Do you pay for hunting access?

[pseman]

I personally spend at least $1000/yr on hunting leases and I purchased 40acres of my own about 6 years ago. By leasing, I have access to over 3000 acres of hunting property, most of which is less than 10 minutes from home. I could hunt public land but would probably spend as much money on gas and/or lodging as I do on leasing so I could hunt inferior hunting land with a bunch of folks that I don't know. Thanks but no thanks.

If you don't want to pay to hunt private property because you think it is wrong, then try purchasing some property yourself. Let me put it this way, for the cost of the 40 acres that I bought a few years ago, I could have paid my lease on nearly 3000 acres for the rest of my life(at the current price). That is for 40 ACRES! Now consider that landowner down the road that you don't think you should have to pay who owns 200 acres. Give me a break!!

Also, leasing will not be the ruin of hunting. Development of land for purposes other than hunting will be. There are simply a lot more people in the world than ther was 50 years ago. Many places that I pass on my way home from work use to be great for seeing deer, turkey, and other wildlife. Now they have strip malls, quick stops, or sub-divisions on them. Trust me, those properties are gone as far as hunting goes, and leasing had nothing to do with it. If paying to hunt keeps someone from selling land to the nearest "developer" then let me get out my wallet.

Just my thoughts....

PS. That $1000 I spend to hunt is less than what most folks pay yearly for cable TV or a cell phone. Which is worth more to you????

[BigHink66]

I'm glad I live in PA.

As long as there are Amish farmers, strip mines, paper forests, game lands, state, and National forests, and landowners that permit access when asked... I will never pay a dime to hunt but one property.

As far as mooching, well I guess if the farmer thinks its mooching he can ask for a fee, at which point I can ask his neighbor to hunt there.  I treat the owner with respect and do what I can to leave it better than I found it. I abide by their rules. Occasionally they may get some wild game from me, or a helping hand.

I guess I'm a mooch then. But it doesn't cost me additional money to hunt.  Money that I can spend on things I actually need.  

But thats my choice.

[Widowbender]

Free access went out the window here thanks to trial lawyers...I'm glad there is public land available for those who can take advantage of the opportunity, but its not free. We all pay for it and that's fine by me... I quit hunting game lands here many years ago, simply because I would like to live to hunt next year. Here they are way overcrowded by IDIOTS, except for the few hunt drawing opportunities...With all that said, I wouldn't dream of trespassing/hunting on private land without permission or offering to pay/work or both. It may be the ruination of hunting but what little money that landowners get for hunting pales in comparison to the amount of property taxes. That doesn't even factor in the liability issue. I'm not a rich man by any means, but I hunt private land because that's whats available to me. I'm lucky now that most of my hunting is on land that I am caretaker for. One of my responsibilities is keeping other people off the land. This can be a hard job because of the number of hikers, dog walkers, dirt bikers, atvers, tree huggers, poachers, etc. who think they are "entitled" to be there. I would add hunters to the list, but here if you don't have written permission, its called poaching.

David

[myshootinstinks]

[myshootinstinks]

I figured this topic would turn controversial.  I can and basically do, live in George & Ken's world.  There's lots of public land in WY and while I do hunt primarily on private land, I don't have to. Nor do I pay a lease other than extending friendly gratitude to the ranchers, folks I have known for many years.
    But my situation, as well as George's & Ken's, are clearly not the norm. Many properties around the country have turned over to new owners in the last 10-20 years. These people have paid big money for these properties and have a budget to meet. If they'll let us hunt free, fine.  If they'd consider that mooching then I reckon we'll have to pay them for the use of thier property.  It's their call and I can't fault them for it. The old saying "if you want to dance then pay the fiddler".
      Right now, I don't have to worry about a place to hunt. One reason I started the thread is my wife & I may be relocating to the mid-west or east and would like to know what getting access is like. Shucks, I'll just move to the Adirondacks or Southern PA.  

[Scott J. Williams]

I live in Texas, being a naturalized Texan it was a real shock to find that the only way I would be hunting in this game rich state was to pay for the opportunity.

I grew up in Michigan, where I hunted on friends, neighbors, and family land.  Getting permission to hunt was as easy as falling off a log.

I have mixed feelings about having to  pay to hunt. In Texas 90 percent of the land is privately onwned.  Therefore, day hunting, and season leases are a couple of ways for the rancher to pay the taxes on his property, and in some cases make a handsome profit. For most Texans, this will be the only access.

