[Fattire]

I don't know if the f&g is considering it but Colorado has a walk in program on private land to hunt pheasant and geese in fields. Now most of the habitat is for pheasant not waterfowl but the program works well. KS has a walk in program also, KS is part of your license fee in CO you pay an additional $20 for a walk in stamp. With this program over the past two years pheasant hunting has gone from poor to average even with the drought in CO and the future looks good. KS has had the program for a while.

I don't like the idea of zones but I think limiting the number of NR licenses is a good thing. I think that a aggressive leasing program by the F&G and no outfitters on F&G leases or public land combined with set number of NR licenses would go a long way in solving the problem. In the most popular waterfowl hunting spots the F&G could assign hunting spots you call and reserve a spot ahead of time. In CO we have very limited water supply and the f&g does a good job giving everyone a chance to hunt the premiere spots. A group of 4 can hunt the each spot 4 times a year. So if you find 10 spots you like controlled by the F&G that gives you forty days of hunting. The spots that are not premiere waterfowl spots are first come first serve.

Just an idea

 

[Dan Bueide]

As to upland, our PLOTS works the same as your walk-in, with the exception of needing to buy a special stamp. All licensed hunters help contribute to that.

As far as the waterfowl portion, your post sent shivers down the spines of nearly everyone here. Most would not deem that quality hunting. That is what the WI Horicon hunters and the MN Thief and LQP hunters escape from when they come to ND. Anybody else get the heebie-jeebies?

 

[gandergrinder]

I have "hunted" in these so called spots along refuges in Minnesota and if that ever happens in ND I will move away. Many of the people using these public spots are not hunters just shooters with no skill at bringing in birds. It is a terrible site indeed.

 

[MRN]

Heebie-jeebies??? Yes.

But if they build the blinds, set out the blocks, perhaps even shoot the birds, clean and package them, then sign me up! Imagine, you could have some F&G guy call you at home and tell you how "we" did that day. But then again, folks already do that with guides....

M.