Public land my butt

This has kind of got on my nerves a lot but today it finally pissed me off good. Here in SW VA where I go to school there is a ton of national forest around that is "Public Land" well this is all great and I spend many many hours there hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking. However it seems like the forest service has 75% of it closed off for more time than it is open. Today my roommate and I loaded up the basshound into the back of the truck and drove 35 minutes to a boat landing only to show up and find the gates closed. Neither of us could find a reason for it being closed. The water was not exceptionally high or low. There is no flood threat. No real fire threat.

It just seems to me that this land that is designated as "Public Land" should be open all the time and be a use at your own risk deal instead of closing off most of the portions for up to 9 months of the year so nobody can use it. There are many great hunting places I know but when season is in I can't get to them unless I walk 25 miles.

Anyone else feel like this?

 

State gov't is lacking funds. The economy is in bad shape. Lots of cutbacks. Many rest areas are closed as well. An inconvenience to all including truck drivers & tourists/travelers.

 

I am not going to claim to be an economic expert, but in what conceivable way will shutting down a boat ramp save the state money? especially since it is a fee area that you are required to pay to use. Seems to me that they would want the pay to use area open.

 

slowly but surely there doing that here in jersey..lots of "state land" is now becomming houses/buisnesses.

 

Maybe the fees are not enough to cover operating costs (oversight & management). Could be layoffs as well