doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com CRP Program needs help

I've heard that in some places (eg, Kansas) where public hunting is allowed as 'walk in' on privately held CRP, the landowners get a break on property taxes. Is there any truth to this?

You are correct Stan, you shouldn't be forced to make private land open to the public.
And of course, the public needn't pay private land owners to create private game reserves.
The taxpayer shouldn't have to pay "protection money" to private landowners for our environmental safety.

It's just the other side of the same coin.
There's nothing stopping a private landowner from planting erosion/filter strips to protect their private land.

Always hilarious to see a Liberal like CZ complaining about a redistribution of taxes that might actually do something besides piss money down a rathole and keep poor people on the Democrat Plantation.

I think they get a check.

But yes, in Kansas and Montana the game departments lease the hunting rights from some private land owners and make it public hunting. There is usually an upcharge when you buy your license for "walk-in" or "block management" privileges. But it is not always CRP. Oftentimes it is ranchland or croplands, say alfalfa or wheat stubble or milo.

Folks,

Wildlife Habitat, sustainable agriculture and erosion control isn't a political football unless you want to skew it that way.
Please try to remember the 1930's dust bowl images.

I have had great hunting experiences in KS where one section of CRP land held hundreds of pheasants. Birds do fly to public access hunting areas.

I never judged the farmer who didn't abide a few feet of hedgerow, left a row of corn unharvested or a fallow corner because optimizing crop was the bottom line. I was a visitor and a guest with an out of state license.

We are swimming in oil and natural gas. The ethanol subsidy is $5.5 Billion to $7.3 Billion/year. $3.80/gallon should be the price. It takes 3 Gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of ethanol.

Just imagine: A one percent reduction in corn subsidies would go back to farmers; corporate or private and still support hunters and sustainable agriculture.

I'd rather have the Ogallala aquifer with water left to grow sustainable crops. Just Say'in....

Some older folks may remember Jay Darling's conservation efforts and cartoons in the 30's. We may need another visionary to help the farmer and the hunter preserve something for future generations.

I am unwilling to pay protection money to farmers.

If a state chooses to lease land from private parties and make it available to the public, God bless both parties.

Don't hide behind a man made natural disaster from 80+ years ago as a vague threat that if we don't pay protection they'll starve us.

CRP is a wealth subsidy program for land owners.

Regardless of how it's spun, I think this is how someone would have to look at it. Spending has been on a sharp increase during the period when you see a decrease, maybe it reflects priority. I noticed the amount per hunter to restore the budget cut is about the price of an advocacy organization membership. Consider if it's sent to the decision makers, it'll be spent on something else that'll be sure to be great for the environment.

I completely disagree on that one. Delighted to have the CRP program in place and would love to see it grow. More CRP = more birds, public access is a great bonus which I'm happy to see the States pay for as well. It is where I hunt....I'm selfish.

If it weren't for CRP, our bird populations would crash...Much of our CRP is enrolled in the States Walk In Hunting Program...It is up to the Farmer Rancher as to whom he allows access. That's as it should be...

There aren't many people getting rich off of CRP payments.
In fact, it's often less than what the landowner would get if they chose to farm the property and they lose much of the control of the property for the length of the terms.
Or the payments get returned.
In the Great Lakes region, the lack of new enrollments(because you can only get in when it's offered) and the lack of renewals has virtually eliminated much of the quail and pheasant populations. And the opportunities to hunt them.
Sadly, I don't see the returns or benefits from many of these 'pop-up' 'Not-For-Profits'.
Mainly they profit a few employees and a few buddies.
You don't need a membership to make a phone call or send letters/email.
If you really want to get upset, I encourage you to look at the USDA budget.
Actual CRP payments are barely a blip on the radar.
Crop insurance is a much larger one.
Plenty gets sent right out of the country.
Roughly 75% goes to what most would call food stamp programs.
Plenty of little 'pork' programs as well.
Have a look... just remember that 1000 million is a billion....
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=budget2016.xml