Federal shutdown of hunting lands

[ETH310]

In protest, I think I might go for a drive through rural mn Friday night and take down all the "closed" signs I can find before Saturdays pheasant opener. I encourage everyone else to do the same.

[Jameson]

Comparing the pentagon to a rural slough?

Whatever dude

Was the pentagon funded by duck stamps? Lol

Ya, I thought your grouping them all together was LOL, too.

I don't see any good reason to shut down the national lands that are basically forests or prairies. They are pretty much use at your own risk any other time.

[jentz]

All those federal lands are closed to the general public.Mining,oil drilling,logging are yet taking place! Now how can that be??? Why are we the people who pay to do upkeep of the roads!trash removal ect.While these activites for private profit arent stopped??

[booger]

so if those signs were to disappear, there aren't any employees to put them back up right? And no one to monitor the land?

[schmoe147]

Hunt the land and don't worry about it !! I would like to hear from someone that actually has gotten a ticket because of this. If they are handing out tickets I imagine this coming pheasant opener would be pretty easy Pickens to hand out tickets.

[fishgutz77]

then I assume this means no federal wardens to enforce anything as well?

Who writes the tickets?

If there is a body to enforce then there's a body to keep it open!

Currently 83% of the government is funded. and this is what we get.

And by the way it's Reed who refuses to take up any bill the house has already passed.

The house has spoken Mr. Reed do your job.

[caseymcq]

All those federal lands are closed to the general public.Mining,oil drilling,logging are yet taking place! Now how can that be??? Why are we the people who pay to do upkeep of the roads!trash removal ect.While these activites for private profit arent stopped??

Federal logging contracts have been suspended. If the mining and oil drilling are on federal minerals those have more than likely been suspended too.

[cribbageboy]

As far as I'm concerned... screw the US government. If we send 50% of the $ we send to the FED to the state...why do we need the FED except for the military? The government should only do for the people, what the people can not do for themselves. Hunt the "closed" US public land...you already paid for it. .................waiting for this thread to be locked.

[Neighbor_guy]

I am sitting on federal ground right now. Been here since Monday. The Nebraska DNR told me to go ahead and set up camp and hunt. The federal ranger station is closed, but the roads were open, so I'm hunting.

[rayguy]

Federal wardens are still working. Talked to a state warden yesterday and he said they can issue a tag just the same as the feds. Right now they are warning people to leave but it sounded like that may soon change. Maybe we should demand our duck stamp money back?

[Scott M]

Things are going to be MIGHTY interesting in parts west and southwest in Minnesota with pheasant opener...

[1968]

Down with the Barrycades!

[BobT]

Since the federal government is closed, why do I still see a federal withholding taken out of my paycheck?

[ClownColor]

Can I pass on the federal duck stamp and still go shoot ducks?

[BLACKJACK]

Things are going to be MIGHTY interesting in parts west and southwest in Minnesota with pheasant opener...

You got that right!!!

Some people can handle authority and some people can't, they turn into overbearing pricks. You see it at state parks, most of the rangers are nice people, just regular Joe's and Jill's, if they see something wrong they'll just mention it in passing, then you get some pricks that will order you to do something and even write up tickets.

I see the same thing happening here, you're going to have some areas where enforcement people will just ignore the hunters and some areas where the enforcement people will be pricks.

Sure would be nice if someone in authority, the heads of the district WPA's, or even higher up would just issue a statement saying the ban would be enforced with tickets - or not. They're getting paid the big bucks, earn it.

[ZachD]

So are people hunting Sherburne anyway? I have a awesome spot I wanted to go this weekend to arrow a deer....

[TylerS]

I haven't gone through all 7 pages so I apologize if this is old news, but I know for a fact that South Dakota COs have been told NOT to enforce this rule.

[Bear55]

I haven't gone through all 7 pages so I apologize if this is old news, but I know for a fact that South Dakota COs have been told NOT to enforce this rule.

Thought I saw somewhere that the MN CO's were instructed to do the same. Glad to hear the states using some common sense.

[brittman]

This is simply one the poorest decisions by USF&WS personnel or their superiors. They should be embarrassed for spending time and money putting up signs, they should be criticized and embarrassed for attempting to enforce the closure. It is counter productive in everything else they are working towards.

If this was happening during the Southern seasons, can be ya that the Southern state US Reps and Senators would be engaged !!!!

[Scott M]

From Dennis Anderson, startribune.com

Just Now

Waterfowl Production Areas in Minnesota will be open to hunters when the state's pheasant season begins Saturday at 9 a.m.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued the announcement Friday afternoon, making about 300,000 acres of pheasant lands available to hunters. The lands had been considered off-limits during the government shutdown.

In its announcement, the service said:

"It has been determined that allowing public access to Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) will not incur further government expenditure or obligation and is allowable under a government shutdown. Therefore, effective immediately, all WPAs will reopen to public use.

"As the shutdown continues, if the Service determines that maintaining the WPAs in open status, individually or cumulatively, would likely cause Service expenditures or obligations to be made in violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act, the Service will close public access.

[Scott K]

Sweeeeeet!

[harvey lee]

Same thing happening in other states.

[yakfisher]

Hard to close land when most of the patrolling is already done by state assets that aren't thrilled with the idea of cutting off access to tax payers in the first place.

[Jameson]

So are people hunting Sherburne anyway? I have a awesome spot I wanted to go this weekend to arrow a deer....

Sherburne is an extra tricky situation. It is it's own deer permit area. If you register a deer there now, will you be admitting to trespassing? No one would have to catch you trespassing.

[pushbutton]

And "they" would be able to prove intent?.....how?