2008 Draw odds out!

[Rodzilla_v]

I know its still early, but I look at the draw odds and only imagine the posabilities. With only 2 points in the bag for deer and Antelope I am kicking myself in the butt for not having put for points the first year the point system was implemented.
Changing the subject: Anybody know how you hunt a checkered board Unit? I'm from Nevada, and dont really have this issue. Do you avoid those areas?

 

[Wiszard]

There's a lot of that in Wyoming from what I understand. What I would do is research a certain area you are interesting in hunting and call Game and Fish. They may be able to give you the landowners name and number. You may be able to contact them for permissions to gain access to public land via their property. Good luck!

Steve

 

[HiMtnHntr]

The checkerboard land presents some controversy in Wyoming because the law is fairly ambiguous when it come to "corner jumping". Corner jumping is the act of stepping over the corners of four sections of land, two public, two private. This act, while still technically legal (someone correct me if I am wrong!), is highly frowned upon in Wyoming. In effect, most checker board in Wyoming is privately controlled unless you find a road through a section of public land. If you push the limits of current laws/practices, then you might tick off a landowner. The G&F will recommend that you don't do this. With all the trouble that the checkerboard country presents, it's pretty understandible that a guy would try to avoid these areas if possible. If you want to hunt an area that has some, call the biologist and get the skinny on the land ownership. With permission, you could hunt the whole area. Might cost you, however.

 

[Younghunter]

corner jumping is illegal in WY.

 

[SouthernWyo]

There is no "ambiguity" or gray areas concerning corner crossing in the checkerboard land pattern. Corner crossing is illegal in Wyoming, as pointed out previously. It is considered criminal trespass under state law.

You can hunt public sections in the checkerboard when they are crossed by a public access road (i.e. county, state, BLM road) but you have to stick to only that section. On the other hand, you can get permission from the landowner, either by paying trespass or other means, and hunt the whole area.

 

[Willy_P]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-23-08 AT 07:41PM (MST)[p]Total checkerboard is tough. There is some state ( blue ) land mixed in at times to get a few square miles in a lump to hunt. The whole private road thing can get confusing at times. Weird thing too is that some times it is the public land that is fenced in and private is open for miles then it might change. You need to be able to know exactly where you are at all the time or the jig is up! It's the little one eighth mile odd shaped plot in the middle of an area of public land that gets really hard to stay off of at times with no water or fence or power lines etc to gauge off of for sure. 640 acres is a lot to roam at times but it seems the animal you always want is right next to private land and if it moves onto it, well..... you're done.


Pat C.
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/backcountryhunting/

http://picasaweb.google.com/WillyP1956

 

[HiMtnHntr]

I stand corrected! I was confused by a conversation I had with a G&f officer. Looking back, I'm not sure he knew what he was talking about! Luckily, there is land enough to keep us entertained so we don't have to consider "corner jumping". Hunting these areas can be very frustrating!

 

[Younghunter]

Also if you get landowner permission make sure you get it BEFORE you go hunting and make sure you have a written copy. Not just his word.

 

[Rem308]

This checker board public land is to hard to find boundaries,no dought if you do not get land owners permission you will have problems. I only hunt units with large amounts of BLM land for antelope,but for deer I always pay a tresspass fee to hunt private land.The last time I was there the price was $200 for a deer.But that hasbeen 6 years ago.

 

[AZWALKER]

If a guy is willing to hunt hard, there are plentiful numbers of mature animals to hunt throughout the state on public land. You just have to be willing to hunt hard. Moving here from AZ where its flat tough to find mature deer and where even the most remote ares hold few animals, I'm licking my chops at the thought of buying a general tag here next year and hunting some of the vast areas of public land. I've noticed that many of the guys that have grown up hunting here don't get off the roads far enough on public land to find the big ones that are there. Private land affords a guy the chance to see more mature animals that don't feel the same pressure as their public land counterparts, so you don't need to hunt as hard. Avoid the problems and hunt public land, just hunt harder!

Donnie

 

[Willy_P]

Donnie was it you that moved to Lander a while back??

