Volunteers needed for St Helen's elk hunts

[Eli346]

 Weyco's been doing this for years; taking advantage of hunters and seeking pity by threatening to close down areas because of lack of resourses to keep them open. They've got the money and the time and the resourses to do it but why should they when the game dept and the hunting groups kiss up to them and give them free labor by volunteering! As far as I'm concerned we are fueling the fire by doing this but also in retrospect we are hurting the Weyco employees who may be laid off right now because of the free ride we're giving their rip off employer! Weyco can kiss my *^%&*()!

[BOWHUNTER45]

Interesting.

Similar request from 2007.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,1161.msg10870.html#msg10870

Couldn't they just hire some temps with all that access permit money?

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,130346.msg1734348.html#msg1734348

I'm not inclined to volunteer for anything that benefits WEYCO, Hancock, or Rayonier as long as they charge people for access to their lands. They can suck it and deal with the tree damage on their own.

BIG 10-4 ON THAT ONE 

[billythekidrock]

This does no good for the permit hunts that are currently going, or the ones that just finished.

[get one leakin]

They do OWN the land, everyone complains about access but it is privately owned not state land or wdfw land.  Its their right to do what they want with it.  As a landowner myself and spending a lot of time on timber company land that is open to hunting there is a lot of vandalism, littering and dislike for the people or companies that are letting people hunt on THEIR land.  People start fires, tear up the roads, leave garbage....  Maybe they could just shut down access totally then they wouldn't have to worry about asking hunters for help.  I bet if everyone who complains has 40 acres somewhere they would just let anybody hunt it right??? 

[rosscrazyelk]

I would do it if they gave me a tag for helping.

[Moose-head]

I would do it if they gave me a tag for helping.

...Or points toward a tag, either OIL or elk since this is for elk.

[TommyGun496]

They do OWN the land, everyone complains about access but it is privately owned not state land or wdfw land.  Its their right to do what they want with it.  As a landowner myself and spending a lot of time on timber company land that is open to hunting there is a lot of vandalism, littering and dislike for the people or companies that are letting people hunt on THEIR land.  People start fires, tear up the roads, leave garbage....  Maybe they could just shut down access totally then they wouldn't have to worry about asking hunters for help.  I bet if everyone who complains has 40 acres somewhere they would just let anybody hunt it right??? 

[fireweed]

The way I understand this program is: Because of the volunteers Weyerhaeuser is allowing access to their land for special permit holders at no charge. Without the volunteers Weyco might not allow access due to concerns with vandalism and people getting to close to active logging operations.

As soon as people stop "volunteering" Weyco will justify a new permit to enter system at St. Helens by saying this:  We tried volunteers, but we had no more takers, so now we have to PAY someone to manage access.  (It's pure BS, but they have a ready made reason to install permits at St. Helens)  The ONLY reason to volunteer, is to make it harder for them to use this excuse.    This program makes it harder for them to justify the permit system with these normal excuses (garbage, roads, liability BS).  They are also partnering with WDFW and groups--looks pretty bad to pull the rug out from under that program and claim garbage dumping.  They would have to tell the truth when they go to permit only, we're doing it to see if we can make tons of cash like in the south.

PS--a few years ago when their were more elk here, Weyco tried to get employee cow permits for damage.  Shows that they think they own the elk!  The WDFW actually did something right, and said NO WAY.

[DARKTIMBER]

All the years they had pe ell closed up the employees would drive in right by us guys walking in to hunt, and come out at the end of the day with massive bulls

[pianoman9701]

They do OWN the land, everyone complains about access but it is privately owned not state land or wdfw land.  Its their right to do what they want with it.  As a landowner myself and spending a lot of time on timber company land that is open to hunting there is a lot of vandalism, littering and dislike for the people or companies that are letting people hunt on THEIR land.  People start fires, tear up the roads, leave garbage....  Maybe they could just shut down access totally then they wouldn't have to worry about asking hunters for help.  I bet if everyone who complains has 40 acres somewhere they would just let anybody hunt it right??? 

No one is arguing that they own the land and they can do what they want with it. There's another discussion regarding the lower tax rate they receive and whether that law should be changed to charge timber companies a higher rate when their land is closed to the general public except through paid fees. That discussion is here:

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,128331.0.html
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,131119.msg1752628.html#new

I have no problem with landowner rights to do as they wish. But, when they control millions of acres of land and close it off except to permit only, they effectively take away hunting opportunities to many lower income hunters who either can't afford to pay the extra $200-300, or can't afford to take the time off to hunt far away from home for an extended period of time. For me personally, I could afford it, although it would certainly be difficult. But, this effectively cancels out the late season for me, as the public land units I hunt during the early season are closed.

[TommyGun496]

Do they have a lower rate than other's that have tree farms?

[bowhuntersd]

They do OWN the land, everyone complains about access but it is privately owned not state land or wdfw land.  Its their right to do what they want with it.  As a landowner myself and spending a lot of time on timber company land that is open to hunting there is a lot of vandalism, littering and dislike for the people or companies that are letting people hunt on THEIR land.  People start fires, tear up the roads, leave garbage....  Maybe they could just shut down access totally then they wouldn't have to worry about asking hunters for help.  I bet if everyone who complains has 40 acres somewhere they would just let anybody hunt it right??? 

I agree to a certain extent. They have the right to lock up their lands as they see fit. But they should not be able to lock US out of State owned lands that they border. Also the  tax breaks they are given for allowing public access should be addressed.

[DARKTIMBER]

All I know is, if there's a lock on the gate that lets me access state land it will be cut

[bearpaw]

All I know is, if there's a lock on the gate that lets me access state land it will be cut

It is a crime to destroy property, I hope you get caught by a hidden trail cam when you do this. Maybe you don't like that they own the land you want to cross, that does not give you the right to destroy property. Destruction of property is specifically one reason many private lands are off limits to the public even passing through. People with this same mentality would likely shoot game while passing through private land, thus another reason land owners lock their property, they can't trust some of the public.

[TommyGun496]

All I know is, if there's a lock on the gate that lets me access state land it will be cut

It is a crime to destroy property, I hope you get caught by a hidden trail cam when you do this. Maybe you don't like that they own the land you want to cross, that does not give you the right to destroy property. Destruction of property is specifically one reason many private lands are off limits to the public even passing through. People with this same mentality would likely shoot game while passing through private land, thus another reason land owners lock their property, they can't trust some of the public.

Well said!  Typical, the people causing the promblems are they ones squealing.