Open roads through private ground

[huntwhenican]

So I am starting to plan an Antelope hunt and I'm looking at some of the public ground that is land locked by private and trying to figure out what is the best way to find out what roads provide access. I have the HuntingGPS Plat map for WY and I can figure out some of the main roads...like forest road access through private ground. Looking for a plan of action in order to determine which units may be huntable that have a large amount of private ground.

Do the BLM maps show access roads?

Do you ask the local Game Warden?


Also on units that have a lot of antelope doe tags what is the % of land owners that let you hunt antlerless without a trespass fee?

Thanks

 

[WapitiBob]

I have called the BLM office that handles a given area and asked specifics on certain roads. After giving them section/range info they call back within a cpl days and let me know if they have an easement.

 

[AT Hiker]

Some BLM districts will have a list of open roads, so they are worth a call.

Its a crap shot man on the roads, its the most frustrating thing for me when hunting out there. Namely the county and state roads are typically open, but this year I watched a county plow go down a "private" road, at least the sign on the road said it was private. Im gonna say each county is different, so a phone call with specifics would be your best bet.

Call the Game Warden or biologist in the unit you want to doe hunt and they can give you a list of ranchers to call. Tags are cheap enough, so its worth the gamble IMO. Worse case scenario you stop and knock on a few doors to ask about doe hunting. FYI...KNOW the difference between a male and female antelope, difficult for a lot of people...its all in the black patch.

 

[Musket Man]

You will have access to the main county roads and roads with a number on the BLM map. The smaller roads its hard to say but if they go off of a main road onto private land there is a good chance they will not be open to the public. Landowners usually put up signs on roads that are not open to the public. If your not sure stop at a ranch and ask them BEFORE you drive on the road. Many land owners appreciate that you were respectful and asked before going on a road you werent sure about. I have stopped at ranches before to ask about public/private roads and boundaries before with no intention of asking permission to hunt and they offered to let me hunt on their land. being respectful of private land can get you a long ways sometimes!

 

[HiMtnHnter]

You will have access to the main county roads and roads with a number on the BLM map. The smaller roads its hard to say but if they go off of a main road onto private land there is a good chance they will not be open to the public. Landowners usually put up signs on roads that are not open to the public. If your not sure stop at a ranch and ask them BEFORE you drive on the road. Many land owners appreciate that you were respectful and asked before going on a road you werent sure about. I have stopped at ranches before to ask about public/private roads and boundaries before with no intention of asking permission to hunt and they offered to let me hunt on their land. being respectful of private land can get you a long ways sometimes!

The newer BLM Surface Management Quads often have easements highlighted in red, but not all the time, and it can change from year to year if a landowner pulls the plug . . . I have even called the BLM office and had no one there know the answer. The best resource I have found is he sheriffs office.

Also, just because the road is a blm or forest road does not mean the landowner has to provide access. Find out before you go . . .