Landlocked Public Land?

[Troubles Trees]

I ran across this yesterday, curious how many are aware of this? Or maybe not exactly what onX is suggesting?

https://www.onxmaps.com/pdf/PublicLands_Report_2019.pdf

 

[roymunson]

Rinella and his meat eater boys are big on this. I guess out west the land was cut up in squares and rectangles and thoughout the decades private lands boxed off some public land and there's no legal means to access it unless you're a landowner or a landowner gives permission.

We don't have to deal with it much here in the east, but there are some big money guys who will helicopter into these lands to hunt because the pressure is almost non-existant. It's a coupe to the landowners, and a thorn in the flesh of public land hunters who don't own the land. I see both sides of it.

The hunters sounds super whiney because they can't access the land they pay taxes on, which is fair, but it becomes very "victimish"

And if you're an adjoining land owner, you've essentially won the land/access lottery. But places like the RMEF buy these "gateway" properties to open the land up. So they may buy a 40 acre piece that give access to thousands of acres for public hunting.

 

[Troubles Trees]

I would agree with some of that, but Public land is everyone's land, when I go hunting on public land (never these days) I see a ton of trail walkers and birdwatcher types. I actually hike trails myself with my daughter in the summer. It it isn't just hunters that lose, it is all of our land and should have access to it in my humble opinion, and not many of us can afford a helicopter ride in to set up a base camp. So the private land owners surrounding it have a huge preserve to hunt while we are cramped in dealing with the Orange Army.

 

[SD51555]

It's a double edged sword. Some in the public lands arena do not want the public to access all those places. They fear too much ecological damage from visitors like what happens to lakes, rivers, and public forests. Think lead shot, lead fishing tackle, litter, tree spikes, shooting lanes, moved firewood, wildfires, ATV damage, horse pathogens, sage grouse, prairie chickens, white nose syndrome, fossil hunters, rock collectors, fishing line, contaminated bait, etc etc etc.

Tom Hanks and the Nature Conservancy do not approve of those things.

 

[Troubles Trees]

So only the bordering private landowners and rich people can helicopter in and use "lead shot, lead fishing tackle, litter, tree spikes, shooting lanes, moved firewood, wildfires, ATV damage, horse pathogens, sage grouse, prairie chickens, white nose syndrome, fossil hunters, rock collectors, fishing line, contaminated bait, etc etc etc."? That is how it sits currently, and I would suggest that there are a lot of laws broken on these lands (including the above mentioned) considering that ECO's can't effectivly monitor it to even know what is going on there. Unmanaged lands seem to be a major part of problem concerning California's wildfires.

It's a moot point to suggest that the public can't use their own land, I simply don't agree with the tree hugger excuse here, those same litterbugs, lead shot users etc are just going to drop the same garbage, and fishing line on other public land so it does nothing to address those actual problems. I simply see it as "public land" that is intentionally set aside for the public to use but the access has since been blocked. I am fortunate to own the land I have but not everyone owns their own land to use which is why we support public lands to begin with. I don't know much on the topic but as I understand it, Federal lands are set aside for just that reason, to preserve that land and keep it as naturally pristine as possible. If that is the intent, then call it preserve land and even the private land owners can't use it. Otherwise it is just an land extension of the bordering private lands that only they can use.

This isn't only out west, the article that got me started was in Michigan, there are other sections in this publishing for the South, and mid-Atlantic. onX claims that the Landlocked Public State land is just over 6 million acres, Federal landlocked lands are 9.5 million acres, thats over 15 million acres in the US that we average Joe's are supposed to be able to, but cannot access. I just touched on this last night and haven't really looked much into the facts yet, this could just be bait for people to download onX app so wanted others thoughts on the topic. It certainly was a shock to me to read this.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

The state is playing the long game. When property comes available they buy it. Many times is was actually land locked property that was privately owned. The taxes weren't paid and the Gov. took title to it. In Minnesota where there is land locked property if a neighboring land owner wants the land they can buy it up from the state.

 

[Telemark]

How much does a helicopter ride cost?

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Can’t be more than a few hundred bucks. Get flown in, set up camp, hunt for a week , fly back out.


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[Telemark]

I took a helicopter ride for $75 in Norway a year ago. Granted, that had a minimum sign-up of 20 people for the day, and groups of 4-5 on each 10-minute ride, but it seems reasonable considering the costs.

My parents took a proper helicopter tour from Las Vegas for $500 each, which went all the way out to the Grand Canyon.

A lot of the reindeer hunting here in Norway is necessarily fly-in, and the prices are pretty reasonable when organized properly. (About $250 per person round trip).

Seems like a real opportunity for a start-up company. If someone can get a bead on costs, they might be able to offer affordable packages on some of these public properties.

Everything is more available to people with knowledge and money. Knowledge can often compensate for lack of money, and vice versa. When I hear this kind of information, it provokes the problem-solving side of me. If I have to save up some money and figure out a way into one of these "oases" for an opportunity at an epic experience, you can bet I will spend the whole year scrimping and planning so I can have the experience of a lifetime. Rich people will always have nicer things than I can afford. But with a bit of effort, I have been able to experience the world in a way most rich people can't even imagine.

 

[roymunson]

Can’t be more than a few hundred bucks. Get flown in, set up camp, hunt for a week , fly back out.


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You may be right, but don't let a couple hundred bucks get in the way of an indignant man's supreme victimhood. Never mind that people spend more than that on high end gear, bows, optics, etc.

There may be a way around it, but you can't ask the working man to load up his $5000 worth of gear for a $500 chopper ride to hunt a supremely pristine piece of land for free. That's just too much.

