Is the Cost of Hunting Driving Hunters Away? DISCUSSION

One last thought….

I still believe that regardless of the private land access discussion, quality hunting opportunities on public ground are attainable for everyone. Even in areas like Northern IL, if people really want it they can find quality hunts on public ground. You just have to be willing to drive a bit more and work a bit harder to make it happen.

 

I quit hunting all together for several years and fished exclusively for this very reason. I was spending more time trying to find places to hunt then I was actually hunting. No one can ever tell you can't fish. Just like with anything you can either spend a lot or very little. I bought a boat that cost less than 10K and was just as successful as the guys spending 100K plus on their fishing rigs.

 

Rick James, I'll counter that with a series of questions that probably won't be popular on this site. lol.

What caused the massive buying of land in the midwest? It wasn't always like that. I'll use Iowa as a reference. They've seen steadily shrinking of public access land for a decade now. It is one of the only states that I'm aware of that is less than 1% public land (i think it was 0.7% if I recall correctly). Now, anyone is able to buy land and do with it as they wish. Its the american dream right? But lets be real here. The hunting industry and TV have a large part in pushing the idea of buying up acres of land, locking it up and thus driving the prices of leasing or buying through the roof. Supply/Demand. Ohio is another state with limited public access, not as bad as Iowa, but headed in that direction as well. We used to be able to lease ground there at reasonable prices. Not anymore. And this was before record inflation so that can't be the scapegoat.

The second question is this. Why do a lot of people believe that the only way to hunt and be successful or have a legitimate shot at a trophy feel that buying or leasing their own land? Regardless of what we want to believe, TV shows and the industry pushing said shows still has a very big influence on peoples buying and hunting decisions. All you have to do is ride around my town and you'll see trucks all over with stickers saying "the Crush", or "Red Arrow" or even worse... that ridiculously obnoxious "bowhunt or die" slogan plastered on their back window. Mathews stickers, their favorite pair of hunting underwear, you name it... its found as a sticker on the back of a truck somewhere around my hometown.

My point is this. Its marketing, i know that. But you can't deny the impact that the industry and its personalities are having on hunting and its costs. So many hunters who are less than wealthy or have expendable income are left with very few options except to lease what they can afford or hunt the small amounts of public land available to them. So yes, I agree with many... land access is the issue. But digging deeper, why is it an issue? How did it get to this point?

Its interesting to me. Whitetail hunting is the only animal that is suffering from this it seems. Go out west for elk, Colorado has massive amounts of land to hunt. New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Idaho... anyone who draws a tag can find public land and have a great time chasing those animals. Wyoming is getting more and more locked up, but there is still enough land for the rest of us to hunt. The big issue in western states is point creep for coveted units. But Whitetails is huge business in the midwest... not so much land to hunt unless you're a Rockafeller.

You will never, ever hear or see a Drury or a Laksosky promote public lands or push for better access in states like Iowa. Why would they? The state knows that those folks are marking the piss out of their state and people are lined up for years to get an opportunity to hunt Iowa. 8-900 dollar tag for a non resident after you wait 3-5 years? The state is making MONEY. Not to mention the property taxes from all that locked up property.

I'm fortunate to have expendable income to hunt pretty much where I want... but man it sure seems like something is very wrong here....

 

Oh that is indeed true. There is one problem. Time. Most guys in that position are working their ass off just to put food on the table . Imagine being self employed, no paid vacation and working 6 days a week. Would you have the will power to do it?

 

Don't get me going about those slob, non tax paying parasitic public boat ramp users.

 

It's Justin's fault, he's killed all the big deer, and little deer, and medium deer. There are no deer left in the woods.

On topic, it's only as expensive as you make it. I've used the same bow I bought used for $500 for 8 years, Walmart pants/shirts, but I did splurge on the sitka jacket/bibs.

On the other hand, I'm lucky to have 60 acres of free private access and a farmer that plants beans every year. Had I not had that, it would be public land days or pay for a lease. I cannot justify paying $1k+ for $300 of meat. There are opportunities to have, yet TN keeps raising the annual sportsman's license that is supposed to cover all licenses/permits, it's getting expensive to hunt, especially on public land. Add in the complete confusion of what permits you need, it's a pain in the buns.

