Is it Worth Paying for Access to Timber Company Lands?

[ljsommer]

Is there any sort of map-based website that gives you a top down view of which timber companies offer hunting permits? That seems like it would be extremely useful. Even moreso if that app connected to the timber companies to indicate which still had available permits.

I feel like I am pretty ignorant of how many various timber (and other land holding) companies actually offer permits - I discover new ones each year that I didn't know about.

[elkhunter00]

Is there any sort of map-based website that gives you a top down view of which timber companies offer hunting permits? That seems like it would be extremely useful. Even moreso if that app connected to the timber companies to indicate which still had available permits.

I feel like I am pretty ignorant of how many various timber (and other land holding) companies actually offer permits - I discover new ones each year that I didn't know about.

THIS 👆

[brokentrail]

<snip>
Just keep in mind, tree farms are not good ground for game.  There is little to any food present for hooved game like elk and deer. 
<snip>

I'm not sure that I would agree with this statement above.  Any timber company land, that is actively being harvested in a rotation, has plenty of food for deer and elk once they are done spraying it to allow the new trees to take hold.   IME that lasts quite a few years until the sunlight stops hitting the disturbed ground and by then there is a new cut/harvest area that they will start using for feed.

[jamesjett]

I'm curious, how many hunters pay to access Timber Company Lands to hunt. And, is it worth it?

I don’t think it’s worth it anymore, at least not for me.  I have been hunting Weyerhaeuser property since the late 80’s and before you needed a permit.  Most roads were not even gated but as time went on vandalism increased and gates installed and permits followed.

I see less and less game every year.  I am not a road hunter but sometimes when frustrated and/or weathered out I poke around to check out areas new and old.  I used to archery hunt it and always waited until late season to take a deer and that was due to the confidence in always finding plenty of of deer/bear. 

If I were someone new that didn’t know the areas I could not honestly recommend it, unless of course the firewood permits was your main reason.  Now as the tribes buy more of the property restricting access I do not think I will be purchasing a permit in the future….

[kodiak06]

<snip>
Just keep in mind, tree farms are not good ground for game.  There is little to any food present for hooved game like elk and deer. 
<snip>

I'm not sure that I would agree with this statement above.  Any timber company land, that is actively being harvested in a rotation, has plenty of food for deer and elk once they are done spraying it to allow the new trees to take hold.   IME that lasts quite a few years until the sunlight stops hitting the disturbed ground and by then there is a new cut/harvest area that they will start using for feed.

That quote you replied to made me laugh...

[kodiak06]

Money to play lands here have limited permits, that means less people to contend with behind gates. Weekends may be a different story, I guess. Everyone I know that hunts and gets out of their trucks to do so is usually successful. They typically kill better deer than average. Most use the access permit to drive in and back door public land saving them 5-10 miles on a bike. That's the biggest perk IMO

[hunter_sean08]

OnX has a layer included for Rayonier's access permits- although, as cohocrazy pointed out, a number of these are no more on the Olympic Peninsula. If I have time to do some thorough e-scouting, I'll look for private land owners in the areas I want to hunt on OnX that seem to be the big players and then look those land owners up online to see if they offer any sort of permit or access program.

[Lumpy Taters]

I have got the WH permits since they started selling them.  For many years it was awesome.   Not many people and a whole lot of land to myself.   The last few years there is way too many people who have no respect for others and only drive roads.    I can only speak for the SW areas and the other issue is the hoof rot has really taken its toll on the herds.   There is deer everywhere so for BT is really doesn't matter that much if you get a permit.  I have hunted the same areas for over 40 years so buying the permit was a no brainer.  I now where the animals like to be and have had good success. But I put a lot of miles on my boots and very few on my truck. 

[Sitka_Blacktail]

If it's worth it, is up to each individual depending on their situation.  But one thing is for certain, The cost of a use permit has made it easier to justify hunting out of State as far as cost goes. The permit cost pretty much pays for the out of State tag, and to be honest, I burn way more fuel here at home driving up into the unit and driving back home and some side trips to check out new areas than I do where I hunt in Idaho for instance. We set up camp close to where we hunt. This saves gas and also the extra time driving into the unit and driving home in the evening.  I guess we could set up a camp where we hunt here, but with your own bed and shower relatively close by, it's hard to camp close to home.

[Martinhunter]

I've been purchasing one of the Weyco permits the past 7 years within 45 minutes from my house and I think personally it's worth the money. It's a place to get away year around and the hunting isn't too bad either. All the people saying too many road hunters, just get off the roads then. The animals are there..

[Macs B]

<snip>
Just keep in mind, tree farms are not good ground for game.  There is little to any food present for hooved game like elk and deer. 
<snip>

I'm not sure that I would agree with this statement above.  Any timber company land, that is actively being harvested in a rotation, has plenty of food for deer and elk once they are done spraying it to allow the new trees to take hold.   IME that lasts quite a few years until the sunlight stops hitting the disturbed ground and by then there is a new cut/harvest area that they will start using for feed.

Not to get into an arguement but what do you consider to be "prime" elk food in the forests?  I'm of the belief that the spraying and  density of the planting crowds out or kills almost all available browse for elk.  Most elk on my timber lands and leases are eating alder leaves. bark, and dry browse when they can find it.  The fact they move as much as they do tells me there is something out there they need to travel to find.  Its not water, breeding, or sheltering grounds so what is it? 

[Buckhunter24]

<snip>
Just keep in mind, tree farms are not good ground for game.  There is little to any food present for hooved game like elk and deer. 
<snip>

I'm not sure that I would agree with this statement above.  Any timber company land, that is actively being harvested in a rotation, has plenty of food for deer and elk once they are done spraying it to allow the new trees to take hold.   IME that lasts quite a few years until the sunlight stops hitting the disturbed ground and by then there is a new cut/harvest area that they will start using for feed.

Not to get into an arguement but what do you consider to be "prime" elk food in the forests?  I'm of the belief that the spraying and  density of the planting crowds out or kills almost all available browse for elk.  Most elk on my timber lands and leases are eating alder leaves. bark, and dry browse when they can find it.  The fact they move as much as they do tells me there is something out there they need to travel to find.  Its not water, breeding, or sheltering grounds so what is it?

It's been a long time since I was in school, but I believe it's why they're called browsers. It's natural instinct not to eat all the food out of one spot. Same reason they follow the snow up in the spring when there is still available browse down low. Active management creates habitat.

[bobcat]

I paid $100 for a walk in Weyerhaueser permit last year. It's a 25 minute drive from my house and gives me a lot of area to go and hike around and get exercise. That's mostly why I bought it, just for a place to get away from people and get exercise. Sometimes with the dog and sometimes not. I had a lot of trail cameras out there in the fall and that kept me busy. And I did hunt quite a bit during the late muzzleloader deer season, but didn't see any bucks, just a few does. I've had the motorized permit in the past and may buy it this year, but if not I'll definitely get the walk in permit again. If it was just for the hunting I probably wouldn't buy it. But with a lack of public land around here, it's nice having a place to go.