In 1996 the RCFWA had 40 acres donated to them by 5 past club members. There was one swmall problem, the landowners surrounding their property had locked gates on the access road. After unsuccessfully attempting to get permission the club hired a reasearcher to look into the history of Crystal Lane.

What they found was that Crystal Lane was declared a public road in 1891 and was never officially abandoned as required by Montana State Law. Using these same public records RCFWA was able to force the surrounding landowners to allow them access. At this point the public should have had access to the river and RCFWA should have been proud to have been responsible for that public access. Instead they put their own lock on the gate and made it a members only access.

Initially all members had equal rights to the hunting priveleges on the property and most of the hunting was done with archery equipment although some were hunting waterfowl below the high water mark on public property. Soon arguments broke out and the club began to regulate the hunting priveleges, as they certainly have every right to do - within their property boundaries.

Little by little that regulation began to include hunting opportunities on public property (the Bitterroot River Bottom). Waterfowling became popular and the club started building "RCFWA Duck Blinds" up and down the river well outside of the clubs property boundaries and requiring reservations from club members to use them. In 2009 the decision was made to reduce the number of members eligible to reserve a day by requiring 8 hours of mandatory service to the club. With a few exceptions. this pretty well limited eligibility to officers, board and committee members.

Remember, the waterfowling is on the river bottom, which is public property. All hunting above the high water mark, within the club boundaries is certainly within the clubs domain to regulate. Waterfowling on the public property of the river bottom (most of which is outside of their boundaries) is another story.

When challanged on the club's athority to regulate public property, and especially public property outside of the clubs boundaries, the officers board and committee members decided to instead regulate access via Crystal Lane.