Know Where To Hunt Club

[PatoLoco]

I'm seeing more and more KWTH and Duck Camp signs going up everywhere as well. I'm not a fan of either, but at least Duck Camp seems to be investing in planting food for ducks and geese, instead of the KWTH fields which all look to be whatever is left from harvest with nothing planted except maybe a cover crop. Correct me if I'm wrong but that is what I have seen. There is no way I would pay to sit in some of those fields.

I, too, have lost access to a couple fields I used to hunt because of KWTH.

Rough times for the public land hunter in Skagit County, and it doesn't look like it's ever going to get better. I'm glad I was around for the last 12 years or so of well managed duck food and amazing hunts on the Farmed Island up until the dike breached in 2021.

[RobinHoodlum]

I'm a Skagit Valley lifer and was an avid duck hunter. Worked in ag early in life at a time when landowners in the flats giving permission when asked was the norm. IMO, 4 things have all but ruined DIY hunting opportunities here on private AND public: 1) trespassers, 2) slobs who don't pick up after themselves, 3) clubs like KWTH, 4) DFW's "quality" hunting program. #1 &  #2 opened the door for #3 & #4

[EnglishSetter]

I see nothing "untypical".  There's more people who want access than the land will accommodate so the private land goes to those willing to pay.

I had friends who paid $4000 for a duck blind in rice country that was nothing special. 

Growing up we had a family membership in American Sportsman's Club.  They leased land for a variety of hunting.  No real improvements, but limited access.  Then they hire "officers up the club, salesmen, etc.) with pretty decent salaries.  Pretty soon it's a business vs a hunt club.  They sell more memberships without corresponding increase in properties.  Members get frustrated that they paid this $$$ and still can't get on the property, so they quit paying their membership dues.  Club goes defunct.  Members from the defunct club, start a new club, with many of the same properties since they have the contacts.  Lather, rinse, repeat.

As for outfits like Weyerhaeuser, .Gov COULD strike a deal for access since they also log public lands.  But as mentioned above, fire risk and trashing the place have to be considered as well as vagrancy and nefarious activities.

[YoungFowler]

for outfits like Weyerhaeuser, .Gov COULD strike a deal for access since they also log public lands.  But as mentioned above, fire risk and trashing the place have to be considered as well as vagrancy and nefarious activities.

Weyerhaeuser doesn't log public lands.

In Idaho, the state made a deal with Potlatch Deltic to open their lands for public access, but no way Washington wants to pay a timber company that kinda cash for hunters. If they did something like that, it certainly wouldn't include motorized access.