Game Management ?

[RobertR]

First off Fish Wildlife and Parks cannot manage what cannot be hunted on private land.
With more and more land being bought by either out of state intrest or being leased by outfitters the game cannot be hunted on private or the land locked public land bordering the private land.
I recently found out that a man bought all the hunting rights for the Hansen Ranch that use to be under Block Management. There are very small parcels of private land blocking access to public land. There is in the neiborhood of 400 head of elk being privatized for the personal benefit of a few.

If access has been established for more than say ten years should an easement to public land be grandfathered in.

What can be done?
Should emanate domain be used, should there only be the harvest of only does or cow elk on private land and no antlered game?
Should the private land be closed to hunting with in the hunting district for not allowing access to public lands?
Should a recreation tax be applied for harboring big game if hunting is allowed by a select few?
Should the private land owners be able to access the public land behind there property and who polices them from driving off trails or established roads, no one and it happens a lot?

I don't know the answer but private land owners are killing hunter numbers and hunting opportunities to access public lands in a big way.

 

[jlmatthew]

Welcome to Colorado style hunting

You guys should sell OTC tags too, that would guarantee all the private land pretty much gets leased. But incase you have a limited draw area, you might want to consider a "Transferable Landowner Voucher" program for 20% or more of the tag quota so that landowners will become more tolerant to wildlife on their land. At least thats what the Director of Colorado Parks & Wildlife thinks is a great idea

 

[Elkmagnet]

What he said. You would think they would be taxed for getting all of this for free but in reality we reward this situation with land owner tags.

 

[shoots-straight]

.

RobertR, I hope your part of some hook n bullet organization. If not join one so you can get your concerns worked on with a larger group behind you.

 

[theat]

Couple of interesting ideas there...never going to happen in the current political climate, but interesting none the less

 

[Nemont]

First off Fish Wildlife and Parks cannot manage what cannot be hunted on private land.
With more and more land being bought by either out of state intrest or being leased by outfitters the game cannot be hunted on private or the land locked public land bordering the private land.
I recently found out that a man bought all the hunting rights for the Hansen Ranch that use to be under Block Management. There are very small parcels of private land blocking access to public land. There is in the neiborhood of 400 head of elk being privatized for the personal benefit of a few.

If access has been established for more than say ten years should an easement to public land be grandfathered in.

What can be done?
Should emanate domain be used, should there only be the harvest of only does or cow elk on private land and no antlered game?
Should the private land be closed to hunting with in the hunting district for not allowing access to public lands?
Should a recreation tax be applied for harboring big game if hunting is allowed by a select few?
Should the private land owners be able to access the public land behind there property and who polices them from driving off trails or established roads, no one and it happens a lot?

I don't know the answer but private land owners are killing hunter numbers and hunting opportunities to access public lands in a big way.

Take it you are not a big believer in private property rights. I am curious if you have stats to prove that hunter numbers are taking a dive.

If you want to guarantee no landowner would ever allow access to anyone try floating an idea that by allowing access that becomes a public right. Who cares of the people live out of state or come from in state?

I don't believe any land owner owes access to anybody. If you think owning land is such a great deal then why don't you go to the bank, borrow the money and buy up some land?

Nemont

 

[mdunc8]

I don't want any part of this thread, but Nemont I read this the other day in the paper.

http://billingsgazette.com/news/sta...cle_d821eb8e-3422-50d1-a626-182bd3a5123c.html

Hard to believe we lost almost 1 out of every three hunters in five years.

 

[shoots-straight]

Although it shows angler numbers up sense 06, they too have fallen at least for the last 3 years. The economy has a lot to do with less people participating. They just don't have the extra bucks to recreate.

Harboring of game is going to be a bigger issue in years to come. We need creative ideas to deal with this problem. I think most people agree that property rights are paramount, but their rights shouldn't infringe on the rights of their neighbors. i.e. (deciding to put in a nuclear dump site). There are limits to property rights.

 

[Nemont]

SS,

I never said there were not limits to property rights. I said access isn't something that is even close to a situation that calls for eminate domain or because access was granted for 10 years then that is a public right. That will shut down more private lands then it would open by a margin of 100 to 0.

Also if people think owning lands is the so easy I don't understand why they don't go round up a few friends and buy up what they want? Land locked public lands have been an issue forever and I think Big Fin showed how you can access them on one of his hunts.

Nemont