Private hunting clubs

[E-Town Hunter]

What are your opinions on private hunting clubs? I have noticed in the area I am from that just within the last 3 years I have seen 3 different clubs pop up (not including the 40,000 acres of buck run property). Do you think that this is good for hunting? I myself have a hard time keeping up with the costs for gas, tags, permits, and other things so I could not see myself paying a yearly fee to go hunt deer. Unfortunatley where I hunt I see this becoming the new thing and will probably see it more and more because most of the land is privately owned. It seems as if the land owners would rather lease out thier land to independent groups for good chunks of change rather than get money from the state to post it as hunt by written permission. I can also understand the benefits the land owner gets from this because they don't have to deal with handing out the cards, and the fact that they probably know the hunters well enough to trust that they wont damage thier property. Am I off base here? I haven't reaserched the hunt club thing a whole lot so maybe someone on here can clue me in and explain to me why it is a good thing.

[huntnphool]

Hi E-town, I have several friends that lease the ranches out, they get way more money from the outfitters than from the states. Funny thing is they didn't realize how much the outfitters are charging the hunters. One friend was charging the outfitter $12,000 to lease his 17,000 acres and felt bad about it, this was 5 years ago. Once I told him how much the outfitter was charging his clients, $4,000/ea. He was shocked. Last year he upped the lease fee to $20,000 and said he felt bad about it. I asked him what the outfitter said when he told him about the increase, he said he didnt say anything except okay. Well come to find out the outfitter now charges $5,500/ea. and makes up the lease the first week of the season. Glad I get to hunt it for free

[boneaddict]

Thank God for National Forest.  I can't even imagine paying that much to hunt deer. 

[high country]

well it happens here in the far east too......and it sucks. I have buddies who have hunted the came land for 15 years and this past season they were told no more as it is going to lease hunters.....I never hunted it because it was not much better than the state or fed land around it.......what does piss me off is that I am now locked out of one entire section of state land now, since access was via this landowners property....that IS BS.

I agree with bone, thank god for national forest.

to anyone paying more then a  roll of copenhagen to hunt any piece of private land......you ought to get out and scout a bit more, it makes the hunt that much better. there are some dang nice bucks and bulls on public land.

I was kinda bummed when the local timber company started a trespass permit for access. they were getting 40ish bux for me to hunt land I had hunted for decades. I paid it and grumbled. what I have seen in the few years since is AWESOME. no more dumping, no more slob beer can out the window guys, they took away target shooting, but that solved quite a few problems. I have seen more and better game since the change took place. I can swallow paying a little fee if I knew it was gonna be good for the wildlife.

[Ridgerunner]

Those who have the private hunting clubs are simply fulfilling a market niche in this capitalistic society of ours.  As long as people have money to spend, as long as there are people out there who put a premium on good hunting, the hunting clubs will be here.  So don't get all pissed at the farmers who are finally figuring out there is another way to make more money off their land, I'd probably do the same thing if I was in there shoes. 

Like Bone said, thank God we have so much public land in this state where each hunter can choose what he wants to do, if you lived in Texas you wouldn't have a choice, you'd have to PAY for a PLACE to hunt. 

Not all private land hunters are lazy either, given the number of beer cans I see on a forest service road during deer and elk season on public land, the same statement could be made.  I would bet alot of private land hunters put a premium on their hunting time, therefor they are willing to pay $ to access private land and potentially have a better experience.

Does it suck that land that was once free to access now costs, yeah it does, I also have to pay a parking permit to park at a national forest trailhead nowdays.  I wasn't happy about that either but if you want to play at some point you have to pay.  To what extent is up to the individual.

[WDFW-SUX]

Just think guys there is no such thing as national forest in most of Europe and so hunting is limited to the ultra wealthy and the average Joe cant go.............

[LOVHUNTIN]

I second ridgerunner....

[6 Point]

I have a friend in Wyoming that last year His Co guided over $1.4 mil in trips throughout Wyoming.  It is SNS outfitters and they have a good number of properties for deer, elk, and speed goats.   As long as people will pay it, it will always be there.

[E-Town Hunter]

I imagine if I was a land owner I would do the same as well. It is just frustrating that areas I grew up hunting will no longer be available for my boys when they get old enough to hunt. The sad thing is, when people like me get pushed out out of areas we have hunted for years it forces us to seek out new places to hunt like National Forest land, and then it frustrates you, me and everyone else because these areas are getting over crowded as it is. It's only going to get worse the more hunting clubs we see. I am just worried that when my boys are old enough to go hunt it is going to be something only doctors and lawyers will be able to afford to do.

[huntnphool]

"I am just worried that when my boys are old enough to go hunt it is going to be something only doctors and lawyers will be able to afford to do."

So make sure your boys are lawyers or doctors, problem solved. Theres not many problems that money cant fix, overwhelm your problem with income, works "most" of the time

[littletoes]

The South-East corner of Washington has fairly been eaten up by hunting clubs, and I suppose its been spreading North ever since.

I imagine it does one thing that is very good, it ensures that there will be lands that animals may live on!
What scares me more would be the ever growing population, and shrinking country around.

It bothered me as a kid, I use to hunt birds in quite a few of those areas back then, but as said above, If I had a ranch, where I could exploit this, then I might do the same thing.

Likewise, I would have to third what Ridgerunner said.

[hogsniper]

I recently have gotten outta the military and i would say about half of the land i hunted 4 years ago is no longer available. Some due to hunting clubs but then some is people just not respecting other people property. Garbage dumpers and whatever else goes on is just ridiculous. But it all makes sense. IF someone will clean it up and also offer a substantial amount of money why not lease it to them. I dont like the idea but wouldnt be surprised if every farmer or big land owner does it sooner or later.....Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday...Justin