It’s not just corner hopping…

[ODarrow]

See that strip right down the center of this parcel of public land? It’s a railroad track that the Galts at 71 Ranch purchased so the public can’t access the river bottom.

Helicopter in river bottom hunt anyone?

46.45241, -110.3546

 

[Forkyfinder]

As much as id like to grab the pitchforks for anything the galts do - isnt that still acessible via the north side?

 

[ODarrow]

As much as id like to grab the pitchforks for anything the galts do - isnt that still acessible via the north side?

Nope, the Bair ranch block management doesn’t allow crossing into the public land from their property. I managed the block managements around White sulfur for a season and it sounds like Bair ranch could care less but adjacent land owners had their way.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Wow. Gross. Nothing suprises me from that family, ive got good reasons to believe they are behind the new land board policy on landswaps.

It'll be all quiet here though unfortunately, theres a lot of fans of a certain lobbyist thats employed by a fake conservation org, chartered by a member of that family, thats done a lot of lobbying, and not much for "conservation"

 

[SAJ-99]

Wow. Gross. Nothing suprises me from that family, ive got good reasons to believe they are behind the new land board policy on landswaps.

It'll be all quiet here though unfortunately, theres a lot of fans of a certain lobbyist thats employed by a fake conservation org, chartered by a member of that family, thats done a lot of lobbying, and not much for "conservation"

I’ve seen episodes of Yellowstone. This is fine.

I think this has been standard operating procedure in Montana for a long time. If Montanans showed as much rage at this as they did for NRs, maybe it would change.

 

[westbranch]

Maybe someone can pole vault across the railroad? I was there several years ago. It was a long walk across BMA pasture to watch a few whitetail does, didn't feel like sitting and waiting for possible bucks to come to the BMA from the river bottom. And ranch employees drove in and hunted the river bottom that was not accessible for walk in access.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Nope, the Bair ranch block management doesn’t allow crossing into the public land from their property. I managed the block managements around White sulfur for a season and it sounds like Bair ranch could care less but adjacent land owners had their way.

Interesting - thats a powerline not a RR.

Ive got no idea, and only questions, why an easement through the state property (retains state ownership) wasnt done in lieu of it getting into private hands with the sole purpose of restricting access.

 

[Edwin]

As much as id like to grab the pitchforks for anything the galts do - isnt that still acessible via the north side?

Type 2 BMA might as well be a no-trespassing sign in my experience

 

[ODarrow]

Type 2 BMA might as well be a no-trespassing sign in my experience

The Bair Ranch is actually pretty good but I get that. It is a pain to have to go to the ranch headquarters at a specific time but they usually let you hunt for a week with one ranch check in. There are a few block managements along the bitterroot that have raffles for weeklong time slot to hunt which I think is pretty dumb. Either do or don’t. I don’t really understand what they gain out of that…saying that they’re open to the public perhaps? Don’t they make money per hunter visit?

 

[Elky Welky]

As much as id like to grab the pitchforks for anything the galts do - isnt that still acessible via the north side?

Northwest, yes. Just cross the corner.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Northwest, yes. Just cross the corner.

Was my first thought, apparently was theirs as well when they allegedly negotiated access away - to state land in a BMA they arent in?

Weird to me.

 

[jimh406]

I feel like there needs to be some land swaps to make more contiguous land. I don't know if the landowners would agree or not.

I find it pretty frustrating, and I doubt I'm the only one, to have lots of public land with no way to get to it.

 

[westbranch]

View attachment 418258
Was my first thought, apparently was theirs as well when they allegedly negotiated access away - to state land in a BMA they arent in?

Weird to me.

Just have to park at the hwy and come through this way. Who is going to be the sacrificial lamb?

 

[ODarrow]

Interesting - thats a powerline not a rr

Interesting - thats a powerline not a RR.

Ive got no idea, and only questions, why an easement through the state property (retains state ownership) wasnt done in lieu of it getting into private hands with the

Just have to park at the hwy and come through this way. Who is going to be the sacrificial lamb?

View attachment 418259

Would be worth it! Lots of big deer down there…. Maybe kick off a corner crossing debate in Montana. I’d fund that

 

[Forkyfinder]

Would be worth it! Lots of big deer down there…. Maybe kick off a corner crossing debate in Montana. I’d fund that

Lawsuit Filed to Cement the Legality of Corner Crossing in Montana

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 14, 2026 Contacts: [email protected] | [email protected] | [email protected] Lawsuit Filed to Cement the Legality of Corner Crossing in Montana Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and Public Land & Water Access Association partner to secure...

www.backcountryhunters.org

Itd spice the existing one up a bit . I would also fund it.

 

[SAJ-99]

Weird to me.

The Galts get what the Galts want.

 

[mtmuley]

The Galts get what the Galts want.

A rancher that has a personal helicopter has "assets". mtmuley

 

[brockel]

A rancher that has a personal helicopter has "assets". mtmuley

You spelled ass hats wrong

 

[Bhoesl]

I don’t mean to change the subject but there’s a very similar situation in the Judith River WMA. Mining company owns a strip literally only 8-10 yards wide making 1700 acres of Wildlife Management Area completely inaccessible. Used to be kind of a grey area, but the new FWP map has it specifically labeled as “inaccessible WMA”

 

[ODarrow]

I don’t mean to change the subject but there’s a very similar situation in the Judith River WMA. Mining company owns a strip literally only 8-10 yards wide making 1700 acres of Wildlife Management Area completely inaccessible. Used to be kind of a grey area, but the new FWP map has it specifically labeled as “inaccessible WMA”

That’s insane. Would love to start a thread to see how many of these public lands blocks there are…must be tons.