MT EQC to determine corner crossing as "illegal"

[Forkyfinder]

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

@Ben Lamb - what was mcs position on this bill? And corner crossing?

 

[MTLabrador]

I’ve been trying to get an answer on this and maybe we can get this in front of the right people with this thread

https://fwp.mt.gov/binaries/content/assets/fwp/gisresources/hunting/hunteraccess/blockman/region5/maps/44_smith_2025.pdf

I called the region 5 BMA map specialist named Ian and he told me you corner cross via foot at the corner to access that SE portion of the private. But that section is bordered by 2 different private land owners. But he was wondering why I was questioning if corner crossing can happen.

Is this actually a case where fwp shows it’s legal to corner cross?

There is another region 5 map in 540 that’s the same way where you can only access via corner crossing. I called fwp last fall about it and they sent me up the food chain ultimately with no one giving me an answer.

There’s another BMA not too far from there that expressly forbids you from accessing public land that borders it from the BMA, not even at corners. The other side of the public is blocked from road access by an old railroad easement about 10 yards across. Pisses me off every time I drive by.

 

[R.K.]

Seems that BHA isn’t taking this laying down.

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

On May 14, BHA and PLWA filed legal action to cement the legality of corner crossing in Montana and secure access to approximately 871,000 acres of public land. For generations, Montanans have...

www.facebook.com

 

[DFS]

Seems that BHA isn’t taking this laying down.

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

On May 14, BHA and PLWA filed legal action to cement the legality of corner crossing in Montana and secure access to approximately 871,000 acres of public land. For generations, Montanans have...

www.facebook.com

Good, hope they created a hornets nest. They should have left well enough alone.

 

[Ben Lamb]

@Ben Lamb - what was mcs position on this bill? And corner crossing?

MCS wasn't in existence in the 23 session.

SB 333 got decapitated. Amended on the senate floor to keep it on life support, then died in committee, got blasted out and then the House floor cut it's head off. https://bills.legmt.gov/#/bill/20231/LC0330?open_tab=status

MCS' position is that we, like a lot of other organizations, are not engaging on the corner-crossing issue.

 

[sclancy27]

I always find it interesting the groups against CC are "property right's advocates", yet they actively argue and attempt to legislate against the property rights of others (public lands, private property owners wanting to do easements, etc.).

 

[Forkyfinder]

MCS wasn't in existence in the 23 session.

SB 333 got decapitated. Amended on the senate floor to keep it on life support, then died in committee, got blasted out and then the House floor cut it's head off. https://bills.legmt.gov/#/bill/20231/LC0330?open_tab=status

MCS' position is that we, like a lot of other organizations, are not engaging on the corner-crossing issue.

Gotcha.

I figured, unlike a lot of other orgs, since access was part of your mission statement (from about us - see below) it was something you were working on. Was looking forward to hearing your take and what was on the horizon for next session, oh well.

"The Montana Conservation Society and the Montana Conservation Fund are two separate entities, tied together by a common goal of reducing conflict around wildlife management, and increasing collaboration between landowners, hunters and outfitters. Over the last 40 years, beneficiaries of the public trust, our shared wildlife, have been fighting over the allocation of the resource, over issues related to access and overuse of wildlife. "

 

[Ben Lamb]

Gotcha.

I figured, unlike a lot of other orgs, since access was part of your mission statement (from about us - see below) it was something you were working on. Was looking forward to hearing your take and what was on the horizon for next session, oh well.

"The Montana Conservation Society and the Montana Conservation Fund are two separate entities, tied together by a common goal of reducing conflict around wildlife management, and increasing collaboration between landowners, hunters and outfitters. Over the last 40 years, beneficiaries of the public trust, our shared wildlife, have been fighting over the allocation of the resource, over issues related to access and overuse of wildlife. "

We tend to focus on the current access programs that provide incentives to landowners for allowing access to private land which means our current access efforts are centered around opening private land for hunting opportunities.

 

[Elky Welky]

Seems that BHA isn’t taking this laying down.

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

On May 14, BHA and PLWA filed legal action to cement the legality of corner crossing in Montana and secure access to approximately 871,000 acres of public land. For generations, Montanans have...

www.facebook.com

Never have, never will.

 

[Forkyfinder]

We tend to focus on the current access programs that provide incentives to landowners for allowing access to private land which means our current access efforts are centered around opening private land for hunting opportunities.

Understood.

Stuff like HB 763? Wonder how many landowners signed up to avoid issues with corner crossing?

I guess thats different though, because its about access to public land.

 

[rogerthat]

Seems that BHA isn’t taking this laying down.

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

On May 14, BHA and PLWA filed legal action to cement the legality of corner crossing in Montana and secure access to approximately 871,000 acres of public land. For generations, Montanans have...

www.facebook.com

Not sure I understand the basis for legal action at this juncture. The intent to prosecute?

 

[Ben Lamb]

Understood.

Stuff like HB 763? Wonder how many landowners signed up to avoid issues with corner crossing?

I guess thats different though, because its about access to public land.

We supported that bill & helped with the amendment. To my knowledge no landowner has utilized this.

Access corridors were a feature of block management for years, albeit slightly used. The bill just brought it back. It was a good effort and Mtbha deserves credit for their work.

 

[Rack Daniels]

I would hope nobody utilized it. $25,000 to access public land I already own is steep….
At least that’s how I read the bill

 

[Forkyfinder]

To my knowledge no landowner has utilized this.

Thats too bad. Depends on who you ask - ive gathered - but some seem to think theres never enough programs/solutions. Wild to me - think we have more ways to compensate someone for access to hunting than any other state by a healthy margin.

I suppose thats not entirely true - one program i cant think of provides literally nothing to the public trust in exchange for bull permits. I can see why someone, with the right resources, would want more "solutions" like that. If i had the resources - i might even pay a guy (batman?) to sell it to legislators.

Maybe we do indeed need more programs where we just give away the trust/resource and count on getting something back, from thin air (or generousity from a billionare)? Seems like "thousands" of elk are killed that way, least thats the story ive been told.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Thats too bad. Depends on who you ask - ive gathered - but some seem to think theres never enough programs/solutions. Wild to me - think we have more ways to compensate someone for access to hunting than any other state by a healthy margin.

Programs take time to build. Immediate gratification doesn't really work in real life.

Montana doesn't compensate for access. They pay for access impacts. Mt also has over 6 million acres in block mgt, another 1/2 million enrolled in PAL, about that in open fields & another 580kish acres of conservation easements w/public access.

Seems like private land owners are responding positively to the incentives.

 

[sclancy27]

Not sure I understand the basis for legal action at this juncture. The intent to prosecute?

That's how I read it. Basically, using the threat to prosecute as an intimidation tactic to take away rights of access.

 

[Hammsolo]

Letter sent. I live in WA, but own land in Montana.