Turkey Scouting - Blocked Roads with Private Gates

[Flecko]

So I went out in the rain to do some scouting. I went waaay out back country in CNF. The roads stayed in good condition, but were a little slippery. No washouts (as I had expected). It was a nice drive...

There is a large piece of CNF I was trying to access that has many roads going to it, but they are all blocked of by private gates that read something like this: "Access prohibited, must have owner's permission" "Trespassers will be shot, Survivors will be shot again." The CNF atlas map booklet says that they are public roads with no gates (where other gates are clearly demarked with a red slash). My question is this: are these gates legit? Isn't there such a thing as public easement?

These roads pass through a lot of private land on the way there, so I don't understand why they are randomly gated (and not on the map).

Here is a flock I saw on the way over, and a bobcat...

 

[SurfNHuntSD]

That's a nice group of birds. Yea I've encountered similar issues when scouting areas I was sure were public land. My thought was that it might be leasehold land on CNF that someone decided to put up a gate, or someone's private land nearby that they wanted to restrict traffic into.

 

[Sdbirds]

I'm 99% sure I know where u are. Saying that I was just "up top" if you know what I mean and there's not much going on as of turkeys.

 

[Aeon]

can't you donated a gun and get access to pvt land?

 

[Matagi]

Unfortunately there are a few "land locked" CNF property that requires permission to access. Another unfortunate is these areas are almost impossible to get permission from.

 

[Flecko]

Unfortunately there are a few "land locked" CNF property that requires permission to access. Another unfortunate is these areas are almost impossible to get permission from.

That is sooo frustrating!

One would think that there would be a public easement or something...
For example, family friends lived on to a lake with only two public boat ramps. One was widely used, and the other boat access was next to our family friends' house. They did all that they could to hide the easement. They grew bushes around the roadway, put in grass over the dirt road, and even hid the water access with beach logs. Unless someone looked into public records, nobody would ever know that the public had a right to use that ramp. I am sure that something like that is happening here.

On a related point, how do you ask for permission from someone to pass their land when they have a locked gate saying that trespassers will be shot? hahaha (but really, how?)

 

[motorhead]

Go Armed LOL...just an FYI some property owners will do just what was said above and will hide, conceal, or otherwise mislead the public to discourage passage. In most cases it is illegal, The bad part about it is all they have to do is give a key or allow CNF or USFS to put one of there own locks on it and they will never do anything about it. Keep in mind fellas THEY DO NOT WANT US OUT THERE PERIOD. I keep a CNF map book with me at all times when I'm out scouting /exploring or otherwise driving mountain roads. If you have a map book with you and you are positive you are on CNF and are out scouting I don't THINK anything can be done to you.(Do not quote me on that) you could always take a mtn bike with you to cover some ground.

 

[TonyS]

Roads cut off by illegal gates are part of what we get. There is a DFW site out past Corona that has illegal private gates put up on public roads by the landowners nearby. The county and DFW have been notified. So far they aren't doing anything.

 

[turkeyman 85]

That gate your talking about is not illegal Tony . I was told and show on a map by a county work that they don't maintain that road so it's no public access. The only way to get to that land is to come in from the east. I 've been trying to contact blm to see if I can hunt it for deer. I know I can't hunt deer on the dfg land but it's surrounded by blm. There is a few coveys of quail back there.

 

[motorhead]

if it is CNF, then maintained or not still PUBLIC LAND.

 

[turkeyman 85]

@Moorhead it's not near cnf, that's if Tony is taking about the one off of why 15. It's always been a private road and they put a gate up about a decade now, cause people were just being slobs and causing trouble. I spoke with the county and riverside sheriffs and both said it's not public access. If Tony is taking about coal canyon off the 91 fwy, that's state park for about a half mile unroll you hit few land and about three miles unroll and land. I saw some thing about private land owners can close raids if not used prior to 1971? Don't know to much about that though, but there is a case going on in los Padres about that. Everyone should look that up since they are looking for proof of people use. I think it's for stormy creek campground along husanna road? But like I said I don't know much about it.
@Tony if you want to know how to get back there let me know.

 

[Flecko]

I pulled private land records at the county recorder's office (I'm obsessed!). There were no easements recorded on the properties for the roads I wanted to pass through. Struck out! Landlocked CNF is too bad for the public that would like to enjoy it, but I'll just suck it up!

 

[TonyS]

For Coal Canyon you need a key from Riverside County. Got one and tired of carrying buckshot for the long tail out there. Had a very fun grey light morning hearing two long tails mating about 20 yards from where I was walking. Fog so thick you couldn't see 10 feet. And the climb out is a real joy.

And for that matter, so is the nice way local LE keeps playing with the locks so people with keys can't get in or MORE fun, get out.

 

[TonyS]

TM, sent you a pm.

 

[Drewski2324]

Hey Flecko, could you walk me through how to obtain those maps? I have spent many days during hunting season striking out on locked gates i thought were open during mu search on google earth.


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[Flecko]

Hey Flecko, could you walk me through how to obtain those maps? I have spent many days during hunting season striking out on locked gates i thought were open during mu search on google earth.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It's not too simple, but it is easy enough to figure out. You go to San Diego County Admin Building on 1600 Pacific Coast Hwy, 92101 (if you want records within San Diego county). There are plot map books in the back corner opposite from where the entrance is. I would recommend bringing a map with you so you can locate precisely where the gate is (I use the CNF atlas book - my go to map of CNF). The plot/slate maps only show outlines of the roads and minor geographical features. It is easy enough to locate the number for the plot and slate number where the road is. You take the number to a computer or an assistant at the counter and ask them what documents are recorded for the property and if there are any easements. They were surprisingly friendly.

If there is a public easement, you have the right to pass, but not necessarily the right to open the gate. I'd also call CNF - either Descanso or Palomar office - to figure out why the particular gate is closed. Good luck! I hope you can get access. I am really bothered (to put it nicely) that private land owners can use the CNF that the public can't access for their own purposes as if it were their own land. Maybe a solution could be to build a right of way along the boarder, in between the private lands. I do t know.