Landowner permits

[dadman]

What is the general thought on Landowner permits?

I have spoke with a few people and there seems to be a general idea of applying for the permit but not letting anyone hunt on their property, just wondering if the State should do away with or is it working?

[setterguy]

In my experiences, all landowners have been very accomodating as far as allowing hunting on thier land when they aren't hunting. Now I have had a couple say "I already have a group in for that season." I guess there is really no way to know for sure if they are telling the truth, but we have had very good success in setting up private land to hunt. The key for us has been to conctact them early, we usually pick out land owners that hunt a season before ours, as they are going to be more willing to allow access after they have finished thier own hunt. We always ask what kind of beer they drink, and leave a case or two on the doorstep before we head out of town. Most farmers don't like turkeys and are happy to have them thinned out. Good luck.

[Fishhawk]

I ran into the same issue when looking for a place to hunt this year and even emailed the DNR asking them what the policy was. I was lucky enough to land a place to hunt but was turned away more often than not. The DNR knows it's not a good program and there is not way to monitor it but admitted it's the only program they have at the time. The best thing you can do is keep knocking on doors, there are nice guys out there, I found one.

[castmaster]

the landowner permits have to go, or at the very least be reworked.

i know of individuals who receive landowner permits for 40 acres of strawbery patches, cow pastures with no woods near them, horse corrals etc. these guys are gauranteed a permit because they will supposedly allow access to their land for turkey hunting....only there isnt a turkey in sight, and on 2 of the "farms" there isnt even a tree to roost in, unless they now roost in strawberry bushes!!

if the program had some criteria for qualification other than owning at least 40 acres of land it migh be different.

the whining done by landowners after the rule was change to only allow a gauranteed permit if they were hunting THEIR OWN LAND should show anybody what this is really all about. what a surprise when it was changed back the very next year! if the land istn good enough for them to hunt themsleves, who else is gonna want to hunt it? why should someone get an automatic permit solely for owning 40 acres of land regardless of whether there are turkeys present or not, and regardless of whether the landowner has done anything to act as a good steward of the land for wildlife.

[Hotspotter]

Their is a flip-side of the coin to this story as well folks.

I'm just as frustrated as the next guy when I secure what looks to be 160 acres of prime turkey habitat, only to find out it's 1/4 section of tillable farmland. It's abusing the system, and costs otherwise ethical hunters the chance at a spring turkey tag. More disgusting to me yet, is when a distant brother or cousin signs up his older relative's farmland to hunt on. These guys are even more removed from the land!

However, the simple fact of the matter is that better than 90% of land in Minnesota's turkey range IS IN PRIVATE-HOLDING. That means that just about every bird we all admire in MN, eats, drinks, and roosts in a farmer or rural citizen's field, pond/river, or trees. And when you go out and hunt these birds, make no mistake about it, the birds we love are there in large part due to the actions or decisions that private landowners make with their own holdings.

Furthermore, by submitting their names/addresses/parcel-information for public hunting, they open themselves up year-round trespassing for morel, deer, pheasant, and grouse-hunting, as well as target practice. We have more than enough great turkey habitat and poor turkey habitat to submit to such a program, though we opt out for the above reason alone.

My point is that the landowner permit system should be reworked as castmaster alluded to, though be careful not to classify landowner/tenants participating in this program as "all-bad," or "all-abusers." Remember how many "good" landowners there are out there, and how much land they're graciously opening up to public-hunting!!! While tempting, I could call the deer hunters that show up during gun-season to trespass, slobs, and smear that title across the entire deer-hunting community.

In my opinion, the landowners that support turkeys year round in some way, shape, or fashion, should have a better chance of getting a permit. In many other states, they're granted this priveledge WITHOUT having to allow public hunting on their land!!! I'm in agreeance that they should not be allowed to run rampant or abuse the program however, if the rules are established as such.

Hopefully, this spring, you take the time to doubly-thank the landowner whose land you are hunting. Realize that to him, it would probably be of financial gain to slick-off those 150 year old burr and red oaks on the hilltop where the turkeys roost, that it would be cheaper and more cost-effective for him to farm bank-to-bank, and that it doesn't pay his taxes, plant his crops, or help him in any manner to let you hunt, sans the tag that he still has to pay for.

Hopefully, this provides some perspective, or at least a different point-of-view.

Joel

[Borch]

Did the rules change back this year? Last spring landowner were required to hunt on the land they enrolled in the program. I know for a fact that isn't happening in many cases. Mostly because I don't think they are aware of the requirement.

I've personally had very good success with gaining access to land in the program that holds a good population of turkeys. Where I've run into more issue was where the landowner already had all their buddies lined up to hunt seasons. So technically they meet the requirement but really they aren't opening the land up as a result of the program. In fact they aren't opening it up at all outside their circle of hunting buddies.

What alway irritated me was those folks who you could never get a hold of to gain permission. They don't live on the land and have privately listed info. Others who you contact never respond or are never home. I had one where the wife was the gate keeper saying that he wasn't enrolled and he doesn't hunt so stop bothering him. Yet I saw him hunting his season later on. Maybe she doesn't know. Some folks just take advantage of the system.

But is it a bad system? I don't think so. Most of the landowners I've met have been great folks who allow me access even in years they don't hunt. It's a great way to gain access in my opinion.

[primetime49]

Where I live with hundreds of hunters and dozens of landowners I have been the only one that has inquired about these permits.Most years when there is only a smaller than average population I take advantage of applying but abstinence on its use.But in years of over population I wholeheartily attempt to fill out with my landowner permit.Unfortunatly you have a loy of persons out in the world that dont have property to hunt on other than public property.Its tough here in Kandiyhi county because without Sibley State Park we have the smallest percentage of public property in the United States.Our county has seen it fit to put all of our taxes paid by us property owners ito its social services .Luckily our administrator is taking retirement ,sad news ,he is being replaced by the head of the social services dpartment that he mentored for years.We seldom turn down family hunting gourps for limited hunting as the animals here are very hard on crops.But everyone does have proritys,family freinds andworkmates.So you can see that even thou most land here is private and most acknowledge everyones right to hunt we need to get more public land.

[Hotspotter]

Borch:

Yah, the private "invisibles" are frustrating to me too. Because I don't participate in the program, I'm always looking for land to hunt, and these landowner/tennant parcels are some that I check out every year. I can see how people get frustrated with the system, and how it can appear an "elitist" type situation going on. I know because I get just as frustrated.

But, like you, I've had good success in gaining access by en-large. I haven't had many situations with the hunting-buddies overrunning the property, but many times I've opted out or haven't been granted permission because of the seasons not lining up, or I'd be going before the landowner. I can understand that. I wouldn't want two guys out there harassing birds on my land just before I was to hunt them either!!!

I guess I'd encourage whatever abuses that are seen to be reported to the CO's. Though I'm not sure that would help for each individual case, the cumulative effect of call after call might get someone's attention.

Joel