Guy Eastman ain't gonna be Corner Jumping

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Still Too Early To Know If Dismissal Of Wyoming ‘Corner-Crossing’ Lawsuit A Victory For Public Land Access​

Some Wyomingites with a stake in the outcome of the Elk Mountain “corner-crossing” lawsuit are lukewarm to its outcome in the hunters’ favor, saying the issue is still likely to drag on in the courts.

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Mark Heinz
May 31, 20236 min read

Deer herd in wyoming 5 31 23



A federal judge’s ruling in favor of the hunters in the Elk Mountain “corner-crossing” case has been hailed by some as a victory for public land access, but some Wyomingites aren’t so sure.

“Any time we put things in terms of ‘the public vs. landowners’ it causes headaches,” Guy Eastman of Powell, who frequently hunts on public land, told Cowboy State Daily.

“At the very least it’s going to cause friction, and at the very most, it’s going to cause conflict,” he said.

The ruling might not be good for farmers and ranchers, said Jim Magagna, a sheep rancher and executive vice president of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association.

“From my perspective, it (the ruling) is not a definitive answer on the matter of corner-crossings. That might take further litigation, or legislation,” he told Cowboy State Daily.

Hunters Win– For Now

U.S. District Court Judge Scott Skavdahl last week issued a summary judgement in favor of Missouri hunters Bradly Cape, Zachary Smith, Phillip Yoemens and John Slowensky.

The case stretches back to 2021. The hunters were accused of trespassing on the Iron Bar Ranch near Elk Mountain that September while attempting to cross from one corner of public land onto another section of public land.

A Carbon County jury later found them innocent of those charges.

However, Iron Bar Holdings LLC and owner Fred Eshelman of North Carolina later filed a civil lawsuit in federal court against the hunters, claiming that they had devalued the property by several million dollars when they crossed the corner.

The matter was set for trial June 26 in Casper, but Skavdahl’s ruling settled the case in the hunters’ favor, at least for now.

Wyoming media attorney Bruce Moats told Cowboy State Daily that he thinks Iron Bar and Eshelman will probably appeal the ruling in U.S. Circuit Court.

‘Erring On The Side Of Caution’

That possibility of appeals means University of Wyoming researcher Gary Beauvais will still be careful about corner-crossings.

He’s the director of UW’s Wyoming Natural Diversity Database. Beauvais and his team frequently go afield for research – including in parts of Wyoming where sections of public and private land interlock in “checkerboard” patterns.

He told Cowboy State Daily that doesn’t think the “corner-crossing” ruling will change much for him at the boots-on-the-ground level.

“We will continue to operate as we have always done — always asking permission of affected landowners whenever we need to enter their land for any reason, and always erring on the side of caution in any ownership situation that seems vague or confusing,” he said.

‘I Can See Both Sides’

Eastman is editor-in-chief of Eastmans’ Publishing Inc., a Powell-based media company that specializes in stories and videos about fair chase Western big game trophy hunting.

Eastmans’ recently partnered with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership to produce the film “Paper Trails,” which chronicles the complexities of hunting intermixed private and public parcels during the 2022 antelope season in the Rawlins- Wamsutter area.

“The standpoint that I’m coming from is that I’m a born-and-raised third-generation Wyoming guy,” he said. “I’m a landowner, my family is landowners, but I’m also a public lands hunter, so I can see both sides.”

“Paper Trails” makes the case for access easements, or landowners agreeing to allow hunters to pass through their property on designated roads to get to public land that might not otherwise be accessible, he said.

“I would rather see proper easements, than guys hopping corners everywhere in the state come Oct. 1,” he said. “I won’t do it. Out of respect for landowners, I won’t be corner jumping.”

Some Pleased With The Ruling

Skavdahl’s ruling has drawn some praise.

The Wyoming chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers backed the Missouri hunters in the case and enthusiastically endorse the ruling.

Wyoming Democrats also praised the ruling and passed a resolution calling for legislation to codify the precedent set in the Elk Mountain case, according to a statement from the party’s Central Committee.

“I applaud the ruling by Judge Skavdahl. Public lands belong to all of us, and no one should be able to prevent access to those lands we all cherish,” Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, the Wyoming House Minority leader, said in the statement.

