Access Denied

"No Trespassing." "Closed." "Private Property."  "Stay Out."  Signs like these are popping up more and more every day across Montana and around the country.  Don't get me wrong, landowners have every right to do what they want with their property.  I just really appreciate those who open their land to those who enjoy the great outdoors.

Let me give you some examples.  I know the manager of a cattle ranch close to my home.  He allows me to access the land in order to reach a four-mile long stretch of my favorite creek, Lolo Creek, to fish.  Montana law stipulates any angler can fish any stretch of water as long as they are below the high-water mark, but the biggest challenge is often finding a public access point to even get to the water.  This small, often overlooked creek, is an excellent fishery loaded with three different kinds of trout.  It is where I learned the art of fly fishing.  It is also where I caught my largest fish ever a couple of years ago--a 21 inch monster of a brown trout. 

Ironically enough, this same 4,000 acre cattle ranch is off-limits to hunters even though it is home to a resident elk herd.  It wasn't always that way.  Years ago, the owner allowed access but an unethical hunter fired again and again into the herd, wounding many elk and killing several others.

Property ownership really comes into play for hunters.  Of the six deer I harvested, four were on private property.  Of the four deer my son harvested, three were on private property.  Each of us also took one elk, but both times the successful hunts were on private ranch land. 

 Hundreds of property owners across Montana take part in what's called the Block Management program.  It is a cooperative effort between private landowners and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.  It provides the public with free hunting access to private land, which oftentimes allows access to isolated public lands not otherwise accessible.  While I have hunted on Block Management land several times, I have yet to harvest any game but that's okay.  I have enjoyed walking ridge lines, seen new country, and made memories with my son and other friends.

The greatest disappointment to me is when land previously open to the public is suddenly closed and inaccessible.  There is such a piece of land not even ten minutes from my home.  It was formerly owned by Plum Creek, which allows public access for fishing, hunting, huckleberry picking and other recreational uses on all of its holdings.  This particular parcel of land offers prime habitat for deer and elk with a source of water, stands of trees, sloping foothills and easy access to a valley bottom of lush grasses and a creek below.  In fact, it is where both my son and I harvested our first deer (see Real Hunting magazine article below).  I have friends whose land butts up to that area which allows me easy access to it.  I hunted there every year for the past seven years.  Last spring, a nearby resident purchased the land from Plum Creek and "No Trespassing" signs immediately went up.  I actually ran into that man several years ago on that same piece of property immediately after he harvested a cow elk. At that time, he gave my son and I permission to hunt on his land.  However, that changed since he added the Plum Creek parcel to his holdings.  He notified neighbors the land was now off-limits.  I tried on several occasions to contact him, but he never returned my repeated attempts.  Again, I fully recognize that it is his right to deny access.  I do not dispute that.  However, that does not make it any easier to accept.  A cherished piece of my hunting heritage is now behind locked gates.  To me, it is "access denied."