Access to public vs private land for hunting? Beginning of the end?

[packgoatguy]

Ive hunted public land my entire life, but lately have sensed a shift with some in the hunting crowd, to a focus on higher quality/paid hunting opportunities on private land... is this the way of the future or is it just making it easier for those of us with less and less time to put boots on the ground?

Also, is this a general shift in the conservation mentality in the US? Ive been reading a lot of the articles written by this guy at http://www.nature-track.com and he makes a lot of good points about how the deer and elk habitats on our public lands are suffering from a host of different land use issues, including over grazing... irrigation water depleting aquifers... developments... etc. Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for quality hunting opportunities on public land? What if the feds or the states start selling off the public lands to the highest bidder? Will this sport be left to the wealthy if our only option to hunt and fish is on private lands managed for profit?

Sorry for the odd question... Im just sitting here planning out my next rifle purchase, picking the best caliber for my hunting needs, and planning my next year's hunts... and it got me thinking about what my great grandkids will be doing in 20, 30 or 50 years from now. Am I going to have anything to pass on to them?

 

[BountyHunter]

My buddy and I had been hunting a friends farm in SE Ohio but he retired and moved to Texas
We are looking at leases and price starts at $30 an acre and runs to over $40 for many. Getting tough out there.

 

[packgoatguy]

We have been lucky here in Idaho, still quite a few places to hunt public land. My son drew a late buck hunt in the southern part of the state this past season, in a part we hadn't hunted before, and we were blown away at how much private land had eaten up the access to the public BLM and forest. And where there was public land, it was so over grazed in the few aspens plots we found, that it was just a disgrace...

 

[Buck Buster]

Ive hunted public land my entire life, but lately have sensed a shift with some in the hunting crowd, to a focus on higher quality/paid hunting opportunities on private land... is this the way of the future or is it just making it easier for those of us with less and less time to put boots on the ground?

Also, is this a general shift in the conservation mentality in the US? Ive been reading a lot of the articles written by this guy at http://www.nature-track.com and he makes a lot of good points about how the deer and elk habitats on our public lands are suffering from a host of different land use issues, including over grazing... irrigation water depleting aquifers... developments... etc. Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for quality hunting opportunities on public land? What if the feds or the states start selling off the public lands to the highest bidder? Will this sport be left to the wealthy if our only option to hunt and fish is on private lands managed for profit?

Sorry for the odd question... Im just sitting here planning out my next rifle purchase, picking the best caliber for my hunting needs, and planning my next year's hunts... and it got me thinking about what my great grandkids will be doing in 20, 30 or 50 years from now. Am I going to have anything to pass on to them?

I think your right about more people hunting private property without question, but there are many reasons a lot of them you mentioned . Now things are probably much the same in many states, but situations may vary some also I am in PA and many feel the the wildlife commission has left the deer heard deplete so low that there are to few on public land to even bother hunting anymore and the license sales show a steady decline and very few new hunters are coming on with nothing left to hunt ! I have to agree that the population of deer on many public lands should be called a non-huntable population it is so low, I have walked long distances on some of the public lands when there is snow cover looking for new and better places to hunt deer and maybe see a deer track or two sometimes none, but many coyote tracks ! This has led hunters to lease ground and set their own rules for the deer management that is used on them and their are others that knock on doors to get access to private lands to hunt! And yes I believe that in the not so long of the future that if you don't belong to a hunting club or own your own land or have access to private land to hunt deer in PA your deer hunting is all but gone! There are some places that have a few more deer than others but the hunters will migrate to them and that area's deer population will become few also ! These things along with some of those you have mentioned are hurting our hunting traditions ! Right now in PA I don't think there are enough deer in many areas to begin to over browse an area ! But land loss is a big issue I think everywhere ! New roads and housing developments, and shopping malls, new factories and people buying up private land and in PA the natural gas companies have butchered many thousands of acres with gas well pads, and pipelines ! The more the human population expands the more of the items mentioned are going to be needed and the population is increasing faster each year ! Enjoy the the great outdoors and hunting while you have the chance ! Probably 15 to 20 years ago I went to one of the northern counties where I used to hunt rabbits with my family many years ago, it was always full of rabbits and using a dog only slowed you down ! I turned of the major highway and down a couple back roads and then realized that I had gone by the area that we used to hunt, so i turned around and went back, and I came to the same conclusion as I did going the other way, so I turned around again and this time went very slow looking for more details that would remind me as to where the spot was ! Finally I stopped and may have even gotten a few tears in my eyes, the brushy hillside that I once hunted rabbits with my father and two brothers was now grass, houses and driveways ! So the habitat is shrinking at an alarming rate for all wildlife !