#heavysarcasm

Frustrating that it's landlocked, but I think most of the people upset about this enjoy crying out against it, rather than finding a creative solution.

 

[Bszweda]

I always thought the working man had more money then time =). I think the state should make every effort to purchase private land to unlock the public land or work with the land owner. However private land owners aren't doing anything wrong, and they should have final say on what occurs on their land. I feel like the media tries to make private land owners in these situations out as villains.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I always thought the working man had more money then time =). I think the state should make every effort to purchase private land to unlock the public land or work with the land owner. However private land owners aren't doing anything wrong, and they should have final say on what occurs on their land. I feel like the media tries to make private land owners in these situations out as villains.

Jump on a trout fishing forum and see what the public thinks of landowners.

 

[chickenlittle]

Access doesn't do much without a road back into it but it is something for people to bellyache about. No matter how good the hunting or fishing, almost no one is going to walk more than a few hundred yards from where they park.

 

[Troubles Trees]

I don't even have $1,000 in gear lol Between every used gun, previously owned bow and crossbow, yard sale ground blind and treestand I probably have $1,500-$2,000 total if I bought it new, but I don't buy new, and I am not bringing it all with me on one hunting trip. I am guessing most of you guys have enough land and money to have never had to hunt stateland? That is where my hunting passion began so many years ago, I spent my first 5 years amongst the Orange Army. This is where other people get there start unless I am just an anomaly, maybe this adds to the many reasons for the decline in hunters?
We can deflect and talk about the cost of gear and helicopter tour rides, but I think to get a private helicopter ride in and back out a week later would be pricey for anyone that only has the option to hunt stateland, personally I couldn't afford it.

I was simply curious if I was the last one to realize there are 16 million acres of State and Federal Public Land in the US that isn't even accessible to the public as it was intended. And if I was, I was hoping to raise awareness but it sounds like the general consensus is the only ones that care just want to cry about it? This doesn't even affect me personally but I would at least sign a petition or write a letter to a Senator or a member of Congress in an effort to make these lands available to the Public again.
The government has us so lulled to sleep to the point that there is an issue like this and we just brush it off as "not my problem"? These are our fellow sportsmen and women, strangers in another state maybe, but all of you are strangers to me and I would do what I could to help you if I had the ability to? Sportsmen used to stick together, maybe that is gone entirely from the sport :(

 

[trampledbyturtles]

TT
It is a huge issue. Most dont understand the full scope.

Problem is landowners are making money off trespassing fees to allow the public access to the land they own/pay taxes for.
In the end it is a select few who get the opportunity(those with money).

And a heli ride ain't cheap, quick grand easily.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I love bow hunting state land. It gives me an oportunity to let my stands on FAMILY OWNED private to rest until the last week in October. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I bet most of that land locked stuff is because of tax forfeiture or it was donated to the state. I don't like being told I have to wear a mask. I sure as hell wouldn't like being told I have to grant the state a public right of way to access land locked state property.

 

[H20fwler]

I would have thought the state would have been much smarter with an easement to the property.

It reminds me of about ten years or so ago when the Busbice family in LA bought up a bunch of timber ground..like 55K acres and boxed out a bunch of landowners that owned small farms and hunting spots of from 10-100 acres. They fenced the whole thing in and fenced around the private ground but would not grant access for landowners to get to it.

https://louisianavoice.com/2013/01/...-imprisoned-former-winn-sheriff-bodie-little/

 

[SD51555]

I was simply curious if I was the last one to realize there are 16 million acres of State and Federal Public Land in the US that isn't even accessible to the public as it was intended.

That's the catch. I think public hunting was never an objective. If it was, it'd be accessible. Most of that land is either unwanted, bought to stop development, protect an endangered species, or fund schools (like in MN).

 

[roymunson]

I would have thought the state would have been much smarter with an easement to the property.

It reminds me of about ten years or so ago when the Busbice family in LA bought up a bunch of timber ground..like 55K acres and boxed out a bunch of landowners that owned small farms and hunting spots of from 10-100 acres. They fenced the whole thing in and fenced around the private ground but would not grant access for landowners to get to it.

https://louisianavoice.com/2013/01/...-imprisoned-former-winn-sheriff-bodie-little/

I don't know the Busbice family personally, but I can say, based only on the perception they put out, I don't think I'd align with them on very many aspects of life. Anyone have any interactions with them? beause the old man sounds like one of the most arrogant humans on the planet.

 

[Troubles Trees]

I would have thought the state would have been much smarter with an easement to the property.

It reminds me of about ten years or so ago when the Busbice family in LA bought up a bunch of timber ground..like 55K acres and boxed out a bunch of landowners that owned small farms and hunting spots of from 10-100 acres. They fenced the whole thing in and fenced around the private ground but would not grant access for landowners to get to it.

https://louisianavoice.com/2013/01/...-imprisoned-former-winn-sheriff-bodie-little/

WOW!! What an interesting read bud, I googled it and went looking for more information, what a screwed up corrupt deal that was. That is exactly the stuff that worries me about not just our country, but the outdoor things we enjoy. I take for granted that I can now hunt on private lands, but I spent a fair amount of time chasing small game and Turkey on State Lands, I do occasionally take a bow there when it's deer season and the action is slow to do a walkabout on a rainy day.
Maybe I am just naive to this stuff for the most part. I did however follow the saga of Dwight and Steven Hammond as well as Ammon Bundy and found myself sickened in the way it was both government handled it and also how it was reported on by the media. I was so very happy that Trump pardoned Dwight and Steven!! The media continued to label all of them "lawless extremists" If you haven't seen the documentary called "American Standoff" it is truly an eye opening thing to watch.