# last week in ND



## esoxjunkie (Oct 12, 2005)

After nearly 30 years of hunting ducks and geese in the lower platte river area of eastern Nebraska I made my first trip to ND last week to see how the hunting in the duck factory would treat me and a friend. We were given some areas to check and a motel name from a friend in north central SD and headed north for a 4 day hunt.

Some observations and reflections on the week:

Although the attitude towards "NR's" is poor at best on this and other sites we were treated very well by the locals. Everyone seemed genuinely interested in how we were doing, and where we were from. Even had an older lady at the cafe tell us "its nice to have you here".

Locals were amazed that we drove from Nebraska to hunt ducks. Everyone assumed that we were there to hunt pheasants. We explained to them that although we have quite a bit less land open to hunting here, we do have pretty good pheasant hunting. Not so with the ducks the last few seasons.

In 3 days of hunting and scouting we saw exactly one other group hunting waterfowl, and they had a goose spread in a stubble field. There was one boat in the back of a truck in town that was loaded down with decoys and waders.

The duck hunting was incredible. We hunted one field, and two different mid day loafing ponds. Many of the greenheads were juveniles, but we did manage to bag a few mature birds, and one nice mature bufflehead drake that is going to be mounted. Shocked to hear from the guy at the gas station who delivers fuel all over the county that he "just isn't seeing the usual amount of ducks and water" that he's used to. Two of the 3 days we hunted were sunny with SE winds and we did very well. Given the "low" numbers of birds and water, what would this be like on a NW wind day with light snow and a good number of ducks around? I hope to find out next October.

There is a current thread on this bbd that mentions the economy of ND. Seems most people have very little time to hunt because they are working two jobs to stay afloat. I suppose it might be this situation that makes the locals in the small town we were in so happy to see us and our "NR" money. I spent close to $1000 on gas, food, lodging, and licenses last weekend.

I completely understand the dislike for out of town hunters. Just south of my place there is a town that is booked for the next two season openers with pheasant hunters from all over the country. The ground that I grew up hunting down there with my dad and grandpa is leased by hunting clubs and rich guys from Omaha and Lincoln. I don't like it, but I can't change it. Ask any of the motel, gas station, and cafe owners down there how they feel about NR's.

If I could end my rant on a good note, I'd like to say thanks to the great people of NoDak for allowing us to come up and hunt your birds and your land for a few days. We had a great hunt, the best duck hunt I've ever had and we booked the motel for next year.

Please take a second and think about it before you label non-residents as being evil. Most of us are law-abiding, hunting fanatics like you, and the majority of us respect the land and the resource as much or more than the locals.

EJ


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Glad to hear you had a good time. We too, haven't seen that many hunters this year unless we venture into the typical pressured areas. It could have something to do with the snow last week, but who knows.

Don't let a few people on the site stereotype everyone in ND.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Glad you had a good hunt!

:beer: 
Bob


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Glad you had a good hunt.....I don't think I've ever seen anyone on here say that NR are "evil."

I know the busuness people welcome your money.It's not freelancers like you who are the problem....you did it the right way. :beer:


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## Lvn2Hnt (Feb 22, 2005)

We may B&tch about NR's, god knows I do, but I b&tch equally as much about the locals to. There's good and bad in every group, but it's the bad that usually get all the attention.

You're the type of NR's that we do like to see around here. Glad you had a good time and "come on back, ya hear."


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## HonkerExpress (Sep 23, 2005)

I agree one 110% with lvn2hnt. I might do my fair share of b1tching about "NR", but I do alot more of it when it comes to certain groups of guys that are residents as well. Its not the fact that us Nodak's hate "NR", because we also hate a fair share of our fellow "nodak" boys as well. So don't feel that your not welcome. I really do enjoy talking with "NR" I think that most of you guys are really good guys to shoot the breeze with. In my opinion, you guys are always welcome here. I just hope all you "NR" know that we probably don't care for just as many Residents as we do Non-Residents. So don't worry about it to much. Come on back now ya hear, lol. :bartime: :welcome:


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

We don't "hate" NR's. We are just looking at protecting our resources with some reasonable regulations. Nothing more than what other states are doing. Some feel that they are "entitled" to be abe to hunt anywhere they want, whenever they want in ND. I'd like to be able to hunt whatever I want, whenever I want in other states but that is not going to happen. Each state has some limitations on NR's to preserve the resources for their residents. Waterfowl in ND is like the gold rush, everybody charges in to take what they get and when it is all gone we don't want to be left alone to mop up. I personally don't think the NR influx a bad as some say. Seems many of those complaining are young guys who don't know what competition is.


