Poll: How many own hunting land?

I do own 360 acres and will inherit some of the best waterfowl ground in central ND. This ground is posted only on the main lake area to keep inexperienced hunters from shooting geese off the water. This may change as I have to compete with land being leased all around us. I have never refused another hunter access but I have run guides off. Our renter has been shocked by the number of people looking to lease up wetland area's and CRP in our area.

Sheldon Schlect has offered to lease my fathers and mother inlaw's land this past year on day hunting leases. I did not find this out until recently. My dad told him to leave and never set foot on the place again.Dad fiqured that over 150 Canada geese wher harvested off the home section this past fall. People from> Neb.<MN>AR< and ND hunted this ground. He told them which fields to leave alone and which fields to set up in. All these people asked to hunt and the land is not posted.

My mother inlaw said I don't need money to let someone hunt, but does appeciate it when someone stops. I have since explained to her what and who he is. She was appalled that he can still operate with all the game violatiions and will refuse him or anybody that works for him access. She posts due to the shelterbelt next to the house.

SD, not sure where you're headed with this one. If you want to find out how many resident hunters rely on and need rural landowners for meaningful access, maybe the poll should ask who owns land, leases land or has family/friends that provide ensured access. That way, you'd pick up those who truly need rural landowners to hunt.

If you trying to explore how many people may be working on these issues who really don't have a dog in the fight, again you'd have to ask the same question.

If you're trying to find out who might be complaining about access and who post their land to others, you'd have to include that.

In any event, I've never been about playing hide-the-ball, so I'll bite. I own or lease nothing, and have no land otherwise tied up. Except for the occasional time where I find birds on and hunt public ground, I rely entirely on rural landowners for access. I've worked hard to develop strong landowner relations with some great landowners. Lost several areas over the years to guide/outfitting, and rarely because of the money. In a couple of cases, the landowner figured it was easier for the outfitter to answer the phone a dozen times each day or chase off the trespassers.

The landowners I have relationships with get requests from and give access to many other hunters as well, residents and nonresidents. Sometimes I get on, and sometimes they've commited to others. I'm making my calls much earlier now than in the past, but with watefowl it's tough because you don't know whether there'll be birds there or not, and I hate to say I'm going to be on the ground and end up somewhere else because that's where the birds are.

In any event, I hope that helps.