Apachemagnum
New member
I am seeking opinions and advise about a condition that some may have encountered .. This is a bit long winded but I want to set the scene. Two years ago, mid-day I decided to head out by myself and I entered a small BLM section just off a main hwy. The BLM mostly was sage but at the back side was full of aspen and the far end was thick timber that butts up to two private property fence lines or so I thought at the time. The forested area on the BLM is about 400 yards deep by 1/2 mile long. This would be a prime example of the land most drive by on their way to their destination and never stop to give it a chance.
30 minutes into a very slow walk with wind in my face, I find myself knees deep in fresh dropping, fresh elk musk in the air, cows walking in front of me and a few bulls lightly calling back and forth. I hunted the entire area to the fence lines and back several times during the rest of the day trying to get a clear lane for a shot as eh elk fed. No opportunity ever came about so I returned the next day with my buddies dad.
20 minutes after sun up, all the way in the back corner I softly cow called and had a great reply. Before we knew it, we had a nice mature Colorado 6 pt. 40 yards in front of us. Since by buddy's 60 year old dad had yet to ever harvest a bull, I gave him first shot. He ended missing as he jerked with the release. I let out a few cow mews and had him right back in front of me. I released and thought I had a good hit. 10 minutes later I found a very light blood trail with really dark colored blood that we followed to the fence.
I contacted the DOW and got the contacts for the land owner behind both fences at the corner. Both properties were leased out to different outfitters. I was put in contact with them through the landowner and was given permission to trespass by each party to search for the bull. About two hours after the shot I started the search. One of the guides from the outfitters even stopped in to help on the search. Sadly we ended up to losing the trail. I searched the next two days looking for the bull but never found him and I never heard from the outfitters that they recovered the bull. Now here is where I’m asking for advice or direction. The area behind the fence was amazing and had ten times the sign that I saw on the BLM side. There were rubs, fresh scat, musk, trails and beds everywhere. .
At this point I was devastated and I tore my tag up and called it a season. Later while back at home I decided to do more research using GPS maps and satellite views along with CPW hunting atlas that shows property boundaries.. From this research I noticed both private property fence lines were vastly in the wrong location and close to 500 yards into the BLM. At first I thought this was awesome since I could hunt further into the great area since its legally BLM. I contacted the BLM office purchased the current land survey maps with boundaries. Then I called both BLM and CPW to ask their stance. I got the reply of, “ it’s your risk and burden to prove in the court of law if you are questioned”, and was told to ensure you don’t cross the actual boundary. BLM did acknowledge the fence was in the wrong location and that I was looking at all the correct maps but planned to do nothing about the fence location. It was suggested to me by CPW to not cross the fence even though it was still BLM to not stir the waters with the landowners and their Outfitter’s.
Last year I returned to the area on the public side of the fence and found the small area full of elk. Even though I set up 50 yards from the fence I decided not to cross it In the interest of not stirring the waters and keeping good relation with the landowners and field CPW officers. The biggest reason is if I do make another shot and it runs, I don’t want bad blood and not be granted permission to retrieve an animal if I expires on the real private property. What would you do or what have you done?
30 minutes into a very slow walk with wind in my face, I find myself knees deep in fresh dropping, fresh elk musk in the air, cows walking in front of me and a few bulls lightly calling back and forth. I hunted the entire area to the fence lines and back several times during the rest of the day trying to get a clear lane for a shot as eh elk fed. No opportunity ever came about so I returned the next day with my buddies dad.
20 minutes after sun up, all the way in the back corner I softly cow called and had a great reply. Before we knew it, we had a nice mature Colorado 6 pt. 40 yards in front of us. Since by buddy's 60 year old dad had yet to ever harvest a bull, I gave him first shot. He ended missing as he jerked with the release. I let out a few cow mews and had him right back in front of me. I released and thought I had a good hit. 10 minutes later I found a very light blood trail with really dark colored blood that we followed to the fence.
I contacted the DOW and got the contacts for the land owner behind both fences at the corner. Both properties were leased out to different outfitters. I was put in contact with them through the landowner and was given permission to trespass by each party to search for the bull. About two hours after the shot I started the search. One of the guides from the outfitters even stopped in to help on the search. Sadly we ended up to losing the trail. I searched the next two days looking for the bull but never found him and I never heard from the outfitters that they recovered the bull. Now here is where I’m asking for advice or direction. The area behind the fence was amazing and had ten times the sign that I saw on the BLM side. There were rubs, fresh scat, musk, trails and beds everywhere. .
At this point I was devastated and I tore my tag up and called it a season. Later while back at home I decided to do more research using GPS maps and satellite views along with CPW hunting atlas that shows property boundaries.. From this research I noticed both private property fence lines were vastly in the wrong location and close to 500 yards into the BLM. At first I thought this was awesome since I could hunt further into the great area since its legally BLM. I contacted the BLM office purchased the current land survey maps with boundaries. Then I called both BLM and CPW to ask their stance. I got the reply of, “ it’s your risk and burden to prove in the court of law if you are questioned”, and was told to ensure you don’t cross the actual boundary. BLM did acknowledge the fence was in the wrong location and that I was looking at all the correct maps but planned to do nothing about the fence location. It was suggested to me by CPW to not cross the fence even though it was still BLM to not stir the waters with the landowners and their Outfitter’s.
Last year I returned to the area on the public side of the fence and found the small area full of elk. Even though I set up 50 yards from the fence I decided not to cross it In the interest of not stirring the waters and keeping good relation with the landowners and field CPW officers. The biggest reason is if I do make another shot and it runs, I don’t want bad blood and not be granted permission to retrieve an animal if I expires on the real private property. What would you do or what have you done?
