Yes, I and many other hunters in my neck of the woods lost access to thousands of acres last year and will lose even more in 2008.

However new land owners or other hunters are not the problem. The land we are being shut out of is land that has been open to hunting for generations, that we the American people own, and that we the American hunter, largely paid for through the purchase of Federal Duck Stamps. The land in question is the Upper Mississippi National Fish and Wildlife Refuge and the landlord that has locked the gates on hunter access is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The right of private land owners to decide what activities take place on their property and who participates in them is, fortunately, guaranteed in this country. While we would all prefer to have as much private property open to as many hunters as possible, and should do everything possible to create relationships that will make that possible, the solution to our access problem does not lie in restricting private property rights or lamenting the passing of the era when every farmer's "back 40" was open to hunting for the cost of a poilte question and a handshake.

The real hunting access crisis rests with the ability of government agencys to close public land, our land, to the very people who paid for it in the first place. I would suggest that all hunters become familier with the agencies who control the public land in their area, be very vigilant regarding any proposed changes in access policy, and get involved at the local, state and national level to safeguard hunter's right to access public land.

The threat is real and the future of hunting is at stake.

I really thought that I had something to gripe about, but after reading the first two blogs, I suppose my problems are miniscule!

A gentleman in my church allows me access to 120 acres he owns and 240 acres he leases. He allows others to hunt/fish also but it isn't the crowds you find on public land.
Another gent leased 240 acres for pasture/farming and allowed me to hunt. The land owner recently auctioned off the land in two parcels. One of 160 acres, the other 80 acres. The gentleman that purchased the 160 doesn't hunt and released to the same farmer. With a little luck, may get to hunt the 160. It's the best hunting anyway!
My wife and I hold 80 acres of family land. I am presently working at developing it so that the transient deer that DO come through, might hold them long enough to get a shot!
A neighbor, in exchange for farming our wheat allotment, gave me access to his 240 acres which adjoins a river bottom. Access to the river bottom is restricted, but open to the public! Basically, the land is there but surrounded by "deeded" land. One must but find a landowner that will allow ingress/egress. This can be accomplished with either a hand shake or a small fee! Few landowners in my area are hunters and some welcome hunters to shoot deer out of their crops!
It's taken me nearly six years, but I'm finally fairly secure in some hunting properties!

Bubba
P.S. I'm old and crippled, so I don't need nor want a big place to hunt!

Up in North Dakota we have just reached a milestone total amout of PLOTS. We have reached one-million acres of land that is free to hunters. The only restricted land is the old cranky people that put up their 'no hunting' signs, otherwise there is more land opening up than shutting down.

Nate

Here in California we are losing access to tons of acres of public land and its not just hunters who are suffering but also fishermen, hikers,etc... Many groups are fighting to keep this land open but its an uphill battle and you tend to get discouraged after suffering defeat after defeat. It's a shame to see this is also happening all over the country and not just in my neck of the woods.

I'm back!!

Thanks for the support that you guys gave me. My heart do to surgery is fine now and luckily I will be able to hunt deer this fall.

Now to the main topic. I'm sorry that some people don't have land to hunt on because the new owners don't want people to hunt there, but... it is their land and they have every right to keep people off of it. I mean they're the ones who pay for it!

MPN

I don't know how thats happenin North Dakota but man ur lucky, here around Davenport, Iowa theres housing developments Goin up every time i turn around and it annoys the piss outta me, it just angers me to here my uncles and grandpa talk about huntin places that are now housing developments, overpriced starbucks, and walmarts. im just lucky enough to have a cool uncle with a a place to hunt in southwest iowa, i dont know what id do with out him. but we need to get involved in the government, put our damn foot down, and stand up up for the right to hunt the land god gave us