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## drjongy (Oct 13, 2003)

KEN W said:


> Glad you had a good hunt.....I don't think I've ever seen anyone on here say that NR are "evil."


What? Most of the time they get bashed worse than that!



esoxjunkie said:


> Some observations and reflections on the week:
> 
> Although the attitude towards "NR's" is poor at best on this and other sites we were treated very well by the locals. Everyone seemed genuinely interested in how we were doing, and where we were from. Even had an older lady at the cafe tell us "its nice to have you here".


That's the way it is most everywhere across this state. This site is not representative of the typical ND hunter.



KEN W said:


> It's not freelancers like you who are the problem....you did it the right way. :beer:


I totally agree there!! Guides are never needed to hunt in ND.


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

If you go back and do a little research, I think you might find that the NR's who get bashed the most are the outfitters that lease up so much of the productive hunting land. As a freelancer, I'm sure you can understand what that's all about. As you said, the land around your home is being taken up by out of state pheasant hunters. It's no different here. I have met, and shared covers with NR's many times over the years, and have had very little problem with them, certainly no more than the occasional knothead you are liable to run across anywhere and at any time. Thanks for contributing to our economy. Burl


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## northdakotakid (May 12, 2004)

I think we need to understand that the majority of the NR bashing is more of a personal problem than one related to where you are from. It would matter not with most of the resident...NR fueds here if everyone was from the same state, some people just can't get along well with others and others like to pick arguements.

I hunt with guys from all over the country and I have hunted out of ND and felt like an outsider as many visiting here for the first time do. The fact is that you essenitally are at first, most peopel here are more than happy to meet someone new and make quick friends. Others take a little time to warm, and still some never will. But like NR hunters, these are the the few that try to speak for the many in our case ... and that is just how it is.

We are happy to share what we have and all that we ask is a mutual respect between fellow sportsman, and that goes both ways, not just in your showing of respect by putting up with a little bit of a cold shoulder from the few but also in our respect for you in that the majority of NR that hunt here are very good people and are here to enjoy WITH us the last stronghold of duck habitat in the nation.

So here is to quick friends........... :beer: 
Hope to see you next year!


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## Husker114 (Oct 13, 2005)

I can totally relate to the NR issue you guy's face in ND. I live on Marylands EasterShore "Goose hunting Capitol of the World" according to some. But, like what was said by the guy from Nebraska, It to have watched my childhood hunting grounds leased up by the rich and famous. I pray that you guy's never have to deal with this. For us it effects ALL hunting. Deer, upland game, waterfowl etc... and makes it very hard to gain access or get permission to hunt. $$$ are the way in in these parts.

I have heard such great things about the waterfowl hunting in NoDak and the easy access in which to hunt. So this year my buddies and I, 2 from Oregon, 1 from California and 2 from Maryland, are making the journey to your great state to hunt with a guide. Even though we have all read the numerous articals about the "open" access to hunting ground we chose to hunt with a guide our first time in for 2 reasons. 1. It is not pratical for our group to drive in with a bunch of gear due to distance. 2. We would never risk not first understanding the "ethics" and local "understanding' of how to hunt your state. Here in Maryland, I am fortunate to have a couple of friends who are farmers that allow me to hunt their land. I know them and am respectful to their "rules". Rules don't always come from the "Book" but rather the landowner or local hunters. SO, again, to be respectful to your ways of hunting, we chose a guide as somewhat of a way to learn. I can tell you that this board is a great place to lean about hunting in ND. We look forward to meeting some of you and hunting in the "Duck Factory"

On another note, if any of you would like to hunt Marylands EasternShore for geese, Just drop me a note and you are more than welcome to come and hunt with me!!!! If we can not help each other, as hunters and outdoors men, who can we rely on to experience the many adventures that await each of us!!!

