WEYCO Permits for St. Helens & Longview Going Up To $300 This Year

[Magnum_Willys]

You and I have to pay taxes based on fair market value. WEYCO should, as well.

Actually I get a big tax break for keeping 5+ acres in timber production - and its posted no trespassing like thousands of other small landowners and farmers in this state enjoying these tax incentives. 

[pianoman9701]

You and I have to pay taxes based on fair market value. WEYCO should, as well.

Actually I get a big tax break for keeping 5+ acres in timber production - and its posted no trespassing like thousands of other small landowners and farmers in this state enjoying these tax incentives.

I figured you were connected to timber somehow. But, as many of us have stated in the past, a change in the tax laws regarding the timber industry should only affect owners of 5K acres or more. The little guys shouldn't have to pay the price for WEYCO's bait and switch tactics.

[mpetersen]

$300.00 to harvest a hoof rot elk ?  No thanks, our group is taking our hunting out of state. Drawn for Wyoming last year and Montana this year. You can have Weyco's herbicide fed elk all to yourselves, I'm done !! 

[bigtex]

They're just mimicking what Hancock has done for over a decade in King and Pierce counties.

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[Blacktail Sniper]

It wasn't important until it started affecting "them," which is the problem with hunters of all methods...can't stand together!!

[pianoman9701]

It wasn't important until it started affecting "them," which is the problem with hunters of all methods...can't stand together!!

Or, we didn't know about it.    Personally, I've hunted public land since I moved here in '93. I've "stood together" with other hunters plenty of times and I'm certainly not alone on this site. Yours is a pretty broad generalization.

[Blacktail Sniper]

It wasn't important until it started affecting "them," which is the problem with hunters of all methods...can't stand together!!

Or, we didn't know about it.    Personally, I've hunted public land since I moved here in '93. I've "stood together" with other hunters plenty of times and I'm certainly not alone on this site. Yours is a pretty broad generalization.

Sadly, it is also very true. 

[pianoman9701]

You have either a very low opinion of other hunters or a very high opinion of yourself. I'm unsure why someone with your perspective would even associate with the rest of us. 

[bigtex]

I actually agree with both
 pianoman and blacktail.

Hancock started their program around 2003. At that time these type of forums either weren't around or weren't as popular as they are today. You didn't have mass email messages telling people about the issues. Most of us got our info from magazines.

I know the Hancock change was in the local WA hunting magazines but honestly there wasn't much opposition to the fee program starting.

I think a lot of people see it as being able to pay $300 to hunt a place they know like the back of their hand. Or spending that much or likely more to go to Okanogan or Colville where they will probably spend more in gas, food, lodging, etc. It's probably why Hancock was able to increase their fees just about every year and still sell out, until recently when they jacked up the number of permits.

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[Blacktail Sniper]

You have either a very low opinion of other hunters or a very high opinion of yourself. I'm unsure why someone with your perspective would even associate with the rest of us. 

Last post about this so as to prevent thread derailment any further.  Would be happy to discuss further via PM if you like, but I hope this explians my thoughts better.

Pick a topic - baiting, crossbows, seasons scheduled during the rut, road hunting... You cannot help but see complaints from one group or another because somebody is percieved to be getting something they aren't.

When instead, hunters can't just enjoy their own legal choices of method, weapon, or style without complaing about the rest if they don't do it or feel they are missing out on something.

So no, I do not have a very high opinion of people who cannot just live their lives without having to complain or attack someone or another group about something he or they are doing, and doing legally, just because they don't like or agree.

People should just be happy people are participating and offer encouragement instead of calling the guy road hunting or the fellow that choses to bait for deer not real hunters because they aren't walking 10 miles into the wilderness or sneaking up ninja-like to within 6" of the deer or elk he is after.

Plenty of threads with examples of this.

I do appreciate reading your posts and opinions, you seem to be pretty broad minded and have a reasonable outlook on things, that is always welcome and appreciated.

Now, on to more important things..... When will the draw results be out? 

[pianoman9701]

I apologize. I have a bug up my butt today. I just don't think hunters are as selfish or self-centered as a group. It is certainly a diverse group with many diverse interests. Some only waterfowl, some only big game, different disciplines, different backgrounds, different areas of the state. Because we don't always agree on everything doesn't mean that we're only concerned about something that affects us personally, as you had previously pointed to. Sometimes it's a matter of our perspective and how we see things differently.

[Magnum_Willys]

Interesting point about hancock permits. I remember putting in hoping to be drawn to buy my couple hundred $ permit.  Looks like Weyco is going to limit permits by raising the price vs a drawing like hancock.  Not sure which method is best 

[fireweed]

You and I have to pay taxes based on fair market value. WEYCO should, as well.

Actually I get a big tax break for keeping 5+ acres in timber production - and its posted no trespassing like thousands of other small landowners and farmers in this state enjoying these tax incentives.

I too own timberland and get a huge tax break on it.  I find it obscene that I pay more in property taxes on the value of my septic tank and well than I do on my timberland.  In Wisconsin, timberland owners choose: allow free non-motorized access or get a smaller (20% less) tax break.  240 acres can be totally exempt from the access provision, so small landowners get the full tax break either way.  Sounds logical--a win/win for the public and the land owner.  Our state could make that exemption any size we wanted, like 5,000 acres of exemption. 

[pianoman9701]

The state could regulate this any way they wanted. Unfortunately, as we've found out with the spraying issue, Big Timber pays both sides of the aisle to support their corporations. Any deviation from that and they pull out their money. Just another example of our corrupt government system.

[idaho guy]

Weyerhaeuser has already sold, or is in the process of selling every acre that can possibly be developed (ie. road access and power).  Right now they are selling every slice of land along the rivers they possibly can.  Most of their land simply cannot be developed because it is too far off the grid.  The "tax breaks are good for conservation" simply isn't true of a profit-driven company like Weyco.  And, according to the law, the tax breaks were to compensate for the many public benefits of open space/ timberland. Then timberland tax breaks is very specific, and law lists those public benefits, including recreational spaces. 

We can all agree that the public benefits of timberland have now been reduced, so it logically follows that the tax break should be reduced accordingly.

Other states (Wisconsin is a good example) value public access at 20% of the tax break.  So, a company that charges or limits non-motorized access should pay on a taxable value that is 20% more than the base current use value.  Simple logic.   Not adjusting the tax break is  corporate welfare at its worst.

That is a great idea I had not heard of before. I have quite a bit of acreage with a timber exemption  but I think it should apply to large landowners like 5000 acres or more. One of my exemptions is on 20 acres that I live on and it would not be practical to allow totally free or unlimited acess especially with horses cattle etc