The majority of Nevada is not private. Landowners have closed off roads which by law are to be open to the public lands beyond their holdings. A senator sent out an email explains how all the sheriffs and district attorneys are to attend to public access thru private holdings are to be dealt with. The problem in the past is enforcement, and that has just been fixed with a recent law that describes easements of various kinds. It also warns hunters that easements through private holdings is not an excuse to hunt there, but rather go on through to public land. My son and i had a ranch hand harass us on a public road as we sat with a spotting scope watching elk on public land. He kept telling us the land behind us was private holdings. I think he just kept up yelling to scare the elk off. There are jerks who leave gates open and trash roads, so i see both sides of private/public access. This is an issue in many western states, and Nevada is trying to get outdoors folks access to public lands

Skip, I understand what your saying but tend to sympathize with the land owners. They live there for a reason, they thrive in the solitude and privacy their remoteness affords them. Can't say as I'd want "tourists" roaming all over defiling the place either, even if it is just to get to public lands. JMO

I feel the opposite - seen too much acreage 'land-locked' by private owners. If the public has a 'right of way', then as long as they respect the surrounding acreage, what's the problem?

Someone was *looking* at 'their' elk? Boo hoo!

PS I have ZERO respect for the argument that 'all land should be private'. Theta spits in the eye of Teddy Roosevelt.

You should know when you buy land, or are the owner of a large tract that borders public land, that there are easements/access to that public land. It's going to be on the deed to that land. Shouldn't be a surprise. As for denying access, well in fact it's illegal if there is a right of way.

It can be a fussy thing when you have jackasses that tend to want to destroy property, etc., but most people aren't like that. But then good people don't get recognition, only the bad folks that break dow fences, and let ruts in the fields, etc. Hope they get it worked out.

I own land bordering National Forest land. I knew it was there when I bought it so what would give me the right to try and lock people out or harass them for using it. For that to be allowed to continue by law enforcement is a crime in itself. A public easement is just that "PUBLIC ". I also own a property that doesn't border public but has a public easement crossing it. What do you think would happen if I gated that easement at my property line to refuse access to the private property beyond? WE own public land! Nuff said.

Ranches here are measured in square miles, not acres. The prior existing law was on the books since 1866, this new law helps both “sides” of the issue understand what an RS2477 “road” is. This new law assigns penalties and /or fines to those who close off these roads. If one looks at topo maps of this state, one would see huge wide flat vallies, miles across, with a mountain springing up on each side. Ranches own the vallies, fence it in to suit their needs, but the fences keep others from reaching those mountain ranges which tend to be public. That is the issue here On another note, those ranches are given land owner tags for the parts of the mountain they own, which they legally sell to outfitters who guide out of staters to elk, deer and sheep. Limiting access gives them more control of the quality of animals for their outfitters, ranch hands have been known to herd animals off public land on to private holdings for this reason. This is not a simple issue and I am sure there will be roadside confrontations to validate, but existing case law favors the easements

What George said . If you want total privacy then buy totally private land.

Like Skip has said; you have to live in the west to understand this problems we face. To compound that problem the Outfitters Asso. in Montana have Fish wildlife and Parks by the balls. In this state if I have a friend or relative from out of state come here to hunt with me, and that person purchases ANYTHING, gas, food, etc. that I partake in. I'm guilty of outfitting without a license to do so. and liable to be fined up to $50,000.

Bob

Hard to claim a privacy issue on a 30,000 acre ranch when you are in a spot where you can`t even see a dwelling or a building...let alone the rancher probably hasn`t set foot on in years.

If you own property with a public access or easement you should understand what you are dealing with.

In Colorado, Lots of landowners charge a trespassing fee to get across their land onto the public land. And it’s not cheap $500-$1000 for access to good hunting land that is public but have it landlocked. Doubt it’s legal but it’s the norm. Arrowchucker

So Aromaker if the guy buys two hamburgers and you eat one you are breaking the law? But the guy can hunt with you. Another stupid law that can not ne enforced. And a law Id break.

Not all of us have the kind of money to buy privacy.. I completely agree with private property owners. That being said “public land” is an elusive concept as there are many of us versus the few who have been able to acquire privacy. I have no answers to this problem..

Not all of us have the kind of money to buy privacy.. I completely agree with private property owners. That being said “public land” is an elusive concept as there are many of us versus the few who have been able to acquire privacy. I have no answers to this problem..

Babysaph:

You are correct and yes its hard to enforce, someone would have to turn you in, however I know a guy that was turned in and it and it cost him big money.

Bob

I understand the issue of access thru private land since that's the only option for access. I would like to see enforcement of misuse of private land by those using the access roads, if that should occur.

As for ole Teddy I don't have too high of N opinion of him personally.

It's not only an issue with land. People who live or own property on lakes here in Wisconsin think it's "their" lake and get upset when people trailer to "their" lake to fish on. I understand if it's a private lake but most are owned by the state and have public access.

I've seen shows on tv where people have been shot for trying to get on to public land by private landowners. I guess you would have to call the authorities

In my area, every other section is either railroad or state "school" section. I own outright 12 sections of land and pay lease money to use the R.R./state sections. Since I lease those sections, I have the right to deny trespass to any and all people. I don't hunt there and do not permit anybody else hunt or trespass. And, yes, I do ride the entire 25 sections, 25 square miles, at least twice a week. Amazing the problems I have with people that think "they have a right" to trespass and cut fences.

Opinions change when you're actually a property owner who has to put up with trespassers on a regular basis.

This issue is not for privately owned tracts of land that do not abut federal land. Private ownership of land is part of our heritage-the public use of federal land is also in our heritage, there is a federal law that describes these easements, it has been challenged in courts who have ruled the rights to access to public domain is inherent. Chances are Larry’s property is bordered by other tracts of privately owned or leased properties, and does not present an access issue to publicly owned lands. Most western states have 43 U>S>C>932-the mining law of1866 -RS2477 issues. Once again the rich can influence its enforcement by local officials. In this state there is now recourse in state statute. In a practical sense, campers can now drive to the edge of the public land to avail themselves of the forest, streams and wilderness that often has been the area only the land owner/friends had access to in the past. it also means a long hunter can cut a dozen miles off his pack in/out due to his having to gain access to his hunt from another more distant access point. Again-I see the remnants of slob hunters and campers everyone time i go out, and do respect the land owners rights, too All of own this land

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