There has always been friction between the western ranchers and the rest of the country over the BLM lands that the ranchers lease. One of the most serious conflicts is the fact that access to thousands of acres of BLM lands can be controlled by a ranch that owns a forty acre piece that falls on both sides of a road. The rancher can then close the road to the public. A very strange and difficult concept for those of us that are used to owning fields and pastures on both sides of a road but know that the road is public.

After talking to Wyoming residents we have realized that it is not only the BLM lands where we hunt - above the "Hole In The Wall Ranch" aka "The Bar C" - but public lands all over Wyoming. I wonder if this is an issue all over the west? The word on the mountain in our area is that the ranch manager wants to tie up the BLM lands and have his son become an outfitter.