Best of luck to all!!!


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

Husker wrote



> It oo have watched my childhood hunting grounds leased up by the rich and famous. I pray that you guy's never have to deal with this. For us it effects ALL hunting. Deer, upland game, waterfowl etc...





> Even though we have all read the numerous articals about the "open" access to hunting ground we chose to hunt with a guide our first time in for 2 reasons. 1. It is not pratical for our group to drive in with a bunch of gear due to distance. 2. We would never risk not first understanding the "ethics" and local "understanding' of how to hunt your state.


Husker...So you pray we don't have the same problems as you but yet you come here and help spread the problem. With a little effort you don't need a guide and the baloney about equipment I don't believe, if you can afford to come out here you can afford some dekes.

Not being a smart arse just pointing out that you are coming here to be a part of our problem not solution. Maybe you can try to make friends with somebody, theres plenty of people on here that like helping NR's for free just to help break the o/g's.


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## Husker114 (Oct 13, 2005)

Hey Buckseye, Maybe I didn't make myself clear that by the time I had found this site it was to little to late. Deposits paid etc... I did not realize that outfitters were the "Problem" in NoDak. Looks to me like everyone is razing the NR's who come in and don't hunt according to the local "regulations". So our approach was to do the "Right" thing and not piss off people like you. In Maryland, it is not the outfitters that "Hog" up the land, but rather private leases from the rich and famous. So I have not seen, at least on this forum, many "issues" with outfitters.

As far as the driving and bringing our own gear, you are pretty bold to make an assumption to know our financial/work situation. Some of us can't take a great deal of time off due to family and work commitments to make a 2800 mile roundtrip drive to hunt your great state. So you may do best to keep those comments to yourself.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

food for thought.....

wow you are really missing the boat on the o/g's and all the discussion that has been on these pages since the beginning of this site concerning outfitters and leased land. There are a lot of very educational and informational threads on this subject, if you are interested go back and look through the posts and you will know why I posted as I did.

It goes without saying "Welcome and Enjoy" but learn to be a freelance hunter if you want to help us keep our state available to you.

p.s. I'm far from ****** just helping steer your boat in the right direction


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## Husker114 (Oct 13, 2005)

Buckseye, Like I said, I have missed the boat on a couple of issues concerning the hunting in NoDak. But, not wanting that to stop us from hunting your great state, we chose to go with a very "local" guide who came highly recommended from a source on this very forum. Rest assured, that we will take what we have learned from our hunt in ND and use it for future "freelance" adventours to your state. But again, this type of hunting is TOTALLY foreign to us here in Maryland to say the least. So we do have much to learn. I do thank you, Buckseye, for your posting and advice. And again, would welcome anyone from this site into my blinds here in Maryland!!!!


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Husker114 said:


> And again, would welcome anyone from this site into my blinds here in Maryland!!!!


Could we shoot too?? Just razing ya!!

Hey did you ever know a guy name Donald Hughes (sp) from Maryland? I think he has passed on now. Anyway back in the Duck Hunting Chat/Forum beginings he use to post up on The SPAV and Hoosier Jim's Duck Blind. He also use to send out a daily to weekly journal of his waterfowling adventures. Use to love hearing the Maryland stories.

Anyway welcome!


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## Husker114 (Oct 13, 2005)

Thanks Northdakotakid!! It is not my intention to start a thread that insults or threatens anyones way of enjoying OUR great outdoors. But rather would like to eventually meet and make friends in many parts of the country where we can exchange hunts that each has to offer. I for one want to experience as much of the hunting and fishing that takes place outside of my area as possible. If any of you can make it here, to maryland, in november for our early hunt, we can do a blast and cast. that hunt consist of bustin geese in the am, then heading out on the chesapeake, in my boat, to catch the awesome fighting and mighty tasty "Rockfish" (stripped bass) in the afternoon. Those are days that just can't be beat!!!!


