The future of bird hunting

I killed plenty of birds pre CRP (both Dakotas, but mainly the one to the North). I suppose saw less ... from the roads and in places off limits to hunters anyways.

Do well on forest grouse and pheasants now days. Probably 85% public or public leased (walk-in areas). Like Zeb we had many more private land places 10 - 30 years ago. I always say I am going to knock on doors when pheasant hunting, but three quarters of time that I am by myself in MN ... I am done in two or three walks and spend more time drive (there and back) than I did in the field.

I have more access north of the cities, but find those spots either spartan in cover or swamp crazy. Prefer the western prairie ...
 
Nugent said:
It hurts like hell to say this, but within 50 years, all hunting on private land, will be pay hunting. It will be at least 100 dollars per gun. These fancy commercial outfits will buy up prime, private ranches, and build huge lodges.It's already happening in Montana. Gentleman, it's a sad state of affairs.
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don't know that it matters...plenty of public land...hunter #'s are dropping...just got back from 9 days in SD...been in MT, ND, and SD this fall and have hunted over 40 days...much of it on public land...50 years? Not concerned...reduce group size to 2, hunt small chunks...more efficient and effective...lots of land to hunt...hunt monday-friday...
 
Nugent said:
It hurts like hell to say this, but within 50 years, all hunting on private land, will be pay hunting. It will be at least 100 dollars per gun. These fancy commercial outfits will buy up prime, private ranches, and build huge lodges.It's already happening in Montana. Gentleman, it's a sad state of affairs.
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If I could hunt private ground in several decades for $100 that would be a bargain! Farmers have to produce something...they can’t idle their land and not get paid...paying to hunt is only logical...the average farmer can’t do it, too involved...they’re farming when we’re hunting...anyway, not an issue in my mind, too busy hunting to worry about such hysteria!
 
benelli-banger said:
don't know that it matters...plenty of public land...hunter #'s are dropping...just got back from 9 days in SD...been in MT, ND, and SD this fall and have hunted over 40 days...much of it on public land...50 years? Not concerned...reduce group size to 2, hunt small chunks...more efficient and effective...lots of land to hunt...hunt monday-friday...
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Yes that is the short term outlook, which I should have. No kids, on medicare, social security, misc. artificial body parts, etc. If I have 10 years of hunting left I will be lucky. I hunt public, state leased land for wild birds. I can afford to pay to hunt either private land or preserves, but just don't need to pull the trigger that much. If it comes down to that being the only option I will do it. What is sad is what may be lost. Twenty some years ago at a mom and pop dive motel in SD I saw 2 teenage girls combing burrs out of their dogs and talking about boys and the day's hunt while their dads cleaned the birds. Their opportunity and for future kids like them may be lost unless they come from money. Don't have anything against outfitters and lodges, they have a hard row to hoe as far as making money and don't have anything against a landowner making the most he can off of his land, that is America. Just wish it was easier for the 9 to fiver from the city to cheaply take his kids hunting on the weekend. Maybe one of those kids will be our next president and follow in Teddy Roosevelts path. Maybe I'm just thinking too much because I can't go pheasant hunting this year because of this dam virus.
 
trust me, if a guy has some kids that want to hunt, go knock on some doors...the farmers that I know feel the same way...kids are addicted to computers and the like, and farmers are bugged by it as well...not guaranteeing 100% success, but I believe they'd get on land...opening day? thanksgiving weekend? maybe not...but other times? yes...
 
I read somewhere that hunting licenses, permits, tags, etc are up over 3 million this year. I wonder what 2021 will bring as the virus crap hopefully fades away to a large degree.
 
UplandHntr said:
I read somewhere that hunting licenses, permits, tags, etc are up over 3 million this year. I wonder what 2021 will bring as the virus crap hopefully fades away to a large degree.
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I can't say if they are up in other states, but here in MN, virtually every outdoor activity had more participants this year. That includes angling, boating, ice fishing, camping, hunting, etc. Its the covid crowd that wasn't able to do what they normally do. I think that some of them may continue on with these activities but most of them will go back to their normal lives when this pandemic fades. And personally, I'm fine with that because many of them abuse the outdoors, leave trash behind, chop down trees, and do not respect the land.

