Greatful and Sad

You

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Posts
1,467
Likes
30
Points
196
Location
In front.
So very greatful the peak of my 'professional' hunting career was a dozen years ago or so, during a time when access and game were plentiful.

Sad the default response these days to 'may I hunt ______' is 'no' OR 'I already gave permission to __(insert name or kin type)___.'

Oh how I am going to miss the greatest generation ever. Unfortunately they are now becoming few and far between. They didn't give two shits bout nut-n. They understood perspective.

In the day, you occasionally ran into a poster and you occasionally got turned down when asking for access.

Now they even say no for waterfowl!!!!!!?!?!?

Anyhow, damn you baby boomers. Life isn't a competition. (Naturally, a few of you are exceptions to the rule.)

Oh, also got chewed out this weekend for driving a section line after the rain. I bit my tongue and even apologized. I could've said a number of things but chose not to. Guess I should've scrapped my one-in-six trips to the field this year because of the ruts I'd create.

;:;rant over.....for now...
 


tman

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 17, 2015
Posts
410
Likes
21
Points
143
Well I hate to say it cause I know how hard it is to get permission. But have a few farmer buddies and not having respect for anyone's land and tearing the prairie trails up is one of the biggest reason the don't give permission to hunt there land. Even tho it's and established trail/ section line that you drive a couple weeks out of the year but they need to drive it every week to check crops/cattle so they just posted it up both sides cause people don't have common sense after it rains
 

Enslow

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 27, 2015
Posts
5,088
Likes
72
Points
298
No hunting signs do not mean you cant go hunting, they are simply informative posters letting you know there is nothing to hunt.

- - - Updated - - -

before my old man passed away, he told me that bonanza farms would return. That time has come. The great hunting is a thing of the past for now. If drought comes, the fishing is next. The good news is that shorthairsrus has forecasted a dry winter, so we have a chance at some snowfall accumulation.
 

eyexer

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Posts
13,730
Likes
708
Points
428
Location
williston
When I drive around Williams Co. It's very easy to see where there are still old time farmers and where the young lads run the land. I found a very large area, several square miles, unposted. Which is really rare. I asked a buddy of mine that was raised in that area and he said there were a couple old timers still farming there and they are from the generation that didn't post. Good to see there are a few around yet. Won't be long though and we will loose opportunities like that also. Enjoy what little area there is left.
 

You

Founding Member
Founding Member
Thread starter
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Posts
1,467
Likes
30
Points
196
Location
In front.
Well I hate to say it cause I know how hard it is to get permission. But have a few farmer buddies and not having respect for anyone's land and tearing the prairie trails up is one of the biggest reason the don't give permission to hunt there land. Even tho it's and established trail/ section line that you drive a couple weeks out of the year but they need to drive it every week to check crops/cattle so they just posted it up both sides cause people don't have common sense after it rains

yes sir, i have the entire list of any-reason-is-a-good-reason to not give permission memorized. sometimes i even finish their sentence for them :;:. anyhow, i have more farmer/rancher buddies than most (for sure...) but I do not ask to hunt their land, because they are my friends, and though i can't put it into words exactly why or what i'm getting at, i just don't go there. it takes a truly special situation for me to end up hunting on their land (usually them asking me to)

on a high note, first time in 8 years of bow hunting the same piece, the farmer CALLED ME this year because he hadn't heard from me soon enough! wanted to know if i'd be "killing a few deer" this year, i said "yes sir! if you'll have me!" he said of course, and take anyone you want out there. lol.

gents, that there be an exception to the rule.......:;:thumbsup


it's not all doom and gloom, but it is frustrating........especially for frickn ducks/swans/geese/any migratory bird....

couple years ago i found a slough the migrants were bombing into, called the owner who was from bismarck and had that land just for hunting purposes. deer and pheasants. it pained him greatly, but he said yes so long as i left the pheasants alone. OMG were there pheasants, but wifey and i OF COURSE left them be. we shot 9 greenheads, 1 hen, and a few snows. was great :) that guy rocks.
 


Account Deleted

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 20, 2015
Posts
4,641
Likes
50
Points
246
Some things have definitely changed. With waterfowl hunting, it has been tougher as the birds can be unpredictable.

I think the future of hunting is going to be more personal relationships with landowners. I have one specific landowner that I do some work for, 2-3 weekends a year, and it gets me access to some excellent deer/pheasant land. It has even become more of a friendship then just a "business" relationship. I know it's tough guys but the SD boys make it work everyday.
 

