collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Stateland  (Read 16290 times)

Offline fireweed

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2009
  • Posts: 1299
  • Location: Toutle, Wa
Re: Stateland
« Reply #15 on: October 27, 2018, 02:00:56 PM »
Is there any legal way to access stateland that is basically surrounded by Weyerhaeuser I would assume that the state has an easement but I can’t find it on my gps with hunt Washington chip or the hunt onX app..

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
Nearly all state DNR land, even landlocked land, has some type of easement.  The key is to get a hold of the specific easement and read the details.  Nowadays, the timber companies are very careful to specifically EXCLUDE the public.  ie, the easement will say for "administrative purposes only" or for "Forestry purposes only".  However, back in the 60's and 70's the easements I've found say the purpose is to "access state land" or "access the lands of the parties" in the easement, with no language excluding anyone.  Now the DNR and private landowners might disagree, but I don't see how anyone walking down a road headed to state land with an easement with a specific purpose of accessing state land could be found to be trespassing.  Get and carry a copy of the easement first from the court house.

Offline M_ray

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 4593
  • Location: I'm takin the 5th on this one
Re: Stateland
« Reply #16 on: October 27, 2018, 03:54:27 PM »
Is there any legal way to access stateland that is basically surrounded by Weyerhaeuser I would assume that the state has an easement but I can’t find it on my gps with hunt Washington chip or the hunt onX app..

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
Nearly all state DNR land, even landlocked land, has some type of easement.  The key is to get a hold of the specific easement and read the details.  Nowadays, the timber companies are very careful to specifically EXCLUDE the public.  ie, the easement will say for "administrative purposes only" or for "Forestry purposes only".  However, back in the 60's and 70's the easements I've found say the purpose is to "access state land" or "access the lands of the parties" in the easement, with no language excluding anyone.  Now the DNR and private landowners might disagree, but I don't see how anyone walking down a road headed to state land with an easement with a specific purpose of accessing state land could be found to be trespassing.  Get and carry a copy of the easement first from the court house.

This is only feasible if you plan to hunt one or two pieces... many of us hunt all over the west and it would be a full time job trying to research the thousands of pieces in your hunting areas. I for one don’t want to end up in a barn upside down by boots assuming there is an easement... Rule of thumb across the west is “ If it doesn’t touch the road DONT access!”
DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed here are not those of HW Management, Admins, Mods or Myself... But they are the opinions of Elvis who has revealed them to me through the medium of my pet hamster, Lee Harvey Oswald...


MB

Growing old is mandatory ... Growing up is optional!

Offline sRaud

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Pilgrim
  • *
  • Join Date: Nov 2013
  • Posts: 22
  • Location: Rainier
Re: Stateland
« Reply #17 on: October 27, 2018, 04:03:26 PM »
It’s bs I’ve hunted this area for years. It’s all state land I hunt but there is absolutely no way to get to it without crossing a small sliver of Weyerhaeuser. I refuse to pay to access there land.
GO HAWKS

Offline CLARKTAR

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: Feb 2016
  • Posts: 404
  • Location: Port Angeles
Re: Stateland
« Reply #18 on: October 27, 2018, 04:36:51 PM »
Is there any legal way to access stateland that is basically surrounded by Weyerhaeuser I would assume that the state has an easement but I can’t find it on my gps with hunt Washington chip or the hunt onX app..

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
Nearly all state DNR land, even landlocked land, has some type of easement.  The key is to get a hold of the specific easement and read the details.  Nowadays, the timber companies are very careful to specifically EXCLUDE the public.  ie, the easement will say for "administrative purposes only" or for "Forestry purposes only".  However, back in the 60's and 70's the easements I've found say the purpose is to "access state land" or "access the lands of the parties" in the easement, with no language excluding anyone.  Now the DNR and private landowners might disagree, but I don't see how anyone walking down a road headed to state land with an easement with a specific purpose of accessing state land could be found to be trespassing.  Get and carry a copy of the easement first from the court house.
Where can a person look up and acquire these easements?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


Offline fireweed

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2009
  • Posts: 1299
  • Location: Toutle, Wa
Re: Stateland
« Reply #19 on: October 29, 2018, 07:20:30 AM »
Is there any legal way to access stateland that is basically surrounded by Weyerhaeuser I would assume that the state has an easement but I can’t find it on my gps with hunt Washington chip or the hunt onX app..

