Improving the PLOTS program

[gst]

Fritz,

Never heard of this open fields thing. What ever happened with it? I'd like to hear more. Not a lot of details on how it would operate/how it would be funded in the article.

Whats your take on it? Sounds intriguing to me, but like I said, devils in the details.

http://bismarcktribune.com/news/loc...cle_2aaebcd6-c558-5374-961d-2e9a0a2265f6.html

open fields has been around a while. And you are spot on in that the devil is in the details. On the surface it sounds good right? Everyone wins. The problem was the same wildlife groups that were working to restrict CRP grazing and haying contracts were some of the ones promoting this open fields programs. And soon they were trying to tie a lack of having control of who was on private lands to CRP contracts as well as this was not a volantary programs but a govt mandated one. This has since changed and is a program that has some merit in Montana. It would have been nice if they would have left the CRP haying or grazing on a 1/3 per year rotation but even at 1/5 it could be workable for larger tracts.

http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/hunterAccess/openFields/

https://www.facebook.com/notes/nebr...-open-fields-and-waters-program/479990522297/

Like I said earlier, if one can rein in the wildlfe groups wanting to take control or dectate what these programs do there is support in ag for them.

 

[Account Deleted]

Access is great but it is only a part of the equation. PLOTS is not conservation and conservation is what we need more of quite frankly. Money could be better spent with habitat restoration and creating corridors to connect isolated pieces of habitat.

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When 800,000 acres of PLOTS land came out a few years ago wasn't it because landowners just weren't signing up for it? Not because there was a lack of funds? Pretty sure that was it.

 

[3Roosters]

Access is great but it is only a part of the equation. PLOTS is not conservation and conservation is what we need more of quite frankly. Money could be better spent with habitat restoration and creating corridors to connect isolated pieces of habitat.

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When 800,000 acres of PLOTS land came out a few years ago wasn't it because landowners just weren't signing up for it? Not because there was a lack of funds? Pretty sure that was it.

I am no expert but I believe the reason for this is that putting the land back into production was going to be more lucrative for the landowners, even factoring in the cost of removing shelter belts, etc. If some one with more insight in to this wants to chime in, have at it.

 

[PAIN]

I am no expert but I believe the reason for this is that putting the land back into production was going to be more lucrative for the landowners, even factoring in the cost of removing shelter belts, etc. If some one with more insight in to this wants to chime in, have at it.

Correct, PLOTS prices cannot compete against commodity prices. The other factor is that most of those lands did qualify for PLOTS since the little habitat on the land was taken out (tree rows plowed, CRP tilled, slew bottoms burned).

 

[Account Deleted]

Exactly. So it does no good to raise more money for the program.

 

[PrairieGhost]

Years ago Wyoming had a program where a successful hunter would tear a coupon off his tag and leave in the landowners mail box. The landowner would then send that to the game and Fish and they paid the landowner. That was many years ago.
Would it work to have a $20 tag along with a carcass tag to leave in a landowners mail box? That way landowners who actually had habitat, actually had deer, and actually were stewards of the land would get some small reward. I would never pay to hunt, but I have nothing against finding a way to express appreciation.

 

[ItemB]

haha neg rep. must've upset one these idiots. yes looking at people through a rifle scope is about as stupid as it gets. neg rep away

Somebody is butthurt in the thread I got a negative rep too and didn't say anything controversial either I don't think.

 

[gst]

Years ago Wyoming had a program where a successful hunter would tear a coupon off his tag and leave in the landowners mail box. The landowner would then send that to the game and Fish and they paid the landowner. That was many years ago.
Would it work to have a $20 tag along with a carcass tag to leave in a landowners mail box? That way landowners who actually had habitat, actually had deer, and actually were stewards of the land would get some small reward. I would never pay to hunt, but I have nothing against finding a way to express appreciation.

Well..........

we actually have habitat, we have tons of deer so plains does that make us stewards of the lands?

 

[Fritz the Cat]

ndlongshot said,

Fritz,

Never heard of this open fields thing. What ever happened with it? I'd like to hear more. Not a lot of details on how it would operate/how it would be funded in the article.

Whats your take on it? Sounds intriguing to me, but like I said, devils in the details.

Former Senator Kent Conrad pushed for that $50 Million Keynesian spender into the 2008 Farm Bill. The US Department of Ag finally got around to the rules on how to dispense the money about 2010. The ND Game and Fish could apply for money from the 2008 Farm Bill to put toward the PLOTS program. I don't know how much the ND Game and Fish applied for and/or invested in PLOTS.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Biennium budget is $77,231,739 or $38,615,869 per year. Over 38 million per year. If the ND Game and Fish is TOTALLY funded by sportsman license fees, how many hunters and anglers does that equal? Simple math.

When the plots program first started, the going rate was about $2 bucks an acre. Just about enough to pay the taxes. Most landowners said it wasn't worth it. OK, make it $5 bucks. One million acres of North Dakota PLOTS times 5 bucks is $5 million. How many hunters divided by how many dollars per hunter?

