Unit 48 cow elk

[Topgun 30-06]

By the color. I have good binos...but as low as Rob flies, I really don't need them. You're right TopGun, they spook a lot of game, harassing wildlife perhaps? But don't expect G&F to do anything, Rob is a county commissioner.

I didn't know Rob was a CC now! I went before the Commission at a meeting a number of years ago when a friend from Worland and I were contesting a land swap that Lewton was making with the BLM. The BLM paperwork said the CC was in favor of it and when we went before the Commission about it we found out they didn't even know what was going on and they ended up writing a letter to the BLM telling them to take that statement from the BLM paperwork because it was false. We ended up appealing that swap all the way to Washington, DC and won the case before the Judge it was assigned to. While it was being heard the rotten SOBs down in Cheyenne went ahead and illegally swapped it and we found out that everything had been signed off on the deeds at the Courthouse in Worland. The Judge wrote the BLM head guy in Cheyenne by the name of Bennett a letter really chastizing him for doing that in violation of Federal regulations, but in a letter he wrote to us he apologized for the swap and said he didn't have the authority to reverse what had been done and we'd have to take legal steps through the Federal courts to try and reverse it. There was no way we were going to spend a fortune doing that, so Lewton got more great land over by the French V and gave the public some shit land over by the Powder River campground the BLM maintains on Hazelton Road. That was back when John Dent, who has acerage down by Orchards, was a Commissioner and I found him to be a very nice guy and one of many who didn't care for Chuck Lewton at all. He dropped off the CC some time ago, but was still in very good health for his age when I ran into him out there this season.

 

[AT Hiker]

After reading this thread all I can say is WOW!!!!!!! I thought I was loosing my mind from my experiences but now I know Im not the only one.

This past fall I got ran off a piece of state land 2 days prior to season, the local rancher told me I was trespassing. After I explained that those state signs were in fact WY state signs he then proceeded to tell me no hunting allowed, I then reminded him I was not hunting that I was in fact looking at a potential access point. I offered to call the sheriff for him if he felt inclined, but he got mad and stomped off. I never accessed through that section because I was afraid he might vandalize my truck, so in a sense he won. I personally think someone doing that should face hunter harrasment charges or something.

 

[480/277]

FUBAR
The kings men you know.......
Do as we say.

Money is the root of all evil and I think the start is to outlaw guided hunts.

 

[humbletaxi]

Wow I've been collecting points in Wyoming for antelope and now I'm wondering if I get drawn am I gona wind up in a fist fight over hunting access!

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Wow I've been collecting points in Wyoming for antelope and now I'm wondering if I get drawn am I gona wind up in a fist fight over hunting access!

Guess that depends on where you try to Hunt!!!

 

[Musket Man]

Wow I've been collecting points in Wyoming for antelope and now I'm wondering if I get drawn am I gona wind up in a fist fight over hunting access!

Most areas that take points to draw have better access and fewer problems like that. Get a good gps with a huntinggps chip so you know the land ownership and you will be fine. Landowners in areas with poor access to public land have alot of problems with people trespassing so they are kinda touchy about it. There are alot of hunters that dont respect private land like they should and it causes problems for those of us that do.

 

[shootbrownelk]

After reading this thread all I can say is WOW!!!!!!! I thought I was loosing my mind from my experiences but now I know Im not the only one.

This past fall I got ran off a piece of state land 2 days prior to season, the local rancher told me I was trespassing. After I explained that those state signs were in fact WY state signs he then proceeded to tell me no hunting allowed, I then reminded him I was not hunting that I was in fact looking at a potential access point. I offered to call the sheriff for him if he felt inclined, but he got mad and stomped off. I never accessed through that section because I was afraid he might vandalize my truck, so in a sense he won. I personally think someone doing that should face hunter harrasment charges or something.

I agree with you AT, but good luck getting a Wy. G&F warden to do anything about it. Did you video or record the confrontation?

 

[AT Hiker]

I agree with you AT, but good luck getting a Wy. G&F warden to do anything about it. Did you video or record the confrontation?

No I did not record it, honestly it was the last thing I could ever imagine to happen. I did tell a warden about it, but it was out of his district. He pretty much told me that not a lot he could do except that I was right and the rancher was wrong. Evidently the sheriffs handle the tresspassing issues, but when someone claims state and federal land as their own it is out of everyone's hands.

Im a non-resident hunter to WY, with hopes of moving out there one day, and I can understand the whole migration of out of staters to the beautiful state, but I also understand how important nonresidents (hunters, hikers, vacationers, etc) are to a state like WY. People doing these types of things only make the problem worse, to me not much difference than a tress passer (both are wrong and are cheating, ignorance aside).

Oh well, I will continue to professionally voice my concerns, obey the laws, and spend thousands of $$ every year in WY hunting, hiking, and eating!

 

[Topgun 30-06]

No I did not record it, honestly it was the last thing I could ever imagine to happen. I did tell a warden about it, but it was out of his district. He pretty much told me that not a lot he could do except that I was right and the rancher was wrong. Evidently the sheriffs handle the tresspassing issues, but when someone claims state and federal land as their own it is out of everyone's hands.

