There’s something for everybody…and that shouldn’t worry anybody. I have hunted MT quite a few times, I have some sense for the BMA’s…I hunt the Dakota’s a lot, especially SD…I’m not worried in the least about my ability to have decent, even good hunting. I will be shut down due to health issues before some transformation resulting from pay hunting crowds out my private land spots or ruins my public land spots. I don’t see many hunters, especially midweek, and after 11/15 or thereabouts. I’m proud to be a pay hunter, I’m giving a farmer incentive to create and maintain habitat. Not a high-end deal, we pay $140/day for decent lodging with great kitchen, big screen tv, living room, heated dog room, bathroom with shower, beds for 12, garage for birds, gas grill. And good private land…enough for 3 days of hunting, maybe more, but we hunt other private land (mine included), as well as public now and again midweek. My host farmer does guided pay to hunt deals for about 3-4 out of state groups early in the season at higher rates…we don’t require any of his time or attention, our arrangement works for all involved. I figure I’m paying about $260 per trip for lodging and $300 for land access…I’m good with that, as are my hunting buddies. In 20+ years I’ve never had a conversation with my farmer buddy about price, we have been upping the amount gradually over time…I have a sense what my guys can live with, and I have a sense the farmer is good with our rates. He could probably market his operation harder looking for mid-to-late season hunters, but they’d need some guiding, and there’s the uncertainty of their character. We’re pretty easy, I come out there many times in the spring and summer, and smoke pork shoulder each time for him, as well as come bearing smoked salmon most of the time. We’re close friends, it’s a terrific situation from my point of view. He just gave us 6 cases of honey, he lets a bee company use his land for their operation and he takes honey for payment. His hunting house is kind of my 2nd home, absolutely love being there. Seems to work for all…
