Changing attitude about pay to hunt ?

mgorvi said:
The TV show pay for play hunt relates better to the pheasant lodge where the birds are raised at a hatchery in Janesville, WI, 40 miles from my home, and are deposited in a dumpster after they are shot. I prefer to believe that when I give a local farmer $100 to hunt his shelter belt, he takes that $100 to town and stops at the local cafe. He pays for his breakfast, catches up with his buddies that he grew up with, and leaves the waitress a good tip. She really needs it cuz she's single, has two young kids at home, and they want a Christmas present or two. Then he heads to the hardware store to pick up some nuts and bolts of various sizes. The high school kid has a job because the farmer needed some supplies. Then the farmer heads to the local John Deere Implement Dealer because he needs a bearing for the the feeder house on his combine. The parts guy gets to have a job, and the tech in the shop installs the bearing, making himself and his company some money. Then the farmer stops at the grocery and works down his list for gramma. The mark up on grocery is only 4%, so every cent that the farmer spends at the grocery makes a difference. Before he heads home, he stops and has one beer at the local bar. His bar tab and tip keep the place going, which is important, especially when there aren't many places to meet up in a small town, and the winter is six months long. If you look at the big picture, the $100 that you spend to shoot a few multi-colored chickens, has a much larger impact than just making you feel like you had a good, safe, successful hunt.
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Well said. I have enjoyed reading these thoughts. As a guy in the business it is interesting to know what people think. I do think that there is a shift in some peoples thinking. What I always come back to when I hear people say that they won't pay is, you pay the state of South Dakota, several gas stations, sporting goods stores, restaurants, maybe a bar. If you have a dog you pay a lot of people for dog expenses. That is all expected I guess. But pay a guy who creates habitat for many species of birds and wildlife and could probably reduce your gas and lodging bill and in my case you can do your own cooking so you can cut your eating expense, that seems to bother some people. Just my thought, thanks for the insights and Merry Christmas to all of you.
 
small munsterlander owner said:
700$ on gas holly s*** do you drive a bus tom??? J/k. For about 18 hours of driving 9 hr each way that seem crazy expensive???

I drove my van from MN to black hills WY;) then from black hills to NE/KS border alma NE area & then all the way from NE/KS border back to MN under 450$ entire trip...
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Food, gas, license, couple boxes of shells, hotel. 700 easy. Listen I could not care less what you do. But you are the one complaining on here about not shooting any birds. The little bit I and others pay for a farmer to put in some habitat does nothing but make you public/ditch hunters experience better. Otherwise he farms every inch because he doesn't even hunt and doesn't owe me anything. A simple thanks will work :)
 
carptom1 said:
Food, gas, license, couple boxes of shells, hotel. 700 easy. Listen I could not care less what you do. But you are the one complaining on here about not shooting any birds. The little bit I and others pay for a farmer to put in some habitat does nothing but make you public/ditch hunters experience better. Otherwise he farms every inch because he doesn't even hunt and doesn't owe me anything. A simple thanks will work :)
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Listen I pretty much said what u did u paying keeps u outta my hair on public... Did not try to come off as complaining was telling facts of my hunt was just messing with ya about the gas $$$ buy a box of shell each month b4 the season make a sandwich for the road & pay the farmer what you please I also could care less what you do... If u gave haymaker the $$$ you can stay & cook for yourself... Save $$$

Again I apologize if I came off as complaining I was just chat n on here about $ per gun per day & have a tuff hunt... Going back soon for more punishment I will only post my hunt results if I limit out daily on public
 
I think it all comes down to choices. Each of us wants the ability and opportunity to chase birds as we chose that fits our individual preferences and of course everyone is due that right.
I love my late season Kansas public hunts just as much as an action filled SD outing. As a friend quoted me in a recent article " I may not see a bird all day but the opportunity to get out for a long walk in Kansas with my two best four legged friends is always special.

Bottom line is my right to pursue birds as my time and resources allow regardless if it's public, private, the motel six or an Orvis lodge.
I feel that claiming commercial hunting operations or paying a landowner for access is detrimental to public hunting and future opportunities lacks insight.
 
