There has always been friction between the western ranchers and the rest of the country over the BLM lands that the ranchers lease. One of the most serious conflicts is the fact that access to thousands of acres of BLM lands can be controlled by a ranch that owns a forty acre piece that falls on both sides of a road. The rancher can then close the road to the public. A very strange and difficult concept for those of us that are used to owning fields and pastures on both sides of a road but know that the road is public.

After talking to Wyoming residents we have realized that it is not only the BLM lands where we hunt - above the "Hole In The Wall Ranch" aka "The Bar C" - but public lands all over Wyoming. I wonder if this is an issue all over the west? The word on the mountain in our area is that the ranch manager wants to tie up the BLM lands and have his son become an outfitter.

Not everyone wants or can afford to use an outfitter. My husband and I are hunters and are independent. We have never been much on waiting for someone to tell us what or when to shoot. We enjoy the work of locating and harvesting our game. We do not always agree with the game management officials, whether it be here in Minnesota or Wyoming, but we do believe in following the laws. Hunting is a privilege that we appreciate and it makes us worry when we see a trend that is not good for the industry.

I worked in a sporting goods store for a total of 10 years. I know how much money license and ammo and the rest generates during hunting season. I know what a loss in revenue it is for a town and a state when the traffic doesn't come. When we make our trip we purchase gas, food, license and even stop for some clothing and local maps.

During these hard economic times every penny counts. If I am locked out of land that I have hunted for many years I am going to be forced to go someplace else to hunt. We love Wyoming but now I wonder does Wyoming care that we are being forced out? I am writing to the Wyoming Game and Fish and the Wyoming BLM. I don't know how much good it actually does (I told my husband they will probably quit giving me a license) but by not saying anything for sure nothing gets accomplished.

I will be attaching a map of the BLM land that we can no longer reach because the road cuts through a corner of Bar C property.