Encouraging private land being opened to general hunting

[Doc]

So, to the landowners who have posted their land, what would it take to convince you to open your land to general hunting? Is there anything that would convince you to take down those posted signs, or enter into a cooperative plan to allow general public hunting access.

 

We have repeatedly heard that the biggest danger to hunting and wildlife management is lack of land access. We all want the DEC and legislators to get landowners to open their land to the general public so that deer management can be achieved. What effective kinds of incentives or laws would you all support to make this happen?

[burmjohn]

Nothing would

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[orion]

I'm with burmjohn.  We have family going up to our land all throughout the season. We let everyone know when we will be going. When there we all know what spots people are going to. A lot of it is a safety issue but its also would suck to find someone in your spot or close by first thing in the morning!

[Tacti_Steve]

Tax incentives and stop the insurance companies from suing them when someone gets hurt. Educate them on the importance of true conservation. Get rid of the benefits of leasing the land out. Other states have programs where people can declare their land open for public hunting and the state compensates them for it through tax incentives. Most importantly people have to be willing to accept that both good people and jerks being on their land. 

[growalot]

This state has a large amount of public hunting...problem is they have not gone to hunters,clubs,4H groups excreta, to put in plans to manage open areas for better bird,small game an deer habitat. 80 years or so ago they had the civilian  conservation core  running around planting trees and building bridges walking paths ect,ect...putting people with out jobs to actual WORK instead of paying them to sit on their aces in front of flat screen TV. giving skill sets. So now much of that land has dying mature pine forests on them with lousy under stories...They had an article in the NYODN about the duck stamp and how they don't seem to be able to get ppl to buy them...well submit a public plan budget showing what and where and how much and then ask for the stamps to be purchased. Sorry I do not trust the state ran DEC nor what is really happening with the funds they have received...

Edited July 22, 2016 by growalot

[erussell]

Make Ducks taste not like pond water and Id buy a stamp and hunt them lol. Nothing here to. I hunt for the biggest buck possible. Cant get that with people trapesing all over stinking the place up. prior to posting and chaining off the property we hardly ever saw a buck and they were usually small spikes or fours. now I kill a 3.5 every yr including a P+Y 10 this yr. If you want to participate in hunting now adays you have to get buddy buddy with someone who has land or buy or lease your own. A little elbow grease on someones else land will go a long way. I mow 2 acres of land and ddo chores for the owner in return to hunt one property..

[growalot]

my bad...it's habitat stamp...I have duck hunting on the brain...we have a friend that has his property set up for ducks and hunts a lot...we were just talking about him when I wrote that.personally ...I have the same thought on ducks and geese as you...and I won't hunt what I won't eat. Unless it's raccoon and yotes...

[jjb4900]

I don't think anything will if the land is owned by die hard hunters. I do think it would be considered by many non hunting landowners if there was a major tax benefit or something else significant , especially if any liability would fall on the State should something happen to someone using the land.

[SplitG2]

my land is posted and people don't respect the land owner. They ignore the posted signs and trespass.  Can you imagine what would happen if my land wasn't posted?

I worked very hard to buy my land. 

 

NO THANKS.

[phade]

Damage and nuisance permits should be provided only after ground is opened to hunting in-season, and offer the tax break incentive.

 

People would hate it, but that would open some doors likely.

[moog5050]

I am not interested in opening my land to others.  There is a reason I bought my own little piece - why buy the land to then make it public.  That said, I think Phade has a good idea.  Farmers may be more willing if its to save crops.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Tax breaks would only work for some. Show me some gold, then we'll talk.

[Steuben Jerry]

When I first started hunting, it seemed impossible to obtain permission to hunt private property. I did obtain permission on one property 30+ yrs ago, in which I eventually purchased most of it when the landowner ran into money problems. Built a house there 10 yrs ago and live there now.

 

There is no way that I'd open my land to others. I scrimped, saved, and did without to make it work, and now my taxes are outrageous, but it's what I have to do to have land to hunt, and live the lifestyle I prefer.. 

It doesn't make sense to have the investment I made turned into a free for all.

 

That said, I mostly hunt deer and just dabble in turkey, and I do have a couple of younger guys and their father hunt coyotes and a do a little turkey hunting with my permission. I've also let them deer hunt the rare years that we tag out. I do that because I remember what it was like asking permission when I had no place to hunt. I wanted to "give back". 

 

But open it up to anyone? No way.

[moog5050]

I doubt most people that bought land for the primary purpose of recreational hunting will be inclined to open it to the public for any incentive within reason (happy to open it if you pay me twice what I paid for it).  Those that own land for other primary reasons such as farming may be more inclined to do so.  As Phade suggested, that would be a better target audience.

[grampy]

No stranger on my land would ever respect it the way I do! I don't want to clean up the inevitable mess they would leave behind. I don't want six truck loads of orange doing deer drives on opening day. I want spike bucks to live at least another year. I don't want to go to my stand and find someone in it or sitting twenty yards away. Or be set up, just to have someone come stumbling and bumbling through at prime time. Nope not me!! I worked too hard and sacrificed so much to get what I have. I feel we do a better job of managing the properties than any outsiders ever would!!! Including DEC!

