Just read Senate amendment to block the sale or privatization of public land was shot down by Republicans the only two that voted for it were Sheehy and Daines out of Montana. The selling of public lands gets closer every day, the billionaires and corporations are pushing this. If you use public lands it should be a wake up call to write your representatives.

Particularly problematic in the west, but lots of public ground in the east as well....Back in 1963 170,00 + acres between Kentucky & Barkley lakes were seized by the federal government, removing generational residents from their land.

Payed them chump change, dozed the hold-outs houses, and pretty much used every dirty tactic in the book to form the Land Between the Lakes national recreational area.

Fast forward to the 80's, and some well heeled business types and the same dirty government had plans to build a huge theme park like 6 Flags, and some other private businesses....The locals still livid about the land grab told them if they developed one square inch, they would burn the whole place to the ground. (and they certianly would have)
...Long story short, it never happened.

I tell you this because they can make all the plans they want, but the people ultimately decide what is acceptable.

Danvee, you should buy some.

Dirt, its all set up to be owned by Corporations, billionaires and foreigners. I would be against it even if it was set up to be owned by John Q public. If you hold any value in the outdoors selling of public lands is a bad Idea. Fragmented land does not hold well for resource management be it water, timber wildlife, recreation or even scenic values. In a short life time of mine, I have seen what has happened to the west as lands got chopped up and used up. PLT (payment in lieu of taxes) comes from the multiple use of public lands back to the state for their use. Recreation is the second biggest economic engine in many of the western states. Selling off public lands is a short term fix to our economic woes.

Around here we have the term "Gate Closers". It means now that I have mine, it is time to close the gate. This place is getting ruined for my purposes, but it is improving for others' purposes from sale of public property. Privatizing public land is what made this country great, from and economic perspective.

Sure during the 1800s we needed to privatize but what was the population then and the politics. Today it would be the gate closers as you referred to. Right now multiple use provides money and jobs and for many and keeps it sustainable for years to come. I will be the first to agree some of the policy is not great but that can be changed and amended as needed. Once its owned by a corporation or other large entity possibly foreign, well that's a different critter.

How can I be against foreign ownership, I work for a foreign owned fishing lodge. My son managed a private resort for a billionaire corporation. You seem to have several prejudices?

I would imagine that any mass transfer of land owned by the US government in the western States would be between the Federal government and the State where the land is located. This was supposed to happen at the time of statehood, but I'm guessing that the Federalists of the late 1800's were opposed to doing this. That is why we are in the situation we are in today.

Give me a good reason why 83% of Nevada should be owned by the Federal government, rather than the State of Nevada.

That's great and lots of foreign business provide jobs here, but would you rather all the money stay in America and not all foreign, business will be the same a lot may be gate closers as you mentioned. Just my opinion about public lands and good discussion, have to get some things done will check in again.

Well I just read another thread about a federal lottery so if you put 2 and 2 together I bet those no good republicans are going to raffle off all the public land.

It’s a battle that is gonna get harder and harder. I vote Randy Newberg for president and he’ll keep it in line!! There’s no perfect system, but especially out west, there will be so much lost opportunity for the average person. Happy trapping! ScottW

I have not read where this would "stop" the sale of land, rather where the money from sales went.

Here's just one I read that.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/119-2025/s181

We sure wouldn't want to do something constructive with money from a sale like pay down our deficit.

I could be wrong, so search for yourself on what the bill does.

Didn't mean to pee on your fire Danvee,

I realize you thought the dems were finally doing something worthwike.

Majority of that land can’t be developed so it’s not worth much. Do the math on all the federal land at a conservative price per acre. It wouldn’t touch the deficit.

Danvee, I brought this up a while back and it’s a lost cause with these dudes. They want to be confined to whatever land their home is on and lose all hunting, fishing, and trapping rights forever.

Smart investors would pick up certain portions of land. For oil sands for gold and other precious material. I know a spot where the river blew out after the great flood that is loaded with gold, I would buy it in a heartbeat.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fresh-tracks-weekly/id1620108374?i=1000702254308

I posted the latest episode of Fresh Tracks in which they talk about the back door sort of method lawmakers are using or thinking about using to avoid needing as much support to liquidate public lands. This is a very informative episode, but I usually find Randy’s podcasts to be truthful, informative, and useful. Check it out if you have a half hour!

We may not all agree on this fully, but hunters, trappers, hikers, bird watchers, etc can all work together to try keep our public lands public and accessible to as many as possible.

At the very least, lawmakers shouldn’t try this convoluted back door garbage! Happy trapping! ScottW

"Trapping is banned on public land in several states, including California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Washington."

New Mexico

it would be a LONG term fix if they'd just stop spending more than they take in.

Same story repeated thru history. One group taking the land from another group. Everyone that thought it was there land took it from someone else.