Day Trespass fees for turkeys and deer

[Nick87]

The trend has been going on for decades. The OP isn’t to blame and he isn’t going to make it better or worse for his choice. Wanting to be able to hunt by asking for permission is noble but idealistic I’m sorry to say.

On a positive note, when I was a kid there was no turkey hunting in IL. Reintroduction was done with a lot of landowner help, particularly in the northern zone. Now these landowners take advantage of the work of previous generations. You see similar actions in SD where strips of food plots are left uncut. Sure, these farmers lease hunting rights, but without it there would be less game. Same with ND and potholes. Do we want them drained and plowed or is it better for the farmer to leave them and lease to duck hunters? Money drives actions in all things these days.

How many leases do you have?

 

[NY_BLUES]

That's interesting. I remember reading about qdm being quite popular in upstate NY.

There was a lot of buzz about it 15 or so years ago. Then most hunters realized that they would have to let young deer walk, and put work into habitat, and they said screw it. Now we have 1000s of 75-100" running around, with a few that top 120" each year. Some studs do make it through and hit 150", but those are rare, special deer.

 

[SAJ-99]

How many leases do you have?

Zero. But I have paid leases before for things, waterfowl primarily. It is a simple fact of life at this point, and we aren't going back. I think HT is skewed toward public land, DIY hunters. Most hunters are paying for leases and guides. This is why I think the fight against PLT is important. But I also recognize that landowners are a valuable partner in all wildlife management.

 

[Nick87]

Zero. But I have paid leases before for things, waterfowl primarily. It is a simple fact of life at this point, and we aren't going back. I think HT is skewed toward public land, DIY hunters. Most hunters are paying for leases and guides. This is why I think the fight against PLT is important. But I also recognize that landowners are a valuable partner in all wildlife management.

I agree. But every year it gets harder for the little guy. So I'm not going to praise leasing because there's more critters on some leased property somewhere. Is there some fringe benefits? Sure. Does the positive outweigh the negative? I'm yet to be convinced.

 

[SAJ-99]

I agree. But every year it gets harder for the little guy. So I'm not going to praise leasing because there's more critters on some leased property somewhere. Is there some fringe benefits? Sure. Does the positive outweigh the negative? I'm yet to be convinced.

I am neither praising it nor complaining about it and I'm not sure there is a way to convince anyone. Our experiences form our beliefs. If you won the lottery tomorrow would you buy or lease a property to hunt? Would you lease out your own? Etc ,etc. It is the same question that we can ask of western hunters. They mostly love Block Management and Access YES but few would enroll their own land in the program if they had the opportunity. I don't look askew at those who lease. I try to keep the big picture in mind. It is simply another way to get people to care about what happens to wildlife and the environment.

 

[Nick87]

It is simply another way to get people to care about what happens to wildlife and the environment.

Maybe, it also keeps more and more people from being able to participate every year.

 

[Rack Daniels]

Maybe, it also keeps more and more people from being able to participate every year.

Nailed it.

 

[SAJ-99]

Maybe, it also keeps more and more people from being able to participate every year.

Maybe, but low cash flow makes it hard to participate in a lot of things these days. As a kid I was jealous of people who had fishing boats, so I made of goal of making enough money so I could buy my own boat. (Never have owned a boat, ironically). I also notice a lot of SxS and campers on my hunts every year, so hunters are suffering too bad. I think video games are a bigger problem for future participation than hunting leases.
It is certainly a complicated issue. Not sure it is worth picking sides on.

 

[Nick87]

Maybe, but low cash flow makes it hard to participate in a lot of things these days. As a kid I was jealous of people who had fishing boats, so I made of goal of making enough money so I could buy my own boat. (Never have owned a boat, ironically). I also notice a lot of SxS and campers on my hunts every year, so hunters are suffering too bad. I think video games are a bigger problem for future participation than hunting leases.
It is certainly a complicated issue. Not sure it is worth picking sides on.

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They make more boats, campers, and sxs everyday. Whether or not they're suffering or not could be a matter of perspective. Credit card and finance companies sure are loving them I'm sure. I'm not so inclined to jump in and compete with who can spend the most for hunting success. Which unfortunately is what leasing boils down to in the end. In the beginning it seems harmless enough though.