PrairieGhost

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 15, 2015
Posts
10,327
Likes
683
Points
443
Location
Drifting the high plains
I think you hit on the reason why many are angry with non residents. It's not that we don't like them, but when they come from Minneapolis and give a farmer $1000 to hunt his land for a week he shuts off everyone else, often including friends. It's getting more like Texas every year. I remember a few years back on one of the outdoor sites ranchers were complaining about wolves in Montana. One of the guys called a rancher, and he said they could hunt wolves on his ranch if they rented his guest house. Rent was $300/night. Then they called the Montana game fish and parks. There were no known wolves close to his ranch. It's all about money.
 

Account Deleted

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 20, 2015
Posts
4,641
Likes
50
Points
246
Does anyone know just how much that is happening (paying for access)? I know a fair amount of landowners and the only one I know that has a similar situation is the neighboring outfitter leased all of his land for hunting purposes.
 

gst

Banned
Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2015
Posts
7,654
Likes
122
Points
308
I can imagine the frustration when looking for a spot to hunt, especially if one does not take the time or effort earlier on to establish relationships or even just go ask prior to opening day.

But step back and give this some thought if you would. In our operation I have three sons that hunt, I hunt, my Dad still hunts. I have land lords that hunt and ask their land be posted. They have a few relatives and friends that come up hunting some of which ask to hunt some of our lands. (what would you tell your landlords nephew). We have a couple friends that come and hunt and sometimes we get some military or young hunters we have hunt.

So if you/YOU are in that position would you post your land or not?

That's one reason land is posted.

I have had guys stop in and want to walk our trees immediately surrounding our house during deer season ot shoot a "big" buck they saw run into place. Would you give people you have never met permission to blast away with high power rifles in your back yard? When you ask if they have any doe tags cause you have a couple stands they could sit in and fill them, they get pissed you won;t let them shoot that buck. Respect and common sense.

Have had groups stop in two different times and Dad and I were both talking with people in different vehicles. The story was they wounded a deer and it ran in the trees and they were wondering if some guys could walk them to find it. Trouble was one vehicle said it was a buck the other said it was a doe.................longs story short they just wanted to chase a buck they saw run in the yard out to get a crack at it.

Doing chores, hear a gunshot right behind the place, me and the 6 year old kid drive out to see and heres a guy with a buck with a double main beam my 77 year old Dad was after laying along the road dead. Guy says he shot it on the road .....forgot about the foot of snow on the ground that showed the deer running off our land bleeding for 150 yards.

I don't tolerate lying very well. And it is common to hear similiar stories about the same people from neighbors. Sometimes there is a reason some people have a hard time finding access.

Point is for every "I got my ass chewed by a landowner" story, the guy living on these lands can tell you two of their own. At some point you just get tired of it and say the hell with it.

There are just way more people tied to some of these lands than there was one or two generations ago. I know there may be more asshole land owners but there are more asshole hunters too.

Even then, most guys are pretty decent. Maybe they may not have a spot for a party of 12 guys with 10 buck tags that pull in the yard in three pickups opening weekend but stop in during July, a Dad and kid stop out looking for a spot .............

And ya I know "sconis" bashing on here is a popular past time............but I have had some "sconis" stop in and ask permission and they are far more respectful and polite than many NDans. Same with some fellas from Missouri that come year after year as well.

30 years ago DU wasn;t trying to change our state laws thru ballot measures.

Times have changed, so have the people on both sides of this issue.
 

Duckslayer100

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2015
Posts
4,611
Likes
189
Points
293
Location
ND's Flatter Half
I have one farmer friend that I keep close to the vest as he actually doesn't post his land, so anyone can hunt it. But he does know a lot of people, which has opened doors to other land in the past.

Still, I'm finding my hunting habits have shifted immensely since I started waterfowl hunting in the early 2000s. For starters, I've done a complete 180 as far as setup. I used to hunt fields exclusively, and rarely did water unless we were after divers later in the season. Now, the competition and access to fields has gotten so ridiculous, all I do is hunt water...and public water at that! WPAs, PLOTS and WMAs are my best friends. I actually got a hot tip from the farmer this year and went on my first field hunt in three years. It turned out fantastic, but I doubt I'll do it again. The stars don't align like that often, but you take the opportunities when they come.

