Hancock/Manulife........No Trespassing signs everywhere! What's the deal.

[hunter399]

Just like title says.
I know they have started leased land deals.
Been trying to keep an eye on the website.
I've been seeing no trespassing signs everywhere. Even on chunks of land that I didn't even see on the website for lease.

Anyway just wondering if anyone has any info. Are we able to access anything at this point. Is there a way to contact people that lease it,to pay a trespass fee.
Can't believe it looks like about 4 dollars an acre to lease for one year. Is about the going rate.
I've seen a lot of signs going up since deer season started. Like I was there just a few days before season. Then show up a week later, trespassing signs everywhere.
How is this being enforced,when clear information isn't available on what's leased,what's available to the public access.
Did Hancock just turn all of NE Wa into a giant hunting club for the rich. Now we all have to join hunting clubs,pay trespass fee's.

What is going on here.
Anybody noticed a lot of trespass signs or what.
I think the private timberland hunter just got thrown under the bus,then the bus hit reverse on us.

Been hunting some of this ground for 30+ years,now I'm trespassing. Some of it ,I can't tell if someone leased it.
Or another hunter just posted it to keep people out.

Definitely confused,any reliable information appreciated.

[lewy]

You can lease blocks and bid on them by price per acre. I don’t like it either but its the way things are going.

[hunter399]

You can lease blocks and bid on them by price per acre. I don’t like it either but its the way things are going.

Seen one big chunk there.....68k a year on a lease.
Ya there are animals there,sure you get a key and can drive around.
Dang 68k. Per year
For that kind of money,like 20k acres to hunt.
I'm thinking your not planning on tag soup or even a spike to fill a tag.
I guess just selling walk in access permits to everyone,wasn't enough money .
Sucks for sure

[Naches Sportsman]

If you think Hancock is bad, we will have to wait and see what happens for access to PotlatchDeltic lands next year with the Rayonier and PotlatchDeltic merger about to happen in the first part of 2026

[Tbar]

If you think Hancock is bad, we will have to wait and see what happens for access to PotlatchDeltic lands next year with the Rayonier and PotlatchDeltic merger about to happen in the first part of 2026

Along with what gets converted. Scary!

[lewy]

You can lease blocks and bid on them by price per acre. I don’t like it either but its the way things are going.

Seen one big chunk there.....68k a year on a lease.
Ya there are animals there,sure you get a key and can drive around.
Dang 68k. Per year
For that kind of money,like 20k acres to hunt.
I'm thinking your not planning on tag soup or even a spike to fill a tag.
I guess just selling walk in access permits to everyone,wasn't enough money .
Sucks for sure


I agree

[HUNTIN4SIX]

I always had a thought the timber companies received tax break incentives to allow the public to hunt? 

[PsoasHunter]

I always had a thought the timber companies received tax break incentives to allow the public to hunt?

That was the original intent of the tax breaks in the early 1900's, not just hunting, all recreational access. It's ridiculous that isn't honored now, they should allow access or pay full tax rates. Millions of dollars in taxes, they could handle figuring out free access that is feasible for all parties interests.

[kodiak10]

 

That was the original intent of the tax breaks in the early 1900's, not just hunting, all recreational access. It's ridiculous that isn't honored now, they should allow access or pay full tax rates. Millions of dollars in taxes, they could handle figuring out free access that is feasible for all parties interests.

Yeah I had the same thoughts when I first heard of all the closures. I feel its additionally painful when Stevens County is having issues funding critical services for the community such as our ambulance system. If these companies are going to hoard land and do very little for the community then the least they can do is pay a fair share of taxes to help give the community basic services. https://www.spokanepublicradio.org/regional-news/2025-08-13/a-northeastern-washington-county-tries-to-navigate-funding-shortfall-of-ambulance-system-were-at-that-point-of-critical-collapse

My property taxes for my home here in Stevens went up considerably this year, and sure I was annoyed at first. But I know the county needs the money and I am happy to do it since it is so critical to everyone here.

[Twispriver]

I've owned private timberland since the early 80s and to my knowledge there has never been a requirement to allow public access to qualify for the program. I am required to have a forest management plan on file and public access is not included in the qualifying criteria for designated forest. I pay plenty of taxes at harvest time.
Old wives tale i think.

[TommyH]

I always had a thought the timber companies received tax break incentives to allow the public to hunt?

I did as well, I did hear a few months back in early summer that they were not renewing their contract with the state… I don’t know what that is/was..

[Alan K]

https://dor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-02/designatedforestland.pdf

[hunter399]

I've owned private timberland since the early 80s and to my knowledge there has never been a requirement to allow public access to qualify for the program. I am required to have a forest management plan on file and public access is not included in the qualifying criteria for designated forest. I pay plenty of taxes at harvest time.
Old wives tale i think.

I do agree with ya .
I've had a few property owners give permission in the past that fall under the tax break. I wouldn't want them to get screwed,when they was great about permission to hunt.

[hunter399]

I always had a thought the timber companies received tax break incentives to allow the public to hunt?

I did as well, I did hear a few months back in early summer that they were not renewing their contract with the state… I don’t know what that is/was..

Maybe the cooperative road closed agreement.
That's with WDFW, page 86 in the regs.
They did remove a bunch of land that both of us hunt ,I believe.

Even some of the lands that remain,may still be leased.
Just means you have permission to walk the road.
Example would be , multiple property owners behind a gate.
You be allowed to access through the road system.
Not necessarily permission for Hancock.
I've been watching there lease deals,one area is behind a road agreement area. They only stayed in the agreement so you can access other lands . Not Hancock.

If it doesn't have a no trespassing sign,I'd hunt it while you still can.

[HillHound]

While we were moose hunting it was very random what was posted not trespassing “leased”, just no trespassing, and one walk in only that
Actually had a new sign that said it was still open for walk in. Not to mention most roads we accessed through DNR,blm had nothing on their end but no trespassing when you got out the other side to the main road. Game warden we saw didn’t have a clue either, he said just don’t park at the gates with signs