Green Diamond to charge next year?

[Huntergal]

I hear from some folks today around Shelton that Green Diamond is going to charge for start charging road access on to their land next year. Has anyone heard this?

[Eli346]

 There's been rumors and I wouldn't doubt it if they did. I hunt all over the state so I'd have to pay 2 or 3 trespass fees to get out where I normally do. It's ridiculous anymore. I can only see things getting worse in the future.

[sirmissalot]

The word is its happening. I wouldn't mind it a bit. It's ridiculous around here anymore

[Humptulips]

I talked to a guy from WDFW and he confirmed that this is what Green Diamond had told WDFW.

[TheHunt]

I called Green Diamond Security this summer and he confirmed it.

[Huntergal]

OK, I was listening to KMAS radio and it is confirmed. I think Patti Case said that they are going to charge for land in Shelton and border of Thurston. $250.00 For 1 vehicle for family spouse and children (under age 18) this is for all year access for hiking, hunting, fishing and some camping opportunity. Second vehicle  Limited number permits 180. Second vehicle $50.00. Man this sucks. This is where I hunt. I can barely afford the licences and tag fees. I guess I will have to quit hunting. I really don't want to do this as I live for hunting every year, it in my blood. Even getting skunked for a few years, it don't matter I am a die hard hunter. But what choices do I have if everyone is going to charge access fees on top of the license and tags. Where can I go???

[woodswalker]

You get to join the Pumpkin patch on DNR and Federal lands....

You could SEE that one coming, Hancock, Weyco, now Simpson (Green Diamond), wait for Plum Ck and Pt Blakely to follow suit along with Rayonier Timberlands and the rest...pay to play is becoming the way of the landed.

[janttihunter]

Worst part is if its a dry summer or fall archery and muzzy guys pay the fee and cant hunt anyway....

[Solohunter84]

$250... that's crazy.

[snowpack]

$250... that's crazy.

Not too far off from some of the others.  Rayonier is 200, M&R I think is 250, Weyco (Pe Ell) 200.

[Solohunter84]

I just started hunting last year and i seen some of the other lands that were charging but i never read up on them because it didn't affect me. but now that its close to home i see why people are complaining. that's BS. i dont wanna hike on your land or camp for that matter. i just want the 1-2 month to hunt. that's it. pro - rate it for me or something haha

[MTMule]

People forget so quickly how there use to be no gates. No one should be for limited access. It's ridiculous. Timber companies these days have turned away from helping the public. They have no care about public relations these days.

[bmccalister]

It is not all their lands - at least not yet. It only affects their land from the  road South to Hwy 108 and East to about 4 miles West of Shelton. According to the article in the Kitsap Sun news paper one of the reasons they are starting to charge people is because the state charges $30.00 and so instead of paying people use the timber land for free. Of course there are more reasons but I thought that reason was interesting.

Here are some links to their webpage for more information.

http://www.greendiamond.com/recreation/

http://www.greendiamond.com/recreation/FAQ/Default.aspx

[fireweed]

It is not all their lands - at least not yet. It only affects their land from the  road South to Hwy 108 and East to about 4 miles West of Shelton. According to the article in the Kitsap Sun news paper one of the reasons they are starting to charge people is because the state charges $30.00 and so instead of paying people use the timber land for free. Of course there are more reasons but I thought that reason was interesting.

Here are some links to their webpage for more information.

http://www.greendiamond.com/recreation/

http://www.greendiamond.com/recreation/FAQ/Default.aspx

Homeowners already pay these big companies about $30 per year, too....in direct property tax subsidies.  In fact, for me, after talking to my assessor and doing the math, I figure I pay Weyerhaeuser MORE than I pay for my local cemetery, mosquito control, and nearly as much as my fire department each time I write a check.  These aren't tax breaks they are getting, but tax shifts.  The counties collect the same amount that can only go up 1% per year, then they just shift that around from big timber to YOU and ME.  All because of the "public benefits" of timber..... Call your state reps.

[philepe]

What is the story behind texas?  I have just heard it is about 90% privately owned and you have to pay to hunt anywhere.  I thought I read this was mostly larger ranchers charging you to hunt on their family land/ranch.  Is there more to the story?

[grundy53]

You get to join the Pumpkin patch on DNR and Federal lands....

You could SEE that one coming, Hancock, Weyco, now Simpson (Green Diamond), wait for Plum Ck and Pt Blakely to follow suit along with Rayonier Timberlands and the rest...pay to play is becoming the way of the landed.

Rayonier already did this. They started a couple years ago. Before weyco.

sent from my typewriter

[bmccalister]

The "story" behind Texas is that the private land owners used to allow pretty much free access to large ranches.  The possibility of making a buck where there wasn't one before killed free access.  The difference between Texas and Washington is that those private land owners didn't have to answer to the state like the timber companies do.  the change over happened darned near overnight.

Another twist to the Texas story is that 94% of the land is privately owned, unlike Washington where there is a lot of public land (both state and federal) for people to access. I lived in Texas for 5 years and it was a pain to hunt. The cheapest hunting lease I could find was $1,200 per year and most hunting leases had a waiting list. Even paying into a hunting lease didn't guarantee you would have a quality hunt. On some leases hunters had to schedule or put their name on a list of what days they wanted to hunt and what stands or blinds they would like to hunt. I sure hope Washington does  not become like this.

[snowpack]

The "story" behind Texas is that the private land owners used to allow pretty much free access to large ranches.  The possibility of making a buck where there wasn't one before killed free access.  The difference between Texas and Washington is that those private land owners didn't have to answer to the state like the timber companies do.  the change over happened darned near overnight.

Part of what I've read about the Texas story is that it was the hunters not the landowners that created the lock up.  It mentioned how people were generally happy with just taking deer every season and thought paying for them was nonsense and really didn't put huge value in horns.  Then big buck fever took hold and people were wanting B&C/P&Y deer.  The state wasn't managing deer the way the trophy hunters wanted them to, so hunters went to landowners to prevent others from hunting that private property.  (Ex.  on a lease you can require all deer shot be over 8 pts, if it is free/open to public you can't prevent the young bucks from being shot; under the lease system you can try to grow big trophy bucks for the future seasons)  Now the individual tracts of land/herds tend to be managed by the leaseholders as long as they fall within some really basic guidelines set from the state.