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RAC denies TL Bar Ranch public‑land inclusion; asks Division to review corner‑cross access broadly
Summary
The RAC voted 5–3 to deny a land‑variance request that would include certain public acres in the TL Bar Ranch CWMU and later asked the Division to evaluate CWMU boundaries that may be affected by recent court rulings on corner‑cross access.
The Southeast Regional Advisory Council voted to deny a requested variance that would have included a specific public‑land parcel inside the TL Bar Ranch Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit boundary. Council members said the parcel’s public‑access status, and recent legal changes on corner‑crossing, reduce the public benefit of the variance.
Why it matters: CWMU variances can change which acres count toward private‑land-based hunting access and affect how many public licenses are available. The U.S. Tenth Circuit Court ruling on corner‑crossing — allowing access to some public corners formerly treated as inaccessible — prompted RAC members to question whether previously landlocked public acres should remain inside CWMUs.
What the RAC decided - Motion to deny the TL Bar Ranch variance (to include the identified public acre) passed 5–3. - After discussion about the broader implications of corner‑crossing for CWMUs, the RAC later voted to ask the Wildlife Board to direct the Division of Wildlife Resources to examine existing CWMU variances and renewal applications to determine whether corner‑cross access changes public benefits in affected areas. That board‑referral motion failed for lack of a second on the floor; later discussion and motions led the RAC to accept the other CWMU renewals and applications as presented by staff.
Context and concerns: Division staff said the TL Bar parcel historically had been treated as inaccessible for hunting in the CWMU calculations, and the parcel was included under prior approvals. With the tenth circuit decision on corner crossing, staff and several RAC members said they need time to determine whether that legal change alters the public value of including the parcel within a CWMU boundary. Some members wanted a consistent statewide approach; others relied on the CWMU advisory committee’s recommendations and on a November renewal cycle to make adjustments.
Votes and next steps: The Council’s denial of TL Bar Ranch’s variance passed 5–3. The RAC accepted the remainder of the CWMU renewals and applications as presented (vote reported 7–1). RAC members asked the Division and advisory committee to review CWMU boundaries and the effect of corner‑to‑corner access for future renewals and to propose any necessary adjustments to the board.
Ending: The Division said it could consider change applications and that advisory‑committee review and public renewals would be the path for any boundary revisions. The RAC flagged corner‑cross access as an issue for Division and board review.