Overall, I believe it is a societal change, folks want instant gratification and are easily distracted by tech/the latest shiny thing. We've said it for years, the art of scouting is dying, the love of the "pursuit" is lost on the big horns because no one "cares" if you shoot a 4 point or a super smart doe. Folks always ask about the killing, but I always tell them I spend more time watching than anything.
I love the peacefulness of nature and watching the world wake up and go about it's business without knowing you are present...but I do like catching deers. Take the pressure off trying to impress strangers and enjoy the rapidly diminishing land that continuously stripped for housing, and perhaps we can get back to the fun of it.

 

How did it get to this point is what I would like to know as well. What changed in the last 20 years?

My dad told me stories of so many opportunities he had to buy prime ground in the 80s and 90s and passed up just because there was so much available. Dirt cheap ground that had excellent tillable, out buildings, timber, and excellent hunting. I believe it was the late 80's or early 90s but he could have bought 400 prime acres in north central MN with a house, 3 sheds, ponds, creeks, tillable, timber, everything for $80,000 but he didn't because it was too far from my mom and his work (2 hour commute). Place would be worth 1-2 million now. Just crazy to think about.

The cost of gear is not really a factor for me when considering driving people away. Sure if you buy new stuff every year it might be, but you have the option to buy great used gear for cheap. I've been using a 2013 Bear bow I found on AT that I bought for $350 for 5+ years now. I have had the same set of ScentLok camo for 5+ years. I have the same XOP hang on for 5 years.

 

I am looking to splurge on a Sitka set. Freezing my butt off is the main reason I get down. No more!

 

I think the recent trend of people buying land today has a lot less to do with them thinking it’s their only way to kill a big deer versus people realizing how fulfilling it is to own, work on, and manage a piece of property that they can share with family and friends. I recently bought a farm in IL and it would have been far cheaper and likely a better chance to kill big deer if I would have continued to spend the majority of my time hopping from lease to lease with some public mixed in.

 

I would love to own, cant afford it, so state land it is .. done with leasing for now (leased for 20 yrs /two places). .. Indiana raised all it's license fee's, first time in quite a while, esp. the non res. fee's, which is good (aint deer here anyways) ... my total cost on all licenses(hunt-fish) is just $ 125-164 for the year and only $39-78 for deer as all I get any more is 1-2 archery tags .. I dont consider these res. fee's to be a burden ... its gas that will be the killer I'm afraid .. btw, Indiana is considering revamping its whole license structure/bag limits, maybe change/add/subtract a season(s) or dates, etc., it is all under consideration for 2023 and beyond .... beware ....

 

Thats a very valid point. My families farm was bought in the 80s for that very reason. Back then, PA public lands were a war zone to put it mildly. If you had any options other than public, you took it. Of course land prices were a fraction of the cost that they are today.

Just to be clear, I am all for folks buying land and doing their thing. I would never tell anyone how to live or how to make a living for that matter. I'm just saying that today, when we buy hunting land, the ridiculous costs in some parts of the country to do so is directly or indirectly fueled in part with how the hunting industry has put a premium on such lands.

 

Hunt em down and kill em

 

I will say that gas prices will likely impact me this year...no more running up north, back and forth this season. Probably just do fewer but longer stretches to cut down on the driving. Will likely mean I am hunting less optimal conditions but hey...is what it is.

 

I KNOW HOW TO FIX IT.

I am going to throw this out there. It's going to not sit well with some. I am going to preface this that I am both a landowner and have participated in Farm Program Payments.

Anyone landowner enrolled in any state or fed programs should have to open up these lands to the public. You can't have your cake and eat it too. It's everyone's tax dollars, anyone should be able to access it for the purposes of hunting, fishing, etc....

Below is a link that you may find interesting. Look up some of the big farmers in your area. For instance, one farmer on this list that has thousands of acres locked down in my area chewed my son's ass for even knocking on his door and asking. I will tell you that he has received over 1 million dollars via the Farm Programs in the last 10 years.

Unfortunately, only way to get this done most likely is through congress. If there was ever a reason to get involved in politics, this may be one of them.

Payment Files Information (usda.gov)

 

I am OK with this.
Accept public grant dollars, become a public vassal. Across the board.

 

Yeah no just because the federal Gov't offers funding does not make private property public property. Same logic any business or individual that took PPP funds their property is now public property, not going to happen.

 

That idea right there would put an end to almost all frivolous and useless government spending.

 

We could probably solve the homeless crisis the same way. Anybody that took a stimulus check should have to open their home to at least one homeless person. Problem solved!

 

What's a stimulus check and where do I get one.

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I think ,someone correct me if I'm wrong, in NYS this is the case...things like pheasant hunting, I'm not sure on other seasons