I hunt in MI and we have a good deer herd. Nothing like Iowa, Ill, Kansas and other Midwest states (having big bucks and lots of them)Ohio is a great example also. My question is have the folks in these high profile states(Shows and Pic we see of huge bucks) seen an increase in the out-of-towners coming to hunt your state. Has it affected your hunting?

Kansas
Absolutely. Hasn't effected my hunting yet but a lot of my buddys lost theirs to outfitter leasing. [:@] You should see it out west when pheasant season roles around. Lots and lots of out of towners. My family owns 1400 acres and land to the north and east of us is leased up.

Without a doubt....I have lost three properties in the last two seasons to an outfitter.

Many of the hunters that come think every buck they see is going to be a monster. It just doesn't work that way.

Further I have seen where the outfitter puts up stands on some of these places. In some cases I would classify the location as marginal at best. Of course most of the time the poor out of Stater doesn't know that he just paid three grand to hunt a spot that isn't in a prime location.

That kind of is the way of the future. Here in oregon most of the ranch land is leased by guys like United states outfitters. and others, It sucks when you don't make the big bucks.

Around here in central Minnesota it is not the guides, it is the poeple buying up all the land. They are paying such a price for it we local boys cant afford to pay it. Then they post the living hell out of it and dont let anyone in.[:'(]

The price of land has gone thru the roof lately and what isn't for sale is leased. This year they limited the area our archery tags are good in. Had to do w/ allowing the outfitters tags for areas for out of state hunters. I have not hunted anywhere else, but I think Kansas is highly over rated. There is not monster bucks every where like it appears on TV. Locally people believe the outfitters are poaching areas they don't have leased. In general we are moving in a direction of promoting our hunting, both bird & deer, for out of state revenue. At the same time we are limiting the availability for the residents and consequently we are eliminating a lot of young people from getting started in hunting. It won't be long and hunting will strickly be for the wealthy.

I agree totally with this statement. All of the big business and "ranchers" are destroying what used to be a common man'ssport. Money truly is the root of all evil. [:@]

I do not always oppose change, however I hate the thought of what our children will have to do/pay just to hunt! I guess the only solution is to pony up and buy your own little spot!

DEER HUNTING HAS BECOME TOO COMMERCIALIZED AND BECOMING A RICH MANS SPORT @#$% ^&*% PERIOD

It has affected us in Southern IL as well ( South of Mt.Vernon). The majority of the Farmers around here are stuggling to make ends meet and when someone ( usually out of state hunters)come along and offers them 10 bucks an acre to hunt it they usually accept. This inturn affects the locals as they are now not allowed to hunt on this land because it is now leased, even though it might only get hunted 10 days of the season or less. The average income around here is approx 18k per year thus not many locals can afford to pay for hunting property.

In addition this area has the well known Shawnee Natl Forrest which is open to hunting. I have not hunted in a single location where I have not encountered an out of state hunter during hunting hours. Add the locals into the mix and it gets crowded pretty quick.

My Family and I have been blessed over the years to have land available but now the land owner has passed leaving the land to his Grand children and the possability of loosing this land to hunt is very high.

This is very upsetting to me as my Father and I shotgun hunt every year together and have every year since he first took me when I was 10 ( 22yrs). If we are forced to hunt on the Shawnee I know he would loss interest as he has a prostetic leg as a result of a land mine in Viet Nam and would not be able to hike the distance needed to escape other hunters.

This is the only time other than Turkey season that we actually hang out and spend time alone and I cherish those memories of years past. Its hard to think that someting as menial as a hunting lease can affect a Father Son relationship but it is a sad possability.

Wow, this is what I feared, I think we all need to take a look at what we need to do to protect these states. I feel it is unfair to the local hunters, and I blame our "Fascination" with big deer. Fact it is a big payday if you arrow one. I think other states are going to have the same trouble. I hunt in Ohio and I can dee them having issues, and now I hear Kentucky is a futur state. I do not know how to help you guys, but I know something needs to be done.
Here our my idea's

Limit Out-State-Tags
Put a stop to Outfitters.
Start a TV show with real sportsman, hunting on public land.

Do what we do here in MI, shoot all the little ones so they do not get big, lol

It is a bad situation, and I fear it is only going to get worse!!