Bugle 'Em In
Well-known member
Wow Kat, as they say..."a picture is worth a 1000 words". Thanks for your continued hard work and efforts!
Save Our Durfee Hills Public Lands Petition
- Thread starter katqanna
- Start date
wingman1
New member
Trust me, it's plenty challenging. The elk are always on the run because of constant harassment by the ranch. Sounds like you have VIP access to the bullwacker already.
Straight Arrow
Well-known member
smithrmk
Those of us who have been on Hunt Talk awhile will freely express background, opinions, attitudes, political bent, or whatever you wish to know. smithrmk, you have been called out by several now to explain your motivation in coming on so strong in support of the Wilks. By appearing to be disingenuous in expression, now it's not only your information but also your integrity that is in question.
Your intentions may be honorable but so far have been unclear. But I will give you the benefit of the doubt by offering a favorite quote. "The world is full of honest people who are not truthful." Willy Wynooski
katqanna
Well-known member
That's what Brad was hoping to achieve. I compared the small map the BLM gave out at the scoping meetings with Google Earth Pro satellite images to see what might be the most logical route. That is what I hiked, took waypoints and photos. Brad was right, most of that route already has an existing two track. I even found small trees and shrubs where they had orange ribbons to mark the pat, began waypointing those and taking photos to show the route. They are avoiding the coulees, sticking to the flatter ground to fill in a couple two track gaps. This is BS that a road there will destroy habitat, there already is a two track that could simply be enhanced and that "habitat" out there is not as they have been saying it is.
Benes keeps saying to me, "There is public interest for revisiting a land exchange, rather than building a costly, in dollars and potential resource damage, road into the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. I do agree that Jonathan's use of the word 'overwhelming' in the recent news article may not have properly characterized the level of public support."
BTW, the last petition garnered 1200 online signatures in 2 months before they closed it to submit to Jamie Connell. After 2 1/2 days from when we launched it, we almost have those 1200 right now (1188). That was another bit of BS coming out of BLM. So I requested the sign in sheets and minutes from the scoping meetings and all the public comments submitted to BLM, they have still not provided them to me or another hunter that requested them.
Below, I am at the top, eastside of the Anchor Ranch (Wilks to the right in white), off of Cow Island Trail. The second picture is the two track shortly before that corner. You can see the little spine of some trees - that is what this land is, like some prehistoric spine out in a vast dry, cow beaten land with some erosion coulees. I had a hard time finding some bushes tall enough for privacy to pee.
The Hedgehog
Well-known member
The Hedgehog
Well-known member
.280 Remington
New member
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2012
- Messages
- 285
That guy must hate gays and not want them out on his land looking to hook up.
It doesn't say no hunting elk though, so maybe he's ok with elk hunters.
AH_14
Member
Signed...Thanks Kat,
I actually tend to see land exchanges in Montana as a possibly great situation for the public.
This one is not it and most aren't.
Kat---you and Big Fin take over MT Land exchanges and I am all in.
*I also think the public should always get More too!
*Maybe the Durfees are valued at 40 million, we'll take 60 million and buy Dome Mtn Ranch and 5 sections of inholdings in the crazies...I like that proposed idea
I'd support that!
I actually tend to see land exchanges in Montana as a possibly great situation for the public.
This one is not it and most aren't.
Kat---you and Big Fin take over MT Land exchanges and I am all in.
*I also think the public should always get More too!
*Maybe the Durfees are valued at 40 million, we'll take 60 million and buy Dome Mtn Ranch and 5 sections of inholdings in the crazies...I like that proposed idea
I'd support that!
katqanna
Well-known member
Thanks for the signatures, we have, in 3 days, the amount the other online and hand petitions jointly produced in 2 months - 1600 signatures and counting. Hopefully, this bigger petition helps to send BLM a message that the MAJORITY does not favor a land exchange, contrary to Jonathan Moors statement in the Great Falls Tribune, "The public overwhelmingly said they wanted us to reconsider a land exchange as a possible alternative."
bigskyblueman
Member
Sad to see Debbie Barrett's car broke down so far from town.
300stw
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2008
- Messages
- 857
That's what Brad was hoping to achieve. I compared the small map the BLM gave out at the scoping meetings with Google Earth Pro satellite images to see what might be the most logical route. That is what I hiked, took waypoints and photos. Brad was right, most of that route already has an existing two track. I even found small trees and shrubs where they had orange ribbons to mark the pat, began waypointing those and taking photos to show the route. They are avoiding the coulees, sticking to the flatter ground to fill in a couple two track gaps. This is BS that a road there will destroy habitat, there already is a two track that could simply be enhanced and that "habitat" out there is not as they have been saying it is.
Benes keeps saying to me, "There is public interest for revisiting a land exchange, rather than building a costly, in dollars and potential resource damage, road into the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. I do agree that Jonathan's use of the word 'overwhelming' in the recent news article may not have properly characterized the level of public support."
