[B Knotts]

When the federal government owns 70-90% of many western states, yes, I'd say that's too much. Especially considering they don't really have any constitutional authority to permanently own any land, aside from government buildings.

[HairOfTheDog]

Show me a map of the areas that are currently owned by the government, and tell me how much of it is really owned by default because it had no one claim it originally.

As for other lands purchased later by the gov't for preservation or other uses.... I am sure some decisions I could defend, and some I wouldn't. But I do not have a knee-jerk reaction to the idea of land trusts or public lands.