NorthernMN

You two are really running this thread into the ground....

I personally think that if everyone who hunted bought some land and paid taxes on it every year and took the time to work on the land keeping trails open, or clearing brush or whatever, this thread would go a little differently. I bought a piece a copuple years back. It is only about 20 acres but it is mine. I appreciate having it to hunt on. I pay the taxes, I clear the brush, I plant clover for the deer. I don't even let my own brothers hunt on it. It might not be much but it's mine and it's certainly not free.

Land isn't free and they aren't making any more of it.

hillbillyhunter1

I apoligize if my initial statement was misunderstood. I was only talking about a small percentage of land that is leased and can sum it up by saying that I feel that it is greed if hunters want to START a lease on land that is already and currently open to all hunters through the generosity and careful consideration of the landowner

tsoc

This is a very sensitive topic for so many of us.In the area where I live which is Woodstock New York there has been such an influx of second home owners and weekenders over the last twenty plus years.(we are two hours north of New York City in the catskill mountains).So much of the land that I hunted on as a kid is either developed or has been purchased by people from the NYC who aren't as hunter friendly or understanding of people who have hunted their whole lives.It is not uncommon for me to hike up mountains get to their peak only to see the heavy posting of no trespassing signs.On top of mountains that are no easy task getting in to.It is very discouraging!Fortunately being a local boy I have a number of pieces of private ground to hunt on but not nearly as many as I once did!Most of my hunting now is done on public ground and yes I am thankful that it is still available.
I am sorry for my ramblings but I believe these are all things that have contributed to many of the issues that other poster's have talked about.As it relates to what landowners choose to do I believe that is completely up to them.They bought it they are paying the taxes on it,they have the liability exposure should they allow people on it.(There should be a season on personal injury attorney's).I stopped hunting with a guy a few years ago because he told me that he sued a friend of his who lent him a jeep to use to get up and down a mountain and the brakes went out on it.It was the landowners jeep,land he had hunted on for years(and it was prime).I was afraid if I set a tree stand for this guy and he had an accident out of it he would be wanting to sue me.(What the heck is wrong with people!whatever happened to personal responsibility!)
Any way I don't make any assumptions that a landowner owes me anything,I am thankful and I show my gratitude to the ones that allow me to hunt on their land.If they told me tomorrow that I could no longer hunt there then I would accept it,what choice do I have!
The trend toward hunters leasing and/or buying land makes sense to me.Having your own piece that you can control the access and harvest on.A place where you can hopefully leave tree stands and scouting camera's without fear of them being stolen.Silent Assasin is right we have some real slobs in our hunting brethern.The median age for a hunter now in the US I believe is in the mid to late forties,a time in our lives where you are tired of putting up with certain things and may have a bit of discretionary money to devote to hunting land that is more exclusive or completely so.
In summary I believe there are a multitude of factors that have created the lack of easily accessible private land,some are not very welcome but acceptance of the reality versus wishing it were different is probably going to have us further ahead.

muley69

First off, landowners do not have the right to do whatever they want on their property. They are governed by environmental, state, federal, and local codes with what they can and cannot do. Secondly, owning land is simply leasing from the state, don't pay your property taxes and your out, that simple. Thirdly, in the Untited States wildlife is owned by the people of the state, not the landowner, you can own the land, but the people own the wildlife contained therein.
Greedy landowners: Lots of interesting post on here. Folks are intitled to make a legal living off their land any way they see fit, and I don't think anybody can really disagree with that. There is an irony, however, in the farmer that gets a ton of subsudiesfrom the state, complains about crop damage, and won't let anybody hunt. Personally, I don't think any farmer should be re-imbursed for crop damage, but I digress. I believe Wisconsin has a program that allows folks to hunt in areas were private landowners have made claims about crop damage.
Hunters: This is the real problem with fees. Hunters paying creates the market, if nobody paid for hunting, it would cost nothing. Hunters paying big bucks for exclusive rights to hunt property has ruined hunting for many other people. Hunters are destroying the sport from within, and all this time we were worried about the ANTI"S! If it werent so tragic it would be down right funny. I am largely removed from the market because I have millions of acres to hunt whenever I wan't for free, but for those of you back east, I feel your pain.

s. il. hntr

in my hometown people are soooo... concerned about the overpopulation of deer mainly because of the steep rise in traffic accidents. but just try to get permission to hunt and you get a big hell no.i understandthe farmers side of it as my in-laws are farmers, but very few of us are disresceptfull, as far as fear of being sued, not in il. there is a law that protects landownwers from this, but still to no avail

ddejong

As both a land-owner and hunter, I think it is simple market-place economics. Before I could buy a couple properties for myself I paid good money for a lease club to access land. Two years ago I was pulling into the gate of one of my places and a guy approached me and offered me $600 to bowhunt that 80 acres for the deer season. Let's see $600 or let someone hunt free. Hmmm. I don't think it is greedy....suddenly farmers have learned that they can get money for something that you used to not be able to. Supply and demand kick in and away it goes. I am not saying it is good or bad ... it just is the reality of the situation today.

chucker34

Supply and demand does say it all. And as many have stated, why shouldn't it. Nice extra money for farmers to put toward something for themselves not farm-related or toward retirement.

I'm not sure what other states are like but I live in Western Minnesota and some farmers will still let you hunt for free - especially if you are bowhunting. You just have to work a little harder to find those who won't charge you and then reward them for helping you out. And its possible to find reasonably priced leases. Potlatch leases prime Northern forest land in our state. A sample price is around $400-500 for 80 acres. Not bad if a couple of guys go in on it. Pitch a MASH tent and have an annual deer camp in the great north woods for peanuts compared to some leases. I don't think this sport is just for rich people just yet.

driftrider

A land owner, at least for now, has every right to allow or disallow hunting on his land, and to charge whatever he wants to allow access. If he wants to charge $500 or $5000 a head, that's his perogative. I strongly disagree with efforts that have been made to pass legislation that forces landowners to allow free access to their lands for recreational purposes (including but not limited to hunting). I don't know what this is called, but it is common in Europe, the heart of modern socialism (big surprise).

That being said, it'll be a cold day in hell when I pay a farmer for permission to hunt his land. I'll help out with chores, give him meat and clean up not only after myself but also pick up any trash or whatnot that I see, if I see goundhogs or coyote, I'll even offer to help eliminate his varmint problems, and I'll send him a Christmas card and fruit basket as a thank you every year. But if I'm going to pay anyone $1500 to hunt their land, then I better get more than just a spot to hang a stand. I'd expect some level of service for that amount of money (ie recovering and hauling game and other guide services comparable to the price charged). If the day comes that the only way to hunt is to pay big money for nothing more than access to land, I'll hangit up. I won't pay$5/lb+ for groundvenison when I can buy sirloins for the same price. I love to hunt, but I have other hobbies thatI love just asmuch that would cost a lot less and leave memore toshow for it.

Mike

s. il. hntr

i like that opinoin[8D]

ShadowAce

Farm land owners don't make enough off of crops to begin with. How can you fault them for trying to make some more off their land if they can? They own land with the intent of making a living.