BTW, the last petition garnered 1200 online signatures in 2 months before they closed it to submit to Jamie Connell. After 2 1/2 days from when we launched it, we almost have those 1200 right now (1188). That was another bit of BS coming out of BLM. So I requested the sign in sheets and minutes from the scoping meetings and all the public comments submitted to BLM, they have still not provided them to me or another hunter that requested them.
Below, I am at the top, eastside of the Anchor Ranch (Wilks to the right in white), off of Cow Island Trail. The second picture is the two track shortly before that corner. You can see the little spine of some trees - that is what this land is, like some prehistoric spine out in a vast dry, cow beaten land with some erosion coulees. I had a hard time finding some bushes tall enough for privacy to pee.
I have mentioned before, THE GUYS AT CMR HAVE ALL KINDS OF ROAD BUILDING EQUIPMENT AND KNOWLEDGE, there is no need to give a contractor a bunch of money to rehab that two track, CMR staff has rebuilt many roads , replaced washed out culverts, ect....and there already on the payroll,,,,
brownbear932008
Well-known member
Petition signed and shared. Seems by reading some of the comments on the petition the Wilkes are not very neighborly like also. Guess they want the elk on the property during the fall then they quit the hazing and alllow the elk to roam to other farms to cause issues.
katqanna
Well-known member
When I went in to the BLM to ask, again, for the Bullwhacker access sign in sheets, minutes of the scoping meetings and the public comments, I also asked Kania for the draft road assessment, because Benes stated it would be about a million to put that road in. That was not the figure that I heard before when they began this process, it was about double. So Kania tells me the draft was about $500,000-$600,000. I still havent received that either. That is why I have to keep filing FOIA's, should probably add that to the list. Anyway, I reminded Kania that RMEF offered money for the road, SCI Great Falls Chapter recently offered funds and labor, Traditional Bowhunters of Montana is committed to contributing, Pacific Steel and Recylcling in Lewistown offered the culverts at cost and Allied Steel has offered to pay for those cost culverts.) and even construction. So Benes' objections to damage, when there are already a number of two track roads on this cow beaten land doesnt hold up, nor his objections to cost, as a good portion if not all could be come up with and labor, materials and equipment offered.
I would think the BLM would welcome this as a great PR opportunity with the sportsmen/recreation community to restore access, especially in times of budget cuts and such, showing the community pulling together to restore what was lost. And we wouldnt have to lose the awesome Durfees in the process, making over 1600+ members of the PUBLIC happy on that front too!
TimeOnTarget
Well-known member
Can Non residents sign?? Kinda late for me to ask I guess, I already did.
wingman1
New member
Yes yes yes. It's federal land. You own a piece of it too. Pass it on.
antlerradar
Well-known member
It took the BLM three years to build an alternative road after the Keith Bales fiasco. I would suspect it will take a bit longer with the monument. The important thing now is to keep pressure on the BLM not to give in to political pressure form the other side.
Of course nonresidents can sign, It is federal land.
I bet the car works. Even poachers that are inclined to gun and run from the road will think twice on that ranch. I would be tempted to do it myself if it kept people form shooting deer from the road.
The Debbie Barrett comment, Now that is funny
Of course nonresidents can sign, It is federal land.
I bet the car works. Even poachers that are inclined to gun and run from the road will think twice on that ranch. I would be tempted to do it myself if it kept people form shooting deer from the road.
The Debbie Barrett comment, Now that is funny
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RobG
Well-known member
It would at least show that they are interested in helping the public instead of themselves. I don't know why people like the Wilks feel like they have to screw the other party in another deal.Signed...Thanks Kat,
I actually tend to see land exchanges in Montana as a possibly great situation for the public.
This one is not it and most aren't.
Kat---you and Big Fin take over MT Land exchanges and I am all in.
*I also think the public should always get More too!
*Maybe the Durfees are valued at 40 million, we'll take 60 million and buy Dome Mtn Ranch and 5 sections of inholdings in the crazies...I like that proposed idea
I'd support that!
katqanna
Well-known member
Thank you. There are out of state hunters who were there when I was documenting during general rifle season in October. These are all of our lands - at the moment.
I have signed petitions that friends in other states have set up to protect a part of their backyard, though I had previously not been there. This type of networking helps to reinforce that these federal public lands belong and are available to us all; that the more united we are to fight to protect one area, it inspires others to do the same in their areas; and it actively gets the public monitoring and invested in their ownership.
Who knows, you may just decide to visit the Durfees, just bring plenty of water and a GPS.
smarandr
Well-known member
Trying to shoehorn one's view of the world and all it's issues into one ideology must be exhausting. Take off the tea colored glasses (at least for a minute) and you'll be surprised what you'll learn.