‘Can’t Put This Toothpaste Back In The Tube’

Eastman said he worries that the matter will just keep dragging out in court and continue fostering bad feelings between hunters and landowners.

“It’s going to be a wild fall. A lot of other states are watching this. I’ve got a lot of friends in Montana and Colorado who are watching this,” he said.

He said the way that Iron Bar and Eshelman handled the matter casts landowners in a bad light and could set a pattern of more court battles, rather than people working together to find solutions.

“I don’t like trying to manage hunting in the courtroom. I think it’s a bad precedent and bad things come from it. That’s what we’ve seen I other states,” Eastman said. “The way these landowners handled this was completely ridiculous. It really made people mad, including the judges.

“We can’t put this toothpaste back in the tube.”

‘Unanswered Questions’

Farmers and ranchers are also left hanging, Magagna said.

“The ruling is disappointing, but not surprising under the circumstances. It leaves a lot of unanswered questions in terms of what the state law might be or could be,” he said.

“If you’ve got a parcel of public land in the middle of your ranch, you still have to manage that as an integral part of your operation,” he added. “What is the ability of the landowner to decide where the access is going to be? If there are four corners, does he have to provide access across all of them?”

There’s also the matter of air space, which was brought up by the ranch owners during the various legal wranglings over the Elk Mountain case. The claimed that the hunters could not have crossed the corner without passing through the ranch’s air space.

It’s important for landowners to have control over at least the immediate air space above their property, but Wyoming law at present doesn’t clearly outline what those boundaries are, Magagna said.

He added that he doesn’t think the judge’s ruling makes the matter “final,” and it’s important to keep conversations going between ranchers, hunters and other groups with vested interests.

Mark Heinz can be reached at [email protected]
 
"Eastman said he worries that the matter will just keep dragging out in court and continue fostering bad feelings between hunters and landowners."
What he don't think it is already a issue between hunters and landowners. So it has to be settled by the court for all those lands that are in doubt.
 
Guy can eat a d!ck. He’s all about public land DIY until he has a premium private land tag in his pocket.
Exactly. Preaches DIY but hunts Hill ranch in Colorado every year. Eastmans has a way of fooling the naive hunter that doesn’t know any better. Very very arrogant, tried to talk to him years ago at a sportsman’s wharehouse event.
 
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I’d wouldn’t doubt that guy owns land with checkerboard at a minimum his big outfitter buddies do… his whole family been pimping wildlife for forever
 
Guy also hunts private as well and some pretty good land to boot. Of course a stock association doesn’t agree with it as well. There is nothing wrong with owning private land but there is nothing wrong with putting a little giant ladder across two public corners also.
 
You're either for Public Lands Access or against it - there are no gray areas here. The Eastman crew, Public Land/DIY "advocates" yet extremely odd that Guy Eastman would basically side with the anti-public access camp.

Regarding Magnagna/Wy Stock Growers....hmmm, they still think they "own" public land and are befuddled by which of the 4 corners they "might" allow corner crossing. Can't make this **** up
 
His buddy Fraughton's ranch where they film all their "DIY" mule deer hunts is all checkerboard. No wonder he is skeptical.
Now the episode will look more like a DIY hunt with some hunting pressure. His stance seems like a CYA for his private land hunting access, fairly wishy washy like a politician. Wonder if he is preparing to run.
 
Guy Eastman ruined the reputation of unit 2(B) in Rio Arriba County NM.

He needs to mind his own business...
 
"No fences here" is only relevant with high fences to the Eastman's. They love the fence and PL hunting.

I wish I still had the magazine from about 2005ish, when Guy shot two huge bucks on PL, and then got on his soap box about how hard it was to hunt those bucks. He said he didn't even know one of the bucks existed... then later in the article there was pictures of the buck from the year or two prior :D

Back when "social media" was in its infancy, they used to post readers responses or something like that. Hunters were calling him a hypocrite it was funny as chit.

The Eastman's are boners, all of them. Even the old man that everyone slobbers over.
 
I find it odd that the above article did not reference the Unlawful Inclosures Act of 1885 for which the judge used to make his determination. Eastman should have referenced it too. There will be appeals no doubt on whether it was appropriate to apply the UIA for individual access across corners. There must be some more definition to come out of this. I find it most interesting when the judge went as far to say that using fence posts on private to swing around from public to public is not considered trespassing as you're protected by the UIA. What if there are 4 fences coming together at the corner...Will we be allowed to crawl through those and be protected by the UIA or do we need A-frame ladders?

