MT EQC to determine corner crossing as "illegal"

[Big Fin]

We exist in an age of rampant unprofessionalism, but this is a wacky thing for the chair of a public committee, from which no actual authority on the subject at hand exists, to say.

Agree. Yet, given his track record of saying strange things, this did not come as even a slight surprise for me.

 

[Forkyfinder]

I guess it’s settled then….

 

[DFS]

I am neutral on the corner crossing issue and they (FWP and the governors office) have pissed me off. I can see with the way Montana manages wildlife it isn’t a good thing but if someone steps over a pin they aren’t hurting a thing and that is public land. If Montana stockgrowers association want to have a favorable opinion in the court of public opinion they would avoid the issue too.

 

[Big Fin]

If Montana stockgrowers want to have a favorable opinion in the court of public opinion they would avoid the issue too.

Agree.

Yet, the Montana Stock Growers Association President is also the Chair of the FWP Commission. She also was the person speaking on behalf of the MSGA when MSGA filed an amicus brief on behalf of the landowner in the 2024 Wyoming corner crossing case, trying to prevail against the interest of hunters wanting access to public lands. Hardly becoming of the person who is Chair of the FWP Commission that is supposed to represent the interest of hunters.

This year, she is the person who is quoted on behalf of MSGA as overjoyed that American Prairie, a Top 5 Block Management enrolled, got their leases pulled by the BLM. Being that adverse to a groups that provides so much hunting access is hard to reconcile from a person who leads the Commission overseeing hunting opportunity in Montana. Too many of her public comments are contradictory to the cause of the hunters she is supposed to be representing as a Trustee of our hunting/wildlife resources.

Fiduciary duty and conflict of interest is a lost concept in many appointed/elected officials these days. The recent actions/statements of the MSGA President are opposed to her fiduciary duty as the FWP Commission Chair. Those actions do nothing to build trust. Under the current politics of our time, there seems to be no consequence for being that conflicted and biased against the beneficiary/citizens of Montana.

If she wants to be the MSGA President, I'd expect her to make some of the statements she makes. Fine, represent your org.

But as the FWP Chair, she has the fiduciary responsibility to manage our wildlife for the benefit of state citizens. In no world of fiduciary rules of transparency, conflict of interest, self-dealing, would her actions be tolerated, rather would normally be litigated for removal of the Trustee.

 

[warmer]

Agree.

Yet, the Montana Stock Growers Association President is also the Chair of the FWP Commission. She also was the person speaking on behalf of the MSGA when MSGA filed an amicus brief on behalf of the landowner in the 2024 Wyoming corner crossing case, trying to prevail against the interest of hunters wanting access to public lands. Hardly becoming of the person who is Chair of the FWP Commission that is supposed to represent the interest of hunters.

This year, she is the person who is quoted on behalf of MSGA as overjoyed that American Prairie, a Top 5 Block Management enrolled, got their leases pulled by the BLM. Being that adverse to a groups that provides so much hunting access is hard to reconcile from a person who leads the Commission overseeing hunting opportunity in Montana. Too many of her public comments are contradictory to the cause of the hunters she is supposed to be representing as a Trustee of our hunting/wildlife resources.

Fiduciary duty and conflict of interest is a lost concept in many appointed/elected officials these days. The recent actions/statements of the MSGA President are opposed to her fiduciary duty as the FWP Commission Chair. Those actions do nothing to build trust. Under the current politics of our time, there seems to be no consequence for being that conflicted and biased against the beneficiary/citizens of Montana.

If she wants to be the MSGA President, I'd expect her to make some of the statements she makes. Fine, represent your org.

But as the FWP Chair, she has the fiduciary responsibility to manage our wildlife for the benefit of state citizens. In no world of fiduciary rules of transparency, conflict of interest, self-dealing, would her actions be tolerated, rather would normally be litigated for removal of the Trustee.

But yet, here we are.

 

[Forkyfinder]

If Montana stockgrowers want to have a favorable opinion in the court of public opinion they would avoid the issue too.

Theyre a special interest group that pays lobbyists to argue for their benefit...

Not much different than some of the folks who were there for conservation/wildlife orgs, i suppose. Although curiously - some of them didnt show up and are completely silent on the topic here and everywhere. Maybe just dont want to rock the boat with their funding/image the way the stock growers do.

 

[Forkyfinder]

They did. I also couldnt make it, but could only listen later...

Cal with BHA asked if it was a legal opinion, or established law. A former fwp employee testfied (hats off to this guy - Michael Volesky) that this was pure BS not in line with historical practice at fwp and was inventing law.

A couple more folks testified and some legislators asked several good follow ups.

The key to her argument is outlined here.

Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras presents on corner-crossing legality

A 2025 Montana law making drone use a form of trespass entered the conversation.

montanafreepress.org

It is entirely founded on the "air space" argument that we have all heard by now.

 

[MT Super Puncher]

Kristin Juras is giving another talk about corner crossing in Miles City today for the State Bar Bucking Horse CLE. Her fundamental misunderstandings of the issues she speaks on is astounding. Honestly, might be good she's the face of the anti-corner crossing crowd.

 

[Forkyfinder]

“My purpose with asking Lieutenant Governor Juras to present today, I feel, has been accomplished because we’ve heard what the law is in Montana,” Fielder said at the end of the corner crossing discussion, shutting down further debate. “If other people have other interpretations of it, even if it’s a judge, I don’t value the opinion of all these judges. I think they make some poor opinions myself. And that’s my opinion.”

well, OK then

I mean - is that really any different than what the Lt Gov said?

The summary of what Lt Gov said was "its been law forever, we passed a law about drones that we passed in 2025 regarding airspace that clarifies this restricted airspace"

She restates her position several times that the airspace immediately above a landowners property is their space, and the courts have ruled as such consistently over time.

If thats the case - why did the legislature pass the law, in 2025 session, regarding drones over private property in the first place?

 

[Nameless Range]

I mean - is that really any different than what the Lt Gov said?

The summary of what Lt Gov said was "its been law forever, we passed a law about drones that we passed in 2025 regarding airspace that clarifies this restricted airspace"

She restates her position several times that the airspace immediately above a landowners property is their space, and the courts have ruled as such consistently over time.

If thats the case - why did the legislature pass the law, in 2025 session, regarding drones over private property in the first place?

We kind of discussed this years ago when a similar bill was in the 2023 legislature. Seems some of those comments that such a bill would be used as a helping hand in opposition to corner crossing, were correct.

Montana Senate Bill 333 - Create offense of trespass by unmanned aerial vehicle.

Here is a Senate Bill that has "flown-under-the-radar" (no pun intended). The SB 333 simply establishes a statute of criminal trespass for flying drones over private property. This sounds innocuous, but in effect, this Bill would establish private property ownership of the airspace above the...

www.hunttalk.com

 

[MT Super Puncher]

She keeps complaining about "practical problems." "How are you going to get an elk back across the corner? The only elk hunters i know use a cart and you can't roll a cart across the corner." She's so out of touch and a mediocre legal mind at best.