I am all about free enterprise, but a cop don't make much money.  Last year I paid $1200.00 to hunt on a season bow lease that was a bust. Day hunting can run as little as 100.00 to 300.00 a day.  Most of the best South Texas leases, and prime Hill Country leases will set you back 1800.00 2500.00 a year.  

In my opinion, it has really hurt the blue collar guy.  The State land that is available is managed for all types of recreation, with hunting appearing to be the last thing on the list.

For you western hunters,  the public land in Texas, even the National Forest, won't have the number, or quality of game you guys have.  They also have a tendency to be over crowded by hunters, campers, and guys riding around on ATV's.

If I must pay to hunt, I will pay until I can't afford to anymore, then I will hunt public land.  

I will be hanging up the badge and gun in the next twenty four months.  When I do, I plan to move out west, buy me some land, build a log home, hunt, fish, and share my bounty with others who still have to break the bank to hunt.....some of you might want to look me up!

[GingivitisKahn]

Originally posted by leatherneck:
Unfortunately we all don't have the luxury,or the funds, to live only where there is public hunting. I live where the work is and hunting is second. I agree it says alot for a persons up bringing. I for one put my family first and hunting second. So i need to lease cause the work is here in OHIO. If work took me to N.Y. where there is endless public hunting, then so be it. But for now I will lease and have a place for my kids to hunt safely.

Really folks, is this worth an argument? I'm just as guilty and Swampy said it best. We are all brothers and sisters here who enjoy the same thing, hunting traditional. Does it really matter what type of land we hunt? I feel fortunate that we all have a place to enjoy our passion, leased or public. I'm gone from this one. Later all.

Mike

I'm not taking a pro/anti leasing position, but I hunt in Ohio as well and there is quite a bit of public land here.  You do have to put up with other folks out there but if you are looking for a public option, the ODNR's web page has quite a number of maps of public land.

[jonsimoneau]

The leasing thing is not everyones favorite topic.  It hurts to lose land, or have to pay big money to hunt, but it's just the way it is.  I live in Illinois, and have only been bowhunting 16 years or so.  Even when I first started, getting permission to bowhunt was no problem.  I even used to hunt in Fulton county in the famed "golden triangle" for free.  Those days are missed, but are gone.  I have never hunted in Pike county.  Probably never will.  I know a guy my age who lives in Pike county and has never hunted there because the leasing prices are so high!  I still hunt public land, but I also lease now.  Even if it is only a 25 acre tract of woods.  It's just the way it is now.

[Scott S.]

The only fee I pay is a $30 annual park access fee to cross Indian reservation land to get to Iowa public hunting land that is only accessable otherwise by boat on the river or across a private corn field.

I feel public hunting land is often too under-utilized.  I've seen more hunters on private ground of a generous landowner than at the nearby public spots.

[Steel]

Around here you own land,have family/friends that own land, or lease hunting rights. I have family land I hunt, just bought a small track of land just for hunting, and also have a hunting lease so I have all three covered at this time. Not much public land within a several hour drive from me.

[Bullfrog 1]

I hunt "behind" a friends house who has 4.7 acres. I have killed 4 p&y bucks off the place. I "pay" him every year with a beef tenderloin and a slab of smoked salmon.   BILL

[longarrow]

I have a small place in Texas with lots of good deer. If I didnot I would be forced to (1) Lease land (which I used to do) and it is not CHEAP in this state! (2) Hunt Public land, over crowded? and not the quality of animial I like to shoot. I also hunt out of state (IL and ID) Idaho is great, 70% of the state is State/BLM land, you gotta hunt it hard!! I can't afford ( even a drop camp) 5-7 days hunting with a price tag of $2000.00+ to start. When I hunt Idaho I can do it for 30 days for half this cost! I know outfitters have to make a livin' to, so I can't complain about their cost.

[centaur]

I live near public land and that's what I hunt, but Wyoming ranchers have learned that they can make a buck by charging, and it is their land, so they can do as they please. Hunting private land here probably gives better opportunities, but there is an awful lot of great public hunting access. When I see hundreds of elk on private ranches, though, it is tempting until you learn that the trespass fees are in the thousands of dollars. Years ago, it was pretty easy to get access; just ask, and in most cases access was granted; "leave gates like you find them, don't kill our livestock, and don't tear up the roads". Too many idiots couldn't abide by those rules, so lots of access got closed.