 

[3855WIN]

As a South Dakota resident, I kinda kindly ask you to please don’t. Not asking for myself, but on behalf of my almost 5 year old and 2 year old. Still success to be had in these parts gaining permission with honest, direct, and most of all respectful conversation. Gets ruined quick when folks start writing checks and stuffing envelopes full of cash.

There’s a big risk for landowners allowing strangers access to their property with a firearm.

 

[Matthew57]

I personally wouldn’t pay for a lease because I remember being a teenager with more passion to hunt than money.

 

[Nick87]

There’s a big risk for landowners allowing strangers access to their property with a firearm.

You can draw something up or carry your own insurance, can you not?

 

[SAJ-99]

They make more boats, campers, and sxs everyday. Whether or not they're suffering or not could be a matter of perspective. Credit card and finance companies sure are loving them I'm sure. I'm not so inclined to jump in and compete with who can spend the most for hunting success. Which unfortunately is what leasing boils down to in the end. In the beginning it seems harmless enough though.

I can't say I disagree totally. In the 70's and 80's I watched every patch of grass and marginal land get plowed under in Illinois in the name of profits for the farmers. With it I watch the bird populations plummet. So, if somehow bird populations get a boost in the name of profits, I find it difficult to be totally against it.

Lately I'm not even sure what I am supposed to be fighting for - the tradition and sport of hunting, just the poor hunters, land and wildlife, just public land? A lot of times the lines are blurry.

 

[SAJ-99]

You can draw something up or carry your own insurance, can you not?

The NRA used to have an insurance arm that wrote these types of policies, but I think it went belly up.? Going off memory here, but IL DNR had a program that allowed landowners some protection. It varies state by state.

 

[Nick87]

So, if somehow bird populations get a boost in the name of profits, I find it difficult to be totally against it.

I've yet to see any ground be taken out of production because someone is paying a lease to hunt it. Not saying it can't happen.

 

[Nick87]

The NRA used to have an insurance arm that wrote these types of policies, but I think it went belly up.? Going off memory here, but IL DNR had a program that allowed landowners some protection. It varies state by state.

There's a handful of insurance companies who you can buy this type of policy from. I've checked around, Haven't had to actually purchase it it yet though.

 

[Wild Bill]

Wanting to be able to hunt by asking for permission is noble but idealistic I’m sorry to say.

Maybe where you’re at it is. The OP asked about the dakotas. I live in one of them and I can honestly say that is not the truth. Get out and meet some folks and get to know them.

Back 20 to 25 years ago, you could knock on a door and get permission to hunt.

I'm not trying to be an @$$wipe, but all I’m trying to get at is I came to your state 20-25 years ago with money and tried to lease up a bunch of land that you were able to access for free you'd just be fine with it and move on? Because that's basically what you're asking to do. Obviously I can't prevent anyone from doing anything, but I sure as hell aren't going to give anyone pointers on how to come to the state I live in and lease hunting property.

 

[Wild Bill]

You see similar actions in SD where strips of food plots are left uncut. Sure, these farmers lease hunting rights, but without it there would be less game.

Most of those strips you see are done by landowners so they can hunt pheasants with their family and friends. Not leased out to outfitters. Those strips are part of a big tradition in the state where friends and family will leave those strips in and get together in groups and go hunt each other's grounds collectively on the wknds or around holidays and when kids come back from college, etc.

 

[Wild Bill]

There’s a big risk for landowners allowing strangers access to their property with a firearm.

Sure I guess? Idk maybe that is a big issue in Mississippi, but I have never once been asked about insurance, liability, or to sign a waiver for access or been turned down because of that.

 

[SAJ-99]

Most of those strips you see are done by landowners so they can hunt pheasants with their family and friends. Not leased out to outfitters. Those strips are part of a big tradition in the state where friends and family will leave those strips in and get together in groups and go hunt each other's grounds collectively on the wknds or around holidays and when kids come back from college, etc.

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