Much of the West is a checkerboard of private and public lands. If two public parcels touch at a corner, then is it okay for public land hunters to cross at that point? This topic of “corner crossing” was recently tackled in a Wyoming courtroom.
When it comes to outdoor-related stories, this one is a head-shaker, at least to me.
To make a long story short, four nonresident elk hunters from Missouri were charged with trespass when they “corner crossed” on Wyoming public lands at a surveyed corner. They had accessed these same public lands on two consecutive years, and the second time they used a stepladder to travel from one public parcel to the other. In other words, at no point did they step on private land. (Think of a checkerboard, moving diagonally from one square to another.)
It might come as a surprise to persons who don’t live in the West that “corner crossing” is even an issue. I live in Minnesota, but I’ve hunted the West several times on public land. I’ve never encountered an instance where I had to make a decision on whether it’s okay to leave one public parcel to enter another via “corner crossing.” That said, if I had, I wouldn’t have thought twice about stepping kitty-corner from one public parcel to the next. After all, if I don’t step on private land, how can I be trespassing?
Well, it’s clear that some (perhaps many?) landowners in the West don’t see the situation in the same way. They think “corner crossing” is illegal, which is why this case eventually arrived in a Wyoming courtroom.
(Author's note: Click here to watch a 1-hour YouTube video from Randy Newberg if you want to dive deep into the details of this controversial topic.)
Check out the text below from Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA), which raised funds for the hunters’ defense.
BHA News Release: In a major win for public lands access, four Missouri hunters were declared “not guilty” by a Wyoming court in a “corner crossing” case that garnered national attention.
The Wyoming chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers offered the following response:
“Today the court made its decision, and Wyoming BHA believes justice has been served. We are happy for these hunters, and we hope we can avoid future scenarios of criminal prosecution of the public for attempting to access their public lands and waters.
“This isn’t a precedent setting decision, but it is a step forward. We are committed to advancing this conversation and we hope we can find solutions that result in increased public access while respecting the property rights and concerns of all.”
In November 2021, Wyoming BHA was approached by the four hunters, who asked for help fighting a criminal citation for corner crossing between two parcels of public land. The chapter decided to support them.Chapter members reached out to hunters and anglers across the country and were overwhelmed by the response – and thank all who supported the chapter’s efforts thus far.
BHA Wyoming sponsored a fundraiser to support the four hunters. Together more than $70,000 was raised to cover the hunters’ legal expenses. Should there be a remaining balance after all legal matters are resolved, the chapter will donate the remainder of the funds to Wyoming’s Access Yes Program, which is widely recognized as a successful program to help hunters, trappers and anglers access privately held lands.
The story of these four hunters has become national news: It has increased awareness around concerns held by private and public land owners alike, and it has shed light on how complex the landscape has become, which underscores the need to develop access solutions that work for everyone.
