Has anyone heard anything about Winston Creek Land?

[Yelm hunter]

My dad called me from work the other night and said that his boss who has hunted Winston Creek with us several times said there are different land plots that have been sold in the Winston Unit and you can't hunt certain areas unless you buy in for that plot? Has anyone heard anything? Just Wondering??

[12Gauge]

That would suck.  I applied for special permit for this area too.   

[PolarBear]

Herd the same thing from a retired Weyco logger.  All of their land is going to be either by permit only or auctioned off for lease, even the little couple hundred acre plots.   

[Bullkllr]

Herd the same thing from a retired Weyco logger.  All of their land is going to be either by permit only or auctioned off for lease, even the little couple hundred acre plots.   

If true, this is another huge piece of bad news for westside hunters. I figured St. Helens would not fall till next year.

Can anyone confirm anything official?

[kglacken]

Tag, want to keep up on this one...... 

[actionshooter]

Herd the same thing from a retired Weyco logger.  All of their land is going to be either by permit only or auctioned off for lease, even the little couple hundred acre plots.   

If true, this is another huge piece of bad news for westside hunters. I figured St. Helens would not fall till next year

That's what I was thinking also.

[iRem]

With all the crap that's been going on here on the west side, I will continue to only hunt the east side from here on out!

[elk247]

Herd the same thing from a retired Weyco logger.  All of their land is going to be either by permit only or auctioned off for lease, even the little couple hundred acre plots.   

If true, this is another huge piece of bad news for westside hunters. I figured St. Helens would not fall till next year.

Can anyone confirm anything official?

I haven't seen anything official but, its definatly trending that direction sooner than later. Archery guys have been locked out for years due to fire danger. What part of killing elk on foot causes fire? Even us younger guys can start talking bout the good ol' days.

[Rainier10]

Tag

[Fowlweather25]

All of weyco land is going that way. They are going to charge an access fee to only a certain amount of hunters. They are also dividing out seperate tracts within each property that people can buy into for just themselves to have hunting access to.

[mpetersen]

I know all the Port Blakley land on Green Mountain was leased off for what I understand to be $10,000. Not positive but I believe the Port Blakely land along the 200 and 250 line is included in this lease. Going to be hard to keep up with those prices !!  Last year these areas were allowing walk in access for the public but I guess those days are over.  Welcome to the future folks !!

[DoubleJ]

With all the crap that's been going on here on the west side, I will continue to only hunt the east side from here on out!

This will be me starting next year I think

[dlaw]

I know all the Port Blakley land on Green Mountain was leased off for what I understand to be $10,000. Not positive but I believe the Port Blakely land along the 200 and 250 line is included in this lease. Going to be hard to keep up with those prices !!  Last year these areas were allowing walk in access for the public but I guess those days are over.  Welcome to the future folks !!

Just curious where you heard this?  Thanks,

[Hurricane]

Dear Mr. Boman,

Thank you for your inquiry about our Longbell Road property. I'm sorry to disappoint you but yes that piece of property has been leased and there is currently no public access. I hope this answers your question, if I you need anything else please let me know.

Brita Sveen
Administrative Asst. /Receptionist
Port Blakely Tree Farms LP
8133 River Drive SE
Tumwater, WA 98501
360-596-9410

This is from Port Blakley themselves. This sucks cause this was one of our late season archery spots.

[Curly]

With all the crap that's been going on here on the west side, I will continue to only hunt the east side from here on out!

This will be me starting next year I think

I'm going to consider it for next year too. 

[dlaw]

Thanks for the update Hurricane.  I would like to see a map of what exactly the lease is covering.  I almost think that is where the infamous Camp Corruption used to be.  Not sure though.

[zackmioli]

disappointing.

[Bigshooter]

I know all the Port Blakley land on Green Mountain was leased off for what I understand to be $10,000. Not positive but I believe the Port Blakely land along the 200 and 250 line is included in this lease. Going to be hard to keep up with those prices !!  Last year these areas were allowing walk in access for the public but I guess those days are over.  Welcome to the future folks !!