Same can be said for deer (hunt only public land) and save for my farmer buddy, pheasants too. I'm nearly 100 percent reliant on public property, which is something that 10-15 years ago was not even close to the same.

It's changing, and the only things that will help us will be a burden to the farmers: Drought, the end to subsidies or falling commodity prices. The last time that happened, CRP popped up on the landscape....

All I know is that hopefully something comes along soon so I can take my 2-year-old son out in the future and have him get the same experiences I did. It would suck for the state to turn completely pay-to-play and end the great freelancing heritage North Dakota has traditionally been known for.
 


Account Deleted

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 20, 2015
Posts
4,641
Likes
50
Points
246
g, as a landowner, if a guy or two were approach you sometime in say February, maybe when you're out feeding cows or something, and asks if he and maybe his kid were to come help you out with branding calves, fixing fence, weaning, hauling hay/grain, etc. a couple weekends a year, would you open to letting that person access your land?

I think this is the type of situation we need to push more in ND. Lot of values to be learned on all sides. Especially if kids get involved.
 

Enslow

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 27, 2015
Posts
5,088
Likes
72
Points
298
I get access to some great land and have for years. The problem is the animal numbers are way down and you cant get tags. The habitat is gone. History is repeating itself in this state with the animal numbers. It's economics and nothing we say will change it. The corn fields in my area take up a whole section of land. I am friends with many farmers and they see very few deer in the combines. Thankfully the youth hunt is in place to get the kids hunting because they wont be able to draw tags.. I also have a neighbor with a power parachute. We fly alot of ground and we see more coyotes then deer. Man i wish a guy could get a permit to shoot yotes off a power parachute as that would be the cats ass.
 

wby257

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2015
Posts
877
Likes
2
Points
161
Why not blame the nonresidents for everything. Before 97 and the heavy snows there was no sloughs for many years. When 1997 rolled in so did the water. The nonresident waterfowl hunting rose and the resident hunters did not. Im 57 yrs old and I could count the number of resident hunter on one hand that had young hunter with them in a year. Even the Game warden commented that I was one of few that took my kids hunting. And over 70% of the nonresidents had young hunters with. Now them young hunter have grown up and expanded to bigger groups. Its not the nonresidents fault.
 

Account Deleted

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 20, 2015
Posts
4,641
Likes
50
Points
246
Why not blame the nonresidents for everything. Before 97 and the heavy snows there was no sloughs for many years. When 1997 rolled in so did the water. The nonresident waterfowl hunting rose and the resident hunters did not. Im 57 yrs old and I could count the number of resident hunter on one hand that had young hunter with them in a year. Even the Game warden commented that I was one of few that took my kids hunting. And over 70% of the nonresidents had young hunters with. Now them young hunter have grown up and expanded to bigger groups. Its not the nonresidents fault.

Because blaming offers zero solutions.
 

fnznfwl

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 28, 2015
Posts
756
Likes
9
Points
161
I get access to some great land and have for years. The problem is the animal numbers are way down and you cant get tags. The habitat is gone. History is repeating itself in this state with the animal numbers. It's economics and nothing we say will change it. The corn fields in my area take up a whole section of land. I am friends with many farmers and they see very few deer in the combines. Thankfully the youth hunt is in place to get the kids hunting because they wont be able to draw tags.. I also have a neighbor with a power parachute. We fly alot of ground and we see more coyotes then deer. Man i wish a guy could get a permit to shoot yotes off a power parachute as that would be the cats ass.

Dont worry, with farm prices they way they are 9and expected to be for awhile), those same corn farmers will be begging for CRP enrollment again. (at least I hope so)
 


wby257

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2015
Posts
877
Likes
2
Points
161
There just is no cover out there anymore. No wonder bird numbers are down. If the CRP was to come back the bird and deer would come back. Hunting is going to go down hill. Dont see to many posted lakes
 

PrairieGhost

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 15, 2015
Posts
10,327
Likes
683
Points
443
Location
Drifting the high plains
gst I certainly don't blame you for posting in your situation. I would too. I have also heard stories like you mention. Every Tom Dick and Harry wounded a buck and wants to check on it. I have even seen four guys walking abreast pushing deer when one guy had a camera and a van sits on the road with hunters. Who were they kidding when they said they were only taking pictures. Both sides have reason for complaint. It's just that the bad apples on both sides have rotted half the barrel already. Just a general lack of respect by to many individuals and it's not getting better.
 

