<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;">One answer is to carry the BLM 1:100,000 maps. All land sections (or partial sections) shown in yellow are public land; all white sections (or partial sections) are private or leased. I believe leasing in BLM parlance is distinct from simple use of a grazing allotment on public land. In the former case, the only public rights-of-way are on county, state, or federal roadways; in the latter, you can travel, and generally camp, at will, the main caveat being that the rancher often retains exclusive rights to the developed water, and that camping within a certain distance of that water is prohibited.<br><br>When in doubt, call the BLM to confirm the accuracy and timeliness of the maps beforehand. If questioned by a rancher during the hike, stop, break out the maps (it helps to look a little puzzled and apologetic here), and let the rancher prove his point or
otherwise.<br><br>blisterfree<br><br><br>--- On <b>Mon, 11/2/09, Trekker4@aol.com <i><Trekker4@aol.com></i></b> wrote:<br><blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"><br>From: Trekker4@aol.com <Trekker4@aol.com><br>Subject: Re: [Cdt-l] harassment of hikers<br>To: KS1007@aol.com, cdt-l@backcountry.net<br>Date: Monday, November 2, 2009, 12:10 PM<br><br><div id="yiv2058176651">
<font id="role_document" color="#000000" face="Arial" size="2">
<div>Legal question for all'a y'all:</div>
<div> Is a BLM grazing lease similar to an apartment
lease? If you lease an apartment, you have <em>control</em> and protections,
against warrantless searches, trespass, etc. Is a BLM lease of public land only
for grazing, but not control, against us hiker trash trespass, on the land
not a public road? I understand that public roads are public; we have public
roads through ranches here in Big Bend, but many ranchers gave up public
maintenance to lock the gate at the highway. Keith, your email implies no
trespass control. Do you or anyone have any legal input, just for the
knowledge of it? </div>
<div> </div>
<div><font family="SANSSERIF" face="Arial" size="2">Bob
"Trekker"<br>Big Bend Desert Denizen, and...<br>Naturalized Citizen - Republic
of Texas
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>In a message dated 10/31/2009 1:40:24 A.M. Central Standard Time,
ks1007@aol.com writes:</div>
<blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid blue; padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px;"><font style="background-color: transparent;" color="#000000" face="Arial" size="2"><font color="black" face="arial" size="2">
<div><strong><font size="3">I'd like to add my 2 cents worth to jonathan's and
ron's entries</font></strong></div>
<div><strong><font size="3">this year we have had about 21 thru hikers north and
southbound come through on the columbus route - ron is the only one to have
any problems - he was on a county road in the middle of nowhere and a rancher
rolls up on him - he was not on the trail - of course, the rancher is going to
be curious as to what you are doing there - in southern new mexico many
ranchers lease BLM (federal) land - the ranchers think they own the land they
are leasing - they don't - don't let this isolated incident scare you away
from doing the columbus route - if you do run into a disgruntled rancher try
to find out what ranch he is from and let me know - I will go out there and
talk with them - like I said earlier this</font></strong><strong><font size="3"> is one person out of 21- if you stay on the trail you are in the
middle of nowhere and most likely will not be seen - one of the ranchers this
past spring invited 2 nobo's to his house for dinner</font></strong></div>
<div><strong><font size="3">any questions? </font></strong></div>
<div><strong><font size="3">keith</font></strong></div>
<div><strong><font size="3">trail angel</font></strong></div>
<div><strong><font size="3">deming,
NM</font></strong></div></font><br><br>_______________________________________________<br>Cdt-l
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list<br>Cdt-l@backcountry.net<br>http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l<br></font></blockquote></div></font></div></font></div><br>-----Inline Attachment Follows-----<br><br><div class="plainMail">_______________________________________________<br>Cdt-l mailing list<br><a ymailto="mailto:Cdt-l@backcountry.net" href="/mc/compose?to=Cdt-l@backcountry.net">Cdt-l@backcountry.net</a><br><a href="http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l" target="_blank">http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l</a><br></div></blockquote></td></tr></table>