Have you hunted East Side Crazies? (need help fighting landowner closure)

[RobG]

Hi Folks,
The owner of the Hailstone Ranch is blocking a public trail and I'm trying to get it back open (along with BHA and PLWA and Kat Q. is helping immensely). The trail starts at the Big Timber Picnic Area and heads north to Sweet Grass Creek. I used it this fall and got a criminal trespass ticket even though I did not stray from the trail. Fighting this will help determine the future of this trail, even in the unlikely event that I lose and have to appeal.

What I need from you guys is not money (at least not now, even though Kat and I will incur costs). What I need is to know if you have used this trail before. This would help establish continued public use.

I have Forest Service maps dating back to 1925 on this trail. It allows access to about 3 sections of public lands in an area that only has 5 sections that a foot hunter could feasibly hunt. It is public and we need to keep it that way.

If you or anyone you know have used this trail in the past for any purpose please contact me at [email protected]. It doesn't matter if it was in the fifties or this year - in fact a history of use would be even better.

Hope to hear from you!
Rob

 

[Irrelevant]

I hope you guys (and gals) succeed! The Crazies could certainly use some more access.

 

[RobG]

I hope you guys (and gals) succeed! The Crazies could certainly use some more access.

This is just maintaining what little we have! Hopefully this will give us the inertia to open a few more trails.

By the way, the trail in question is #115, also #136 on some maps. The Hailstone told me there is no trail, but you can in fact see the trail from space via Google Earth!

 

[Gerald Martin]

Man, you is a real trouble maker son! I haven't used the trail before, but I hope you succeed!

 

[airlocksniffer]

Saw this on the Helena IR today:

http://helenair.com/lifestyles/outd...cle_c63a8377-c625-58e8-ab5a-9d27f9165e90.html

Give 'em hell Rob!

 

[Southern Elk]

Best of luck Rob!

 

[macnshana]

Your cause is a good one. I hope you succeed.

 

[kansasdad]

If the newspaper article is accurate, then it seems that the forest service and the district ranger believes you to be in the right here, Rob. I recall that you have old maps showing the trail. It seems like you have done your homework and should prevail.

 

[RobG]

Yeah, that's me. I should know more in the next few days.

 

[gmb]

Saw the article as well. Way to go man. Fight the good fight.

 

[Poke 'Em]

You mean this trail? The one that's on a map published by the USFS? Mind blowing how they can say there's no trail.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5138817.pdf

 

[RobG]

Yes - that is a good map. The trial in question is 115 on the far right.

 

[Jon Boy]

Trying to round up some guys that I know who have used it, Rob. Good luck man.