Dispersed Camping under attack.

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ccbreder

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I found this news item on RV Travel site. Graze leaseholders, are they the ones that shoot at FBI?
  "Rules for dispersed camping in Wyoming’s Bighorn National Forest could be up for a change at the end of December. The current rules expire then and Forest Service officials say they’re mulling over possible changes. Concerns raised include overcrowding, folks overstaying their 14-day limit, and graze leaseholders who say dispersed campers make it difficult to move livestock. Got an opinion? Phone the USFS at 307-674-2600."
 
I'm betting this is just the start. Seems this way of life is a huge draw right now. I see it on FB a lot. That's the scary thing about advertising this. all the YouTube vids, blogs...it's getting more and more popular.
 
> Concerns raised include overcrowding, folks overstaying their 14-day limit

If true, that's us shooting ourselves in the foot.

As for moving livestock, maybe the campers were outdoors and the animals were spooked. Maybe staying in the camper when livestock are being moved (mooooved?) would help ease their agitation.
 
Yep, could barely camp in the forest I grew up in because of all of us there. Somewhere on internet is ettiqutte for boondocking in parking lot and forest. I want to find and post. We can at least help not make it worse. No boondocking here in San Padras calafornia
 
Yeap, unfortunately internet is advertising a great big free world out there and people are taking notice. More people always equals more restrictions and there's nothing stopping that from happening. As with anything in life. Freedoms today will be further restricted tomorrow just as 30 years ago we could do more than we could today. Can't stop progression, just learn to live with and around it.
 
As more baby boomers try to retire without a good pension, van dwelling will become more popular. I can see where pressure will be placed on public lands.
 
More FearMongering Nonsense!!!!!! Dispersed camping is not under attack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I camped there in the summer of 2015 and here is what happens. It's a very high plateau  with very steep hills to reach it and virtually no one lives there. So the locals drag their 5th wheels and Class As up from the plains below and leave them there for the summer. Most of them from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Then they go up every so often to get out of the heat of the plains. When I was there every prime campsite was taken, but there was no sign of anyone having been there for a long time. That was fine with me, I just kept going where they couldn't go and I was all alone. 

They have the most liberal rules in the country for dispersed camping, you have to move every 14 days, but you only have to move 5 miles. How hard is that!!!!!? But--they won't even do that. They just sit there chewing up all the prime spaces.

Something has to be changed and those people need to driven out of there!!!   

Someone is going to write in and say what a hypocrite I am, I overstay the 14 day limit. True, BUT, I'm not in a prime space other people want. I go far back where no RV can go and few others want to go, I don't hurt anyone or anything by over-staying my 14 days. Those people do!!!

Let me add, I flagged down a Ranger up there for advice on where to get internet and the best photos. He was the most helpful Ranger I've ever meet!! Told me about some easy hikes to great photos and exactly where I could get 4G. He also told me if all the camps were taken, I could just pull over in the grass for the night and camp. He was the one who told me all about the problems they were having, but it was obvious to me what was going on. He was a great guy and extremely helpful!!
Bob
 
Bob, it seems like the forest service could legally tow those RVs and impound them. That would put an end to overstaying pretty fast! Of course they probably don't have the equipment to handle towing big fifth wheels and Class As. Do they at least fine them?

 For everyone else that's worrying about this - don't!  We've been camping on public land for many years and most of the time we can find good campsites where we are the only ones around. We just spent all summer in the west either boondocking or staying in forest campgrounds.  Even in the busiest places it's possible to find campsites where you're not crowded up against other people with all of the noise that comes along with that. Here are a few of our free campsites - http://rollinginarv-wheelchairtraveling.blogspot.com/search/label/FREE CAMPING / BOONDOCKING
 
Bobs point being s paragraph does not a story make, i would tend to side with the fear mongering. I would think in obvious locations you would need to start counting days after the ranger knocks but in the far reaches that knock may not come for weeks and weeks if ever.
 
Well, Bob. My post was not meant to be fear mongering. Just meant to bring attention to the fact. The fact that ranchers want campers gone from public grazing lands.
 
Ranger brought up the changes coming down the pike too, here last nightt when current ones expire i did not bring it up.

I don't know about that but I know this many people.out and about is changing things!
 
ccbreder said:
Well, Bob. My post was not meant to be fear mongering. Just meant to bring attention to the fact. The fact that ranchers want campers gone from public grazing lands.

I apologize ccbreeder, I realized later this could sound like I meant you and that's NOT what I meant. I appreciate your bringing this to our attention.

I just get tired of the constant the "sky-is-falling" drumbeat of so many.

(OKAY, as soon as I posted that I realized I'd get people saying i'm a hypocrite because I constantly beat the drum of climate change bringing a catastrophe. Here's the difference, 97% of the worlds climate scientists are also saying it.

Climate change is off-topic here. If you want to tell me I'm wrong, start a new thread. )
Bob
 
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