Give us our public land back?
It is mostly private land.
We work for a rancher in this region and hunt it.
The huge herds are impressive to say the least.
The problem started by a few ranchers wanting trophy caliber bulls in this area so they gave sanctuary to herds later in season.
This was about 35 years ago we first heard of these sanctuary ranches but they had been doing this for years before.
Yes , once they herd up it is hard to get on them and take several out a the group but it can be done.
I would also venture if I called and asked about access I would be told no even though we have 30+ year experience hunting this area and work for a rancher in it. Some LOs just don't trust anyone but those they know very well or family.
The guy we work for says no to hunters unless they are friends of ours and we hunt with them. Their biggest concern is liability and not wanting folks just wondering around. However elk are scarce by mid Oct these days- headed to those sanctuary ranches by then.
WG&F GWs and biologists know who we are and who we work for but we never got a call to go shoot any elk last Feb. could have been there in minutes and we know the area.
They need to do something but access is the issue and will not go away unless they pay big to LOs I think. They tried G&F "guided" hunts a few years back and they went so so I think. G&F folks were out on the ranches with hunters.
This is also a very open country area in most of it but it is rough . Plenty of cover and terrain for stalking up on herds.
This is a pretty common herds size in this area, we took 2 elk out of it. This was 2011 so herds have increased now even. Pic shows about half the herd.