Im a non-resident hunter to WY, with hopes of moving out there one day, and I can understand the whole migration of out of staters to the beautiful state, but I also understand how important nonresidents (hunters, hikers, vacationers, etc) are to a state like WY. People doing these types of things only make the problem worse, to me not much difference than a tress passer (both are wrong and are cheating, ignorance aside).

Oh well, I will continue to professionally voice my concerns, obey the laws, and spend thousands of $$ every year in WY hunting, hiking, and eating!

***That's not quite accurate, as the G&F staff also write plenty of trespassing tickets and I believe the going rate is at least $200 for a citation. Also, GWs can cite the guy for hunter harrassment if you can document that the guy was hassling you and telling you to stay off legally accessible land. I had a guy that worked for the biggest outfitter in Wyoming try to keep us off BLM land and I found out he also tried to do the same thing with another group from Wisconsin. I contacted the local GW, who I knew quite well, filled out a written complaint, and he went and talked to the head honcho and told them they were risking their outfitters license if he got any more complaints like that. That was a number of years ago and I hunt out there every year and have had no further problems. If you know you're correct and are legal, you need to stand up for your rights or some of those ranchers out there will walk all over you if you don't.

 

[shootbrownelk]

***That's not quite accurate, as the G&F staff also write plenty of trespassing tickets and I believe the going rate is at least $200 for a citation. Also, GWs can cite the guy for hunter harrassment if you can document that the guy was hassling you and telling you to stay off legally accessible land. I had a guy that worked for the biggest outfitter in Wyoming try to keep us off BLM land and I found out he also tried to do the same thing with another group from Wisconsin. I contacted the local GW, who I knew quite well, filled out a written complaint, and he went and talked to the head honcho and told them they were risking their outfitters license if he got any more complaints like that. That was a number of years ago and I hunt out there every year and have had no further problems. If you know you're correct and are legal, you need to stand up for your rights or some of those ranchers out there will walk all over you if you don't.

I agree 100%. Don't let ranchers or their hands BS you, if you know exactly where you are. However, I seriously doubt that any rancher/outfitter would ever get a citation for falsely claiming BLM/State land as private. G&F & Ranchers are just too cozy. IMO.

 

[AT Hiker]

I agree 100%. Don't let ranchers or their hands BS you, if you know exactly where you are. However, I seriously doubt that any rancher/outfitter would ever get a citation for falsely claiming BLM/State land as private. G&F & Ranchers are just too cozy. IMO.

The G&F guy in my unit told me the sheriff wrote the trespassing tickets and he stayed out of it. Opening weekend I seen the sheriff plenty of times on most of those roads, poor guy was earning his paycheck that weekend! I guess its like the corner crossing issues, some counties its overlooked while others it is taboo.

I should stand up more but I only have a short time to hunt and I really dont want it smothered by dealing with some idiots so I just move on. I do resist some, maybe next time (hopefully there never will be a next time) they will catch me in a odd mood and I will stand up and make it a pain for them.

 

[shootbrownelk]

The G&F guy in my unit told me the sheriff wrote the trespassing tickets and he stayed out of it. Opening weekend I seen the sheriff plenty of times on most of those roads, poor guy was earning his paycheck that weekend! I guess its like the corner crossing issues, some counties its overlooked while others it is taboo.

I should stand up more but I only have a short time to hunt and I really dont want it smothered by dealing with some idiots so I just move on. I do resist some, maybe next time (hopefully there never will be a next time) they will catch me in a odd mood and I will stand up and make it a pain for them.

AT, G&F warden says County Sheriff writes tickets...he's NOT involved? Sheriff patrols gravel backroads...Large Landowner is a County Commissioner.....Outfitters/ranchers let G&F employees hunt free.....H-mmmmm All I can say is, glad I don't hunt there anymore.

 

[AT Hiker]

AT, G&F warden says County Sheriff writes tickets...he's NOT involved? Sheriff patrols gravel backroads...Large Landowner is a County Commissioner.....Outfitters/ranchers let G&F employees hunt free.....H-mmmmm All I can say is, glad I don't hunt there anymore.

Not sure about the other statements, but the G&F warden did tell me the sheriff took care of the trespass issues (specifically the corner crossing as well as other calls). This is only one warden and I assume there were a couple more that worked this area so maybe they work the trespass issues too?

We need some more Joe Picketts working out there!

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Trespassing complaints is most certainly a big part of a Game Wardens job in Wyoming, but they do not issue tickets on corner jumoing complaints. That is left to the individual counties for the Prosecutor and Sheriff to decide how they will handle that issue. GWs are under orders not to get involved in corner jumping allegations after they lost a case in court a few years ago.

 

[kesand72]

Trespassing complaints is most certainly a big part of a Game Wardens job in Wyoming, but they do not issue tickets on corner jumoing complaints. That is left to the individual counties for the Prosecutor and Sheriff to decide how they will handle that issue. GWs are under orders not to get involved in corner jumping allegations after they lost a case in court a few years ago.

I still don't understand how tickets can be issued for "corner jumping" if a person never set foot on someone's land.
To me its the same as floating a river or creek, as long as you don't step on the land its not trespassing.