The Great Wyoming Checkerboard Belt

BrentD · Feb 26, 2018

There is a broad swath of private/BLM checkerboard lands that span the breadth of southern Wyoming. How huntable or even accessible, is this stuff. Since corner hopping is generally frowned upon (to put it mildly), Can this land be hunted at all by nonresidents or is it effectively a refuge from most hunters? Perhaps it is leased out but for the average DIY hunter, it looks to be pretty much off limits except perhaps where there are public roads (I assume most are private) and perhaps road hunting rules the realm there. Something I would just as soon avoid.

So, how huntable is this checkerboard of BLM and private sections?

marksjeep · Feb 26, 2018

Lots of huntable areas.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Public-Access/Access-Yes

BrentD · Feb 26, 2018

Yes, I know about the walk-in areas that make up a very small percentage of the checkerboard, but what I'm asking about is the BLM checkerboard itself. The the vast majority of public land in the region is in the belt but not in a walk-in Thus, most of this BLM appears to be off limits except where public roads carry you over private ground to a particular square of BLM. This seems to leave the vast majority of BLM in the checkerboard off limits.

Topgun 30-06 · Feb 26, 2018

Hopefully some guys that live down there will chime in because I think quite a bit of that checkerboard land you're talking about is open to hunting due to grazing associations that own the private land and let people in. I know there are some areas like that, but I'm not sure how much.

nylogger · Feb 26, 2018

I drew a unit that had a large chunk of this type of ownership last year. A grazing association owned a bunch of the checkerboard and a energy company had the same type of ownership. Both had a open to hunting policy unless otherwise marked. I talked to the land manager of the energy company by phone he indicated that they did not give permission for logistics reasons, but replied that their company lands where open to the public. When in doubt call .

WapitiBob · Feb 26, 2018

I can corner cross at will where I'll be hunting year.

BrentD · Feb 26, 2018

WapitiBob said:
I can corner cross at will where I'll be hunting year.

Where is that? I didn't think it was allowed anywhere.

BlakeA · Feb 26, 2018

BrentD said:
Where is that? I didn't think it was allowed anywhere.

I highly doubt Bob is going to tell the world where he is hunting.

Every county in WY is different. Some will not prosecute. Some "may"...

BrentD · Feb 26, 2018

Lovely, like rolling dice. I'm not much of a gambler. I guess I'll have to call all the Sheriff offices.

Lonesome_God_outdoors · Feb 27, 2018

Corner crossing is not allowed per BLM regulations but enforcement might not be the biggest concern. There's a lot of confusion among federal and state agencies on this issue. You might be fine or you might be fined. I suggest you search the WY BLM website and decide what you want to do with the information.

BrentD · Feb 27, 2018

I guess I misread wapitibob's post. I thought he was saying there is some state or county or district of some sort where it was legal (vs, not enforced or whatever). I hunt to enjoy myself. If crossing corners is not expressly legal but I have to rely on it being unenforced or somehow reinterpreted by whomever is the law at that point in space and time, then I'm not doing it. I don't need something to worry about, or hassle with.

I once won an argument in Iowa about my right to hunt a stretch of river. While I won the fight in the legal sense, it totally ruined the hunt and I've never been back there since.

LopeHunter · Feb 27, 2018

There are also places where a public road cuts through checkerboard so no need to corner hop when can walk from road directly onto the public land. Just do not ask on here if you can park your vehicle along the road in WY...just trust me...do NOT ask here on this forum.

VikingsGuy · Feb 27, 2018

LopeHunter said:
..just trust me...do NOT ask here on this forum.

I'm not much of a rule follower, so . . . . can I park my vehicle safely on the side of a public road in rural WY?

BrentD · Feb 27, 2018

I HAVE parked my vehicle in such places many many times in Wyoming. Not a problem. Indeed you have to since shooting from the car or roadway is illegal, of course.

mhungerford · Feb 27, 2018

Lonesome_God_outdoors said:
Corner crossing is not allowed per BLM regulations but enforcement might not be the biggest concern. There's a lot of confusion among federal and state agencies on this issue. You might be fine or you might be fined. I suggest you search the WY BLM website and decide what you want to do with the information.

Where in the BLM regulations does it say it is not allowed. I have not seen that before.

WapitiBob · Feb 27, 2018

BlakeA said:
I highly doubt Bob is going to tell the world where he is hunting.

Every county in WY is different. Some will not prosecute. Some "may"...

Exactly

BrentD · Feb 27, 2018

Well, I won't ask anyone to give up their honey-hole county but if there is a list of such counties that don't prosecute, it would be nice to know. But don't give up your utopia for me.

El Guapo · Feb 28, 2018

Much of the deeded sections in the checkerboard area west of Tipton to the area around Rock Springs, àn enourmous piece of country, is owned and/or leased by the Rock Springs Grazing Association which allows access to the public and does not even ask or require the the public asks permission. Deeded sections in the checkerboard east of this area are owned mostly by individual landowners that require permission, some give it for free, some charge for trespass, and much is leased for hunting access. Anadarko lands in the checkerboard used to be controlled for access by the lessor, but thats changed in the more recent leeses with Anadarko retaining access rights and for the most part allowing unrestricted access. Some of Anadarko's lands have recently sold and I'm not sure what the new landowner's access policies are.

BLM has no position on corner crossing, hunting on BLM lands is simply legal as long as it is legally accessed.

3855WIN · Mar 2, 2018

If a skinny fella turns sideways, there should be no problem with corner hopping.

RobG · Mar 2, 2018

BlakeA said:
I highly doubt Bob is going to tell the world where he is hunting.

Every county in WY is different. Some will not prosecute. Some "may"...

I wouldn’t go on whether or not they prosecute, but rather whether or not you will get ticketed. A ticket can be costly to clear up, especially if you don’t live near the courthouse and and don’t have a free attorney.

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