Hunters will have more access to private land in Washington this fall than any time in the past decade, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife says.
The agency expects to open up at least 200,000 acres under agreements with land owners. Some property owners also will receive compensation for planting crops that attract birds or agreeing to accommodate duck blinds on their property.
Washington changed its application process for special hunting permits this year, increasing sales by 85 percent and generating $520,000 in new money, said Dave Ware, game manager. About $400,000 of that money is being used for agreements with landowners, the balance is used for the costs of changing over to the new system.
“We told hunters we’d use that money to increase access to private lands and that’s what we’re doing,” Ware said. “We have staff out across the state talking to farmers, ranchers, timberland managers and other private land owners right now.”
The new initiative is designed to reverse the steady decline of land open to hunting due to population growth, suburban sprawl and crowding on public lands.
Slightly more than one million acres of private land are open to hunting under agreement with WDFW, compared to three million in the late 1990s, he said.
Washington’s new approach involved expanding the range of options available to hunters who apply for special permits to hunt deer and elk. Those permits, which are awarded by random drawing, allow successful applicants to hunt at times and places beyond those authorized by a general hunting license.
To improve their chances of receiving a special permit, thousands of hunters purchased applications in multiple categories, boosting sales to a new record.
“This entire effort is supported by hunters, for hunters,” Ware said. “The extra money they spent on special-permit applications this year will benefit hunting, whether or not they receive a special permit.”
Areas of the state targeted for more hunter access include:
Southwest Washington timber land — For the past three years, Weyerhaeuser Co. has opened miles of private timber roads near Mount St. Helens to hunters seven days a week during elk and deer seasons.
Now, the department is working to get other area timber companies involved. Revenues from special-hunt applications will be used for signs, dumpsters and other costs involved in managing hunter access.
Klickitat, Northeast Washington timber lands — The department is working with private timber owners interested in cooperatively managing public hunting access, while maintaining their forestry operations. Incentives help landowners address vandalism, road maintenance, trash dumping and fire hazards.
Snake River Basin – Wheat and other dryland crop farmers who provide access to their fields and who plant alfalfa, sweet clover and other flowering plants that enhance pheasant habitat are being compensated.
This funding can supplement payments received by landowners under federal farm bill programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Program.
Chehalis River Basin – Discussions are under way with more landowners to construct duck blinds and give hunters access to their property during next year’s waterfowl season.
The long-term goal is to establish more “quality hunts,” where hunters could reserve blinds and have a high likelihood of a successful hunt.
Columbia Basin – Wildlife managers are offering to rent cornfields from landowners who delay plowing corn stubble and give hunters access to their property during waterfowl seasons in Grant and Franklin counties.
Money is available to landowners who maintain and improve their properties for waterfowl.
Skagit Basin – The department will compensate landowners who plant cover crops for snow geese and allow hunting on their lands. The state also will provide incentives to those who allow duck blinds to be constructed on their property.
Separate discussions are under way with major timber companies to open their lands to deer and elk hunting. Agreements could potentially open up to 20,000 acres east of Sedro Woolley to hunting.
