should just take ownership of a 5' circle of land where the corners used to be. Would be similar to what WA. state did in taking ownership of all lakes a couple of decades ago.
 
It would be interesting to see the original GLO (General Land Office) plats and instructions. I've seen plats with 66' wide roads platted along the section lines, although these were not done in our area. Also, this checkerboard pattern was a often a result of RR grants, so passage from one section to next was implied as that was the only way the resources could be developed and brought to the line. Seems like they are creating a vehicle for more legal challenges, not actually addressing an issue.
 
One solution to address the issue nationwide rather than state by state:

Designate any and all federal land without legal public access as national wildlife preserve with absolutely no human use allowed, even by adjacent landowners. No hunting, hiking, grazing, nothing.

Public access or no access, period. The taxpayers either get accessible land, or wildlife preserve.

If landowners create and post a public access, the fed pays them a pre-set, nominal price for the 10 square feet of property, and takes permanent possession of that right of way. The parcel is reopened, and owners are legally protected from liability issues.
 
100% in favor of corner crossing. The notion that private landowners can lock up public lands to their own private benefits and preventing public access strikes me as un-American and pro-fuedalism. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to hunt in the fvckin' King's forest or poach salmon from the King's river.
 
Northern said:
One solution to address the issue nationwide rather than state by state:

Designate any and all federal land without legal public access as national wildlife preserve with absolutely no human use allowed, even by adjacent landowners. No hunting, hiking, grazing, nothing.

Public access or no access, period. The taxpayers either get accessible land, or wildlife preserve.

If landowners create and post a public access, the fed pays them a pre-set, nominal price for the 10 square feet of property, and takes permanent possession of that right of way. The parcel is reopened, and owners are legally protected from liability issues.
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Good idea in principal.
But crazy to think that any agency has the ability (manpower/budget)to prevent violations.
These public landlocked sections will always be the playground of the neighbors unless the law is changed to allow corner hopping.
Which politician in any Western state wants to loose significant "donations" from wealthy landowners?
 
Hem said:
Good idea in principal.
But crazy to think that any agency has the ability (manpower/budget)to prevent violations.
These public landlocked sections will always be the playground of the neighbors unless the law is changed to allow corner hopping.
Which politician in any Western state wants to loose significant "donations" from wealthy landowners?
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True enough. Greed nearly always wins.

These landowners clearly do want the law on their side, though - thus the push for this no cutting legislation.
The same argument of unenforceable laws could be applied to almost all poaching laws these days, sadly. It doesn't mean you don't pass the laws.
 
Hem said:
Which politician in any Western state wants to loose significant "donations" from wealthy landowners?
Click to expand...
Bingo!
 
It is definitely one of those grey areas that I don’t mess with. Ya it sucks, but I personally wouldn’t corner hop without permission. With that being said I do hope they change the law in our favor I also don’t think it will stop land owners from starting a ruckus.
 
Here is a program in PA, my home state, that has resulted in some stream access across private property. This provides access to some good trout fishing that wouldn’t be available otherwise.

finance.yahoo.com

Grant creates public access to private stream corridors in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has a Voluntary Public Access Program to provide fishing opportunities into the future.
finance.yahoo.com finance.yahoo.com

www.pennlive.com

Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission aims to buy angler access across private lands

Easements for angler access and conservation work will be purchased with funds from a federal program.
www.pennlive.com www.pennlive.com
 
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