doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com DU Trouble

Interesting, before I scream evil, lets see where accusations go in terms of actual convictions, much less to trial

As for public access, I am selfishly for it, but I am concerned that it be valid and not an unlawful taking. Ultimately I hope the courts can sort that out

As for whether DU is swayed by donations, I would be shocked if it did not have some truth to it, but prefer to wait for more facts and the test of time. Life has shown me look at actions over time whether than any single newspaper story

Sad news- I enjoyed Donnall Thomas's articles in the DU magazine- I've been a member of DU since about 1976- but I don't get involved in their politics and funding projects-- what seems strange to me, not being an uber rich property owner in MT--is that his article was NOT in the DU magazine- freedom of speech and his right s as a free lance writer, like gun writer John Barsnes, must not be the SOP at DU HQ in Nashville-

Being in favor of public access is by definition, unselfish.

So you guys are saying that all posted land should be open to public hunting and fishing, and private property rights, including your own, should be abolished???

Francis:

Is it that you meant Memphis and not Nashville?

Kind Regards/Cheers,

Raimey
rse

Keith, in this case, the public access law is already in place. If rich people buy land along a stream in MT, then they ought to be smart enough to know about the law. Instead, they're trying to change the law in their favor. Normal behavior I suppose . . . but yeah, I'd call it both selfish and stupid on their part.

There have been similar instances in the past regarding public land where people tried to buy up surrounding land & then deny hunters access to the public property. A lot of this was done with the backing of Anti-hunting groups. The court's ruling on this gave the Hunters access to the public property, but "NOT" to the private property of the landowners. There is a great distinction there.

Well said Miller.

To be honest, some hunters aggressively trespass across other hunter's private tracts to access pseudo-isolated state lands. I've worked with GW's to determine potential access points, which are dependent on contours. All need to follow the letter of the law or change it as we are a country of laws.

Kind Regards/Cheers,

Raimey
rse

Same thing has been going on all over the country for many years. Kudos to Thomas for the article on it, I say.

In GA there is a law that allows streams to be used for fishing/hunting by the public as long as they are deemed a "navigable stream". The Corps of Engineers has the say-so on what is and is not navigable. Brier Creek, near me, runs through a very large plantation that has historically tried to deny access to the portion that flows through their land. They cannot prevent someone putting in at a public landing and drifting through "their" stretch. I drift that stream alone in a specially built duck hunting kayak. I have never been accosted by a landowner, but friends of mine have. I just have to watch my shotfall, and stay within the banks of the creek/river. When I drift I carry with me a copy of a letter from the Corps of Engineers that clearly states that Brier Creek is a navigable stream from it's mouth upstream to a particular railroad crossing. Just in case.