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## Lvn2Hnt (Feb 22, 2005)

This topic of NR's and outfitters could go many directions and no one will ever come to an agreement on who's right or wrong (although it can be fun to shoot the sh&t about it). It's a chicken and the egg thing, which came first?

Was the g/o's that created the demand and need for NRs to come in or was it the NR's demand for g/o's? No one will ever be able to answer that for sure (although I lean on the side of the NR's creation of the g/o's).

No matter what the roots or origins, one thing is for fact:
There is a demand for those people, call them what you wish, who (hopefully) have the knowledge, drive, and connections to be able to guide hunters to great spots, providing them the time of their lives. Isn't that what we all want, to have a great hunt.

We are very fortunate in this state to have such great resources. And maybe the R's are partially to blame for their demise and commercialization....how many of you have bragged that the hunting's great up here?

Anyway, with all honesty I am one of the first to complain about NR's, it's just an easy way out of a difficult situation. But really, we are all to blame for the commercialization of our hunting resources. It is our, everyone's, drive for more more more. Our inexplainable downfall of not being satisfied, and our possessiveness and inability to share that has created the land posting problems.

If we weren't so concerned about "getting the best land," "being the first one to walk," "that monster buck in there is mine and no one else's," etc..... Land wouldn't need to be posted.

If Rs and NRs alike could learn to ALWAYS respect all land and leave it better than it was found.....Land wouldn't need to be posted.

If weren't all so d#mn selfish.... Land wouldn't need to be posted.

But, none of this will ever be remedied, so I guess we continue to downspiral into the abyss of commercialization or else we enact a law that landowners and landowners ONLY can post land and posted land means that NO ONE can hunt it, not even the landowner himself.

Additionally, IMO, it's not the idea of Rs, g/o's and NR's or the people themselves that pi$$ me off, it's how some of them behave and take their possessiveness and disrespect to the extreme.

**getting off my soap box now.....**


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## northdakotakid (May 12, 2004)

I say RIGHT ON !!

Possessiveness has become the downfall of society. It is no longer a society that invites others to share in it's many bountiful treasures, but rather one that has become so enlightened to divy up portions that we only worry about gaining a larger piece of that portion and less about maintaining and improving the pieces we have.

It is not the NR or the R that are the roots of this problem, it is the mindset that we are better off by putting a larger fence around ourselves and our resources instead of managing them in a way that ensures their preservation. Until both residents and non-resident hunters can come together as sportsman and help to preserve North Dakota as a coalition, there will always be the R VS NR issue. We have a choice to either build the fences guarding resources or tear them down.


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## esoxjunkie (Oct 12, 2005)

The replies to my initial post so far confirm what I already suspected-the educated, serious hunters have a good idea of what the NR issue really is about.

A huge THANK YOU to the people on this bbd and the great folks of ND for a phenomenal experience last weekend. We'll be back next year.

Maybe you ND people could do me a favor and when you are out in the fields and marshes hunting, maybe in a little bit of a lull, take a look around you and then take a minute to reflect on just how good you have it.

If any ND hunters want to come down to Neb for a goose or turkey hunt shoot me an email. I'd offer a duck hunt, but you guys would get bored down here in the blind :wink:

EJ


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## Husker114 (Oct 13, 2005)

Well said, lvn2hnt and ndk!!!!


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## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

> Maybe you ND people could do me a favor and when you are out in the fields and marshes hunting, maybe in a little bit of a lull, take a look around you and then take a minute to reflect on just how good you have it.


I do every morning I'm in the blind right before shooting light. 8)


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

I couldn't agree more with you guys... these sportsman type shooters don't want to hunt they want to kill. It's sick and will be the end of hunting for all of us, killing animals is not a sport period!!!!


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

Whoa..You don't have to tell us to look around and appreciate what we have because we do it all the time. We never take what we have for granted and we very much appreciate the opportunities we have but the future is very cloudy there is always fear of the unknown. We love our state but we are unsure of our future!


