Well....the king owns the forest....

[sask boy]

It is not perfect :lol: but we are blessed. I still might take a run up to Doc's country and pick up my rifle when it is ready. I did live in Smithers for a short time but I have not been back in almost 40 years. I would like to hear Mike speak on a Sunday as well.
The Walleye fishing is next to none and that is only a hour away from my house, with this contract I took and all the high water I haven't taken my boat out of the garage where it is stored.
Scotty you are welcome here anytime :mrgreen:
I can't take you hunting but you come up in mid june and I can show you some walleye fishing that is out of this world. :lol:

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Ridge_Runner]

Living 2 hrs from DC, and watching how things were going with hunting leases, years ago my dad and I came to the conclusion that one day, if you didn't own land you would either hit the public land and fight the blaze orange army on public land or not hunt.
So we, and 363 other like minded hunters purchased 11,687 acres for a hunting club, then a few years later we purchased another 4200 acres, just to ensure that our kids would be able to hunt if they wanted.
RR

 

[Guy Miner]

Excellent idea! Secure your own hunting grounds.

25 years ago, when stationed in DC, was the only time I ever belonged to a hunting club. For two years it was a very worthwhile thing, particularly for a guy who didn't know the lay of the land. As a westerner, I was used to having vast tracts of public land to hunt. Back east, that just wasn't the case. Joining the hunt club got me access to several large farms and I did a fair amount of hunting.

 

[Elkman]

RR

Boy that was a great idea. I will bet it keeps you all busy with management and upkeep both on and off season!!

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

I am so sorry man. This is a crime in my opinion when Landowners or Leasees as we will call them can charge money for you to hunt the State's game which you already own a part of as a tax payer. I also think its a crime when they have public lands landlocked by private and therefore can regulate who trespasses through their land to get to the public land by charging a trespass fee. Its un-American and to me ruins the spirit of hunting. When it becomes all about the money, well, Houston we have a problem.

In my hometown, there was a huge pivot field across the river from town and all of us Highschool kids used to go over there and shoot sand rats to our hearts delight. Only rules were no driving on the hay and don't shoot any pipes or sprinklers. Now 10+ years down the road its 100 dollars a day per shooter to shoot pests. TO SHOOT PESTS!

Personally I believe the government should not be able to own public lands without purchasing eternal rights to a public access to said lands which cannot be infringed with locked gates and being falsely posted as private property in places where it is not. I have had BLM officers tell me of certain gates that if locked I have permission to remove because they are open to the public 24/7/365. Yeah the Landowners and Leasees get away with too much and its ruining the hunting.

200 dollars per gun for simple permission is ridiculous and its happening everywhere.

 

[elkeater2]

If the focus is speed goats, tags and access - in Wyoming every year there are leftover licenses which can be purchased online or through the g&f offices. There is a constantly updated list, and extra doe/fawn licenses are available as well. Still, not a cheap hunt for people who would rather stay in their own state and hunt more economically. It seems like the people who scream the loudest about predation damage are the same ones who put up the high fees and are the least fun to deal with online, in person, or on the phone. :twisted:

 

[ElmerThud]

It's not funny at all when this kind of thing happens, but it's certainly the case in the UK.
The landowner may well retain the shooting rights on his property (Whether private, corporate or state owned) - or, he can lease the shooting rights to a third party (They may even sub-let).
It's quite common to pay between £60/$97 per stalk (2 stalks per day) whether a beast is shot or not.
In my friends syndicate, the lease for the shooting rights on 8000 acres in Scotland is £16,000/$26,000 per year. 5 rifles share the syndicate which does include a small cottage sleeping 6 on the land, together with it's own chill room larder for carcass storeage.
Stalking is charged out at £100/$163 per day whether or not deer are shot.
Commercial shoots in Scotland charge around £350/£400 ($652) per stag + tip for the stalker approx £20/30 per beast, with all accomodation/food/drink extra. Obviously travel cost is extra too.
Cheers, Tom

 

[Guy Miner]

Thanks for that info Tom. I was under the impression that hunting in Scotland was a fairly expensive proposition. Split between a group though, it's something that can be managed.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to live in an area with abundant public land, and at least a decent population of game - well, we're happy. The county where I live is about 85% public land, with mule deer, bear and elk in fair numbers.

I am starting to look again though, for a ranch where I can hunt, away from the crowded public lands.

Guy

 

[257 Ackley]

It is getting more difficult each year for any of us that are not land owners. I am in the process of buying land right now, due to the farm we have been hunting on for the last 20 years is being sold. None of us that hunt deer like to share the woods on public land with other hunters that we don't know. This is true especially when some hunters don't share the same values and ethical ways of hunting that you share. The only other option is to rent/lease land from the land owner for the season. There doesn't seem to be the concentration of hunters in the Western states on BLM land in my experiences, but it has become a cash crop for the ranchers whose land surrounds the public lands.

I have had portable ladder stands stolen from public land and had a small buck stolen (already tagged) while I was helping a brother drag a deer he had just shot back to the trail where we could get a quad in to haul it out. It really makes you question the true reasons why some people are out there. Nothing upsets me more than when someone walks within a few feet of your stand and sits down within 100 yards of where you are hunting because they find a scrape or other sign they like. :twisted:

Most of us can't afford to pay guides and outfitters for the hunts we go on, and in most cases prefer to do it ourselves. I am lucky having several friends that live in western states that have already made connections or have friends/relatives that own ranches we hunt on. When I hunt near Phillipsburg in Montana, we help the owner get his cattle back to the ranch off the BLM land that surrounds his ranch for two days and than are able to hunt elk for the next week. It is enjoyable work and helps build relationships for future hunts. Now if I can ever draw that darn sheep tag... :mrgreen: