windymtnman
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2014
- Messages
- 484
I was reading another post in this Elk forum about accessing landlocked public lands, and the conversations morphed into a discussion about Randy Newberg's denial of a filming permit and hunting access to Federal lands in N.W. Colorado. Admittedly, I've never spent any time looking at the Ranching for Wildlife program, as it won't ever apply to me. However, what I understood from what I'd read, is that a large ranch had acquired a huge chunk of prime Federal lands for their exclusive use in their hunting concession. With that, they were also able to then increase the number of landowner tags they could obtain in their Ranching for Wildlife program.
This piqued my curiosity enough to look at this ranches website. I found a posh, very expensive enterprise that advertises their Elk & Mule Deer hunts at $9250.00 for either species. The amenities they offer are so extravagant, that a person would be torn between the hunting and the kicking back at their lodge. Don't misunderstand, I'm all for capitalism, and if folks can command $700.00/night just to stay there, more power to them.
Here's what I don't understand. In looking at Colorado Parks & Wildlife website, this is in part what they say about their Ranching for Wildlife program. I quote here:
"The program provides Colorado residents a unique opportunity to hunt on private ranch land normally closed to the public. Participating ranches provide public hunting recreation access to their land free of charge to those who draw licenses."
Given this states a landowner must allow hunters to hunt free of charge, how do they get away with charging $9250.00 for a hunt? I also can't figure out how a private landowner can make these deals with our Federal lands? If the CPW program was designed to allow hunting access to private lands, this is a pathetic joke. This sounds like a great opportunity for a pro bono lawyer project to me? Then, aside from not being able to hunt these lands, can it even be trespassed on if you want to go for a hike? Seems like a landowner can get free lands, no purchase price, no taxes on it, and a free game inventory to use at the expense of every tax payer in the USA.
Am I missing something here? If I'm interpreting this correctly, every hunter and other user of public lands ought to be livid.
This piqued my curiosity enough to look at this ranches website. I found a posh, very expensive enterprise that advertises their Elk & Mule Deer hunts at $9250.00 for either species. The amenities they offer are so extravagant, that a person would be torn between the hunting and the kicking back at their lodge. Don't misunderstand, I'm all for capitalism, and if folks can command $700.00/night just to stay there, more power to them.
Here's what I don't understand. In looking at Colorado Parks & Wildlife website, this is in part what they say about their Ranching for Wildlife program. I quote here:
"The program provides Colorado residents a unique opportunity to hunt on private ranch land normally closed to the public. Participating ranches provide public hunting recreation access to their land free of charge to those who draw licenses."
Given this states a landowner must allow hunters to hunt free of charge, how do they get away with charging $9250.00 for a hunt? I also can't figure out how a private landowner can make these deals with our Federal lands? If the CPW program was designed to allow hunting access to private lands, this is a pathetic joke. This sounds like a great opportunity for a pro bono lawyer project to me? Then, aside from not being able to hunt these lands, can it even be trespassed on if you want to go for a hike? Seems like a landowner can get free lands, no purchase price, no taxes on it, and a free game inventory to use at the expense of every tax payer in the USA.
Am I missing something here? If I'm interpreting this correctly, every hunter and other user of public lands ought to be livid.