 

[Bigshooter]

I know all the Port Blakley land on Green Mountain was leased off for what I understand to be $10,000. Not positive but I believe the Port Blakely land along the 200 and 250 line is included in this lease. Going to be hard to keep up with those prices !!  Last year these areas were allowing walk in access for the public but I guess those days are over.  Welcome to the future folks !!

Just curious where you heard this?  Thanks,

It was on there website.

[bobcat]

They still have parcels up for lease. They have maps that show the parcels and the price, but the ones that are already leased up, don't show up on their website anymore.

I can't believe how much they're asking for some of them. It's easy to see why they've had certain parcels up for lease for a couple years now, with no takers.

Who's going to pay $4,000 a year for a couple square miles of reprod that just has a few deer and zero elk?   

[bobcat]

One thing to be aware of is that these Port Blakely leases do not give the leasee exclusive access. All it does is allow the use of motorized vehicles, and camping on the property. The public can still access the property by walking in.

Edit:  I'm not saying this is necessarily true for the Longbell Road lease. But the other areas they have listed say that they will still be open to the public.

[Hurricane]

From what they told me it covers the area from longbell rd up to green mountain. So however big that area is. They told me no public access in this area.

[pianoman9701]

The next time you hear about the state or feds buying up land and someone complains that the government shouldn't be in the real estate business, remember this thread.

[Bigshooter]

From what they told me it covers the area from longbell rd up to green mountain. So however big that area is. They told me no public access in this area.

That's what I heard also.  No public access from the 100 line gate anymore unless you have a lease.

[RB]

Wow just when a guy starts to hunt a new area it all changes don't know if I could go back to the East side for Elk though spikes are few and far between 

[npaull]

+1 piano man. I can't believe the bitching from sportsmen about efforts to expand wilderness areas, for one thing... Loss of access/habitat is THE threat to hunting - so much more serious and real than the gun issue it's not even funny. But it gets way way too little attention...

[Yelm hunter]

AND ALL OF YOU ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THIS I'M SURE......

OH..... That's NOT everything.... You also are REQUIRED to have a Discover Pass in your truck to drive on Weyco Land to the state land.

The same person that we have been hunting with was told that if you don't have one and are caught they are going to start adding fees onto your hunting license. Similar to not calling in your license to report. It's like a 200.00 fine or something I wanna say. Because so many people were driving the roads last year without one.

Don't even know were to hunt at this year but I put in for my special permits here.

[Yelm hunter]

It's NOT in the game book... Nothing about Winston Creek being sold out. Nothing about St.Helens Tree Farm just Vail and Willipa Hills being sold and needing a permit to access.

[Curly]

+1 piano man. I can't believe the bitching from sportsmen about efforts to expand wilderness areas, for one thing... Loss of access/habitat is THE threat to hunting - so much more serious and real than the gun issue it's not even funny. But it gets way way too little attention...

Pman said nothing about wilderness areas.

More wilderness areas is not what is needed in this State.  Wilderness areas are not very good for deer and elk anyway.  What we need is for the USFS to do more logging.

[K357**]

Wilderness areas are horible for game. Just need our national forest to be properly  managed

[Bigshooter]

+1 piano man. I can't believe the bitching from sportsmen about efforts to expand wilderness areas, for one thing... Loss of access/habitat is THE threat to hunting - so much more serious and real than the gun issue it's not even funny. But it gets way way too little attention...

Pman said nothing about wilderness areas.

More wilderness areas is not what is needed in this State.  Wilderness areas are not very good for deer and elk anyway.  What we need is for the USFS to do more logging.