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Husker

ND is going through some growing pains, our hunting used to be the best kept secret on the planet. With the advent of the internet and sites like this, as well as word of mouth, the word is out. Most of the resident sportsmen of ND do not resent Nonresident sportsmen at all. There are so many issues flying around in ND that resident sportsmen have somewhat lost our identity. Traditions run deep in ND, we (middle aged) residents were raised in the tradition of freelance hunting, back in the day every ND resident was a neighbor and it was not difficult at all to obtain permission to access land on which to hunt. Then word of our fantastic hunting got out and with the influx of all of the hunters came a new set of boom or bust problems that we did not really know how to deal with. Pay hunting, Habitat leasing, Outfitters, NR recreational land purchases, all combined in a short period of time to shrink the available pool of land that was at one time accessible to many resident and nonresident freelance sportsmen. The groundswell of emotions created laws that were not very popular with some of our nonresident guest sportsmen. Many of them took it as a slap in the face because they saw it as an attempt by resident hunters to keep all of the opportunities exclusively for ourselves, when in reality it was more toward the side of conservation of the resource for future generations than to limit nonresident hunting.

Hunting is still good in ND even with the influx of all of the hunters and different hunting styles. The reason hunting is so good is the habitat that currently exists in ND. we are a major duck factory, and many that come here do not realize that they are hunting the "breeding stock" for the flyway.

North Dakota has had a string of years with very mild winters and more than adequate spring and summer rains. Every Native North Dakotan knows that a couple of drought years or one hard winter, like 1996-97 is all that it will take to change the scope and quality of ND hunting. We have rebounded well from the winter of 1996-97. Upland birds are plentiful and water is still in places it has not been in past years. Our big game is doing so well that we have record numbers of deer licenses issued.

The outfitter problem if you want to call it that, is that they have expanded, unrestricted for the most part, and swallowed up a ton of land in the prime and marginal prime habitat areas of ND, that were at one time accessible to any freelance hunter for the cost of a days labor helping landowners with their chores. Land is still available in these areas but the majority of it is pay to hunt. $100.00 to $200.00 per gun per day. I hunted 50 days last year, I can not afford to pay $5000.00 per year for access with all of the other expenses involved, so basically if I want to hunt my days I had to find accessible land with good hunting in other areas of the state, and I did. Many did not they just complain that it has all been taken away from them, and resent the fact that change has occurred and they refuse to adjust to the current hunting climate. That being said ND has been changing way to fast as of late and the effects of all of this remain to be seen. Every year we all find land that was accessible to us the previous year leased by outfitters and no longer available. It leaves a bitter taste in your mouth because there is nothing in our current laws to limit, slow or restrict the process of expansion of the Outfitting Industry. The Outfitting Industry in ND has the political clout as well as the Governor on their side. It is always an uphill fight by some of us to keep the traditions of our past alive, and to not have ND turn into Texas of the north. North Dakota has been working hard to keep land open to the public with its PLOTS program. That is an acronym for Private Land Open To Sportsmen. It has provided many with the ability to hunt free of charge. The biggest problem is that the amount paid to landowners for them to enroll their land into the program is so low it does not cover the taxes and it does not compete with the amount of money that the Outfitters are willing to pay. The result is that the land in the program is not in the "prime habitat" areas of the state, and plots land often gets over-hunted by those unwilling to or afraid to ask for permission from landowners to access their land. So as you can see ND has some issues with its natural resources. Some of us have put in a great deal of time trying to reach compromise that would be acceptable to all involved but the unwillingness of the Outfitting Industry to come to the table and discuss issues tells us we (freelance hunters) don't matter to them and we are just an irritant to them, and a restriction to their possible income stream. Some of us are committed to do what we think is best for freelance hunting weather it be resident or nonresident. This site has been a battleground in the past for Freelance vs. Outfitter issues. All of the battles have been waged, won and lost. The thing that often gets lost in the fight is that today ND has the natural resources to allow unlimited wing shooting, with no regulations to kick in, in the event of a natural or man made change in the availability of those resources. Outfitters often do not see the problem because they operate in the prime habitat/production areas of the state. I am glad you are on your way to experience what ND has to offer with its fantastic hunting. Don't take it personally if I feel that we should have restrictions to the amount of you that come here for the experience. I just want to conserve/preserve some of what we have today so my grandson can experience what I did as a grandson years ago.

