It's insane. Private and govt. regulation of land access has made it virtually impossible to travel freely around this country anymore. Even on public land, visitors are treated like tresspassers and criminals. While camping in a BLM in Colorado i was visited every morning by a BLM officer (every morning, like clockwork). I was told i couldn't tie my rain tarp to a tree limb, couldn't burn food off of used cans in the fire-ring, couldn't shoot an attacking bear unless i had a witness who saw the attack or i would be subject to arrest and charges. When i reached the limit of my 14 day stay and came down with an abcessed tooth, the ranger made me walk into town 4 miles down the road while i was on pain medication and antibiotics to make a request for a 3 day waiver-extension at the area headquarters.
Inotherwords, this BLM ranger made my vacation experience as uncomfortable and miserable as he could possibly make it without firing rounds over my head to run me off. Did you know in New Mexico, it's illegal to collect rain water in a barrel ? That's right, the State of New Mexico OWNS the rain before it even touches the ground. It must be nice to be GOD, huh ?