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
Nearly all state DNR land, even landlocked land, has some type of easement.  The key is to get a hold of the specific easement and read the details.  Nowadays, the timber companies are very careful to specifically EXCLUDE the public.  ie, the easement will say for "administrative purposes only" or for "Forestry purposes only".  However, back in the 60's and 70's the easements I've found say the purpose is to "access state land" or "access the lands of the parties" in the easement, with no language excluding anyone.  Now the DNR and private landowners might disagree, but I don't see how anyone walking down a road headed to state land with an easement with a specific purpose of accessing state land could be found to be trespassing.  Get and carry a copy of the easement first from the court house.
Where can a person look up and acquire these easements?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

I've done my research online with the county (Cowlitz) which is putting some of this on their parcel search or AUDITOR search records online to download.  The counties (and sometimes libraries) also have paper or microfilm copies.  Here's an example of the auditor records search.  You need to search name State of Washington or Department of Natural Resources or the landowner that you think the state easement crosses (ie Weyerhaeuser)
http://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/index.aspx?nid=1302
Unfortunately, Cowlitz hasn't put on the older easements yet, but you get the idea.
Be aware these easements change over time, so be sure it is up to date.

Offline fireweed

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2009
  • Posts: 1299
  • Location: Toutle, Wa
Re: Stateland
« Reply #20 on: December 16, 2018, 10:03:39 AM »
The more I dig, the more I find that these old easements could be the "holy grail" of access to public land.  And the DNR has a database of them.  After all, these are open-ended ingress/egress easements to state land. These roads were wide open when the easements were written.  It may take some political backbone, and some research, but the state has a real case here that those roads have recorded easements that anyone can use for access to state land (and no other purpose). Easements don't disappear because some company puts up gates and signs, even after time passes.

Offline JakeLand

  • WA State Trappers Association
  • Trade Count: (+27)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2011
  • Posts: 4105
  • Location: Wet side
Re: Stateland
« Reply #21 on: December 16, 2018, 05:54:00 PM »
Fireweed keep us informed! Or links so we may ponder on

Offline highhunter

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Hunter
  • ***
  • Join Date: Dec 2008
  • Posts: 115
Re: Stateland
« Reply #22 on: December 16, 2018, 07:28:37 PM »
Fireweed, great work!

Offline jmscon

  • Forum Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 1197
  • Location: Seattle
  • RMEF BHA TRCP
Re: Stateland
« Reply #23 on: December 16, 2018, 07:49:07 PM »
@fireweed
Contact Backcountry Hunters and Anglers or RMEF, this is right up their alley.

I just came across some things yesterday that I need to look into, an old mainline that is now labeled as a private road and has a sign that says “do not enter no access to state timer board lands” and other things that OnX maps needs to correct or there is some serious squatting going on.

Keep up the good work!
My interpretation of the rules are open to interpretation.
Once I thought I was wrong but I was mistaken.

Offline Lumpy Taters

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Hunter
  • ***
  • Join Date: Nov 2018
  • Posts: 156
  • Location: Lewis County
Re: Stateland
« Reply #24 on: December 16, 2018, 08:50:28 PM »
Depending on where the state land there might be some public access corridors to get you there.  I know up in the toutle valley there is a few places where weyco allows you to pass through. Everything is gated but the main road up to the state land. 

