Montana Hunters Brace for Public Land Supreme Court Battle

If you have ever hunted in Montana, you have most likely found yourself at some corner of public land you technically own, staring at “No Trespassing” signs slapped up by some rich guy who lives three states away. That’s exactly what is playing out today in Wyoming, and is soon to come before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Billionaire vs. The Hunters

The pharmaceutical billionaire Fred Eshleman owns 50 square miles of ranch land in Carbon County, Wyoming. His ranch wraps around 27 parcels of federal land, roughly 11,000 acres of land we all own. Four Missouri hunters figured out a method to reach it: crossing from one public square to another at the checkerboard corner with a step ladder and never touching Eshelman’s private property.

Eshelman lost in local court. He lost in federal court. He lost in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Now he’s tossing a Hail Mary to the Supreme Court, where he is hoping against hope that it will come down on the side of his wallet rather than the public.

Why Montana Should Be Mad

If Eshelman makes this happen, millions of acres of public land throughout the West could remain locked up indefinitely, including checkerboard lands in Montana, like the millions of acres of BLM and USFS land that are speckled with private ownership. If the outdoorsmen win, AGAIN, the land might eventually open back up.

This isn’t just about Wyoming. This is about whether billionaires should be allowed to steal what rightfully belongs to all of us.