Bradly Cape, the Missouri hunter whose challenges to private‑land restrictions helped clarify public access across the Mountain West, died Saturday of a heart attack in his hometown of Steelville, Missouri. He was 55.
From an Elk Mountain hunt to a regional precedent
Cape became the focal point of national attention after hunting trips to Elk Mountain in Carbon County, Wyoming, in 2020 and 2021. The hunts involved a practice commonly called corner crossing — crossing the narrow corner of private property, often on the diagonal, to reach adjoining public land — a tactic used by hunters to access otherwise land‑locked public ground.
In 2021, Cape and three companions were charged with trespassing following the Elk Mountain hunt. The following year they were sued by North Carolina pharmaceutical executive Fred Eshelman, the owner of the Elk Mountain Ranch, in a civil trespass action that eventually became known as Iron Bar Holdings v. Bradly Cape.
Jury acquittal, appeals and a decisive end
A Carbon County jury found the four hunters not guilty of criminal trespass. Civil litigation moved through the federal courts and reached the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. The 10th Circuit's ruling, and the U.S. Supreme Court's later refusal in 2025 to take Eshelman’s appeal, solidified legal protections for corner crossing in the court’s jurisdiction.
Legal analysts and mapping companies have said the 10th Circuit decision affects access to roughly 3 million acres of public land across six states — Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Oklahoma and Kansas — by clarifying when and how members of the public may cross private corners to reach public parcels.
Cape’s role and local reaction
Cape, who worked as a fence builder, brought practical knowledge of property lines to the dispute and helped lead the legal fight that many public‑land advocates called pivotal. Members of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers’ Wyoming chapter supported the hunters’ defense during the litigation.
“We never thought one time that we were doing something wrong,”
that was Cape’s remark after the Supreme Court’s decision not to review the case, reflecting the conviction he and his companions expressed throughout the legal process. John Slowensky, a hunting partner, told reporters Cape was found on a favorite running trail.
What the ruling means for land users
Hunters, anglers and other public‑land users in the 10th Circuit now have clearer guidance on corner crossing. The ruling does not erase all conflicts between private landowners and public access advocates, but it does provide a stronger legal basis for accessing some public parcels that were effectively land‑locked by surrounding private property.
Observers note the decision's effect is bounded by the specifics of each situation and state law, and landowners may still pursue civil claims under certain circumstances. Nevertheless, for many in Wyoming and neighboring states the outcome has been seen as a win for traditional access to hunting and recreation areas.
Legacy and next steps
Cape’s name is now attached to a series of decisions that will be referenced in property and access disputes across the region. The Supreme Court’s 2025 decline to hear the appeal left the 10th Circuit precedent intact, giving public‑land advocates and mapping services a more secure basis for advising users about access routes.
Local groups and legal observers will continue to monitor how landowners and public agencies respond, and whether additional litigation will further refine the rules surrounding corner crossing. For now, Cape’s actions and the resulting rulings have reshaped access discussions in Wyoming and beyond.
- Age at death: 55
- Location of notable hunts: Elk Mountain, Carbon County, Wyoming
- Legal milestone: 10th Circuit ruling upheld after the U.S. Supreme Court declined review in 2025
| Event | Year |
|---|---|
| Elk Mountain hunts and criminal charges | 2020–2021 |
| Civil suit filed by landowner | 2022 |
| Supreme Court declines review | 2025 |
Cape is survived by family and friends who accompanied him on hunts and supported the long legal battle. His death was reported by his hunting partner, John Slowensky.
As public‑land users and landowners digest the implications of the court rulings that bear his name, Cape’s role in the dispute will remain part of the conversation about access, private property rights and recreational use of Western public lands.
