Have you ever lost access

Have you ever lost access to hunting and fishing because a guide or outfiter paid the land owner to close their property to the general public?

[ 10-29-2002, 06:23 PM: Message edited by: Keta ]

[KingFisher85]

Has this happend to you?

Yes it has.
We lost access to a large lake out past Lorela that was prime bass and crapie fishing because a guide locked it up.
Areas where I hunted waterfowl and phesants for years are now "Hunt Clubs" and off limits
unless you come up with big bucks.
If this trend continues only the rich will be able to hunt like in England. Then they won't be able due to politics.

[Chukrchaser]

Have hunted a ranch out of Jordan, Montana for years -- friends of the family -- great antelope, good deer -- wasn't able to go this year but when my brother called to set a date he was informed that this would be the last year as the hunting had been "leased" to a guide -- when he got there the guide had already set up a tent city in one of the cooleys that used to hold big muleys ---

It is scary to find out that a rancher with 12,000 acres can make as much money from leasing the hunting as he can from growing wheat, hay and feeder calves.

Sad -- it won't be long -- "shooting preserves" will be all that's left-----

[jet]

Even worse...

The farmer sold his property to Metro and then they posted it. I hunted on the property for year and knew every corner and crack. It really hurts when the man gets ahold of a jewel.

Jet~~~

[Bounty Hunter]

Our 'friends' at the OR fishing and hunting club have guards hired to keep us out of a prime section of Eagle Creek. Not just signs but HIRED GOONS! :shocked:

[GutshotApe]

Even if every acre of private land in Oregon is someday leased and posted, we will still have opportunities for hunting here that people in most other states can only dream about. Over half (about 55%) of Oregon is public land! Admittedly, some of the best wildlife habitat is on private land but there is a heck of a lot of good habitat and wildlife on USFS, BLM, State Forestry, ODFW, USF&WS, etc. And, we also have about 15% of the state's area owned by timber companies, most of whom seem committed to continuing free public access when fire conditions, etc, allow. Due to checkerboard ownership patterns in western Oregon, much private timberland couldn't be leased because access cannot be effectively controlled.

So, cheer up! Things could be a lot worse.