The federal government doesn’t “own” 80% of Nevada. Public land is just that: PUBLIC. It belongs to the people. However, in many instances the federal government is the trustee that is charged with the management of that public property. But as the trustee the federal government’s management is limited by law, though the feds routinely ignore the law and exceed their authority and pretty much do whatever the hell they like or want.
Sorry, but you are quite wrong. The federal government does indeed own it, as it does with much of the other land in the West. There was a time when this ownership required the government to make the land available to anyone who wished to use it for recreation or economic purposes including ranching, forestry, and mining. But, the government has changed their mind. They now think their job is to keep people off the land and eliminate all use. The one exception is to accommodate corrupt politicians who control their budgets.
This all boils down to people who do not want a government of the Founders but a government of the opposite. Recall that it was Obama who said that ‘change’ was needed for his intentions. It seems the Mexicans of years past might just have pulled the wool over the eyes of USA government years ago.