Agree 100%!

So I guess your saying...Hooray for you and screw the "average Joes"?

I hope your land stays in your family long enough for your grandkids and their kids to enjoy it! Especially if any of them turn out to be "average Joes".

So what you are saying is screw the average guy and leave the hunting to the rich fat cats? Nice attitude that is. And one that I am sure will quaranty a bright future for our hunting heritage.

In my opinion the expense of leasing land and dwindling access to huntable land is the greatest threat to the future of hunting in America. Far more of a threat than the bunny loving anti's and the gun grabbers. The vast majority of old acquaintances I bump into that say they no longer hunt site either the cost of joining a club or simply the lack of somewhere to hunt as the primary reasons they gave it up.

I am fortunate to have family land to hunt but I know a lot of people who have to sweat being outbid for their lease every year. It sucks but I can't blame the land owners and I don't really know what can be done to help the average joe out.

And there in lies my problem with most of the "QDM" folks. It's NOT about the health of the deer herd. I think it's an appendage thing-a-ma-gig. They therefore feel they're real manly if they can get the "BIGGEST" set of horns.. at least bigger than all their friends. They "want to "ensure chances at nice bucks" and to hell with the rest of the world. They spout all the QDM etc etc.... but then they do year round supplemental feeds etc etc. It's far from natural. They might as well lock them in the barnyard like we do cattle and see how many tons of hormones it takes to make a braggin size appendage. I venture to say that if you turned most of these "Shooting Tower" bound folks out in the middle of tha Adirondacks, away from their bait stations, they'd never find a deer. BUT HEY, here they are telling the world how they should hunt to become great white hunters like themselves. AND... if you don't do it this way and your venison doesn't cost $20,000 a year to produce a nice "RACK"... why you aren't a hunter or worthy of hunting at all. Give me a break. As far as keeping out the average JOE... the average Joe made hunting what it is. The average Joe is a usually a better hunter. The average Joe doesn't like to be spit on. When it comes time for the final vote you better hope you haven't ticked the average Joe off. Separate yourself from him and then see who's around when you need them. But hey, I know that doesn't bother you.... because you shot a big rack and are now the proud owner of a super-pseudo-appendage.

Nicely put davidmil.

If I had to spend 3 to 5 thousand bucks to hunt on someone elses land I'd be hopping a plane to Canada or Alaska and do some real hunting For that kind of money you could do an unguided caribou hunt to Alaska and be allowed to take two caribou...you'd probably have enough money left over for taxidermy work.

Yes David, I like shooting big racks, who doesn't. And it just so happens I have enough money to buy land to "ensure a chance at a nice buck". Does that make me a bad guy? I don't think so, just the way of the world.

I'm sure up north the situation is different, but down here, land is still fairly easy to come by , you can join a lease for as little as a few hundred bucks a year. You probably won't kill a trophy, but you will see and harvest deer.

Personally, I like to trophy hunt, to do that your odds increase if you manage your own land. I'm doing and I have no regrets.

I do not feel sorry for the guy who doesn't own land, again, this is not a socialist society. There are other options, plenty of state lands and cheap leases.

Stop patronizing the prices! iTS THAT SIMPLE. I luv venison, and I luv to hunt, But its not worth that kind of money to me.

Stop paying the prices and the prices will go DOWN. public land aint so bad

Ricoace:
"Stop patronizing the prices! iTS THAT SIMPLE."
"Stop paying the prices and the prices will go DOWN."

The people who are paying the prices are not the ones who are complaining, they generally dont mind paying. The people who want the prices to go down are the guys who cant afford the current prices, so it does no good to tell guys to stop "patronizing the prices".

"Public land aint so bad"

I guess its not, as long as you dont mind all the frustrations that go along with it, and as long you dont mind the fact that you have to sit in a tree all season just to get the chance to see a few does and a 1 1/2 year old buck. If that stuff dosent bother you, then "public land aint so bad".

Amen Dave, the average Joe ,which is me and most anyone else that I know,is taking it on the chin real bad these days.Doesn't matter which endeavor you talk about ,the few that have all the dough are really stomping on the little guy.People are buying our land up and locking us out more and more.They aren't good citizens or neighbors and they push their way around with their wallet.We got a person up here that just purchased something like 20-30,000 acres of wilderness shut it down for any activity be it hunting,fishing,snowsledding.There are a few remote camps and a lodge on the land and she is making it so difficult for them by raising their leases that they have but no choice to abandon with no option to sell or be reembersed for their investments.A real sad situation,and more of it coming.Ron

RIGHT ON DAVIDMIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!