CRP and Public Hunting

[B. Amish]

the same article was posted in the first response to this thread.

[BLACKJACK]

I personally don't like the idea of walk-in lands for two reasons:

1) I've seen some lands in SoDak that had no habitat, one was a chisel plowed wheat field and one was a pasture - with buffalo wandering around in the pasture!!! It was a waste of money!!

2) Paying for walk-in lands will just lead to more farmers expecting to get paid for access via leases, rent, etc. When Farmer Bob hears that Farmer Joe down the road is getting X dollars for walk-in lands, what do you think hes going to say when I ask to hunt his grassy draw for pheasants?? The days of knocking on doors and getting permission would be over and the richer hunters would lease/pay for the better spots. Is that what we want?

[BobT]

Since you used my name, I'm feeling like I need to respond.

Is it possible that this scenario already happens? For example, I have no problem allowing access to those that are willing to request it. About the only thing that would prevent me from allowing access is if I had already granted access for someone else for the time period in question. I've even denied myself and a friend access because I already gave it to someone else. Anyway, if I had prime pheasant habitat, which I don't, and some hunter comes along with an open checkbook and asks me to give him exclusive access for a price, I might be inclined to consider it. I wonder how much of the existing leased land has been done this way already.