Does anyone know what the law is on gps chips, if it says BLM but the fence line cuts some out can u cross into the fenced BLM or is it trespassing once u cross the fence?
GPS Hunt chip trespassing
- Thread starter kiddwinner
- Start date
drifli
Member
Musket Man
Veteran member
How big is the fenced out area? Are there any no trespassing signs on the fence? Do you think its private on the other side of the fence?
WapitiBob
Veteran member
The GPS chip maker has a disclaimer stating their product is not a legal description of any property boundary.
"We concentrate our efforts to providing the most current and accurate property boundaries and ownership available. These maps are for reference purposes only. Always obey property postings and use common sense to visually verify boundaries. Data is taken from the most current state and national government agency's land survey data. Because of the data compilation methods used by state agencies and onXmaps, the data is subject to error. No representation is made or warranty given as to its content or usability. User assumes all risk of use. These data do not constitute a legal survey; when seeking the definitive description of real property, consult the deed recorded at the local county courthouse or official land records in the respective Federal or State agencies."
"We concentrate our efforts to providing the most current and accurate property boundaries and ownership available. These maps are for reference purposes only. Always obey property postings and use common sense to visually verify boundaries. Data is taken from the most current state and national government agency's land survey data. Because of the data compilation methods used by state agencies and onXmaps, the data is subject to error. No representation is made or warranty given as to its content or usability. User assumes all risk of use. These data do not constitute a legal survey; when seeking the definitive description of real property, consult the deed recorded at the local county courthouse or official land records in the respective Federal or State agencies."
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Horsenhike
Very Active Member
How about the opposite? When the boundary is shown 200 yards short of the fence?
Had friends in that situation a couple weeks ago. They elected to stick with the GPS boundaries.
The whole reason we started looking for a GPS unit was because the fences on USFS land in no way follow the property lines. They are situated at random increments, and some private isn't fenced at all. Impossible to tell for sure where you are.
Had friends in that situation a couple weeks ago. They elected to stick with the GPS boundaries.
The whole reason we started looking for a GPS unit was because the fences on USFS land in no way follow the property lines. They are situated at random increments, and some private isn't fenced at all. Impossible to tell for sure where you are.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
There are several problems with the land status shown on GPS chips and maps also for that matter. First, they only represent what the status was at the time of the data being printed or made available to the public. Generally private property records are kept with individual counties. The counties don't update their maps with every status change. Our county is sometimes months behind. A perfect example is my own street address. The county changed the name of the county road I live on, so immediately the gps in my truck & car is wrong, as is my handheld. I put in my old address and of course the road sign doesn't match, put in the new address and it comes up "No Such Address". The whole point is that the gps data is only as good as what it receives. Remember that old saying "Garbage in...garbage out"! Forest Service & BLM maps are almost never current either. Just look at the published date.
As far as fences go, you just never know. Here in our NF, all of the grazing leases are fenced. Doesn't mean you can't enter the land. But they are never signed either, so it is impossible to really tell if it is a private inholding or a grazing lease. I also think that the rules vary a lot. Here in Colorado the cow operation leases the land for grazing only during a specific time period, usually June thru mid October. Blm is pretty much the same. I know lots of leases in Wyoming are year round. Here they are not treated like private property, the public has access. Totally different in Wyoming. My suggestion is to check with the agency in the area you are wanting to hunt for the latest information.
Complicated...you bet!
As far as fences go, you just never know. Here in our NF, all of the grazing leases are fenced. Doesn't mean you can't enter the land. But they are never signed either, so it is impossible to really tell if it is a private inholding or a grazing lease. I also think that the rules vary a lot. Here in Colorado the cow operation leases the land for grazing only during a specific time period, usually June thru mid October. Blm is pretty much the same. I know lots of leases in Wyoming are year round. Here they are not treated like private property, the public has access. Totally different in Wyoming. My suggestion is to check with the agency in the area you are wanting to hunt for the latest information.
Complicated...you bet!
crzy_cntryby
Active Member
- Dec 9, 2014
- 269
- 0
I use my chip as a guideline, not hard evidence. If it says I'm close to private ground I tread cautiously. If there is no private land marked never a fence I take it as BLM or NFS depending what is supposed to be there.
Againstthewind
Very Active Member
http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/wy/information/docs.Par.1305.File.dat/publicaccess.pdf
From this you can cross private to get to BLM if there is an easement. There were a lot of rules on this little pamphlet to look at. To find out if there is an easement, I think the county has that information or the BLM or whoever like Colorado Cowboy said. I know that they do look at how you got onto state or BLM as well as where you are. Crossing private without an easement or permission can still be trouble. I also agree not to trust the GPS 100% because they can be a little out of date with changes and stuff. Fences are also all over NF and BLM and don't necessarily mark property boundaries. The pamphlet I think said that landowners don't have to allow access to leased public property.
From this you can cross private to get to BLM if there is an easement. There were a lot of rules on this little pamphlet to look at. To find out if there is an easement, I think the county has that information or the BLM or whoever like Colorado Cowboy said. I know that they do look at how you got onto state or BLM as well as where you are. Crossing private without an easement or permission can still be trouble. I also agree not to trust the GPS 100% because they can be a little out of date with changes and stuff. Fences are also all over NF and BLM and don't necessarily mark property boundaries. The pamphlet I think said that landowners don't have to allow access to leased public property.
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