Bob


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## Husker114 (Oct 13, 2005)

Bob, that was very well put and I can totally identify with where you are as a state in regards to the "land issue". Being so close to so many metro areas, we have had our lands "leased up" by the wealthy. Not necessarly so much by outfitters, who are in many instances, just good ol farmers themselves looking to suppliment their income. The answer to solving this issue for ND may lay in the ability of your R's sportsman to form a sportsmans group that can work with the state's legislature to help "preserve" land and the freelancers ability to hunt it. That would be my prayer for you guys. Here, in Maryland, it is already too late. What is not leased is purchased by the wealthy and turned into "Gun Clubs" where memberships can run as high as 40k a year!!!!!! When I say we have "no clue" as to the freelancer way of hunting I MEAN IT. It is not done here and has not been done here in many a year.

Regardless, we are eager to hunt your great state and again, would welcome any of you to join us here in Maryland for some of our hunting!!


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

We have a very large group with professionals leading the way, it is called North Dakota Game and Fish. If the legislators and governor would heed their advice more often it could even be better for all of us. As it is the legislators are bribed or whatever into passing laws to help the private groups. The NDG&F doesn't get to pay off legislators to get what we as freelance hunters need. But we are getting more vocal as we progress in our battle to limit the o/g's.


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## Husker114 (Oct 13, 2005)

That is a great department to help take up the fight, but I would encourage you to form a group of individules from every corner of the state and everywhere inbetween. I would not expect a state funded department to yell to loudly at their boss. I think you get my drift. But if you have a group of registered "VOTERS" who are doing the yelling, guess what, politicians listen and the bigger the group the more they listen too. Money does talk but you have to be in office to get it!!! A group of voters with a loud voice carrys a stick. The more members, the bigger the stick. All I am saying is I would not put all of my eggs in one basket, but rather approach it from different fronts.


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## northdakotakid (May 12, 2004)

Yes, but sometimes it is hard to see the picture when you are in the frame. There needs to be a larger presence of resident sportsman in politics...the Game and Fish is a great GOVERNMENT organization. But being part of the government, they are also restricted by that affiliation.

There needs to be a larger voice in state level politics in North Dakota from our sportsman. There are many qualified members that use this site. This site has more intellectually inclined sportsman than I have encountered on any other site, no matter what state they were affiliated with. I know Delta has done allot, but they again are hampered by association. They are a much more macro-associated organization.

North Dakota sportsman are very opinionated on this forum they focus all their energy on individual issues and fail to realize that the only way to instill sustainable and meaningful change is to due so in numbers. Supporting issues as a group and educating sportsman on the issues in mass.

This was shown with the use of the notices that were sent out during the state sessions. What a great idea, now imagine the impact if these efforts were focused by an organization of members that were educated and informed in mass and became one loud voice?

I know that as residents of this state that we have all had different experiences in the field and built our own traditions with both friends and family, but one thing that we all share is the idea of the North Dakota that we do not want to become. That should be strong enough to unite sportsman across the state to unify and set forth on guiding ND along the path of management and conservation so that it can be enjoyed freely by not only the generations to come, but by us in 5 years.

We have all heard, as in this thread, from many sportsmen that have lost that future. They understand far more about the impact of mismanagement and of managing natural resources without the proper strategic goal in sight. If we do not make it a priority to begin to manage our natural resources in this state as those that will remain open to the public, we will lose them for ever and again corruption and deceit will take from us that which we were not willing to share. It is simple economics, and really simple human nature.


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## gandergrinder (Mar 10, 2002)

Organization is the answer and what NorthDakotaKid outlined is the right path but...........

The organizations are already in place, the people capable of organizing the individuals with tremendous talent are here and willing but the ground support is not.

Having been involved and knowledgeable about some of the work that has been done I see a number of problems.

1. There are to many strong willed and strong minded individuals working on these issues for sportsman and none of them can ever come to a consensus and get heading the same direction. This person is doing this, this person is going this direction and as a group they are often going nowhere.
2. It is an emotional situation and for some keeping a level head is not possible. Which disrupts everything.
3. Some people don't understand that there cannot be 5 leaders going 5 directions. In any group people need to understand that they may need to fill a role and be a team player, even if in the rest of their lives they are always the leader. 
4. In a committee or group (especially in politics) you as an individual do not always get exactly what you want. 
5. There are plenty of people who complain (I see them on this site all the time) but very few people who actually take action.