 

[hunter67wa]

It will be for the rich. Just like GB. Young people watch hunting shows and think that is the way it is. Ive always thought the shows would not help but hinder. It is actually deeper than that in loss of values. Used to be people would let you hunt if you asked now everything is posted and money driven and not to say some people have not shown the respect to landowners with garbage and what not. it is all sad in the end.

 

[KyCarl]

As a landowner I have to say that there has been a decline in the attitude among hunters! Not all but enough to ruin it for the others! They mash your fences..leave gates open..Break the glass in my outbuildings..Mess with the equipment.Steal anything not nailed down.Drew a target on my hay barn and shot it? Trash out the yang!
So now it's all posted.. and we mean it!.. I will call the Sheriff!

 

[geo4061]

We have lived in the best of times. The best quail, deer, and varmint hunting I have ever seen is where they are landing 100's of 747's everyday. Grab your gun and go hunt. You didn't have to ask for permission. Now, try that and you will be in jail in short order. Today we are covering everything with concrete and asphalt to keep up with population growth. This new human habitat isn't conducive for wildlife. So we are left with more people wanting to enjoy the outdoors with fewer opportunities. So where was this mythical hunting land? DFW Airport.

 

[geo4061]

KyCarl, I absolutely hate it that someone could be so disrespectful. Please let me be the first to apologize. Wish I lived close enough to make some of it up to you. Don't let this sour you on all of us. There are those of us that always try to leave a place better.

 

[KyCarl]

I know it sucks but we can't afford it? And ad the fact that everyone wants to sue you for anything! It's just too risky! Our lawyer recommended No Nothing! no leases
or anything.

 

[Ndfarmer]

I agree 100% with Kycarl. I live in prairie pothole region so I get tons of duck and geese hunters ever year. We post everything or they destroy it. We don't charge for hunting even though I get charged everywhere I go hunting. I post so that I know who is out there. Hold people responsible.

 

[geo4061]

"We post everything or they destroy it." My brother just got back from visiting California. People used the streets as their bathroom and trash can. What's happened to us? With this attitude toward the land and personal property the best of times are over.

 

[PLHunter]

I think it can be a positive on both ends. More hunters willing to pay landowners to hunt can mean landowners will see a value in maintaining and protecting habitat for native animals. As for public land it's more a matter of what we advocate and demand for in our public lands and not an issue with the system as a whole. Overgrazing is a real issue but it's because we have rules in place that only allow grazers to buy those rights and little in place to incentivize taking care of the land. Public land hunting has a lot of opportunity still today and I almost always get my animal during archery and rifle but it's definitely a lot of work. More roadless areas could help make public lands a more diverse and productive hunting opportunity. I think the most important thing is to be a strong advocate for real conservation. If you're a private land pay to play hunter make sure that the land owner is fostering a good environment for all animals in that ecosystem not just farming deer. If you're a public land hunter make sure you are advocating and voting for sustainable use. Set the example. Hunting is what we make it.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

We are lucky in CO due to the fact that the mountains and the national forest system are vast enough to support what Roosevelt wanted to put in place... enough land for mostly all to participate in without the need for commercialization. I think the southern states and most flatland are the places where hunt for a price has taken hold. I hate it, although the cases where trashing of public access or annexation has ruined public access, has made it essential. Our voices are important to try and minimize any encroachment into good public lands. The trump admin did their trick in Utah, where we will no longer be allowed access to those lands once public. That's disgusting, given that we've had record energy development, even during the obama admin.

 

[Ndfarmer]

I think it can be a positive on both ends. More hunters willing to pay landowners to hunt can mean landowners will see a value in maintaining and protecting habitat for native animals. As for public land it's more a matter of what we advocate and demand for in our public lands and not an issue with the system as a whole. Overgrazing is a real issue but it's because we have rules in place that only allow grazers to buy those rights and little in place to incentivize taking care of the land. Public land hunting has a lot of opportunity still today and I almost always get my animal during archery and rifle but it's definitely a lot of work. More roadless areas could help make public lands a more diverse and productive hunting opportunity. I think the most important thing is to be a strong advocate for real conservation. If you're a private land pay to play hunter make sure that the land owner is fostering a good environment for all animals in that ecosystem not just farming deer. If you're a public land hunter make sure you are advocating and voting for sustainable use. Set the example. Hunting is what we make it.

Landowner relationships are important. I personally like people who stop in before season or at least before hunting to ask permission. It is something that is hard for me to do also. the part I hate about asking permission is I know how annoying it it's to be interrupted by someone having fun while I'm working. If you can stop by during their slow time it would be nice. You also better be careful in advocating for changes, that would get you booted off my yard pretty fast. Most farmers and ranchers have lived and worked on their land their whole lives and know the local wildlife. That would take getting to know the land owner really well. We have quite a few hunters that have been coming back for well over 10 years. That makes it nice for us because we know and trust them and a simple phone call with a date works.