Paid Hunting in Alberta?

I just got out of a local Fish & Game meeting, and it appears that this is indeed something that we need to be highly aware of.

One of the fellows from the zone came to the meeting and said that there have been back room talks with stake holders outlining very fuzzy directions about access and landowner initiatives. Apparently several stakeholders were asked to vote on the principles. They pretty much received the support from all parties involved

He also mentioned that there were meetings held that outlined a possible "test run" of two new plans.

The first one centers around how landowners would be eligible for "compensation" if they allow hunting, something like if you allowed a person on you would fill out a form (chit)with particulars & submit them to the govt for compensation. There would be a cap on each quarter for compensation.

The second is even scarier, they are talking about compensation to landowners who typically have not allowed hunting. The catch is they would allow a certain # of the tags for given species directly to the landowner. These would then be able to be sold. The example used was if there were 100 tags for antlered mule deer allotted in a WMU & 25 % of the land in that WMU were held by a landowner who previously did not allow hunting to the public, that landowner would be eligible for 25 tags to be distributed as they wished. They would have to in turn allow hunting to the general public on this land.


They are talking this will be a pilot project run in wmu 108 and wmu 300 in the 2008 season. The current Stelmach government under Morton's direction is looking at order in council to enact this. SRD released this information at a meeting apparently.

I do not know much about the details yet, as none of the information surrounding this is public knowledge. It sounds as though the government is going to try to enact legislation for the 2008 hunting season. I will advise if I hear any other details.

I can't tell you how ****ed I am. This govt needs to have their arses booted so far out of power......

If anyone has any means of getting more information on this, time is of the essence. This is the first step towards paid hunting......

[packhuntr]

Hmmm, illegal paid hunting has been going on for some time in this province, would really suck to see it legalized....

keep a strain on er.

.

[outlaw'd]

hmmmmmmmmmm....................I wonder which non government agency would stand to gain the most out of this.

[Waxy]

I hope there isn't any truth to this, but if there is, this is one issue that we as hunters and outdoorsmen will have to stand united against.

I get a sick feeling in my stomach just thinking about it.

Waxy

[Pathfinder76]

double

[Vindalbakken]

Paid hunting access has always been on the table of a number of organizations. In whatever form it gets instituted (and history has shown that the hunting population is not considered when it comes to decisions that affect them) it will not be good for the general hunting populace.

[270WIN]

Originally Posted by Waxy

I hope there isn't any truth to this, but if there is, this is one issue that we as hunters and outdoorsmen will have to stand united against.

I get a sick feeling in my stomach just thinking about it.

Waxy

I agree with you, Waxy and I happen to be a land owner. It seems to me that, once you start paying land owners to allow hunting, even on a trial basis, it's a slippery slope down to a situation where only the wealthy few will be able to afford to enjoy the sport. Once you get to that point, its not hard to imagine a government caving in to the antis ( who could well be more numerous than the hunters at that point) and eliminating hunting altogether.

[Mintaka]

.

.

[Pathfinder76]

deleted

[LongDraw]

Right now with the price of allocations in this Province we have already lost hundreds of thousands of acres to paid hunting- private land and lease land tied up by outfitters. No doubt this would just compound an already tough situation for the non-connected resident hunter.

By non-connected this is what I mean;
If you know someone- a friend, relative, friend of a friend, etc.. it is still not bad to get permission on deeded land. If there is an outfitter on said piece of land, well forget about it, you are not hunting there. On the bigger farms/ranches in the prime NE Lloydminster area it is tough to get permission if you just decide to hunt there with no connections. You better have your ducks in a row before you arrive.

I go to Saskatchewan every year for the one week NR Canadian whitetail hunt, and 98% of the time we get access to great deeded land to hunt!(cold calling)
You don't have to be an Economics major to figure out why- NO non-resident guiding allowed on deeded land!

And they say there is no paid hunting in Alberta

[sullijr]

I read in another forum that in the US some farmers charge a trespass fee to hunt their land.I don't totally agree but this could be a way to get permission on more land.

[Duk Dog]

Originally Posted by sullijr

I read in another forum that in the US some farmers charge a trespass fee to hunt their land.I don't totally agree but this could be a way to get permission on more land.

In many (if not all) States yes land owners can charge a trespass fee. Believe me you don't want to go that route of paid hunting. If the province went that route it would be a huge blow to hunting in Alberta and Canada. Some of these USA land owners charge huge trespass fees - not something you want to factor in to your annual hunting trip budget.

Originally Posted by sullijr

I read in another forum that in the US some farmers charge a trespass fee to hunt their land.I don't totally agree but this could be a way to get permission on more land.

It is already being done in WMU 300. They call it a parking fee, and if your willing to pay the fee you can hunt on there land.

[BUD]

Originally Posted by lurch

I just got out of a local Fish & Game meeting, and it appears that this is indeed something that we need to be highly aware of.

One of the fellows from the zone came to the meeting and said that there have been back room talks with stake holders outlining very fuzzy directions about access and landowner initiatives. Apparently several stakeholders were asked to vote on the principles. They pretty much received the support from all parties involved

He also mentioned that there were meetings held that outlined a possible "test run" of two new plans.

The first one centers around how landowners would be eligible for "compensation" if they allow hunting, something like if you allowed a person on you would fill out a form (chit)with particulars & submit them to the govt for compensation. There would be a cap on each quarter for compensation.

The second is even scarier, they are talking about compensation to landowners who typically have not allowed hunting. The catch is they would allow a certain # of the tags for given species directly to the landowner. These would then be able to be sold. The example used was if there were 100 tags for antlered mule deer allotted in a WMU & 25 % of the land in that WMU were held by a landowner who previously did not allow hunting to the public, that landowner would be eligible for 25 tags to be distributed as they wished. They would have to in turn allow hunting to the general public on this land.


They are talking this will be a pilot project run in wmu 108 and wmu 300 in the 2008 season. The current Stelmach government under Morton's direction is looking at order in council to enact this. SRD released this information at a meeting apparently.

I do not know much about the details yet, as none of the information surrounding this is public knowledge. It sounds as though the government is going to try to enact legislation for the 2008 hunting season. I will advise if I hear any other details.

I can't tell you how ****ed I am. This govt needs to have their arses booted so far out of power......

If anyone has any means of getting more information on this, time is of the essence. This is the first step towards paid hunting......

like the Dune said in big bold print , VOTE CONSERVATIVE , HAAAaaaaaaa