Can't turn back the clock

[Travis98146]

I was a bird hunter beginning in 1959 then added blacktail deer and elk hunting in 1964. In 2017 the timber company that owned the area I had hunted since 1964 decided to charge $250 per person to hunt there. I looked into other hunting areas here in Western Washington and there are very few public areas left. My health issues in 2018 would limit how and where I could hunt. So now I'm no longer a "hunter" and will have to join the ranks of "shooter". I'll be a shooter because there's no way I'll give up my guns (at least as long as I'm alive then they'll go to my family members). I'll stay on this site since the Savage 99s are my favorite rifles and have been my primary rifles since my 30-30 from 1964. So I'll leave the family legacy of "hunting" to my daughter but she too is finding it hard to find hunting areas and a partner.

[plasticweld]

When I look back at my early years at being a young broke couple with kids, late 70s early 80s. Hides put money on the table, either from hunting or trapping. Many a grocery bill was paid with hides from coon. I would often read the kids a story when they were small then go out for a few hours with the dogs. It made me feel good that I could do something I enjoyed and provide for my family at the same time. The freezer was full with venison. I don't see future generations being able to do the same thing...sad.

[Robinhood]

Many factors at the root. Population growth, land being divided and sold etc... The state I am from has made hunting an profitable industry. If you are not blessed with a family member that owns land then you are required to buy into a managed lease that cost between 750 to 20000 a year for the opportunity to hunt a whitetail dear.

[Travis98146]

Hey, Robinhood. I guess my problem with W timber company is that I started hunting this area in 1964. There were stands of fir and hemlock, alder and maple so you could still hunt (don't why they call it that as you're moving through the stands of timber looking for game) through the trees. They started their clear and selective cutting and left most of the branches on the ground (to compost down into the soil). Then they went in and did tree management by planting new trees. In some places the new trees were so close together that they killed all the ground cover that deer and elk live on. There was less that 10 percent of the acreage still standing. All the rest was clear cut or re-plant. A lot of the replant was good but wouldn't be huntable until the trees were 20 or 30 years old as the ferns, buckbrush etc. was 3-4 feet deep. And they called this "Progress".

[big honkin jeep]

Man I feel your pain,
Fortunately The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has very good leadership and quite a few public meetings giving us a voice in the states management programs. Through the fees associated with use of state lands, we now have user fees shared by everyone who uses these public lands not just hunters and fishermen. This includes hikers, campers, those who use the shooting ranges, trails, everyone.
We now have huntable populations of many species that formerly were shadows ghosts and stories of days gone by when I was a kid. There were very few if any whitetail deer and turkeys in Northwest Georgia even though there were seasons and strict bag limits. Now we have great opportunity's all over the state. Maybe it's time to start holding officials and politicians in your area accountable and demanding a sustainable conservation plan to ensure public opportunity's. After all that's what license and tag fees should be used for. It took decades but it happened.
Here's an example of what's available to us in Georgia despite our growing population and urban sprawl.
https://georgiawildlife.com/allwmas
Good luck

[Frontier Gear]

Travis,
If you get to the east side of the state, look me up. Thousands of acres of land to hunt here (public and private). If you need a hunting partner, I'll show you around the area. I shot a 125 pound bear and a spike buck last fall, while my son took a doe and a 342 pound bear. All just a few miles from the house. I help the neighbors with the butchering of their kills sometimes and in two months I butchered 4 deer and 4 bears. The good hunting areas are still out there. You just got to come over to the good side of the mountains.

[Travis98146]

Thanks so much for the offer, Frontier, I'll see if I can work into getting in closer contact with you come Spring (if it ever gets here). The timber company here (name starts with W) started tightening the screws abour 19 years ago. Part of it was understandable, sloppy people destroying spur roads, dumping garbage, poaching, etc. so we could no longer set up a travel trailer on a landing with a campsite and hunt for a few days. My family and I always respected the rules and took out more trash than we took in. Our only evidence of being there would be a fire ring (if they were allowed at the time) and maybe a meat pole. When you get time, drop me a line about the game management areas so I can start some research.

[PhilC]

No need to be ashamed to post their name, it's Weyerhaeuser. I spent a lot of time fishing and hunting in the Bald Hills area as a teen and access to much of it has been closed off except by foot.

From their website...

Weyerhaeuser Company, is one of the world's largest private owners of timberlands, owning or controlling nearly 12.4 million acres of timberlands in the U.S. and managing additional 14.0 million acres timberlands under long-term licenses in Canada.

We've been on the east side of the state for almost 30yrs, nothing would get me to move back to western WA.

[Frontier Gear]

Travis,
Any more I mainly hunt areas 101 and 105. However 108, 111, 113, 117, 121 and 124 all offer good hunting. I've spent time in most of them but 101 and 105 are closer to home. If you come on over, I'll give you a map and show you a few spots. The Colville National forest is over 1.1 million acres of hunting land. There are plenty of places to bring the family, set up camp and enjoy the weekend with those you love out in the woods.