Corner-Crossing Fight Heats Up, But Hunters Say They’ll Do It Anyway

Whether lawmakers in Cheyenne or justices in Washington like it or not, Wyoming hunters say corner-crossing is going to happen this fall.

Corner-crossing — the act of stepping from one parcel of public land to another where they touch at a corner, without actually setting foot on private land — has long been one of the most heated debates in the West. For ranchers, it’s trespassing. For hunters and public land advocates, it’s the only way to reach millions of acres of “locked-up” land.

And despite all the lawsuits, appeals, and legislative wrangling, hunters are blunt: they’re going to keep doing it.

Earlier this year, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of four Missouri hunters who corner-crossed near Iron Bar Ranch in Carbon County, siding against ranch owner Fred Eshelman. The decision was hailed as a victory for public land access, but Eshelman’s lawyers have since asked the US Supreme Court to take up the case.

Meanwhile, Wyoming lawmakers are floating a bill that would make it crystal clear: corner-crossing isn’t trespassing under state law. The proposal squeaked through a legislative committee on a 7-6 vote and could be debated during the 2026 session.

But while lawyers, lobbyists, and legislators debate the fine print, archery seasons are opening across the state, and rifle hunters are gearing up. For them, the court of public opinion is already decided.

“People are going to corner-cross. It’s going to happen,” said Sabrina King, of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. “The 10th Circuit said it’s legal. That’s all hunters need to hear.”

Wyoming Game and Fish Chief Game Warden Dan Smith told lawmakers he expects hunters will view the federal ruling as a green light.

“I expect more sportspeople using that decision to go out and corner-cross,” Smith said.

The stakes are big: across Wyoming and the West, 2.4 million acres of public land are effectively inaccessible without corner-crossing. For many outdoorsmen, not being able to reach those lands feels like privatization by default.

Attorney Ryan Semerad, who represents the Missouri hunters, put it plainly:

“Nobody should be hauled off public land in handcuffs because they stepped on the wrong blade of grass.”

Not everyone’s on board. Ranching groups like the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation warn that legalizing corner-crossing could open the floodgates. Spokesman Brett Moline worries that private land could get trampled if crowds of hunters start cutting through corners.

Even lawmakers who support the idea admit the bill isn’t perfect. Sen. Larry Hicks, R-Baggs, pointed out that the legislation doesn’t define how precise a corner-crossing has to be.

“You can’t tell me whether it’s 10 feet, 100 feet, or 1,000 feet,” Hicks said.

Others, like Rep. Bob Wharff, R-Evanston, fear the fight won’t end until the Supreme Court weighs in.

“I don’t know how this gets resolved without it going to the Supreme Court,” he said.

For supporters, though, the issue is simple: keeping the public from corner-crossing is effectively giving private landowners exclusive use of public land.

“We know corner-crossing right now is legal,” said Rep. Karlee Provenza, D-Laramie. “This just puts it in statute and protects people from unnecessary prosecution.”

Public pressure is mounting too. Earlier this year, hundreds rallied at the state capitol demanding lawmakers protect access to public land.

As one hunter told WyoFile, “We’ve been doing it for years. The only difference now is we’re finally winning in court.”

With input from Cowboy State Daily and WyoFile.