 

[mpetersen]

Remember this is only the Port Blakely land, Weyco property in the Winston is still open for public access, but for how long ??  Heard that Port Blakely security will be patrolling these areas for the guys that leased the tracts and no you can't enter at all.  It is a private hunt club for the guys who leased it.  This sucks as I killed a 6x6 bull off the 250 line last year and was hoping to do a repeat this year.  I got a feeling there is going to be some tense confrontations in that area as I'm sure not everyone who hunts up there know about this lease !!

[kglacken]

Remember this is only the Port Blakely land, Weyco property in the Winston is still open for public access, but for how long ??  Heard that Port Blakely security will be patrolling these areas for the guys that leased the tracts and no you can't enter at all.  It is a private hunt club for the guys who leased it.  This sucks as I killed a 6x6 bull off the 250 line last year and was hoping to do a repeat this year.  I got a feeling there is going to be some tense confrontations in that area as I'm sure not everyone who hunts up there know about this lease !!

This is exactly what I am thinking. I know if I was paying a bunch of money to lease land I would want others to keep out, but im sure there will be tons of people who have hunted these areas for years and will be extremely upset when they get all their gear together, drag the camper down there, get out at 5 a.m. opening morning only to have someone tell them to get off the land. I can see this causing some serious problems!

[mpetersen]

I know alot of guys including myself who have hunted these areas for many seasons. For some of them it has been generations for their families hunting up there. Now there gonna be chased out and told its being reserved for only a few !! It's going to be interesting to say the least !! Wonder if the Lewis Co. Sheriffs will have to be standing by opening day ?

[actionshooter]

It will probably get ugly with the locals and folks that have grown up there.

[mpetersen]

This leased area is bigger than I than I thought !!  This area includes the 100 line from Longbell Rd., the 200 and 250 line all the way up to the other side of Green Mountain.  The Port Blakley gates are already posted "private hunt club, no access".

[skidynastar33]

sucks all of this happening makes entering the grey area easier and easier. 

[mpetersen]

This lease is going to throw a wrench in a lot of guys plans this year including mine.  We have done well in those areas as they were the only non motorized spots left after weyco opened all their gates for modern a few years back. What really has our crew worried is weyco's access permit plans. If this spreads to the St. Helens tree farm things are gonna get really tight, and more leases, I think everyone sees the writing on the wall if this practice increases !!

[Eli346]

Not if but when these access fees and leases expand! They're going to make a trespasser and poacher out of me yet.

[mpetersen]

Guys are really going to have to pay attention where their going as state and weyco land butts up against this property and not everyone utilizes gates when they walk in to hunt. Maybe Port Blakley is going to post these hunt club signs every few yards !!

[bearpaw]

+1 piano man. I can't believe the bitching from sportsmen about efforts to expand wilderness areas, for one thing... Loss of access/habitat is THE threat to hunting - so much more serious and real than the gun issue it's not even funny. But it gets way way too little attention...

Pman said nothing about wilderness areas.

More wilderness areas is not what is needed in this State.  Wilderness areas are not very good for deer and elk anyway.  What we need is for the USFS to do more logging.

 

x2  

Absolutely agree, I've seen quite a few elk, deer, moose, turkey, bear, and other wildlife while spring turkey and bear hunting, almost all of them are in logging areas where there is food.

[dlaw]

Talked to a lady at Port Blakely today and she stated that all of the Port Blakely land in the Winston creek area from Longbell up over Green Mnt to Riffe lake has been leased by the Green Mountain Hunting club.  Interesting, and like most have said, a game changer.

[Yelm hunter]

Well I wonder if the leaser will start selling access permits to help make there money back? I heard as well that it is the Green Mountain Hunting Club.

From what they told me it covers the area from longbell rd up to green mountain. So however big that area is. They told me no public access in this area.

That's what I heard also.  No public access from the 100 line gate anymore unless you have a lease.

[Jack-Fir]

I heard of 10,000 acres being leased to one hunting party

[mpetersen]

Don't know how many acres exactly, but it includes 100, 200, 250 line to opposite side of Green Mountain. This isn't going to help an already packed area.