Big Elk Canyon - February 2008

New Action to Thwart Public Access in North End of Crazy Mountains

Two Dot area landowner / outfitter Mac White continues to try and establish control over huge section of public Forest Service land despite rebuffs by the Forest Service and the public. PLAAI beat down 2006 attempt to privatize public domain, but issues of reciprocal access persist.

See the Billings Gazette article linked below and article in "Accomplishments" on this website. The article is not quite true on Mac White's part. He is not denied access to his property. He can obtain a private temporary permit, but he wants permanent access.

The Gazette article does not give credit to citizen groups , like PLAAI , who lobbied against the ear mark in the 2006 federal legislation in which subsequently defeated Montana Senator Conrad Burns tried to provide Mr. White exclusive access to 10,000 acres of public land and have the taxpayers pick up the tab to do it. It gives credit only to the Forest Service for stopping the action. Sadly the Senator had a record of supporting actions to sell off and privatize public land .

related articles I-161 Guest Opinion ( 08/18/2010 )   Citizen Initiative 161 is sponsored by Montana resident hunters, tired of battling negative impacts caused by the current law guaranteeing Montana hunting outfitters 7,800 non-resident clients. These impacts include the loss of hunting access and the privatization of our wildlife. Sixteenmile Creek Acquisition Project ( 07/06/2010 )   Sixteenmile Creek Acquisition Project Needs Support and Comment. Two members of Public Land/Water Access Assoc.

public land issues Cherry Creek Road - Sweetgrass Cty Cherry Creek Road The Cherry Creek Road nine miles south of Big Timber, east off of Highway 298, crosses about a quarter-mile of Lee Smoot's property and then three-quarters of a mile of George Matelich and Michael Goldberg's ranch before reaching the Gallatin National Forest boundary – and 16,000 acres of public land. SCENIC VIEW ROAD - April 2010 IMPORTANT LOCAL ATTRACTION CLOSEDPrairie County commissioners are taking action approximately 2 years after a landowner erected a gate, installed a cattle guard and posted a sign across a road that leads to a popular scenic overlook northwest of the town of Terry.     10 more public land issues