The bigger issue to me in terms of pheasant and upland bird hunting is not paying to hunt, but the lack of habitat. Modern agriculture has attempted to squeeze every single square foot of marginal land into crops. Some states are worse than others but if this trend continues there will not be any grassland left for a wild reproducing population of birds. Like my old supervisor always said "when the price goes up, you plant more. When the price goes down...you plant more."
 
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gimruis said:
The bigger issue to me in terms of pheasant and upland bird hunting is not paying to hunt, but the lack of habitat. Modern agriculture has attempted to squeeze every single square foot of marginal land into crops. Some states are worse than others but if this trend continues there will not be any grassland left for a wild reproducing population of birds. Like my old supervisor always said "when the price goes up, you plant more. When the price goes down...you plant more."
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I agree with this. I wish they would come up with a program where farmers would be paid to leave 10-20 yards unplanted next to fence rows, wetlands/creeks, property borders, etc. Alot of that is marginal land for planting but would be a great buffer for wildlife. MN came up with a plan for a buffer zone between any waterways but if they could expand that, it would be great.
 
I won't wholly disagree with your sentiments, but I'd like to offer a different perspective. Granted, I'm local, but as has been noted, there aren't as many hunters. The kids I went to high school with are now taking over the farm and they don't hunt. Folks who used to have hunters don't anymore because "there are no birds". I've weaseled my way onto some different, private tracts in the past couple of years by noticing that no one ever hunted them and I just figured I would give it a shot. Additionally, in my part of SD, there aren't big numbers of birds. To get $$, you have to have a supply to meet that demand. It seems a lot of sportsmen don't want to bother unless they are going to be pulling the trigger. You won't find spots to heat up your barrel on a lot of places in this area, but you will find a handful of birds if you're willing to put in the effort. Just my $0.02.
 
Munster927 said:
I agree with this. I wish they would come up with a program where farmers would be paid to leave 10-20 yards unplanted next to fence rows, wetlands/creeks, property borders, etc. Alot of that is marginal land for planting but would be a great buffer for wildlife. MN came up with a plan for a buffer zone between any waterways but if they could expand that, it would be great.
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There used to be a CRP option called a quail buffer. Does it not exist anymore?
 
nwkansnative said:
There used to be a CRP option called a quail buffer. Does it not exist anymore?
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Just looking at the home page for CRP on the USDA page, it looks like that still exists. I can't recall ever seeing buffers quite like that tho. Not here in MN where I've been. That I can think of seeing.
 
I enrolled 25 acres of the land I own in the SD habitat legacy program. It had to be farmland and I was paid 30 dollars per acre. After I paid them to plant and then the upkeep not to mention the taxes I did not do it for the money. I want the habitat to raise the birds. It’s expensive to have good habitat and not worth it for farmers trying to make a buck off their land. To make a meaningful impact on the habitat front if costs money and unless the government raises its rental rates we will not see it come back. Just my 2 cents.
 
benelli-banger said:
trust me, if a guy has some kids that want to hunt, go knock on some doors...the farmers that I know feel the same way...kids are addicted to computers and the like, and farmers are bugged by it as well...not guaranteeing 100% success, but I believe they'd get on land...opening day? thanksgiving weekend? maybe not...but other times? yes...
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Very true.When my nephew was young, we got on some great farms.
 
Golden Hour said:
I won't wholly disagree with your sentiments, but I'd like to offer a different perspective. Granted, I'm local, but as has been noted, there aren't as many hunters. The kids I went to high school with are now taking over the farm and they don't hunt. Folks who used to have hunters don't anymore because "there are no birds". I've weaseled my way onto some different, private tracts in the past couple of years by noticing that no one ever hunted them and I just figured I would give it a shot. Additionally, in my part of SD, there aren't big numbers of birds. To get $$, you have to have a supply to meet that demand. It seems a lot of sportsmen don't want to bother unless they are going to be pulling the trigger. You won't find spots to heat up your barrel on a lot of places in this area, but you will find a handful of birds if you're willing to put in the effort. Just my $0.02.
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Half of Montana is like that.You might see a pheasant, but not likely...
 
UplandHntr said:
I read somewhere that hunting licenses, permits, tags, etc are up over 3 million this year. I wonder what 2021 will bring as the virus crap hopefully fades away to a large degree.
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Yes, I have seen lots of late season hunters this year.Somebody actually stole 2 birds out of the back of my truck! Now that's hard up!
 
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