A Call to Action From The Public Land/Water Access Association

by Jake McGlothlin on January 29, 2013

in Access and Public Lands

Access to public land is getting harder and harder to find these days.  Amidst all the fighting to secure our existing rights, sometimes we get a chance to enhance what we’ve already got.  Montana currently has such a chance.

For years now, outdoorsmen in Montana have been unable to “corner jump” between section of public land or land they have access to.  This means that if two sections of public land connect via a corner only, you can’t just hop the corner from one to the other.  This has been a major thorn in the sides of hunters and fishermen, and it effectively shuts off thousands and thousands of acres of public land from use.

HB 235 is a bill that is under consideration to decriminalize such “corner jumping”.  If it passes, access to public lands that have previously been shut off will be allowed.  New hunting spots and fishing holes will be open.  The House Judiciary Committee is meeting on Wednesday the 30th to discuss the bill.

Yesterday evening I got an email from the Public Land/Water Access Association (PLWA) calling for outdoorsmen to take action.  Below is the email they sent me:

PLWA
Keeping the Public on

Montana Public Land and Water.
(Now and Forever!)
Greetings!Hey, we know we bug you a lot during the legislature, but things happen fast and victory often goes to those who move quickly and effectively.So……….tomorrow —– Tuesday the 29th.

With one call to the capitol switchboard you can contact ALL of the members of the House Judiciary Committee.  Ask them to support HB-235, the Corner Crossing Bill, one of the most important access  bills to come up in recent memory..

If anybody knows the Judiciary Committee members on a personal basis please use that to plead our case.  Members of the Judiciary Committee that really need the personal contact would be Mark Blasdell, Sarah Laszloffy, David Halvorson and Dennis Lenz.

Please make the call at your earliest convenience before Wednesday’s Committee hearing.  The Capitol Switchboard # 406-444-4800, ask the attendant to pass on your support to each of the Committee Members. Personalize your note a little bit and it will be passed on..

Thanks a bunch on this crucial access matter.

REMEMBER – ONE CALL DOES IT ALL – 444-4800

House Judiciary Committee
Kerns, Krayton (R – Ch)
Bennett, Jerry (R – V Ch)
MacDonald, Margie (D – V Ch)
Blasdel, Mark (R)
Court, Virginia (D)
Doane, Alan (R)
Eck, Jenny (D)
Fiscus, Clayton (R)
Gursky, Jenifer (D)
Halvorson, David (R)
Hill, Ellie Boldman (D)
Laszloffy, Sarah (R)
Lenz, Dennis (R)
Lynch, Ryan (D)
O’Neil, Jerry (R)
Pease-Lopez, Carolyn (D)
Regier, Keith (R)
Smith, Bridget (D)
Wagoner, Kirk (R)
Warburton, Wendy (R)
(HB 235 – CORNER CROSSING
This bill which decriminalizes “corner jumping” is strongly supported by PLWA . It would , in effect, open thousands of acres of public land .
HOUSE BILL NO. 235
“AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATED TO TRESPASS; PROVIDING FOR AUTHORIZATION TO REMAIN LAWFULLY AT CORNER OF PARCELS; PROVIDING AUTHORIZATION TO CROSS PRIVATE LAND AT CORNER OF PARCELS.”
Excerpt :
(a) When crossing from one property in which a person is lawfully authorized to remain to another property in which the person is lawfully authorized to remain pursuant to subsection (1), a person is permitted to cross private land at the geographic point that represents the corner of one or more parcels of private land so long as the person does not:
(i) cause physical harm to a landowner’s real or personal property; or
(ii) unreasonably interfere with the quiet enjoyment or use of the landowner’s property. )

 

This is a big deal.  We may not get another chance to change things for the better for a while.  Take five minutes out of your busy day and make the call.

Help us make a difference.