I mean, how do you want it, a program (your recreation) that stands on its own or a program (your recreation) that is subsidized by everyone else?

Former Senator Kent Conrad liked to brag about his bringing home the bacon. The big spender lost his sizzle.

 

[Fritz the Cat]

Whatever happened to the Landowner-Sportsman Council?

[h=1]Additional Resources for Landowners[/h]


[h=3]Federal Conservation Agencies and Programs[/h] The Game and Fish Department's Private Land Open To Sportsmen program can also work in conjunction with many federal programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program.
Conservation Reserve Program
The Conservation Reserve Program is a federal conservation program. Find out more at the USDA Farm Services Agency website.
Game and Fish offers cost-share assistance and additional incentives if producers enroll their CRP into the Department’s Private Land Open To Sportsmen program to allow walk-in access for hunting.
New to the PLOTS program in 2013, Game and Fish will make arrangements with contractors to assist producers with land preparation, grass seeding and CRP management. This service is offered for producers who enroll CRP in PLOTS in Dickey, Ransom, Sargent, LaMoure, Burleigh, Emmons, McLean, Sheridan, Stark, Hettinger and Adams counties.
Producers should contact the county Farm Service Agency office, or the biologists listed at the bottom of this page, for more information about the opportunities with PLOTS. Information about PLOTS cost-share and grass seeding assistance can be viewed in the videos below.
Additional CRP Information

• The Grass Book 2013: Contacts and Information for Seeding and Managing your CRP and other Program Grasslands

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[h=3]Other Federal Programs[/h]

• USDA Farm Services Agency - Information about Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, Conservation Reserve Program and others.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - Information about Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Grassland Reserve Program, Wetland Reserve Program and others.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service North Dakota Partners for Wildlife - Technical and financial assistance available for wetland restoration, grass seed, fencing for rotational grazing, developing stock dams and other activities that enhance wildlife habitat on private lands.

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[h=3]Contacts[/h] North Dakota Game and Fish Department Private Land Biologists

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[h=3]North Dakota Landowner-Sportsman Council Private Lands Hunting Signs[/h] The North Dakota Landowner-Sportsman Council is an organization comprised of landowners and sportsmen's groups, state and federal agencies, businesses and individuals who are concerned about landowner-sportsman relations. The objective of the council is to promote good relations between landowners and sportsmen, respect for the rights of all landowners and the use of good outdoor manners. The council provides the “Ask Before You Enter” and “Walking Hunters Welcome” signs free of charge to landowners.

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Return to Landowner Programs

 

[PrairieGhost]

I mean, how do you want it, a program (your recreation) that stands on its own or a program (your recreation) that is subsidized by everyone else?
Oh my gosh that would make it just like agriculture. :;:duel

 

[gst]

Well one the nations sees as a national security priority, one is wildlife management and recreation.

And the difference is I wish to see ALL subsidies ended I have advocated that on here numerous times.........you want to see ag subsidies ended yet have your recreation subsidized.........one position is hypocritical ..............

Say plains you avoided answering a simple question in post #88 Why?

 

[Fritz the Cat]

PG said,

Oh my gosh that would make it just like agriculture. :;:duel

Well....you are right, we are almost there fiscally.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that 80 percent of outlays under the 2014 Farm Act will fund nutrition programs, 8 percent will fund crop insurance programs, 6 percent will fund conservation programs, 5 percent will fund commodity programs, and the remaining 1 percent will fund all other programs, including trade, credit, rural development, research and extension, forestry, energy, horticulture, and miscellaneous programs.

 

[gst]

crickets......................

 

[Traxion]

For those of you that have hunted Montana BMA's, how did that process go? I will tell you that when I tried, it sucked. This was a few years ago, but everything that was there was tied up with hunters that had gotten the limited permission. But, they never hunted. They were empty each day, but the daily quota of hunters was taken up. It was extremely frustrating to say the least.

Beyond the habitat issue, two things need to be managed to have a REALLY GOOD public hunting area- land owners must be able to know/somewhat control who & how many are on their land AND the number of hunters allowed on an area each day/week must be managed. No every landowner is open to letting every Tom, Dick, and Harry hunt their ground. Look at the example Norske pointed out, too many stupid people. And second, even with premium habitat, if it gets pounded each and every day, you won't have critters. I have seen it endlessly in SD. Great habitat that is empty after opening weekend. It just gets overhunted.

 

[Flatrock]

For those of you that have hunted Montana BMA's, how did that process go? I will tell you that when I tried, it sucked. This was a few years ago, but everything that was there was tied up with hunters that had gotten the limited permission. But, they never hunted. They were empty each day, but the daily quota of hunters was taken up. It was extremely frustrating to say the least.

I've experienced pretty much the same thing. The way that hunters sign up for BMA's is an absolute joke.