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small munsterlander owner said:
You ever been to the real South? MO mid west sorry to say... U still have public land & some quail left to hunt in MO go to the south. GA TX SC FL & a few other states that once had quail to hunt now gone & gotta pay hunt plantations etc.
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Yeah I know where the south is and I know Im in the midwest. Those plantations down south are operations that probably release birds as well. In the south you dont just knock on a random farmers door and he says yeah $100 to go hunt my wild quail. That doesnt happen. The pay to play places for quail down there are business operations. But in South Dakota you can knock on a random farmers door and he says "yep, $100 to go hunt my wild pheasants. That happens. This was my point.
 
McFarmer said:
Funny story, my home farm is bordered on two sides by public hunting. Our CRP gets lots of birds into it when the public gets hunted hard.

An out of state truck with four guys and two dogs stopped one day when I was getting the mail and asked to hunt, said they would pay. Seems they chased all the birds into our CRP while hunting the public.

I had some obligations and thought for a few seconds, then said I needed to go to the house and would be right back.

Came out with my gun and asked if they would mind if I went along, they couldn't get out of the truck fast enough.

They got two and we had a good time watching their dogs.
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I always ask the landowner to go with us. Several times the man of the house didnt go but their sons did. Surprising to me that someone would send their kid out in the field with a stranger and shotguns. But I guess I dont look like an axe murderer. Its taking a chance too. The kid may not know what they are doing. I usually go through some basics and make sure I use a good approach. Remember if the kids like you, you are guaranteed to get to hunt there again.
 
Pay to hunt

I see both sides of this thread.For me driving from California app.1600 miles each way with my dog ,I don't have much time to knock on doors and find a good place to hunt or take a chance on public land that has been spanked every day.So I want to pay to hunt if farm has birds on it.
I don't want a guided deal,just a place to hunt with my dog and maybe 1 or 2 hunters.
On other hand if I lived closer I would go out before season and scout around and talk to farmers.I would enjoy doing that and then I would not pay to hunt
I am sure I could find a number of places to get my limit.Having a plan would make all the differance to me.
It is not like the old days when you could hunt anywhere you wanted.
 
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PheasantWhisperer said:
Yeah I know where the south is and I know Im in the midwest. Those plantations down south are operations that probably release birds as well. In the south you dont just knock on a random farmers door and he says yeah $100 to go hunt my wild quail. That doesnt happen. The pay to play places for quail down there are business operations. But in South Dakota you can knock on a random farmers door and he says "yep, $100 to go hunt my wild pheasants. That happens. This was my point.
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There is no farmers down south with wild quail left my friend you are correct its not like SD pheasants it the only places with huntable populations of quail are a few huge WMA or plantations there is no drive down the road knock n on doors till u find a farm with quail not even the same type comparison... Its not like MO quail hunting in FL...
 
small munsterlander owner said:
Exactly how it goes lol or till I get to fat to wanna work for my birds lol
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Who doesn't work for their birds? just because we don't wan't to sleep in an old van eating spam for dinner and plodding through public we are somehow less of a hunter than you? Perhaps if you worked a little harder you could afford a little better. You have no idea how myself or anyone else on here hunts.
 
carptom1 said:
Who doesn't work for their birds? just because we don't wan't to sleep in an old van eating spam for dinner and plodding through public we are somehow less of a hunter than you? Perhaps if you worked a little harder you could afford a little better. You have no idea how myself or anyone else on here hunts.
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Why are u so touchy ? I read most if not all ur past hunt reports & your get a part time job to pay for private land comments... & cold Bologna sandwich's...

I think u mentioned putting guys in spots & pushing birds to them. In the hundreds b4??? Also just read the I'm to fat to hunt the cattails thing ??? I can only imagine how u hunt by your reports u post...


I'm not super hunter far from it as my poor SD hunt shows... Just to cheap & or dumb to pay to walk private lands...

P.s. the guys who drive there trucks to ends of private land fields & step out to post & pass shoot birds & never walk the fields I don't feel they work for there birds... Just me again... Later carptom...
 
