South dakota on the decline

[UGUIDE]

There are ways around that as well.

In Kansas when I was a much younger bird hunter the State leased out State land to be farmed. There were conservation provisions in the lease. For example, I recall a lot of milo fields where the contract required that a certain percentage of the crop be left in place as strips for wildlife to use through post-harvest to the spring. Some of these areas were pretty good hunting for upland and deer.

Maybe they still do it that way. Haven't hunted KS in over a decade.

So it seems to me that State land could be used in a manner much like the way you "farm for pheasants" on your land. It's a win/win from reading some of your articles on how to do that.

Why could the State not require the practices and techniques you use when they offer the contract? I see nothing insurmountable here, just a lack of will. Can't hurt to try, can it?

It's like anything else GOV. Cost, Labor and Know-How can be limiting factor and typically is. Not enough cashflow. That's why the private commercial sector is always a force to be reckoned with.

When healthcare.gov bombed they had to turn to the private sector to get it working.

 

[McFarmer]

Iowa does that. When you bid to farm DNR ground you have to leave I think 25% standing until March. You can then go back and get anything still there.

In addition there are prohibitions on certain practices, GMOs, insecticides, ect.

 

[Chestle]

It's like anything else GOV. Cost, Labor and Know-How can be limiting factor and typically is. Not enough cashflow. That's why the private commercial sector is always a force to be reckoned with.

When healthcare.gov bombed they had to turn to the private sector to get it working.

Isn't that exactly what we're talking about here? Turning to the private sector to get it working?

Take underutilized State ground, offer it to people that agree to utilize it in the way you utilize your land? I assume both you and the owner's of the land used by some of your camps are making a profit?

Why can the State not essentially duplicate your methods? The State has the land at no cost to the State. The farmer that contracts to farm the land using your methods should be able to show a profit given the correct structuring of the contract. It's basically just a cash rent contract with conservation stipulation. Thousands of farmers/ranchers cash rent ground.

The State gains in land utilization by outdoorsmen and through licensing/hotels/cafes...the old highly touted "economic benefit" of hunting. The State would also gain from a nominal cash rent on the acreage, amount to be worked out by the fair market/capitalism method.

The State does not have to be involved with respect to Cost/Labor/Know-How. They just have to be the absentee landlord.

 

[UGUIDE]

Isn't that exactly what we're talking about here? Turning to the private sector to get it working?

Take underutilized State ground, offer it to people that agree to utilize it in the way you utilize your land? I assume both you and the owner's of the land used by some of your camps are making a profit?

Why can the State not essentially duplicate your methods? The State has the land at no cost to the State. The farmer that contracts to farm the land using your methods should be able to show a profit given the correct structuring of the contract. It's basically just a cash rent contract with conservation stipulation. Thousands of farmers/ranchers cash rent ground.

The State gains in land utilization by outdoorsmen and through licensing/hotels/cafes...the old highly touted "economic benefit" of hunting. The State would also gain from a nominal cash rent on the acreage, amount to be worked out by the fair market/capitalism method.

The State does not have to be involved with respect to Cost/Labor/Know-How. They just have to be the absentee landlord.

It's exactly what we are talking about here. Just because one has cashflow does not mean one has profit. State is .org and .gov. PF is .org. Laws prevent them from operating like .com's. Farmers think like .com's. .com's can profit and .org's cannot.

 

[Chestle]

As has been mentioned, KS and IA do something in this vein with State lands. They contract out to farmers to farm public wildlife areas.

It is already being done albeit in possibly the most effective manner.

I would ass-ume that the people farming these lands for the State are not doing it out of the goodness of their hearts but rather for profit. I would guess they would not keep doing it unless they made a profit.

So perhaps what really needs to be done is to re-evaluate and possibly adjust the methods used in farming these areas. For example, you feel your methods benefit the wild game and (in your case) the landowner. Why can't your methods be used on public wildlife areas to benefit wild game, the tenant (lessee) farmer and the State?

Once that gets going and is shown to work, then adding more public owned land makes sense. As you pointed out above, it doesn't make much sense if the State just allows the land to atrophy to a point where it does not benefit wildlife.

 

[UGUIDE]

It's being used as a tool in SD too. Saw a fed area near me planted to soybeans. As you know many don't understand this and react unfavorably to it. They think the feds are making money off their tax dollar.

Both private and public lands management can utilize best practices but again..... .gov cannot work/think like .com.

 

[3car]

It's being used as a tool in SD too. Saw a fed area near me planted to soybeans. As you know many don't understand this and react unfavorably to it. This the feds are making money off their tax dollar.

Both private and public lands management can utilize best practices but again..... .gov cannot work/think like .com.

I haven't had time to read this entire thread but I doubt the only reason the feds are farming an area is to make money. The reason some of those federal areas are being farmed is to convert those areas to better habitat down the road. The dollars that come in from haying, grazing and farming are very restricted on what they can even be used for. Those dollars are generally restricted to fence, water development and seed costs. Chris, were you told this by the FWS managers or is this what you heard? Was it even FWS land or some thing else?

 

[UGUIDE]

I haven't had time to read this entire thread but I doubt the only reason the feds are farming an area is to make money. The reason some of those federal areas are being farmed is to convert those areas to better habitat down the road. The dollars that come in from haying, grazing and farming are very restricted on what they can even be used for. Those dollars are generally restricted to fence, water development and seed costs. Chris, were you told this by the FWS managers or is this what you heard? Was it even FWS land or some thing else?

I SAID....I SAW soybeans planted on FEDERAL land. Some that drive by might think the feds were making money from crops when their precious hunting land used to be grass not understanding what the feds are trying to accomplish. I get it.

 

[3car]

I SAID....I SAW soybeans planted on FEDERAL land. Some that drive by might think the feds were making money from crops when their precious hunting land used to be grass not understanding what the feds are trying to accomplish. I get it.

Sry. I misread ur post. In too much of a dam hurry I guess.

 

[UGUIDE]

Sry. I misread ur post. In too much of a dam hurry I guess.

LOL. You know we have talked plenty about this. I applaud the state and feds for using some innovative steps. As we all see the obvious response from folks like those on this forum is an incorrect observation on what is going on. Will take some time and education.

Tired lands need to be rennovated so all should be happy to see lands being grazed hayed and cropped. Good hunting shortly thereafter. It's part of the optimization effort happening in this state nobody is reporting on.

 

[3car]

LOL. You know we have talked plenty about this. I applaud the state and feds for using some innovative steps. As we all see the obvious response from folks like those on this forum is an incorrect observation on what is going on. Will take some time and education.

Tired lands need to be rennovated so all should be happy to see lands being grazed hayed and cropped. Good hunting shortly thereafter. It's part of the optimization effort happening in this state nobody is reporting on.

LOL, Yea and thanks for trying to correct the record. The public loves beating up on the gov without asking the right people questions. Not always saying they will like or agree with the responses but I bet they will understand a little more.