Public vs Private Roads

[lastmountainman]

I have been pouring over the BLM maps, county maps and GPS for pre-scouting this fall. In the past few years I have hunted Wyoming and usually know the area that I am hunting.

This year I have to hunt a different area and looking to have a few different areas to hunt. My question seems to be: Private roads vs. Public roads. On all the BLM and county maps I see either jeep trails, or 4 wheel drive trails. I am a little confused by weather these are public versus private.

I called the county road and bridge along with the assessor's office and nobody can seem to tell me a good way to determine if a trail\road is public or private. I need to know as there seems to only be these roads\trails to get to some of the BLM areas. This is also important to get away from road hunters and to be able to get to the public hunting areas. Does anyone have any advice on this matter?

I don't want a trespass ticket this year.

 

[Solohuntr]

I have the same issue this year,, 3rd choice draw,, anyway From what I have been able to glean it the road or trail on the map has a name or route number its public, the un named ones are private in land locked parcels,, this may not always be true but is a good place to start,,, also try looking into the roads and areas with yahoo maps /hybred for a better look at the area.
good luck
B

 

[pointingdogsrule]

I called Wyoming last week. I was told if the road is "named" or "numbered" it is a county road. USFS roads are NOT county roads and can only be driven on if on BLM, state, or national grasslands. County roads are usually disignated where they start and where the end.

I was told to call the county and ask for an offical county map.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[lastmountainman]

Thanks for the info. I have the county map pulled up right now and looking at it. There appears to be alot of BLM and state ground in the region, but not many places to get onto it. I'm like BigFin and don't want to pay a trespass fee to get to the public grounds. I guess I'm up for alot of hiking. I just don't know where all the other hunters have been talking about hunting on the public lands.
I am hunting in a region for deer and if all non-resident hunters are faced with the same problems then I fell good about it because I like to hunt as far back as one can go, but it will suck if I hike back into a area thinking there are no public access and find out that there is fifteen road hunters back there:W:

 

[sbhooper]

Welcome to hunting the checker board! BLM maps are pretty hard to decifer some times. I about wore some out just going over them preparing for an 08 hunt. Good luck.

 

[Tom]

I met some guys one year who took a private road to public land in WY and hunted it. They lost their animals and paid a $200 fine each. They were pretty disgusted when that happened. Good luck with getting the right road maps.

 

[theat]

I would call the local BLM office and ask to talk to whoever is in charge of road maintenance. For the places I hunt in eastern Montana they have been the most helpful and knowledgeable. Sometimes the BLM fire fighters know more than anyone, so you might try them as well. Make sure that when you call you have your maps out and can be specific about which roads you are interested in and which BLM lands you want to access.

 

[ihuntelk]

And remember that Wyo is run by Legisranchers who protect their interests. It is your responsibilty to know who's land you are on and they don't have to post it.
If you know where you are and they try and run you off, I'd document everything. If you're not positive where you are and they try and run you off - go quickly. www.huntinggpsmaps.com should help with the landownership issues when checked against your maps. I've had several landowners/outfitters try and run me off public land in Wyo. I let them chew for a bit and then ask id they'd like to see my maps, GPS, or aerial photos (with land ownership) because I know where I'm at and I'm not leaving public land. Some have been beligerent but most back off and leave you alone.

Expect an outfitter or the landowner to drive through the private and hunt the public land FIRST and then they'll go hunt the private.

Good luck.
-Cade
www.HuntForeverWest.com