Transfer of Federal Lands to the States

I think I just changed my mind. Give the land to the states.

This quote and my response was posted in the TT forum awhile back:

LenSatic wrote:

rexlion wrote:
Some of them even camped right along the canyon rim. Well, that sounded pretty good to me. I stopped at the ranger station at Jacob Lake to pick up a map of the forest roads. When asked, I explained what I had in mind; the ranger replied that due to erosion from the heavy usage at rim locations, they are now keeping campers at least 1/4 mile from the edge. He also cautioned me that the roads, heavily traveled nowadays, are in bad enough condition to damage a travel trailer.

While I agree that your photos are great, the above quote caught my eye. We camped right on the edge at Lotus Point just last July and there was no problem. It's solid granite (I think) out there. Besides, what is the Grand Canyon if not one big monument to erosion. I was waiting for this to happen, though. It seems that there is another kind of erosion going on here.

LS

This is the MVUM showing that the information is correct.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd480420.pdf

We will lose access to our beloved Federal land while under Federal control.

LS

We have launched a new facebook page to keep people abreast of issues relating to federal land transfer (which we oppose). Please visit and "like" our page. Thanks!

https://www.facebook.com/WyomingSportsmenForFederalLands/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

BoonHauler wrote:
I had this link sent to me so I thought it would be good to post here. It's a YouTube clip worth taking the time to view it.

Here's the link Using The Antiquities Act To Steal Your Land

I have to agree with HPD on this. Alex Jones is not a good source of information on anything. He's the guy who started all the Jade Helm 15 hysteria last year.

LS

BoonHauler wrote:
I had this link sent to me so I thought it would be good to post here. It's a YouTube clip worth taking the time to view it.

Here's the link Using The Antiquities Act To Steal Your Land

I watched the extremely biased video and have the following comments:

To suggest the Malheur Refuge occupiers were patriots is offensive. They were domestic terrorists! To suggest one of them was shot down in cold blood is utter nonsense. That sounds like a "hands up, don't shoot" line to me. I'm not buying it!

To suggest that the only people who want to retain/expand federal lands are progressives (Democrats) is inaccurate. I have been a Republican for decades and I want the federal government to retain/manage our federal lands. Most sportsmen are Republicans. Most western sportsmen hunt on federal land. Tens of thousands of sportsmen want federal lands to stay in federal hands.

To cite a few examples where the federal government has abused the land and/or denied access and then use those examples to promote state or private ownership is shortsighted. State and private owners have a much longer record of abuse and/or denying access. How many signs have you seen on private property that say "Public Welcome!"?

None of my comments should be construed as support for Harry Reid or Barack Obama. I seldom agree with either of them.

I strongly encourage you (and others who may have viewed the video) to find a more balance source of information regarding federal land issues in the United States. It is extremely important that we all look past inflammatory rhetoric and use some common sense.

I had this link sent to me so I thought it would be good to post here. It's a YouTube clip worth taking the time to view it.

Here's the link Using The Antiquities Act To Steal Your Land

Len:

Some if not most of the people reading this thread think this type of story is great, personally I'm with you.

Seeing private land converted to public land is not always a bad thing. Personally I think it's more of a crapshoot than anything else.

Cee

LenSatic wrote:
Just read a story in the local paper about a 4th generation rancher who deeded the family ranch to the FS several years ago. So, since 1905, 4 families have owned this property and raised their children and grandchildren, earned a living, and lived their dream.

Then this woman, who inherited it, decides to deed it to the Forest Service because someone might build a Wal-Mart Super Center on it! Of course she never considered that she may have deprived someone else from living their dream of owning a small ranch at the base of the Huachuca Mountains. And what did she get out of "deeding" it to the FS? Tax write-off maybe? Just asking. http://www.svherald.com/free_access/loving-the-ranching-lifestyle/article_ea761388-18c1-11e6-b479-abdb20b7a05a.html

That property is now, forever, out of the ranching and lifelong dream inventory.

And NO, Wal-Mart would not have even considered that land.

LS

In this day and age of tax cheats and welfare fraud, this lady is a breath of fresh air! She wants to give to all of us, rather than take. I applaud her decision to give her property to the Forest Service!

sorry... double post

LenSatic wrote:
...

Then this woman, who inherited it, decides to deed it to the Forest Service because someone might build a Wal-Mart Super Center on it! Of course she never considered that she may have deprived someone else from living their dream of owning a small ranch at the base of the Huachuca Mountains.

What the article actually said...

“They gifted this 160-acre parcel to me, including the ranch house and the cattle,” Sarah Barchas said.

The gift of Brown Canyon Ranch to Sarah was supported by all of the family members, one of whom told their sibling that it was their parents’ desire that the property should be preserved.

“We had to ask what would happen to the ranch if something happened to me?” Sarah said.

It was agreed that turning the property over to the U.S. Forest Service would be the best way to prevent the property from being developed.

To me, that shows she thought about it, discussed it with family, and a decision was made to preserve the property, not "she never considered..."

LenSatic wrote:

... Did I miss some mention of the Walmart real estate director calling her up and offering to buy the property? Or any other developer for that matter? Did she even put it on the market? Heck, I may have wanted it for me and my family but now I will never get the chance.

The article states...

"Joe Garcia, who was born in the ranch house at Brown Canyon Ranch and has family history closely tied to the early beginning of the fort, has been a longtime member of the Friends organization and a longtime friend to Barchas.

“I always tell people that thanks to Sarah, we don’t have a big Super Wal-Mart on this property,” Garcia said."

It is obvious the owner didn't want to sell it to you, or anybody else and wanted to protect the property for public enjoyment. It's only a 1/4 square mile property, and there is local community support... (Friends of Brown Canyon Ranch) A little checking finds the owner accepted a land swap, not a tax break. Local kids get to see some local history they otherwise would miss out on too if privately owned (Western Heritage Program.

You are correct that there are no cattle on the property and haven't been for 20 years.

I'll also say "Thanks!". While researching Brown Canyon Ranch, I accidently typed in Browns Canyon and stumbled on an article by one of my favorite writers from the Denver Post. Unfortunately it turned out to be his last article as he died the next day, but I didn't know it as we've been out of Denver for years now. Ed Quillen was his name, and he and I agreed about most land use issues. He will be missed!