Pat C.
-----------------------------------------------------------

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/backcountryhunting/

http://picasaweb.google.com/WillyP1956

 

[Rem308]

When driving 1600 miles to hunt,I do not have time to scout the public land for deer,that is why I hunt private ranch's. Public land for antelopes ,because antelope are everywhere.I have taken some nice bucks on BLM land.

 

[Blueticker]

I recall a wyoming guy who purposely jumped a corner in front of the landowner and the game warden a few years back. As I recall he won his case in court. Owning land does not entitle you to ownership of the air space above it. Only governments have control of the air space.

 

[AZWALKER]

Yep, that was me Pat. I'm loving everything about Wyoming. I think I found my heaven on earth.


It is tough coming from 1600 miles and hell if you can afford it, hunt private land! Alot of us guys can't afford it though and I was trying to be encouraging to those guys and say that there are plenty of chances to kill mature bucks if you work hard and put the miles on the boots.

The corner jumping thing is unreal. I can understand if a landowner wants to close a road or something like that but to stop a guy from crossing a corner is just stupid. There is no reason other than greed. He wants to control public property and access that we have a right to as Americans. I heard a story about some guys that flew in to some public land because there was no access and I guess the land owner threw a holy fit. Thats the attitude I hate, I'm 100% for landowners rights but not when they try to stop leagal access to public land.

Donnie

 

[Willy_P]

I heard the helicopter in thing years ago as far as getting to land locked public land. I had a guy threaten me back in the 80's that if he caught me at a water hole near his house on public land that he would call the law. I had a half mile wide window into the full section the water hole was on. It was a two mile walk to it and then another half mile in from there. I think he thought no one would walk that far. I got the FS in Douglas and he got straightened out by them. I still hunt those sections today and have a picture of me beside a for sale sign for the land he used to live on. I outlasted him several times over.

ON the move to WY part of things I am really happy for you Donnie. I keep looking at it and through info from one of the others on here I contacted the IBEW about working out there. It looks like I could swing it but I have to get the family mindset tuned into it. I don't think I will ever have a better chance that now or in the very near future though, so someone here better get her head together about it ;-)

I at least want to backpack the Winds so if you don't care I might get hold of you about some trail info and who in town there in Lander offers a ride back service from the other end back to town.

Pat C.
-----------------------------------------------------------

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/backcountryhunting/

http://picasaweb.google.com/WillyP1956

 

[Rodzilla_v]

Wow that is complicated. So the bottom part of Unit 62 would be off limits? I was keeping an eye on that unit, but it looks like the northern portion would be the only place to hunt without running into that problem? I am hoping that wih 2 points I can draw something nice, maybe I'll wait a year or two. Good luck everyone next year!

 

[SouthernWyo]

Actually, if you are talking about Antelope unit 62, a portion of the checkerboard in the southern half of the unit is enrolled currently in the Walk-in program. Most of the checkerboard in the unit is off limits, but several landowners in the northern part of the area allow access. Although the northern portion of the unit holds alot of BLM, you still will need permission to cross some private to get into quite a bit of it.

 

[AZWALKER]

Its tough talking the other halves into a big move. Especially if you're leaving family. It was easy for me because we were moving closer to my wifes family.

As far as the trail info. let me know what you want to know and I'll find out everything I can for you. There's a ton of info around town about trails and such. As far as a ride back service... I'd be happy to pick you up! There are a ton of trails up in the winds and some awsome places to hike into. N.O.L.S. (National Outdoor Leadership School) is based here in Lander and they have students up in those mountains all the time. I know for a fact that there are well used trails that will take you waaaayyyy up into that wilderness. I'm thinking strongly about doing a wilderness/backpack hunt up there next fall for archery deer.

Let me know and I'll help anyway I can.

Donnie

 

[wymoosehunter]

I am not going to say it is legal or illegal to corner hop, but call the BLM Special Agent in Casper and ask him about the legality of corner hopping from one federal piece of ground to another.
It might be against state law to corner jump from private or state ground to other private/state ground, but the state doesn't have any control over federal land access (Supremacy Clause).
I really despise these landowners who think they own/control public land just because they have land or a lease that is adjacent to public land.
If enough law-abiding hunters stand up to these jerks that are stealing from all of us by claiming property that is not theirs, it should minimize these encounters.