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BLM starts process to restore Bullwhacker access with by-pass

katqanna

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BLM starts process to restore Bullwhacker access with by-pass
This is the BLM area that was cut off when public access to Bullwhacker Road was lost. Here is a small map of part of the area. If you have suggestions, please send them through the contact info below for Mike Kania. There will be 3 scoping meetings in Dec.

Edit: Sorry, forgot to state that the dashed green line with the question mark was one of the proposed routes mentioned when the discussion was occurring over the Wilks land trade proposal. I did the side by side graphic for the online petition, showing there were options for restoring access. Being pressed for time this morning I was lazy and simply copied and edited that portion of the graphic to show the area in question. Other alternatives can be offered.

bullwhacker.png


(LEWISTOWN, Mont.) – The Bureau of Land Management announced today, it has begun the process required to reestablish road access into the Bullwhacker Coulee area of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.

“We are currently investigating four separate alternatives, to reestablish road access into the Bullwhacker drainage, using portions of existing roads whenever possible. Once these alternatives have been identified and flagged on the ground, we will carefully analyze the impacts of each alternative in an environmental assessment to determine future public access,” said Michael Kania, the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument Manager.

The BLM would consider mitigation, including the option of closing, rehabilitating, or reclaiming other existing roads to off-set the resource disturbance. The intent would be to ensure no net gain in the present miles of road within the area.

Historic public access to approximately 50,000 backcountry acres in the Bullwhacker area within Blaine County had been lost following a 2011 court decision declaring a portion of the Bullwhacker Road crossing private lands to be a private road. A proposed land exchange to restore access was considered, but was determined to be not in the best interest of the American people who have entrusted the BLM to manage their public lands for them.

The BLM has initiated an open and transparent public process in which the public will have a number of opportunities to participate in a resolution long-sought after for restoring motorized public access to the Bullwhacker area. The Bureau is preliminarily considering four potential options to find a viable access solution that would garner substantial public support and be in the best interest of the American public the BLM serves.

“Public access to public lands continues to be one of BLM Montana/Dakotas’ top priorities,” said Stan Benes, the BLM Central Montana District Manager. “Our charge in this particular situation is actually to restore the access the public historically had for many decades.”

The 60-day scoping period will begin with public scoping meetings tentatively scheduled for Great Falls Dec. 2, Chinook Dec. 3, and Lewistown Dec. 4. An environmental assessment is expected to be available by May. The goal is to complete the decision process in summer 2015.

The BLM will also look to the valuable insight offered by the trusted members of the Central Montana Resource Advisory Council throughout this process.

For more information, contact Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument Manager Mike Kania (406) 538-1950. If you have comments or an option for the BLM to consider, you may send an email to [email protected].
 
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Big kudos to the BLM for taking this course of action to solve the Bullwhacker access issue.

It is this solution that could be so easily fixed as to why the Wilks' brothers land exchange proposal was a lopsided offer, to the detriment of the public hunter. Whoever told the Wilks to pay so much money for this ranch that controls access, when the access could easily be re-routed, should be sued/fired/taken to task. They got some very bad advice when they paid what they did for that ranch.

When this is solved, the proposal that was made to the BLM for the Durfee Hills looks even worse. I think hunters will be glad to see that the BLM rejected the proposal from the Wilks. It would have been a very bad deal for the public, given the Bullwhacker access could be so easily solved.

Given how many organizations have offered to help the BLM pay for the costs of this new route, it should not be a big hassle, either logistically or financially.

With the BLM committed to solving this access problem, the leverage the Wilks have in their proposed land exchange is nearing zero. Now, any exchange proposal can be considered on values of lands in question, not a hostage situation where access to the Bullwhacker is being held captive.

Glad to see the BLM taking this approach. Now, time to provide necessary comments and pressure to make sure this new access is not derailed by political pressures from those who do not have public access as their core priority.
 
I drove down this road last year. It was washed out and trucks couldn't make it through. I believe four wheelers and side-by-side vehicles were already using this planned route to gain access last year. The only bummer is the additional 18 mile drive to circle around to get access to this area.

Matt
 
Good deal! Comments in favor of an action have weight as well, so please do not comment on something because the proposed action is what you want.
 
Its not necessary! What happens when the private land owner in cow creek gets sick of the road being mistreated? A huge waste of public dollars to build a road that will regularly get washed out, and still risks being shut down... The current access to this area is adequate... Maybe we should plow a few road into fan mtn so I don't have to walk so far to cedar lake...Circle mtn would also be a very nice place to be able to drive my pickup into. Maybe the FWP or the BLM should have purchased the Pin Wheel Ranch instead of the Milk River Ranch... The BLM just shut down hundreds of miles of roads in 620 and 621 that were used weekly by a multitude of people...Now they want to consider cutting a new road into an area that you can already walk, motorcycle, or horseback into? To hike the M in Bozeman is a half mile and almost 850 feet of elevation...You currently get to where they want a road cut into publicly and legally with less effort than hiking the M... JMO but I think we should leave it all as it is... The people capable of flying into the durfee hills can do so and I'll continue walking into the monument...Or boating...Or horseback... Or motorcycle... That area is very lucky to be a bit more old fashioned than many of the areas in the state... A handshake, some help fencing and branding, and some plain ol' good manners can still get access to much of the private land. We all know what happens when the gov't, the private landowners, and the public all start getting at each other... Everyone loses. Wilkes land holdings in the bullwhacker area isn't as big of deal is it's being made into... They are seldom in the area, they leased all their grazing to many local cattle owners, and they don't act anything like they are in the snowies... They locked the gate... who cares... that road during general season was more like hunting pipestone with all the atvs, campers, and pickups driving on any and all ridge tops they could... it will never be the quality of hunting that would justify the road if the road exists..
 
