Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Colo BLM

In a nutshell; is BLM closed to hunting or trespass? I am not talking about the small parcels mixed in with private holdings but real large tracts. If legal where can i get maps and how do i legally cover myself from biligerent boys in rusty pickups. no theories please, just folks that know how it is done.
thanks
okie

Almost all BLM land, leased or not, is open to hunting. The leasee can keep you from driving and camping on it, but not walking or on horse back. However, if the land is completed surrounded by private land, they do not have to grant access.

The BLM has the authority to close land at thier descretion for any number of reasons and there might be some speial agreemnest with leasee. Might be a gas well driler can shut down an area for safety.. There are exceptions to every rule

There should be a BLM office that you can contact. If you can't find one, contact the nearest National Forest office ask them to provide you with a tel number. The BLM has land status maps of all thier holdings.

Getting local sheriffs to help you in a dispute can be troublesome as they look out for the locals better than outsiders. Also, a lot of these buracrats aren't not very helpful and if your goal is access for hunting, they might be anti hunters themselves. I have run into all kinds

Ditto to all saddlesore said. I frequently hunt BLM and will be again this fall. You can get topo/property maps from the local BLM offices, although at a pretty small scale. Some can be decent hunting but be mindful of closed areas and wilderness study areas where wheeled travel is banned. If you find an area you like it helps to transpose the BLM property lines onto the USGS quad maps that show the topo at a larger scale.

Be wary of private land holdings as they do not have to be fenced but you are still considered tresspassing if you go on them. Some landowners don't mind, some do. Fences you find may or may not be accurate.

I've run into BLM rangers who are quite courteous, knowledgeable, and bust their butts. I've also met ignorant summer BLM interns, completely unencumbered by any common sense, hailing from 5 states away, who were marking off wilderness study areas.

Good luck, it can be good hunting, just do your homework.

SD

If the first part of that is not just a prestatement of the second, please 'splain.
As in, surely you don't mean that a rancher with rights to graze cattle on BLM land has the right to keep us from driving/camping. I'd want chapter & verse if that IS your meaning.

Yep, the rancher can keep you fom camping on the land. The only way you can drive is if there is a public road across it ( county or state or Federal). I don't have the documentation here, so you will have to contact a BLM office

From an 'access' pdf from WY's BLM site--

"Permittees have no authority to control
access on or use of public land, nor can
permittees restrict travel over a public road
or a road with an easement that allows
public travel."



Use of 'public roads' vs free-wheeling stipulated, I think you're wrong about the camping question (exceptions such as inside or too near legit buildings, etc. granted).
As far as I can tell (and the info is not quickly found in straightforward black & white) and from the haze of my upbringing, a regular lessee has no right to restrict regular public activities on the leased BLM land- camping, playing volleyball, making mud pies, ...

That's not exactly the way to ensure goodwill among men. This site has lessees, but comments like that probably won't get you much cooperation from some of those who have the best reason to know the rules.

This link should answer most of your questions about BLM access-
www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Information/faqs/access.html

Due to land trades, sales, etc, some BLM maps do not accurately depict land ownership in some areas. Many BLM maps have not been updated since the early 1990's It is a good idea to contact the LOCAL BLM office prior to your trip and see if there are any changes to the maps you will be using. The BLM usually produces an insert for these incorrect maps that shows the new ownership, and will mail them to you if they are available. This is the case for some areas in NW Colorado right now.

You are correct. There may be some kind of special restrictions on a given parcel of BLM, but generally there will be some kind of signs up telling you so. With all the oil drilling, some 40 acre parcels may be closed.

Generally speaking, BLM has less restrictions than National Forest.

Casey

You cover yourself by getting maps. Forest Service, BLM offices, sometimes CDOW, or sporting goods stores will have maps--some have larger selections than others--and the selections can be dizzying. You are generally legally covered if the map says it is so.

BLM "Surface Management" maps are handy.

It's usually not the guys in rusty pickups you have to worry about--instead it's the employees of the wealthy and semi-wealthy landowners who's job it is to bullshit you into believing that public ground is private........

Casey

I deer hunt a pacel of BLM that is surrounded by private land except for the CR that runs through a corner of it, enough to park two pickups with horse trailers. It is not leased but the landowner of the surronding land tries his best to say it is. Almost every year the land owner shows up or sends his hired man to run us off the BLM that is posted as public use. The reason he does not like people hunting it is they sell hunts and feel that we screw their customers out of their deer. This large piece of BLM is the prime habitat within his ranch.

As saddlesore stated, the law mostly sides with the locals and can be pointless to even call them. In the case of the above land owner, I am his neighbor. Regardless, I have had to go through the Sheriff to settle the dispute.

The local BLM office is the best resource to find the answers to what can be acssesed.

"employees of the wealthy and semi-wealthy landowners who's job it is to bullshit you into believing that public ground is private."

You hit the nail on the head with that one. I've met several of those types. They get upset when you explain the lay of the land within earshot of their paid clients who seem to have been told something to the effect of "this is all our private...you won't see anyone else." Also some of those owners of private inholdings inside the public get a little brazen with their signs.

A little confidence in one's orienteering skills, boot leather, and the stones to stand up to said BS'ers can get a guy into some decent hunting ground.

SD

Well said, superdave.
I've been a victim of the 'trespassing' bluff.

When they try that bluff, look 'em in the eye and remind them federal law provides a larger penalty for misrepresenting public land as private than any state trespassing law...........

Casey

Been there! Done that!

Casey

Thanks for all the help fellas. I meant no disrespect to rusty pickups; i own one. I hate confrontations and a lot of younger guys seem to thrive on it. It makes hunting unenjoyable.
I have a set of topo land use maps for Colo. Had it for years. The public land is white and other is shaded. Is the shaded private or is the BLM also mixed in the shaded land. We're pretty careful about the trespassing; I would feel the same way on my land.
Again; thanks for the help.
okie

I should have said that, he tries to run us off. They usally show up after we saddle up, in time to see us riding off with the our fingers in the air. What peev's him worse is to call him neighbor with a smile and the finger!

I was just talking to the BLM office in Canon City on another matter and asked them about camping on leased BLM land, Specifically grazing leases as other mining /gas leases usaully can post the property for saftey. I stand corrected , they told me you camp on it. This is a reverse what the BLM folks in NM told me.

The BLM tel no. in Canon City is 719 269-8500

My worse problems always came in the northern NM country where those locals had no qualm about posting federal land. The local sheriff was more than likely a relative and they would run you off just as well. State police would not touch the problem and it was hard to get the BLM folks very interested as the block of land in question might be 100 miles away. Hope things have changed since then.

I'm glad you got the right answer and cleared up that issue. I know for a FACT that a grazing lessee can't keep you from camping for driving on any roads on BLM that are open to the public. However, there are a few instances where the BLM has closed roads that a lessee might still be able to use for administrative purposes only, like fixing a well or water trough. Also, one must remember that not all roads shown on maps, even if they lead to public ground are open to the public to use. Best way to clear these up is to get a hold of the local BLM office. IMO, talking with their Recreation staff would be a decent start, but if you can get a hold of someone on the Range or Wildlife staffs will generally get you better information.