And what about checkerboard land for which there are no visible corners seen....no monument, no stone or mound thereof and 100+ year old dug pits have faded with time. Does there have to be a physical corner or will mapping software suffice? Software mapping is only a best fit projection of the GLO survey and PLSS. I'd like to see more definition and clarification and how modern day technology can be applied to a 138 year old Act on the books.
 
I'm in the minority - I just hunt and pay about 000.001% attention to the Randy's, Meatbeaters or fence straddlin' Guy Eastman. Seen their magazine once, at my dentist office. If you're going to whore out public land and pimp public domain wildlife which is apparently what the Eastman group does, then you just can't have it both ways. Public land is public and again, you're either for or against public land access. Not a little of both and you can't just be straddlin' the fence.

Eastman means little to me but very disappointed in his comments
 
I'm in the minority - I just hunt and pay about 000.001% attention to the Randy's, Meatbeaters or fence straddlin' Guy Eastman. Seen their magazine once, at my dentist office. If you're going to whore out public land and pimp public domain wildlife which is apparently what the Eastman group does, then you just can't have it both ways. Public land is public and again, you're either for or against public land access. Not a little of both and you can't just be straddlin' the fence.

Eastman means little to me but very disappointed in his comments
Riiiiight.
 
I started reading this whole deal then quit because guy Eastman is only making these statements because it benefits himself to cause doubt about the case into others minds. Who is he, he is entitled to have an opinion but so is everyone else and Wyoming corner crossing is now going to change how everyone hunts and what units people apply for regardless of his views. Who is guy Eastman anyways the family is of the past.
 
Interesting read. And usually there are comments for both side, but not on this Eastman guy!! :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: (As Foghorn Leghorn would say, Get it? Guy? I made a funny boy, LAFF!)
 
I was in a camp with Guy a few years back. He wasn’t the most personable person I have ever been around. Which is fine didn’t bother me either way. I just found it odd that a guy that makes a living selling magazines videos, books etc, wouldn’t be more friendly.
 
I was in a camp with Guy a few years back. He wasn’t the most personable person I have ever been around. Which is fine didn’t bother me either way. I just found it odd that a guy that makes a living selling magazines videos, books etc, wouldn’t be more friendly.

A lot of them aren't.
 
I wonder who is gonna be the first to produce and ultra a frame ladder?
I’m working on it. Think it’s going to have to be an “ultra light weight back country opps shhhh extreme” something thing or other to really sell though
 
I was in a camp with Guy a few years back. He wasn’t the most personable person I have ever been around. Which is fine didn’t bother me either way. I just found it odd that a guy that makes a living selling magazines videos, books etc, wouldn’t be more friendly.
well he didn’t build the business, it was just handed to him by his old man… who was also handed an established business from his old man Gordon…
Therein lies the problem, they never had to struggled getting a business started…

Model students of the school “spoon fed!”
 
well he didn’t build the business, it was just handed to him by his old man… who was also handed an established business from his old man Gordon…
Therein lies the problem, they never had to struggled getting a business started…

Model students of the school “spoon fed!”
The first generation builds the business, the 2nd generation lives off of it and the 3rd gen ruins it….
 
Hmm, for a dude (Eastman) to make a living off the public lands, public wildlife and public land hunters, you'd think he would of led the charge to open up CC. But, now we know who Guy Eastman really is....though it sounds like many of you have had his number for a while
 
Hmm, for a dude (Eastman) to make a living off the public lands, public wildlife and public land hunters, you'd think he would have led the charge to open up CC. But, now we know who Guy Eastman really is....though it sounds like many of you have had his number for a while
Don’t beat yourself up too much Guy. Look at it this way, you’re a success because we all know who you are!
 
