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Hunters n Ranchers

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I know we've all had our encounters with ranchers, locked gates, access and the likes and I know this will probably be a firestorm topic  but I ran across this video and thought it did a good job of talking about land access and how to approach ranchers and land owners.

Just like everything in life there's good apples and bad apples no matter what topic you are discussing! 

I have had great relationships with the ranchers I contacted and got permission, they have even gone to the extent to let me bunk in their quarters when weather was bad, bad.......

 

Anyway......just a good video.....

 

 

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Yup, good video.  Thanks for sharing.

For sure the topic of private land access, and particularly 'land locked' public land is often a HOT topic.  Lots of strong opinions on both sides.  I happen to come down on the "rancher's rights" side of that topic.  I believe firmly that if someone owns land, that they should have the absolute right to say who can & cannot trespass, access, drive-through, etc.  If the only way to a piece of public land is through a portion of private, and that private land is closed to access, well then I suppose that's the way it is.   I also know that the vast majority of ranchers that I have ever encountered share the sentiment in the above video.

Respect of laws, respect of private land ownership, and respect of people will often result in a positive outcome, IMO. ;)

S.

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Great video.  Respect is all it takes.  Growing up in a Midwest farming community, I'm thankful my dad taught me how to kick dirt with local farmers.  I spent many days helping stack hay bales, fixing equipment/facilities, and shooting the breeze on a porch or at the table.  Once in a while, I'd offer up a pheasant or some fillets from my day's harvest.  That got me continued access and, often, return access to many fields and farm ponds.  It really is that simple.

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excellent video!  We always try and give something to the ranchers as a thank you for continued access.  And we always report water line leaks or gate problems and pick up trash whenever we see it.  If I owned a ranch it would probably drive me nuts seeing a bunch of strangers parade through the land and being disrespectful.  So I am thankful for the ranchers who tolerate hunters access through their private land.  AGFD is working with ranchers currently to get more access to the state lands that have been locked up by some ranchers.  Hot topic for sure.  

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15 years ago we had a local ranching family, who were great about letting hunters cross their place, sell to someone from back east. First thing a lock went on the property. No problem found new places to hunt from in the vicinity. Never tried to talk to them because we had workarounds. Since had reports not such a nice individual. Last year found another gate locked just before you accessed FS land. Individual ended up in a spat with FED's and State and out of frustration anger closed access. It was a big surprise, walked up to ranch house and talked to his wife and found she and I had a lot in common professionally and mutual friends. He was not in the mood to grant access. Again had familiarity with the area from pond jumping for ducks and found a new camp to base out of. Called them again this year and maybe could have gotten access but our comings and goings back into the CNF was to complicated. Went to scout the new spot in October and bam smack into a new locked gate. The road that was cut off ran about 1/4 mile along the west edge of a smaller isolated block of private ground then back on FS ground. The ranch manager told state that gate was left open and had to do extra work to regather the cattle. State and USFS offered to put in a free cattle guard, offer was turned down. This last absentee owner is beyond rich from out of state and cut off public use of a dirt road that ran along the edge off isolated empty 100acre pasture for only a short distance before back on FS land.

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Great video. I didn't think John Ladd let people on his ranch, good to know. This video just helped out some of the 30b access issues.  

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Where I grew up I had access to 15,000 acres of prime black tail deer habitat, but someone shot up the ranchers water tank and he closed all access to everyone except family. Never found out who shot the water tank.

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Agree. Respect goes a long, long way. 

What I often find in AZ is ranchers who don’t own the land, but lease grazing rights then treat it like private property.  I’ve never really looked into it very deeply and just assumed they were in the right by posting the land.

OnX app has helped a lot at least for knowing who owns the property though. 

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I should add that I grew up hunting my uncle’s farm in TN...he had lots of issues with folks hunting without permission so I’ve seen the other side as well. Between our family and his neighbors and friends who also hunted his land we had lots of eyes out there during every season though. 

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3 minutes ago, muledeerarea33? said:

I’m sitting at deer camp right now on forest land that’s locked up by private lands. Very little traffic the past 4 days.

Then you best come home with a buck..

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