One of the great things about the Western United States is that there is a great deal of public land. This would include National Forest, State Forest and B.L.M. lands that we can hunt, fish and do other activities on. One of the big problems is that there is a great deal of BLM that is Checker Boarded. 
A Small number of Sections of BLM in Oregon…
National Forest isn’t quite so bad with this form of land management.In Oregon there are some great blocks of BLM that is almost impossible to use, as it is surrounded by Private Land. Having study this a great deal, will tell you that thinking you can jump from corner points to corner points isn’t going to work. No matter how far you can jump or pole vault you will cross the air space. Wyoming was one of the first states to make it a law that you can not cross this way. One of the largest Ranches in the Madras area that ran great numbers of sheep would stop anyone that hunted near their lands on the National Grasslands. Knowing where you are at all times helps. Thank the Government for Global Position System! With the modern Topo GPS and a paper map along with you, you should never be hunting illegal.You do not want to place yourself in a predicament with even the thought of Trespassing. If a landowner in the State of Oregon feels that you have Trespassed, by either sight, vehicle parked close to his land, or someone else making comment, you could have an OSP Officer at your door issuing a Trespass Citation. Even if you weren’t in the area, you may still have to prove that you weren’t and usually hire an attorney. Some ranchers feel that public grazing lands permitted to them is for their private use. This is not the case of long term family owned ranchers. Most of them have no issues with the public hunting and fishing on land that they might have grazing permits on. I was once told by an OSP Officer that I should find somewhere else to hunt. I told him most National Forest has grazing permits also, so you suggest that we do not hunt at all correct! He also said that they allow latitude to the ranchers, that we are not allowed. Nothing wrong with that at time, the Wild West still lives.The Public land is there for our use under the conditions of the law and usage laws.I have done battle along with many others that I know over this issue while in the field hunting and even scouting. There are lands that are opening that have public and private within the compass of the area. If there is a fence, cultivated lands, or signs stating private property, don’t even think about trying, you will lose and if hunting you will come under criminal trespass.There are those areas though that do not have fences and it is quite open as if it all the same property. You can find this type of open range in the South Eastern part of Oregon, such as in the Steens Mtns. The BLM is slow to make changes with this land arrangement as I am sure there are many legal issues to tend with. So with this problem of Checker Board BLM land it allows ranchers to use it all and the public is locked out of it for the most part.You can still hunt the land that does touch public roads and the hunting can be quite good in areas of game and agricultural lands. I have used GPS’s for a long time have had great areas in the John Day River country with every BLM block tagged for my use. I have found ways to stay off of the private land during my hunts and fishing trips. I am sure in a lot of cases if you research and find who owns the land in the Checker Board BLM sections that you might just get access from the landowner. Especially during archery season, as in many cases does not interfere with the rifle season that they might hunt.
