One of the most wonderful things about the West is all the PUBLIC land

[Quixote1818]

I grew up in New Mexico and my family was big into camping and exploring all over the West. Even as I got older I loved how I could simply turn off onto most any dirt road and go explore and camp. To this day I am frequently out on public BLM or Nat. Forest land feeling free as a Jay Bird. I have never thought of it as Government land I thought of it as everyone's land which is simply fucking awesome! In my early 20's I remember driving to the North East and had all my camping gear and the further East I went the more difficult it was to simply find a road to turn onto and camp. I remember being in Maine and I would turn up a dirt road and every dam time there was a house there or a no trespassing sign. It was almost impossible to find a place to just drive off into serenity and enjoy nature on land owned by the public.

So, when I hear these ass holes want to take MY land away from me out west and restrict my ability to explore, be free to move about and camp I say FUCK YOU! There is cattle everywhere out west and the grazing fees are cheap so everyone wins when the lands are kept public. They stay protected for the most part and beautiful. Thank God for Teddy Roosevelt for everything he did to preserve the West and give it to everyone not just to a bunch of ranchers and wealthy land owners.

[L. Coyote]

1. It will always need defending from the greedy bastards who killed the Indians to get it.

They are not satisfied yet with their cut.

[pnwmom]

2. Yes. And there are smaller public lands even in the east.

So I was kind of shocked the first time I traveled to England and realized there wasn't anything comparable. Everything was privately owned, as far as I could tell.

[closeupready]

3. I believe in England there are laws respecting a right to wander,

even on private lands. Bit fuzzy on the details, but landowners do not have the same kinds of rights to fence off their property in the UK that they do here in the US. Hopefully, a resident there can help shed light on the difference.

[pnwmom]

4. Maybe to wander, but not to fish.

It was a long time ago, but I remember my friend having trouble finding a place to fish. Which wouldn't be a problem where we'd come from.

[closeupready]

5. Oh, that would suck - finding a pretty pond or lake,

setting up camp and fishing is all part of the package!

In New York State, you need to have a fishing license, but given that, there are lakes where you can go and canoe and fish - really a fun summer time pursuit, and upstate New York is so gorgeous.

[Cynical Sam]

6. Well said, Quixote1818!

What you stated is exactly why I can't imagine EVER moving to the east from the beautiful--and so far--expansive freedom of the western lands and landscapes.

[JDPriestly]

7. Agree with the OP.

"Thank God for Teddy Roosevelt for everything he did to preserve the West and give it to everyone not just to a bunch of ranchers and wealthy land owners."

I live in Los Angeles. We tend to live in apartments, condos or small houses. Every once in a while we go to a state or federal park or property. If all of us wanted to own a piece of the federal land, this would be an awful place to live in.

The Bundys and others can graze their cattle on federal land for a reasonable fee just like we can camp on federal land for a reasonable fee and park in federal parking in the federal parks for a very reasonable fee -- almost nothing.

[Quixote1818]

8. If you don't stay at a campground it's free to camp just about anywhere

on BLM and Nat Forest land. All you need is a tank of gas, a sleeping bag and some food and you are free to go explore as if it was your own property. But to these idiots who only think of themselves it's completely oppressive because they want it all to themselves!

[newfie11]

9. I live in the South Dakota Black Hills

Land surrounding me is all forest service and ranchers pay to run their cattle from spring to fall. The forest service uses that money to maintain/repair fences, maintain trails for walking/horseback riding, etc.

It's a win win situation but the idiots in Oregon are just that , IDIOTS!

[phantom power]

10. And that's their big-picture goal. To destroy public ownership of land and make it all private.