Wyoming Land Access/Helicopter Question

[Brn2hnt]

Question for any Wyoming natives. Does anyone know of any companies in the Sheridan area that will do charter Helicopter flights? I talked to one outfit already but the man I spoke with said he won't do them where I wanted to go as he knows the local ranchers in that area and doesn't want them calling him after he flies someone in. I've got to say I was a bit taken aback by that but I guess it's an issue of crapping where you eat.

Mike

 

[antlerradar]

not the first time I have heard that

You may have to look at Gillette.

 

[teamhoyt]

If Gillette doesn't work maybe billings. It's probably not a huge difference in flight time

 

[teamhoyt]

If you don't mind sharing do you have the contact Info for the guy in Sheridan? You could pm if you prefer

 

[schmalts]

Question for any Wyoming natives. Does anyone know of any companies in the Sheridan area that will do charter Helicopter flights? I talked to one outfit already but the man I spoke with said he won't do them where I wanted to go as he knows the local ranchers in that area and doesn't want them calling him after he flies someone in. I've got to say I was a bit taken aback by that but I guess it's an issue of crapping where you eat.

Mike

Had the same conversation with Bighorn air. He said I should "get permission from the ranch owner to land on the public land" LOL

 

[Brn2hnt]

If you don't mind sharing do you have the contact Info for the guy in Sheridan? You could pm if you prefer

I wasn't sure about posting the name, but see schmalts post above.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

I've actually had people with the game commission tell me that it was illegal. It was not a person of authority but it spooked me anyway. In hindsight I figured they told me that because they get tires of complaints from the ranchers. In Va you could sue the joining land owners for a right of way. The only debate would be over the price to pay.

 

[BuzzH]

I've actually had people with the game commission tell me that it was illegal. It was not a person of authority but it spooked me anyway.

Nope, whoever told you that is 100% wrong.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Nope, whoever told you that is 100% wrong.

To clarify the story, she said somone had landed an ultralight and got a fine as if it was tresspassing. I have since been told it was possibly something about where the guy landed similar to being too far off a public road. I think she was trying to keep me from stirring up trouble. Not knowing any better, I didn't question it and everything worked out fine, but I still intend on getting into that same area one day. I will however be getting clarification on the rules as I only have second hand knowledge of what is or isn't legal when flying in.

 

[BuzzH]

Read the statute and regulation...nothing to prevent anyone from accessing landlocked BLM or State land with aircraft.

I know, I helped get the regulation passed and clarified.

The only problem you can run into is camping over-night on state land, which is illegal. You can fly in and hunt immediately on landlocked State, which you couldn't under the old regulation (24 hour wait).

I talked with BLM about where you can land...anywhere with a helicopter and roads for fixed wing. I was also told that if there were areas off road that someone wanted to land fixed wing, they would look at it and make a determination. If it wasn't in a sensitive area, (say a gravely ridgetop), they would possibly OK that too.

I would encourage you to ask around, if you hit snags, let me know.

 

[RobG]

Question for any Wyoming natives. Does anyone know of any companies in the Sheridan area that will do charter Helicopter flights? I talked to one outfit already but the man I spoke with said he won't do them where I wanted to go as he knows the local ranchers in that area and doesn't want them calling him after he flies someone in. I've got to say I was a bit taken aback by that but I guess it's an issue of crapping where you eat.

Mike

Is the land state, BLM, or national forest?

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Read the statute and regulation...nothing to prevent anyone from accessing landlocked BLM or State land with aircraft.

I know, I helped get the regulation passed and clarified.

The only problem you can run into is camping over-night on state land, which is illegal. You can fly in and hunt immediately on landlocked State, which you couldn't under the old regulation (24 hour wait).

I talked with BLM about where you can land...anywhere with a helicopter and roads for fixed wing. I was also told that if there were areas off road that someone wanted to land fixed wing, they would look at it and make a determination. If it wasn't in a sensitive area, (say a gravely ridgetop), they would possibly OK that too.

I would encourage you to ask around, if you hit snags, let me know.

Thanks a ton, that clears up a bunch.

 

[Brn2hnt]

State or BLM would work for a landing. Most of the hunting area I was looking at was BLM however.

 

[Dougfirtree]

Had the same conversation with Bighorn air. He said I should "get permission from the ranch owner to land on the public land" LOL

That would infuriate me.

 

[Spot & Stalk]

....................The only problem you can run into is camping over-night on state land, which is illegal. You can fly in and hunt immediately on landlocked State, which you couldn't under the old regulation (24 hour wait)................................

Surprising that it is illegal to camp over night on state land. I would think that backpackers, hikers and general use of the outdoors would allow for this.

 

[Washington Hunter]

Most backpackers and hikers use National Forest lands.

 

[jryoung]

Surprising that it is illegal to camp over night on state land. I would think that backpackers, hikers and general use of the outdoors would allow for this.

Remember this fact if someone tries to convince you state transfer of public land is a good idea.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Surprising that it is illegal to camp over night on state land. I would think that backpackers, hikers and general use of the outdoors would allow for this.

Remember that in most, if not all, states the top priority is to produce revenue from state lands and outdoor recreation is something not of value to the land board or whoever oversees the state land. In Montana it took decades of hard work and lobbying to gain access to state land for recreation and still it is limited.

 

[shootbrownelk]

Surprising that it is illegal to camp over night on state land. I would think that backpackers, hikers and general use of the outdoors would allow for this.

Not surprising at all when you consider that that regulation of No camping/No fires was passed by legislators at the request of ranchers and their outfitters. The Wyoming legislature is top heavy with ranchers and others connected to the Agriculture industry. The same legislature that gave us the "No Nonresidents in Wilderness areas unless using an outfitter" law that is totally unfair to non-residents who own said lands as much as we residents do.

 

[Flatrock]

This is a little different issue but I was in Wyoming this fall and a G&F employee told me that the county we were hunting in will not prosecute you for corner crossing. Kind of heard the same thing from a few other hunters as well but not sure I'd want to go down that road. I maybe should have though as there were a PILE of elk on some public that I could have corner crossed onto. I don't mean to hijack your thread but maybe that's something to look into if it's possible. I feel like that's a damn slippery slope though...