Offline fireweed

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2009
  • Posts: 1299
  • Location: Toutle, Wa
Re: Stateland
« Reply #25 on: December 17, 2018, 09:34:39 AM »
I've talked to the main easement guy at the DNR in Olympia, and the DNR knows all about this "grey" area.  According to him, the issue has not been litigated by the courts, and DNR's internal legal advice changes with the tide.  If we as sportsmen/women could convince the WDFW and DNR to work together on this issue, some real access could be re-opened.  For example, I have found several of these old easements that access to the St. Helens Wildlife Area and the DNR land around it.  The gates may not come down, but the legality of the public using those easement roads to access state land could be confirmed. 

Offline ljsommer

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2018
  • Posts: 703
  • Location: University Place, WA
  • New hunter, hard worker.
  • Groups: NRA
Re: Stateland
« Reply #26 on: December 17, 2018, 09:45:32 AM »
Regarding the amount of private land in Texas: I am assuming that getting permission to hunt is easier there than it is here, due to political climate differences (good luck getting permission to hunt from a vegan Bernie supporter who thinks the 2nd amendment should be abolished)

Offline cb1989

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Aug 2018
  • Posts: 82
Re: Stateland
« Reply #27 on: December 17, 2018, 10:07:51 AM »
Regarding the amount of private land in Texas: I am assuming that getting permission to hunt is easier there than it is here, due to political climate differences (good luck getting permission to hunt from a vegan Bernie supporter who thinks the 2nd amendment should be abolished)

Ha. I got a buddy in Texas... Joe 6pack's not gonna get permission on any good private land down there. Be like trying to get free access to flooded corn up here to hunt ducks. Too much money in it, nobody gives that away. Plus, when's the last time you met a Bernie that owns any land?

Offline DOUBLELUNG

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 5836
  • Location: Wenatchee
Re: Stateland
« Reply #28 on: December 17, 2018, 02:18:23 PM »
Regarding the amount of private land in Texas: I am assuming that getting permission to hunt is easier there than it is here, due to political climate differences (good luck getting permission to hunt from a vegan Bernie supporter who thinks the 2nd amendment should be abolished)
Like most of the southeast US as well, Texas is Pay to Play.  Private land is what is known as a deer lease, and the lessee pays the owner by the acre and year for the hunting rights.  Many times hunters will band together as clubs to lease large acreages.

I once worked with a guy who was an avowed antihunter, yet owned a deer lease in Texas as an investment.
As long as we have the habitat, we can argue forever about who gets to kill what and when.  No habitat = no game.

Offline ljsommer

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2018
  • Posts: 703
  • Location: University Place, WA
  • New hunter, hard worker.
  • Groups: NRA
Re: Stateland
« Reply #29 on: December 17, 2018, 02:29:39 PM »
It makes me sad that this has become such a pay-to-win sport. I just got into it, but my grandpa hunted most of his life and was very poor when he did so, but was able to harvest deer and elk reliably. Now I feel like this is on its way to being a sport for the rich.

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

CVA optima V2 LR tapped hole for front sight by Remdawg
[Today at 05:34:44 AM]


Let’s see your best Washington buck by HntnFsh
[Today at 05:33:38 AM]


Bearpaw Season - Spring 2024 by actionshooter
[Yesterday at 09:43:51 PM]


Walked a cougar down by MADMAX
[Yesterday at 08:31:53 PM]


Which 12” boat trailer tires? by timberhunter
[Yesterday at 08:22:18 PM]


Lowest power 22 round? by JakeLand
[Yesterday at 08:06:13 PM]


1x scopes vs open sights by JakeLand
[Yesterday at 07:29:35 PM]


Long Beach Clamming Tides by Encore 280
[Yesterday at 05:16:00 PM]


WTS Suppressors I Can Get by dreadi
[Yesterday at 03:30:33 PM]


SB 5444 signed by Inslee on 03/26 Takes Effect on 06/06/24 by Longfield1
[Yesterday at 03:27:51 PM]


Straight on by kentrek
[Yesterday at 03:04:53 PM]


2024-2026 Hunting Season Proposals by trophyhunt
[Yesterday at 01:51:40 PM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal