Thoughts on Today's Timber Permit Message?

[Kingpuck]

My comment about this increasingly becoming for the rich was not entirely fair. The last few years have seen me trying to find places to hunt but continuing to come up with areas that are marked as timber lands. Trying to figure this all out on my own and not having a truck has made the whole hunting process rather daunting. It feels like the areas I figure out all of the sudden change and then its harder than ever to find another area.

That perspective is not reflective of what is really happening out there. Just a matter of getting out and driving to new places and putting the appropriate pre-season work to ensure in season success. Time for a tactics change and a slap in the face with cold water!

[BOWHUNTER45]

I just thought of something .. here we have a timber company charging for access permits  How can this be when most likely there is state or federal land locked up because of them  Or am I missing something here ? Has to be state land bordered up to them somewhere !

[bobcat]

Why would it matter to the timber companies if there is landlocked public land? It's not their problem. 

[oneshot12]

  right Bobcat  why should  they care at all 

[Blacktail Sniper]

They might start caring if they were served with a class action lawsuit suing for unfettered access through to the public land.

[Magnum_Willys]

I don't get the hullaboo over Weyco Fees ? 

1) Finally bow & Muzzy hunters are going to be able to count on Weyco access without fire closures
2) Weyco IS going to allow access to their land.  They don't have to and the easy path would be not to.
3) The main travel corridors are those to State Land and will remain open.
4) The Quality of the hunt will go up with more controlled access & less non-hunting access, less trash & traffic.
5) Cost - Just $150 per family per year.  I paid $350 in licenses and application fees already just to hunt State land and compared to out of state hunts, hunting equipment and the like the $150 split among family members isnt that much for many of us who live to hunt.  ( can't hardly get a pair of Sitka pants for that ) 
6) 98% of Private Land under Open Space / Timber / Agricultural rates has never been open to public access. Weyco has been in the 2% that allowed access and about the last of the Timber companies to switch to controlled - fee access.  The days of free anonymous access to private land are over - is that a surprise?
7)  Is there anyone out there enjoying timber tax benefits on their property that welcomes strangers to hunt their land?  Would you let a family hunt it all season for $150?

[Curly]

I don't believe you are correct on point number one.  I think there will still be fire closures.

Sent from my SM-T900 using Tapatalk

[Bullkllr]

I don't get the hullaboo over Weyco Fees ? 

1) Finally bow & Muzzy hunters are going to be able to count on Weyco access without fire closures
2) Weyco IS going to allow access to their land.  They don't have to and the easy path would be not to.
3) The main travel corridors are those to State Land and will remain open.
4) The Quality of the hunt will go up with more controlled access & less non-hunting access, less trash & traffic.
5) Cost - Just $150 per family per year.  I paid $350 in licenses and application fees already just to hunt State land and compared to out of state hunts, hunting equipment and the like the $150 split among family members isnt that much for many of us who live to hunt.  ( can't hardly get a pair of Sitka pants for that ) 
6) 98% of Private Land under Open Space / Timber / Agricultural rates has never been open to public access. Weyco has been in the 2% that allowed access and about the last of the Timber companies to switch to controlled - fee access.  The days of free anonymous access to private land are over - is that a surprise?
7)  Is there anyone out there enjoying timber tax benefits on their property that welcomes strangers to hunt their land?  Would you let a family hunt it all season for $150?

If you go back to some of the previous threads on the topic and you should get the gist of it.

For a quick and dirty summary: It represents a wholesale change regarding the way a huge % of the land in W. Wash. is accessed. It is a particularly noteworthy impact on those that live in communities surrounded by Weyco land and for those whose families have hunted the land for generations. While timber company access in general has changed from decades ago (gates, etc.), and some companies were charging (Hancock in Puget Sound area, for ex.), with Weyco going to permit access nearly everywhere this represents the policy change that suddenly impacts huge numbers of hunters and others.

