I think you're right.50 years from now, there will be no more knocking on doors asking permission to hunt.All farms will charge to hunt.I guess if I was a farmer, I would have to consider it. It would not be an easy decision because some folks simply can't afford trespassing fees.
I guess you're right.Progress can't be stopped, even when hunting is concerned. Another trend that concerns me, is the releasing of all these pen raised pheasants. I don't think this is a good thing at all.
They won’t have habitat, there won’t be pay to hunt options on family farms. There will be preserves. Hope it’s a slow transformation, but it’s happening. A farmer can leave corn strips up and plant birds…charge $200-300/day to pheasant shooters. See this now. No habitat required. Some exceptions to what I’m predicting, but look around during dry years, cattails disappear like they’re the plague. Rare is the farmer who balances habitat into the operation…if you know one, give him reason$ to preserve and promote habitat. A 12 pack of beer and smoked fish is great, but doesn’t pay for much of the family’s annual health insurance bill, deductibles, co-payments, drugs, etc!
Although, the wild birds come from pen raised stock. I agree. No amount of pen raised birds can help populations. Only dilute what nature has perfected. I'm just waiting for some disease to jump from tame birds, chickens or turkeys to come along. We have These gigantic turkey and chicken farms here. The government has strict restrictions on how they store waste. They shove all the dead ones and all the manure in containment areas. But then they sell it to the farmers. they spread it thick on the fields in the fall and don't even have to disc it in!! Scares the shit out of me!
Absolutely correct.
And an incredible amount of natural habitat. How quickly we forget history. The dust bowl years, topsoil wind eroded from Nebraska depositing in Texas. Makes me wonder if we don't deserve it again.
Good point.That could happen I guess.
Yeah well, some of the gentrified types are already out west.You are right, that could happen.
Pheasant shooters, not hunters.Regardless of the source, decisions about land use comes down to $….whether it’s from the government or the free market, the farmer will be trying to maximize his income and at the same time minimize his expenses, consistent with his risk tolerance. Having family members that hunt is probably the most compelling reason a farmer leaves habitat vs burning, draining, chopping down, plowing, etc. The farmers I know who have pay hunters are the sons of farmers who hosted out of state hunters 50 years ago, and today it’s the sons who are playing host, and also, traveling to hunt. And in many cases there’s not enough land to hunt wild birds, so they release birds in corn strips or food plots…and they charge the hunters in order to defray their costs and maybe make it worth their while. I know one guy who is more geared toward pay hunting for the first month of the season, he has some good habitat of his own, and also, that he leases. Most of his $ is made from pheasant shooters, not hunters. They don’t have dogs, don’t realize that it’s unnatural for 90% of the birds to be roosters, etc. but they’re having fun, they keep returning!
I guess those are the guys who only hunt one week out of the year. I guess it's just the way the ball rolls in 2021.Regardless of the source, decisions about land use comes down to $….whether it’s from the government or the free market, the farmer will be trying to maximize his income and at the same time minimize his expenses, consistent with his risk tolerance. Having family members that hunt is probably the most compelling reason a farmer leaves habitat vs burning, draining, chopping down, plowing, etc. The farmers I know who have pay hunters are the sons of farmers who hosted out of state hunters 50 years ago, and today it’s the sons who are playing host, and also, traveling to hunt. And in many cases there’s not enough land to hunt wild birds, so they release birds in corn strips or food plots…and they charge the hunters in order to defray their costs and maybe make it worth their while. I know one guy who is more geared toward pay hunting for the first month of the season, he has some good habitat of his own, and also, that he leases. Most of his $ is made from pheasant shooters, not hunters. They don’t have dogs, don’t realize that it’s unnatural for 90% of the birds to be roosters, etc. but they’re having fun, they keep returning!
when it comes to few, if any birds left, i can go for a dog walk close to home and save a helluva lot of money, and sleep in my own bed at night!
I am one of those fortunate ones too. I prefer to spread out my hunts 1-2 times/week for a couple months rather than bundle it all into a week of non-stop hunting for the entire season. I fish the same way too. I would rather fish 1-2 times a week spread out for 6 months than take 2 week long trips to Canada or other far away destination. Its just personal preference sometimes. At least I have the ability to pick and choose my days of hunting when better conditions are presented too. When you have a week long trip planned, you are kind of at the mercy of the weather/conditions.
