The escalating cost of hunting

[james_wvu]

Guys, I can sympathize with the leasing wars. I grew up in West Virginia before making my way out west. My home county is more than 75% owned by coal and timber companies. The other 25% was private with no public hunting areas. At the turn of the century, coal companies even had their own towns. That is no joke. Anyways, about 10 years back you could hunt any of it because the companies could care less. It was awesome. Then a couple guys formed the county's first hunting club after neighboring counties startied it. They leased a chunk of land and it was down hill from there. Within 2 years all of that land was leased up by various hunting clubs. Once the companies saw they could make bank on leases the market just escalated to no end and remains that way even today. When I go home I have to hunt my bro's 54 acres and he doesnt permit any meat hunting. It sucks to pay out your nose for something not as good as what you used to get for free.

 

[the nikster]

I used to hunt north of Idaho Falls, Idaho for ducks and geese. 10 years ago a wealthy outfit began purchasing leases from property owners to hunt their land. This outfit now owns enough area it is difficult to find a spot-and then the owner wants compensated. I will not compensate! I just won't use.
Let me be the first to say it

HUNTERS LOCAL 101
I would obviously be president.

Laugh if you must but simple hunting 'clubs' are losing ground.

ok, all you mudslingers....go get em!!

Nick Sr.

 

[james_wvu]

Nick, I'm not poking fun at anyone's comment. I'm just telling you how it started in my home state. Once we start putting money into leases, we as hunters are the ones that create a marketplace for it. I'm not saying thats bad. Unfortunately, outfitters can outbid the simple hunting club. I ended up joining several of those hunting clubs and held leadership roles in a few. Luckily, outfitters haven't moved in on my home county yet. Mainly, because the state's game agency manages for quantity of deer over quality so its basically a meat hunter's paradise. So no need for calling out the mudslingers. You'll know if I'm trying to throw mud. Thanks.

 

[Moosie]

Prime Duck hunting in Idaho is $1,000 a Gun /season. Thjat being said, I hunt the rivers and Do just fine

 

[Whiskers]

We had one outfit start up here, they started as a club, and took on members thats how they got the financing to lease all the farm land in the south western part of the state. The very next year, they became outfitters without telling any of the members. When gun season came in, guys would go to their stands and find 3 hunters within 50 yards of them.
I am against leases, but then again I have permission to hunt enough private ground that I don't need to. When I loose those privileges, I may have to rethink leases.