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carptom1 said:
Who doesn't work for their birds? just because we don't wan't to sleep in an old van eating spam for dinner and plodding through public we are somehow less of a hunter than you? Perhaps if you worked a little harder you could afford a little better. You have no idea how myself or anyone else on here hunts.
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I should have realized this was a pissin match already. Were on page 6, my fault.
 
small munsterlander owner said:
Why are u so touchy ? I read most if not all ur past hunt reports & your get a part time job to pay for private land comments... & cold Bologna sandwich's...

I think u mentioned putting guys in spots & pushing birds to them. In the hundreds b4??? Also just read the I'm to fat to hunt the cattails thing ??? I can only imagine how u hunt by your reports u post...


I'm not super hunter far from it as my poor SD hunt shows... Just to cheap & or dumb to pay to walk private lands...

P.s. the guys who drive there trucks to ends of private land fields & step out to post & pass shoot birds & never walk the fields I don't feel they work for there birds... Just me again... Later carptom...
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Why am I so touchy? You are the one that constantly holds yourself up as superior for your public hand hunts. Why can't you just do it your way and leave the rest of us alone? Sounds like sour grapes to me. Btw I can't pass shoot worth a shit, and I have an excellent dog so I never block. I also own and drive a 97 GMC pickup.
 
carptom1 said:
Why am I so touchy? You are the one that constantly holds yourself up as superior for your public hand hunts. Why can't you just do it your way and leave the rest of us alone? Sounds like sour grapes to me. Btw I can't pass shoot worth a shit, and I have an excellent dog so I never block. I also own and drive a 97 GMC pickup.
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I'm not write & your not wrong man... Used to pm you & kid with ya did the same here & went south I no place here on this thread said my way is the way complained or said paying is wrong just not my thing... Why can't you leave me alone here?

Sorry if I some how came off as a dick won't respond to carptom mods so don't worry... This was a thread on view points on pay to play haymaker just thanks some guys for there viewpoints
Happy hunting guys...

P.S. I don't like spam...
 
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What's happening in Montana, is rich, out of state people, are buying up farms, and shutting down access.most hunters, can't afford to pay to hunt. You can get birds on public land, but they are wary, and very educated.If I he only way to see birds, is to pay, then yes, I would pay, I guess.i still knock on doors, and I hunt by myself, and I do get on some good places , but that's because I am by myself. These farmers would not let more than one guy on.I understand pay hunting for some people, but I'm still against it. I don't like seeing these big pay operations.
 
From Montana Fish & Wildlife
Public Land Hunting Opportunities in Montana.
"Montana boasts over 30 million acres of state and federal lands, nearly one third of the state".

Goosemaster,
I have yet to hunt Montana so I am going strictly off stats and those that I have talked with who have experience there. I'm planning to hunt there next season.

Granted a good amount of the 30 million public acres may be garbage for upland but I can't imagine the acres owned privately that are set up for upland commercial hunting are not a tiny fraction compared to the public acreage available. I'm having a tough time seeing where the commercial side of Montana bird hunting is taking such a toll on the ability of average joes like you and me to find good opportunities.

Respectfully.
 
I started hunting SD 12 years ago the public land was good and fairly plentiful with decent habitat.We were always into birds and the dogs were in heaven.However,as the years went on the public land steadly went down in amount and quality .Sometimes the walk in areas were no more than pasture or grazed over land.Me and my hunting buddy were never pay to hunt type guys,being on fixed retirement incomes just getting there from Michigan with gas,food,lodging,license and 2 dogs took up most of the traveling cash.Well we finally gave in one season because the public land was so bad and we wanted to get our dogs on some birds, paid $125 per gun per day for 3 days.The hunting was decent,no limit days but we saw more birds than we had seen in 3 years of public land hunting.So on our ride home we decided it just wasn't worth it and we would just hunt preserve birds in Michigan when we need that pheasant fix.Well its been 4 years now and it still fun,the dogs get lots of work,we still get our laughs and a cold one after the hunt.To each his own but south Dakota needs to improve their public land hunting-we want to come back,love it there.Thanks
 
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