Gastro Gnome - Eat Better Wherever

Save Our Durfee Hills Public Lands Petition

Done...and another email sent to Jamie Connell. Thanks for keeping this on the front burner.
 
I'm so tired of hearing about this , "accessible" land. I have watched for the last 10 years or so this "accessible" land go from 10-15 users to 30-60 users. Don't kid yourself average Joe Hunter. This area is not accessible to you. These users do not want you there. They are the elite of the commercial hunting crowd. You bag on the Wilks for being out of staters that capitalize on huge land buys. You average Joe hunters have no idea I guess that you are supporting they very thing you despise. The elitists that you support have turned this pristine hunting location into a circus of merry go round planes and helicopters. Their own success has crucified this "accessible" land through constant media coverage, ie hunting shows, magazine and newspaper articles and your internet browsing. This "accessible" land will never be the pristine same. You all have ruined it by not keeping your mouths shut. You blast all over the internet your disgust of the Wilks. You have no idea who they are. You would never be able to pick them out in a crowd, they blend in just like you and me. They don't ride around in a gold chariot casting spells on average Joe hunters. In the relm of their ranch, the durfee hills are but a small slice of their heaven. In reality the better hunting is over the hill. So if you want to keep locking yourself, as the "average Joe" out of hunting accessible land within the N-Bar, then sign the petition and support your elitist commercial hunting crew that use this pristine area of the Little Snowies as their private hunting oasis. Or you can support a land swap and hunt the N-Bar with the rest of us "average Joes." My first post--tired of the elitists spreading their agendas on this site. FYI I'm not a Wilks or a ranch owner. I'm a real hunter who has hunted this area for 20 years, both on private and public. I have success every year in truly accessible land.
 
smithrmk,

Very simplistic and narrow minded post there.

For starters, once you lose a piece of BLM ground, its gone forever. You're never going to get it back. I don't want to risk the loss of the Durfee Hills or any other piece of BLM, FS, or State lands for a supposed "deal" made by a private landowner.

You claim that if the public agrees to the land trade, that there will be access provided to the public on the N-bar. Really? Well, I haven't seen anything that says the hunting public will have unfettered access to the Durfee's. It will be, as a best case, a tightly controlled number of "elitist" hunters who are fortunate enough to gain access to the N-bar...assuming that the Wilks' keep their word.

How is providing very limited access to the N-bar if this thing passes, any different than access being limited via the method required to access the BLM land there? The difference is, I don't have to be a buddy of someone within the Wilks camp to access it NOW.

There is no guarantee of any kind, even if the Wilks' agree to allow some public access (that they can take away anytime they choose) that it wont be friends, relatives, and wilks partners that will be the "public" allowed access. Very much like the proposed rosters in the elk shoulder seasons, where landowners get to pick and choose who makes the list and who doesn't. Sounds a lot like the BMP, where hunters call to get access on a type II ranch and are told at 6 AM that the ranch is "full" with "public" hunters. I would expect the same type of BS from the Wilks.

Not my idea of "public" access.

Plus, theres always this to think about, if the Wilks were such strong advocates of public access, why did they build a fence to thwart elk from entering public lands where public land elk hunters had access to them? Why aren't they already enrolled in BM if they are such champions of allowing public access on the N-bar? Why if they care so much about public access, have they made the decision to close the road going through the Anchor Ranch to the public?

Actions matter, and their actions show a complete disregard for the public land hunters ability to access public lands.

The only way that hunters in Montana and elsewhere are ever going to be assured access to the Durfees into perpetuity...is if we keep the BLM in Federal ownership. Anything else is a major gamble that should not be taken.

I don't buy the BS you're trying to sell...
 
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X2^^^^, and further more ranches the the Wilks have bought that were in the Block Management program were Quickly removed from the program! I would think if I was trying to do a land swap, like this I'd sweeten the pot to make it a no brainer of a deal. But then again if I had what the Wilks Bros. have why would I need to do that unless I wanted to leave a legacy of conservation to All! We read these stories in every issue of the RMEF's Bugle! Maybe we should give them the RMEF's phone number!
 
I'm so tired of hearing about this , "accessible" land. I have watched for the last 10 years or so this "accessible" land go from 10-15 users to 30-60 users. .... The elitists that you support have turned this pristine hunting location into a circus of merry go round planes and helicopters.
So by you knowing this can we assume you are one of the elitist who want this for themselves? Or merely another one of the Wilks' paid hacks lying to the public about their character. I may not be able to pick them out of a crowd, but I do recognize their disingenuous actions regarding this proposed exchange. And it is because of their own illegal actions that so much publicity has been brought to this place and ensured it won't have public support. So tell you bosses to tear down that fence and start repairing the damage to the landscape if they want to pass themselves off as having the same character as the locals.
 
Your year long fence claim is a none issue. Same fence used all over the county. Drive down the flatwillow, same fence on both sides of county road. NOT ILLEGAL.! Will not keep the elk out. They will and do mow that fence down almost daily. Never seen a calf tangled in this fence in my twenty years in the area. Elk population doing just fine with said Illegal fence. Blm suggested land swap, not N-Bar originally. Blockmanagements a joke to us that gain access to private by being a friend, not a foe. You will never gain trust of the landowner by acting so arrogant. Many of You on this site are the laughing stock at the capital with your nasty rhetoric. Stop hiding behind your avatars and get off your but and make a friend. Way easier than b ching about no good access. For the record I don't work for the Wilks. Self-employed. I make my own destiny. I don't look for hand outs.
 
Forgot to mention. Don't need to hunt the durfees, I have other access. But I could if I wanted. Been invited as a friend. Remember, its who you know not what you know, much easier than being a foe.
 
This thread don't need another he said she said, but the bottom line is we need to keep every parcel of public land possible.
Smithrmk I suggest you and others do some investigation on Dan and Ferris Wilks, and then make an oppinion if you still support them, I don't and never will after reading their bios.
 
Moderators, maybe you can take a good look at the way some of your most consistent posters try to bully and belittle new posters, or those who share a different opinion. Many of my fellow hunting buddies would use this site more often if these people were to put a muzzle on their derogatory comments. Is that simplistic and narrow minded enough for you buzzzz!
 
Robertr you read their BIOS and determined they are criminal. Maybe you can put your bio out and we can make our assumptions about you. You and most others have no idea what good they do or don't do. Go meet them and then make an assumption. The info on this site is regurgitation from a very few elitists who tell you half truths and make bogus claims to further their agendas.
 
Your year long fence claim is a none issue. Same fence used all over the county. Drive down the flatwillow, same fence on both sides of county road. NOT ILLEGAL.!
Actually it is illegal because it borders BLM land and they have rules that were violated, and, after being confronted, the BLM admitted it was illegal, Not really a big deal in the bigger picture, but the real issue is that they put the fence hundreds of feet onto public land, especially in a place that encouraged elk to stay on their property rather than crossing. It was blatant, illegal, and they were caught red-handed.

Anyone that comes here to spew the Wilks' propaganda better have their facts straight if they want to be treated kindly.
 
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