Comments on: Public hunting land keeps shrinking

By: Rick Epperson

Rick Epperson — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:22:35 +0000

This is the same trend you are seeing in Kansas,Texas and everywhere. Those that have money are leasing the quality areas. My lease for instance in Oklahoma has tripled the last 5 years. I won’t even tell you how much my lease in Kansas has increased with the influx of hunters from Louisiana,Florida,Arkansas and last year even a truck from New York drove past( This is all thanks to the outdoor channels). What upsets me more is the approach the Oklahoma department of Wildlife has taken with it’s sportsman. The purchased 6000 acres of property in Love county(Cross Timbers) with my money(Last 40 years) and yours and who do you think will benifit from this property the most. You are right,Texas hunters. Just 2 hours from Dallas and on the state line. Tell me again like I continue to read in how this is such a big benifit for the Oklahoma sportsman(They just wasted our hard earned money).Go to Broken Bow and see how many vehicles you see there from Texas. We are competing with another state for our natural resources and helping them to do so. We should have puchased property in the north west region of Oklahoma where there is much better Deer,Turkey,Quail and Pheasant hunting. What really influenced the department into purchasing this property anyhow? Good luck on drawing that Elk permit before you die as well(33 years for me). Which by the way they allow Non residents to apply for as well(Just wrong). They tell me,Luck of draw. Tell me how fair is it that a first time applicant gets drawn over someone that applied for over 30 years(Just not fair no matter how you look at it). There should be a set amount of permits for those over a specific age.I would like to see some 65 year old hunter get his first Elk instead of someone younger that has applied for the first couple times.

By: garyM

garyM — Sun, 08 May 2011 00:20:10 +0000

Private Hunt clubs = Texas corporations getting land for their exec.

Private Individuals = Rich hunters from Dallas

First they want our water (to water their lawns and golf courses), now they want our land.

By: Rick Taber

Rick Taber — Thu, 05 May 2011 22:01:01 +0000

Really sad to hear but it is a way to generate money for Weyerhauser. As a hunter from the OKC area it is hard for me to get access to the private clubs that are leasing this ground. Also, not everone in the group that I hunt/camp with is able to afford a large lease payment so I am torn between having a place to hunt or people to hunt with. Going are the days of the deer camp to be replaced with hunt clubs, leases, feeders, etc. Its a way of life that is slipping away and it is heart breaking to watch it go. I will drive by these lands this fall that were once open but will now be gated up. Oklahoma used to be able to boast the hundreds of thousands of public land access. I am thinking that maybe we should have kept that a secret. over 700,000 thousand acres down to 280,000 acres. Yes that is alot of land to hunt but will we be able to say that after this next agreement expires.