FishReaper

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Posts
1,644
Likes
14
Points
211
Location
Sawyer
I dont blame landowner for the most part. I see to much stupid shit done by " Hunters" ( please see jacked up truck, pipes, mud diggers , white rimmed glasses, tags still on camo.) It really makes a bad name for all of us. Ive done my fair share of yelling at idiots on the roads for tearing them up and just being stupid.
But it makes it very hard to find places to hunt. I mostly hunt waterfowl, ill leave pheasants alone if they want to keep them for themselves. or even bow land for just a doe. Its getting very hard to find landowners that are willing to work with sportsmen anymore. Id even be willing to trade some labor for a spot to hunt. It just doesnt seem to happen anymore
 

Enslow

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 27, 2015
Posts
5,088
Likes
72
Points
298
I know some areas where guys tried to get CRP put back and they were told no.
 

You

Founding Member
Founding Member
Thread starter
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Posts
1,467
Likes
30
Points
196
Location
In front.
here goes nothing..

I can imagine the frustration when looking for a spot to hunt,especially if one does not take the time or effort earlier on to establish relationships or even just go ask prior to opening day.

But step back and give this some thought if you would. i have, just like plainsman, i'm wayyyy ahead of ya In our operation I have three sons that hunt, I hunt, my Dad still hunts. I have land lords that hunt and ask their land be posted. They have a few relatives and friends that come up hunting some of which ask to hunt some of our lands. (what would you tell your landlords nephew). We have a couple friends that come and hunt and sometimes we get some military or young hunters we have hunt.

So if you/YOU are in that position would you post your land or not? i would post

That's one reason land is posted.

I have had guys stop in and want to walk our trees immediately surrounding our house during deer season ot shoot a "big" buck they saw run into place. Would you give people you have never met permission to blast away with high power rifles in your back yard? potentially, i do know my default answer wouldnt be 'no' When you ask if they have any doe tags cause you have a couple stands they could sit in and fill them, they get pissed you won;t let them shoot that buck. oh my, you even ask questions in real life! they asked about a buck right? yea, i'd maybe be annoyed at your 'doe redirect' dependent on how you presented the question Respect and common sense.

Have had groups stop in two different times and Dad and I were both talking with people in different vehicles. The story was they wounded a deer and it ran in the trees and they were wondering if some guys could walk them to find it. Trouble was one vehicle said it was a buck the other said it was a doe.................longs story short they just wanted to chase a buck they saw run in the yard out to get a crack at it. i'd tell them to buzz off if they lied to me

Doing chores, hear a gunshot right behind the place, me and the 6 year old kid drive out to see and heres a guy with a buck with a double main beam my 77 year old Dad was after laying along the road dead. Guy says he shot it on the road .....forgot about the foot of snow on the ground that showed the deer running off our land bleeding for 150 yards. mightve been wounded prior to crossing the road or your land :) it takes A LOT of evidence for me to label someone a liar

I don't tolerate lying very well. me neither And it is common to hear similiar stories about the same people from neighbors. Sometimes there is a reason some people have a hard time finding access. agreed, sometimes there are great reasons

Point is for every "I got my ass chewed by a landowner" story, the guy living on these lands can tell you two of their own. naturally, it's called the law of averages At some point you just get tired of it and say the hell with it. i cant realate. not the attitude i live my life by i guess....

There are just way more people tied to some of these lands than there was one or two generations ago. I know there may be more asshole land owners but there are more asshole hunters too. don't know either way, g&f should send a survey out to both groups... jk

Even then, most guys are pretty decent. agreed Maybe they may not have a spot for a party of 12 guys with 10 buck tags that pull in the yard in three pickups opening weekend but stop in during July, a Dad and kid stop out looking for a spot ............. huh?

And ya I know "sconis" bashing on here is a popular past time............but I have had some "sconis" stop in and ask permission and they are far more respectful and polite than many NDans. Same with some fellas from Missouri that come year after year as well.

30 years ago DU wasn;t trying to change our state laws thru ballot measures.

Times have changed, so have the people on both sides of this issue. yes
 
Last edited:


Recent Posts

Friends of NDA

Top Posters of the Month

  • This month: 160
  • This month: 136
  • This month: 120
  • This month: 110
  • This month: 105
  • This month: 87
  • This month: 84
  • This month: 79
  • This month: 76
  • This month: 76
Top Bottom