In March I am going to Texas to try to stick a couple of javelina, and at least where I am going, I thought the fee was pretty reasonable. It will be a new experience, and I am looking forward to the different style of hunting for a different animal.

It would be great if access was like it was 'in the good old days', but it isn't and that isn't going to change. In the meantime, I plan on doing what I can afford and enjoying the hunting experience to the best of my ability.

[Deff]

Our ranch is enrolled in the Montana Block Management program:  http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/hunteraccess/blockman/faq.html    

We allow the public access to our ranch in exchange for a sportsman's license, limited liability protection, livestock loss reimbursement, and compensation to offset "potential hunting impacts".
FWP  provides signs, maps, permission slips etc.  
The "compensation" I receive is about $1600 per year.  (I've heard of folks with locked gates charging that much per deer). In a typical season, hunters harvest approximately 50 deer, 3 elk, a black bear or two + grouse and turkeys on our BMA.

 My main reasons for allowing strangers with weapons to run around on my land are:

1 It helps reduce my crop losses do to wildlife
2 It enhances my own hunting enjoyment knowing that I am hunting deer and elk that are truly free chase and not just some half domestic game refuge animals protected by a fence.
3  I have not needed the liability protection or the livestock loss reimbursement yet, but knowing it is there helps me to sleep better at night.
4 I just plane hate to see hunting become a "rich man's sport"!!!  I feel good about the fact that hunting on my land is virtually for free.


The negatives are:
1 I often feel crowded when hunting and wish that I had the place to myself.
2 Me and my family seem to be constantly answering the phone or folks knocking on the door during hunting season.
3 Some people feel that because I am "being paid" to allow hunting --- I owe them something more than just the opportunity to hunt.
4 Many of my  neighbors resent the fact that I let the public hunt.  They feel that "My Hunters" are harvesting some of the bucks that they are trying to grow into trophies, to improve the "market value" of the hunting on their land.
5 Since my ranch cloths tend to be somewhat deer colored, I have an orange hunting vest on when out working.  Just because I am in Blaze orange doesn't necessarily mean that I am hunting and yes, I know that the access is walk in only--but -- This is  MY LAND!  

  I would like to see Montana's Block Management program expanded  and I think that it could serve as a template for other  states to use to expand  hunting access on private land.

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

depends upon what you mean for free . I recently bought my dream place, 300 acres of timber and bluffs and streams. Now I can hunt when and where i want but, it took  me 30 years of saving and investing and scrounging...... my hunting has never cost so much as it does now. But I am very happy......

If you still have a place to hunt for free that you dont own or have to pay the taxes on consider your self extreemely FORTUNATE!

[centaur]

Deff,
Thanks for participating in the Montana program. Wyoming has a similar program, with mixed results. Seems like there are always one or two morons that can't help but be a pain in the buttocks, and that can transfer to closed and locked gates. I sure don't blame the landowner when that happens. Landowners that do put up with hunters on their land should be applauded.
We appreciate it!

[JimmyC]

I took a friend hunting on land leased through my hunting club a couple weeks ago.  He was so proud to tell me all about how all he hunts is this isolated piece of public land in northern Michigan for FREE (unlike me)...

All he has to do he says is, stay at his cabin or hotel, hook up his boat and trailer at 2am every morning, drive to the river, somehow safely navigate in freezing temps and bad weather way up river to this isolated island/land and have at it, safely return to truck, put boat and motor on trailer and make it back home in one piece by 8pm in order to do it all over again the next day.  

No matter how you cut it, we all pay through time/effort, money, and tax dollars to get into some decent hunting these days.

[Jerry Wald]

Nope I don't even pay for camping...tee hee

Jer Bear

[BradLantz]

yes and no

I always give something to the people who let me stay with them in Kansas, and something to the landowners too as a big thank you.

This year myself and 4 other bowhunters paid to "lease" my uncles 300 acres. Why? Too many people hunted it without permissions, and "they" basically took away the fun of hunting there. Leasing is gave my uncle some cash, and gave me the power by signed permission to put up no trespassing signs and to keep people out.

I never wanted to do that, but times have come to it

[flatlander37]

we pay high property taxes on the 350 acre family farm.  The heck of it is that my buddy hunts only public land and gets much larger deer than we do on our private land.  Can't eat antlers anyway!  :D