[Buckmaster7600]

There isn't anything the state could do to interest me into letting anyone hunt my land! The amount of time and $$ I have put into my land is unreal. I do give every person that's asks for permission to hunt the option to buy the farm but haven't had a taker yet and likely never will.

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[Merlot]

Our property is already being trespassed on, with the occasional ATV...even had a couple people show up in our woods on horseback...Geo- cachers too. Sorry, but we do not need any more headaches than we already have.

[growalot]

This conversation happens every year...want to know what makes each year different? The number of people willing to openly say We are having trespassing problems now,  why would I ask for more...It nearly makes me laugh...for I remember when I first came on this site and was willing to talk about such things...hell... I got tore up by the members...I was a liar ,and a nut case,Poor sportsman ,ect ect. Now over the years..I've heard stories worse than some of mine and they are ever increasing....Now that's something to think about. Gee how do hunters and outdoors people end up getting such a bad rap..Perhaps when everyone thinks working and planning to have something means your selfish...then goes to the " what is mine is mine but what is yours is mine too"...Why this country is circling the bowl.

[turkeyfeathers]

Make Ducks taste not like pond water and Id buy a stamp and hunt them lol. Nothing here to. I hunt for the biggest buck possible.

Wait , so you won't hunt ducks because of the taste but will eat an old gamey buck ?  Stop eating mergansers and eat wood ducks.

 

 

Back on subject, yes lack of land to hunt is by far the biggest reason some don't hunt anymore. They had land they could hunt ,lost it and now nowhere to hunt. I think it would be very tough  to get private landowners to open up there property to the public. In a lot of cases these private lands are hunted by themselves ,neighbors or family and that's how they want to keep it. I know I wouldn't want Joe Schmo who I don't know from Adam hunting on my land.

[Rattler]

No posted land is actually off limits to the public for hunting.  If you have the intelligence to find the owner, meet him or her personally, get to know him or her, learn what rules there are for hunting on the land, and helping the owner with some work around the property every year, I'm sure you can get access to hunt.

 

Most landowners just don't want someone on their land that they don't know.

 

[Merlot]

Those that have the nerve to trespass should have the nerve to call an outfitter and arrange for a hunt somewhere and enjoy 5 or 6 days of fun. Yes that costs a few buck, but it is the quality of the experience that should motivate people. Sneaking around trespassing doesn't sound like fun to me.

[Nomad]

Those that have the nerve to trespass should have the nerve to call an outfitter and arrange for a hunt somewhere and enjoy 5 or 6 days of fun. Yes that costs a few buck, but it is the quality of the experience that should motivate people. Sneaking around trespassing doesn't sound like fun to me.

One can do a diy hunt in Montana for week , for less then many pay in taxes on land/ cabin here in NYS .

[landtracdeerhunter]

 Just reading the replies here, their is no clear cut easy answer to Doc's post. Peoples attitudes have changed so much since I remember from back in the 60"s and 70's. It use to be a pleasure to greet a neighbor or a occasional city foe, while hunting on your farm. They were welcomed on our place and we welcomed on their's.

Edited July 23, 2016 by landtracdeerhunter

[grampy]

8 minutes ago, landtracdeerhunter said:

 Just reading the respecties here, their is no clear cut easy ans wer to Doc's post. Peoples attitudes have changed so much since I remember from back in the 60"s and 70's. It use to be a pleasure to grdidn'tet a neighbor or a occasional city foe,  while hunting on your farm. They were welcomed on our place and we welcomed on their's.

Like most things, a lot has changed since the 60s and 70s. We still have respect and consideration with the neighboring farms. But anyone who trespasses on our farm, shows no respect at all for the hard work we have put in and the money spent over the years. We did have a time when we welcomed hunters but we were taken advantage of and it all got out of hand to the point where we dId not enjoy hunting our own land! So we became dicks and gave everyone the boot. So now it's just my buddy and I along with VERY close family and friends. No exceptions!  We have no problem saying no, and have a become good at being dicks because we had to.

 

 

 

 

 

[Buckmaster7600]

The problem is when you let 1 they bring friends then the friends bring friends and on and on. Last year my brother in law asked if he could hunt one of my properties while I was up at my camp, I reluctantly said yes but only for the 2 days I'll be gone. I come home and hunt the next evening I see a bunch of boot prints and drag marks after my bil told me he didn't get anything. When I come out to my truck the neighbor is standing by my truck he tells me there was 2 trucks here the last 2 days and he just wanted to let me know. Long story short I finally got an answer out of my Bil and he invited a buddy to join him and his buddy brought his brother and a friend they killed a doe and a spike after I told him NO does or small bucks. In the end I did it to myself I should have known better and I still allowed it.

Not really a big deal I never liked him anyways now I have a better excuse to never let him or the rest of their family hunt my places.

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