I've been through there several years back before all the wash outs and closures. WONDERFUL country back in there some of the MOST remote country in the continual U.S.
 
Its not necessary! What happens when the private land owner in cow creek gets sick of the road being mistreated? A huge waste of public dollars to build a road that will regularly get washed out, and still risks being shut down... The current access to this area is adequate... Maybe we should plow a few road into fan mtn so I don't have to walk so far to cedar lake...Circle mtn would also be a very nice place to be able to drive my pickup into. Maybe the FWP or the BLM should have purchased the Pin Wheel Ranch instead of the Milk River Ranch... The BLM just shut down hundreds of miles of roads in 620 and 621 that were used weekly by a multitude of people...Now they want to consider cutting a new road into an area that you can already walk, motorcycle, or horseback into? To hike the M in Bozeman is a half mile and almost 850 feet of elevation...You currently get to where they want a road cut into publicly and legally with less effort than hiking the M... JMO but I think we should leave it all as it is... The people capable of flying into the durfee hills can do so and I'll continue walking into the monument...Or boating...Or horseback... Or motorcycle... That area is very lucky to be a bit more old fashioned than many of the areas in the state... A handshake, some help fencing and branding, and some plain ol' good manners can still get access to much of the private land. We all know what happens when the gov't, the private landowners, and the public all start getting at each other... Everyone loses. Wilkes land holdings in the bullwhacker area isn't as big of deal is it's being made into... They are seldom in the area, they leased all their grazing to many local cattle owners, and they don't act anything like they are in the snowies... They locked the gate... who cares... that road during general season was more like hunting pipestone with all the atvs, campers, and pickups driving on any and all ridge tops they could... it will never be the quality of hunting that would justify the road if the road exists..

I don't know this country, so it may just be an outsiders opinion... But I think I agree with 90% of what you're saying. The ten percent that's really holding me back though, is that those lucky enough to get access through the ranch have free reign to drive all those roads with a truck, don't they? That chaps my rear big time.

Either reclaim the roads and make it roadless, or put a road in and let the public have road access. Everybody needs to be on the same playing field.
 
. The BLM just shut down hundreds of miles of roads in 620 and 621 that were used weekly by a multitude of people....

Wasn't that due to the high runoff and not a permanent closure of roads? Phillips County, not the BLM, has closed some of those roads because they are dangerous to drive on until repaired. It is comparing apples to Tuesday in the two situations.

Make sure you let your comments be heard that you oppose a better road into the area.

Nemont
 
I don't know this country, so it may just be an outsiders opinion... But I think I agree with 90% of what you're saying. The ten percent that's really holding me back though, is that those lucky enough to get access through the ranch have free reign to drive all those roads with a truck, don't they? That chaps my rear big time.

Either reclaim the roads and make it roadless, or put a road in and let the public have road access. Everybody needs to be on the same playing field.

^^What he said^^
 
I am not familiar with the road system at all, but the roads that are not accessible to the general public should be designated closed or administrative use only... when the travel planning is completed. just my opinion...
 
Maybe I was looking at the proposed map wrong. I drove down the legally open road to the bottom of cow creek to the BMA there. That is where people were accessing last year as well with ATVs. I guess the proposed road is the one south 2-3 miles that goes across cow creek? I went down there to the sign that says road is closed and turned around, but it looked like the road was well driven anyway.

Matt
 
MTmiller,

After looking at your map it appears the proposed route goes through the BMA area which I visited last year. The green roads for driving go all the way to the bottom of cow creek on this property. I did not drive up the west side of cow creek canyon as the road is washed out, but as your map shows once you leave the BMA onto BLM the road is closed according to BLM. I wasn't there during rifle season but reports were ATVs were using this route to gain access although illegally it appears.

How is your opener looking this weekend? Looks like it's gonna get hot and sunny here in Missoula but should still be fun.

Matt
 
I agree that isn't a level playing field when someone could gain access and drive where you just busted your butt to get to... Closing the road to all motorized travel would in fact not only increase the quality of hunting but also put a huge damper on the Wilkes leveraging of that land. Once again the issue would still arise of people abiding by those laws... A good majority of the roads in the area are closed and marked but with limited enforcement and ease of travel on those ridge tops it seems impossible to keep people honest...
 
I thought I would put this in an existing thread instead of starting a new one.

A good friend was out scouting for his sheep tag over the weekend and mentioned that the Bullwhacker Road was open. He drove it on Saturday.

The gate was not locked, the camper still parked there and nobody was in the camper.

I'm not sure what any of this means - but has anyone on here heard anything?
 
Camper and water tank were pulling out on Friday (mid-day) when I was there. Two porta-potties still present today. Gate was locked on both sides. Know nothing else.
 
We have a change its not open They took the locks off so one of the guys that run cattle in there had access. And the Missoula guys just went through the open gate.
Big Dan posted that on Bowsite regarding the Wilks gate on Bullwhacker.

'Don't know what happened with the "Missoula guys", but don't think I would just drive right on through an open gate onto private property ... especially with the controversy over this access issue.
 
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