Hancock 2019-2020 NEW rules

[Stein]

To stir the pot a bit, for those proposing increasing taxes on forest land that doesn't provide public access, would that only apply to forest land or would it also include ag and ranch properties that also get very similar tax breaks?

How's the hunting on that ag and ranch land?   

Lots of deer and elk and waterfowl on certain ag and ranch lands.  To combine threads, I wonder if the flooded corn properties have land taxed below market value...

[Humptulips]

I think the two are separate issues.
You can make a pretty good case for ag land needing a tax incentive to protect riparian areas and keep buildings out of flood zones. Less so for ranches.
I think the best way would be to tax all land based on current use with a penalty for withdrawing the land from that use for development and then incentivize  landowners to open their land to public use through a percentage reduction of taxes.
 Public access, combating urban sprawl, keeping flood plains undeveloped are all worth while things to incentivize with a reduction in taxes. The problem is now the tax reduction is given with no incentive to use the land in a way that benefits the public.

[idaho guy]

I think the two are separate issues.
You can make a pretty good case for ag land needing a tax incentive to protect riparian areas and keep buildings out of flood zones. Less so for ranches.
I think the best way would be to tax all land based on current use with a penalty for withdrawing the land from that use for development and then incentivize  landowners to open their land to public use through a percentage reduction of taxes.
 Public access, combating urban sprawl, keeping flood plains undeveloped are all worth while things to incentivize with a reduction in taxes. The problem is now the tax reduction is given with no incentive to use the land in a way that benefits the public.

I think the issue is the same for timber or ag exemption and farms and ranches have by far some of the best hunting for deer and elk. I agree 100% that there should be a better tax rate available for public access. I think the reduced tax rate would open timber companies back up to free access in a lot of areas. I am not sure a lot more farmers and ranchers would bite other than the ones already enrolled in things like block management. There you go hunt wa solved the problem!! Now we have to get a politician to actually do something

[Stein]

Now we have to get a politician to actually do something

Be careful what you ask for..

[JimmyHoffa]

Considering what some of the tree farms are getting for hunting permits now, I'd guess they would keep (or slightly up) the permits and pay the increased tax.

[idaho guy]

Now we have to get a politician to actually do something

Be careful what you ask for..

good point on second thought....

[scottfrick]

Are the rules still the same this year? Figured emails would of been sent out by now for this year.

[brokentrail]

Emails about this year did go out although I deleted mine and can't tell you exactly what day. I do know 2020-2021 permits go on sale tomorrow.

[nwmein199]

Are the rules still the same this year? Figured emails would of been sent out by now for this year.

Yes rules are the same this year as last. I didnt see any new rules in the email they sent out. Only new thing is you have to buy the permit from the global Hancock website now.

[trophyhunt]

I'm a sucker, just bought mine.

[nwmein199]

They closed all washington tree farms until the end of the month.

https://www.hancockrecreation.com/

[Old Man Yager]

WTH? That’s were I was going to go when the country gets a 2 week shut down!!!

[MLhunter1]

I’m pissed. We’re going into the best few weeks of shed hunting and they close it.  Literally the safest place I could hang out with a virus goin around. And you can bet nothing major is gonna change by the 31st. 

[BigCutty3]

Did you regulars buy your permit regardless, in the hope they do open it up in some reasonable timeframe?  I was up Evans Creek today with the rest of Pierce County, sure seemed to be plenty of people trespassing with zero enforcement yet permit holders are locked out....
Im on the fence, I love having a place close to home but it sure seems like they are getting real lock happy with the gates in the last year. Between "storm" damage, droughts, corona closure and elk season closure its getting harder to justify.

[Thehowler]

The closure happening right now makes no sense, or is it just me?