Don’t beat yourself up too much Guy. Look at it this way, you’re a success because we all know who you are!
hmm, a couple of things:
1) apparently I have a stalker (SS!)
2) stalker thinks I'm Guy Eastman

Ya...I know, SS!, you've been an online badazz here and not afraid to show your ignorance and stupidity, so you stalking not only me but the other CC threads threads on MM should come as no surprise. But, I'd be happy to hear of your contribution to the CC cause...
 
hmm, a couple of things:
1) apparently I have a stalker (SS!)
2) stalker thinks I'm Guy Eastman

Ya...I know, SS!, you've been an online badazz here and not afraid to show your ignorance and stupidity, so you stalking not only me but the other CC threads threads on MM should come as no surprise. But, I'd be happy to hear of your contribution to the CC cause...
Hey no fences here!
 
Hmm, for a dude (Eastman) to make a living off the public lands, public wildlife and public land hunters, you'd think he would of led the charge to open up CC. But, now we know who Guy Eastman really is....though it sounds like many of you have had his number for a while

To be fair he wasn't alone in that. The YouTuber Buzz guides elk for was there with him
 
hmm, a couple of things:
1) apparently I have a stalker (SS!)
2) stalker thinks I'm Guy Eastman

Ya...I know, SS!, you've been an online badazz here and not afraid to show your ignorance and stupidity, so you stalking not only me but the other CC threads threads on MM should come as no surprise. But, I'd be happy to hear of your contribution to the CC cause...


Get in line, SS was stalking me first. He's my favorite midget in sweats from Alaska stalker
 
hmm, a couple of things:
1) apparently I have a stalker (SS!)
2) stalker thinks I'm Guy Eastman

Ya...I know, SS!, you've been an online badazz here and not afraid to show your ignorance and stupidity, so you stalking not only me but the other CC threads threads on MM should come as no surprise. But, I'd be happy to hear of your contribution to the CC cause...
CC? Conceal carry? Not I…. Or are you talking C.O.C.K? Crossing Over Corners Knowingly? I have no doubt you’re talking C.O.C.K Mr Eastman…
 
Lots of stuff I can agree with in that article, wonder how Guy has changed in the last 14 years if any.
Yeah he says what he knows you will want to agree with. What's not so clear about that article is the level of Guy Eastman being a complete hypocrite.

Take for instance that very antelope in that photo from that fall. He was hunting guided on private property in eastern MT, with a guide who earlier that season tried kicking me off some private land owned by his neighbor - saying they had it leased for Guy Eastman's to come hunt and film it. I with a young woman hunting for her first antelope on an doe tag. This was a place I'd hunted for years, friends owned it. Later that fall, when talking to the landowner about the encounter with the neighbor guide - he said it was certainly not leased and they had no business telling us to leave. I believe they had a pay for the animal arrangement - through Guy's outfitter, and then through the neighbor.. way trickle down pay to hunt exclude others, and be a dickhead in the process about it.

Then, a month or so, later Guy writes that article. Read it again - with that in mind for context.
 
Yeah he says what he knows you will want to agree with. What's not so clear about that article is the level of Guy Eastman being a complete hypocrite.

Take for instance that very antelope in that photo from that fall. He was hunting guided on private property in eastern MT, with a guide who earlier that season tried kicking me off some private land owned by his neighbor - saying they had it leased for Guy Eastman's to come hunt and film it. I with a young woman hunting for her first antelope on an doe tag. This was a place I'd hunted for years, friends owned it. Later that fall, when talking to the landowner about the encounter with the neighbor guide - he said it was certainly not leased and they had no business telling us to leave. I believe they had a pay for the animal arrangement - through Guy's outfitter, and then through the neighbor.. way trickle down pay to hunt exclude others, and be a dickhead in the process about it.

Then, a month or so, later Guy writes that article. Read it again - with that in mind for context.
Let’s not forget all the RFW vouchers on the hill ranch in Colorado…
 
Preach public land hunting but hunt huge muleys on Wendells place in Wyoming outside of Evanston every year and have for many years. Wendell has a nice spread but there is some checker-boarding BLM land there you can access by county roads that will now have some hunting pressure. I would imagine Eastmans are not to happy with their public land/private land honey-hole being accessed by corner crossing DIY hunters.
 
Preach public land hunting but hunt huge muleys on Wendells place in Wyoming outside of Evanston every year and have for many years. Wendell has a nice spread but there is some checker-boarding BLM land there you can access by county roads that will now have some hunting pressure. I would imagine Eastmans are not to happy with their public land/private land honey-hole being accessed by corner crossing DIY hunters.
It's a hard-knock life being Guy....
 

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