Regarding some of your other points:
1) Unless I'm mistaken, Weyco uses DNR fire levels. When DNR raises to high fire danger, Weyco will continue to close to access.
2) True, but there is debate as to whether public access is expected under their tax deal. Many consider losing some access as a slap in the face to the communities that basically built Weyco's empire in the first place.
3) I think they legally have to (or just don't want to fight the huge backlash if they don't)
4) Maybe- 15,000 permits in the St. Helens' tree farm does not sound like less pressure to me, though.
5) I haven't heard that for most cost is the big issue. The way St. Helens is going if you want a permit you should be able to get one. But some of the other farms have much more limited numbers, and MANY who would gladly pay the fee simply will not be able to get a permit. Fees seem like a good deal for families to me (spouse, kids at least). On the other hand, my 18 & 20 yo sons will need to be on their own permits this year, for example....doable... but I hope they can get permits for the area we hunt ( ).
6) 98% of the owners perhaps- nowhere close to 98% of the area. 2%?- I think Weyco at one time owned somewhere approaching 50% of all the private land in SWWash (and it all was open for access at some point). It certainly affects a lot more than 2% of the hunters. Other companies charging for access were a concern for some... but it didn't represent the huge chunks of land that Weycos farms encompass.

I can't say any of this is surprising- but as I suggested, it represents a huge change from what has been status-quo in Western Washington since ...well, since there has been a Western Washington.
Natural to me that many would feel like the rug was pulled from under them just a bit. It may take time to adjust to the "new normal", but I don't think it bodes well at all for what we might see in the future. My 

[NWHydroprint]

I also think people forget that in the long run those that can't afford it or can't justify it will more than likely also vote to end hunting as the have been priced out so why should they support any hunting? 
Also hunt clubs will eventually take hold so this is going to have far reaching effects.

[MountainWalk]

No, they wont quit hunting. They will become poachers

[fireweed]

I don't get the hullaboo over Weyco Fees ? 

Although you have made some errors and assumptions in your list, the real problems I have with this type of argument is because this attitude is selfish.  "What's the problem? MY hunting could be better.  It won't hurt me." 
Never mind that hunting as a whole will suffer--Participation down, license sales drop, less hunter recruitment, less hunters to defend and support the sport.  Never mind that rural communities will take a hit.  Never mind that kids can't get to creeks, or grandma's need a permit to walk their dogs.  I can afford it, it helps me, and MY hunting might get better, so I don't care how it affects others.

[AKBowman]

WELL SAID!

Some good responses to the post above. If you don't understand all of the concern over Weyco charging fees than I would suggest that you take some tile and effort into researching the subject.

It can and will effect you in a negative way. It's NOT right that they are essentially double dipping with tax breaks for public access coupled with charging a fee for public access. They WILL cork off the public property which is bound on all sides by Weyco land, they already have. This is all about the bottom line of a large corporation, they have proven they could care less about the local communities that allowed them to build their empire.

Legislature needs to be passed to help stop this.

People are up in a "hullabaloo" because they are being fleeced and nothing about it is OK.

[Rooster1981]

I don't get the hullaboo over Weyco Fees ? 

1) Finally bow & Muzzy hunters are going to be able to count on Weyco access without fire closures
2) Weyco IS going to allow access to their land.  They don't have to and the easy path would be not to.
3) The main travel corridors are those to State Land and will remain open.
4) The Quality of the hunt will go up with more controlled access & less non-hunting access, less trash & traffic.
5) Cost - Just $150 per family per year.  I paid $350 in licenses and application fees already just to hunt State land and compared to out of state hunts, hunting equipment and the like the $150 split among family members isnt that much for many of us who live to hunt.  ( can't hardly get a pair of Sitka pants for that ) 
6) 98% of Private Land under Open Space / Timber / Agricultural rates has never been open to public access. Weyco has been in the 2% that allowed access and about the last of the Timber companies to switch to controlled - fee access.  The days of free anonymous access to private land are over - is that a surprise?
7)  Is there anyone out there enjoying timber tax benefits on their property that welcomes strangers to hunt their land?  Would you let a family hunt it all season for $150?

I Agree with most of your statement   I'm excited to get a vail permit, and most likely will get the st Helens permit as well.