Figure out how to get it organized and get the people involved and something will happen. Until then.....well you know the outcome.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

gandergrinder said:


> 5. There are plenty of people who complain (I see them on this site all the time) but very few people who actually take action.


Isn't that the truth. When it's legislative session time it sure is quiet......


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

We have professionals hired to manage this stuff all we need to do is make our legislators listen to them. I don't believe in feeding the problem with more money, because that is the problem. The answer is not in the private sectors hands, except in the voting booth we can sometimes get our way.

Sure it is fine and admirable to want and even say all these great things but to actually get the busy private sector involved is like... well ask Bob K. He put tremendous effort into this for all of us, we all thank him and he appreciates the gratitude is his pay. There are many more on this site who participated in legislation by either writing or speaking in the favor of freelance hunting we thank them as well for compensation. It is as GG wrote, how do you get people to get involved in protecting their own primary outdoor source of pleasure like hunting is for many of us. I don't know.


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## just ducky (Apr 27, 2005)

I also come to ND each fall to hunt ducks, pheasants and sharptail, and it's phenomenal. I too have been treated like a king by locals. I'm fortunate enough to come each year with a fellow in his 80's who is from ND originally, so we don't use leases or guides. With all due respect, the increase in leasing/guiding isn't unique to ND. We've seen a huge increase here in Michigan for decades now with deer hunting. Deer are thick as flies in many areas of our state, and we'll sell you a non-resident deer license, but try to find some private land to hunt here for free. In the last 25 years leasing has become big here. So you aren't alone.

I studied some of these kinds of trends in grad school, and in my opinion it's a direct function of the demographics of today's hunter, who has less and less free time (at least in their minds), and more and more disposable income (at least in their minds). So they are very willing to spend money if it means almost guaranteed success. Unfortunately, nationwide societal changes indicate that this trend in peoples attitudes is increasing. Times have changed even in your corner of the world. Gone are the days of the family farm of 80 acres, where the kids grew up knowing all about farming, and hunting, and the neighbors all knew each other. As you know all too well, family farms have made way for large "corporate" farming in many areas. Sad as it is to say, today's world revolves around the almighty dollar. I can give you study after study of how this has changed our world, not just hunting.

Part of the leasing equation is pure economics. Your state, especially the rural areas, is suffering economically, and so an influx of NR hunters and their dollars is appealing to politicians at all levels of government. They are hesitant to enact too restrictive regulations for fear of "cutting off the hand that feeds them". It's kind of a "good news - bad news" scenario, because as you all have said, more and more land is becoming off-limits to the average hunter because so-called guides, or just people leasing their lands, are now capitalizing on it. Similar economic issues are forcing Michigan to look strongly at opening our firearm deer season on a Saturday each year, instead of the traditional November 15th date, simply because more people would be able to hunt on a weekend, and therefore more money would end up in local coffers.

So what do you do...limit the number of non-resident licenses, which may in turn limit the number of guides or leases? If you do, your small business people may go under. May sound good if you like to hunt, but not likely. In my opinion, your state has taken one of the more logical steps by allowing residents to open the season ahead of non-residents. I personally don't mind a bit, because even when we come out after you've hunted, it's fantastic! But will that stop the problem of leasing from spreading? Nope. Again, it's a societal thing. I think we all need to face the fact that times have changed permanently throughout our country, and leasing is not going away as long as people will pay to come to ND to hunt ducks and pheasants, or Michigan or Texas to hunt deer. My two cents.....


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## Goon (Apr 3, 2005)

Chris Hustad said:


> Glad to hear you had a good time. We too, haven't seen that many hunters this year unless we venture into the typical pressured areas. It could have something to do with the snow last week, but who knows.
> 
> Don't let a few people on the site stereotype everyone in ND.


Where I have hunted this season, I have not seen a lot of hunting pressure. There are lots of ducks to be had, I also think the price of gas is also a problem.


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