Public Land w/ "No Trespassing" Sign

[grizzly_]

Don't mean to hijack the thread but this is related... I was in Colorado last week and came upon private property with a road through it to more public land. The official USFS Travel Map (that I picked up that morning at the local USFS office) showed it as a Forest Service road through private property.

It was gated, posted, and locked. We turned around, but I still wonder if I could've proceeded (even if it was only on foot) to access the public land behind the thin strip of private. Thoughts?

 

[grandejuan]

Carry a bolt cutter and a separate lock. I've cut locks off of gates on properly signed USFS roads. Last few times, I've thrown the lock into the brush and put mine up. Would love to see what happened when the owners key didn't work at 4:30 in the AM. GJ

 

[Dave N]

As a flatlander my opinion may not mean a whole lot, but wouldn't putting on your own lock just be doing the same thing? I get the point of pissing off whoever locked it, but fail to see how it opens up the road to the public.

 

[grandejuan]

You are correct, but I didn't lock the gate the first time. The original SOB's did and they will get whatever blame involved. In the instances I referenced, they both are brothers and have pulled these stunts before, all to keep other hunters out of the country. My point was to make them or their guides look like fools in front of their clients. I never would have "needed" to take that action if the rancher hadn't done it first. Situation ethics on my part for sure. GJ