BOB HARRIS
------------------------------
Outdoors and Free
Volume 2, Issue 25

 

Wildlife Legacy Donations Help Maintain Land Access
By BOB HARRIS
Outdoors and Free
Friday, May 2, 2008

One thing that all hunters and anglers in New Hampshire should be concerned about is the lack of access to private properties. Lack of access is one of the most significant threats to the future of hunting and fishing in the state, especially as our landscape becomes more urban and land is divided into smaller parcels. "As greater than 70 percent of land in New Hampshire is privately owned, hunting and fishing is based upon the tradition of access to private land. This is a privilege provided through the generosity of landowners," stated Landowner Relations Coordinator, Charles Minor. He explained that more than 75% of hunting activity in the state occurs on private lands.

Hunters and anglers concerned about the lack of access have an opportunity to support New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Landowner Relations Program by making a $10 "Wildlife Legacy" donation when purchasing their 2008 hunting or fishing licenses. To make a donation to Fish and Game’s Landowner Relations Program, through the Wildlife Legacy Initiative, all you have to do is simply check the appropriate box when you buy your 2008 license from any license agent. Mr. Miner provided the following information.

The focus of the Landowner Relations Program is to maintain and increase access to private lands for hunters and anglers. Designed as a partnership between Fish and Game, hunters and anglers, the program works proactively to address the primary reasons for landowners restricting access. As partners, hunters and anglers serve as program volunteers working directly with landowners in the field, as well as assisting the program with technical skills, fundraising, promotion and program development.

"Presently, we have over 50 hunters and anglers serving as program volunteers, but the program is in need of additional volunteers," Charles Minor commented. "The greatest challenge that we have faced in developing the program is funding. All program activities are funded solely through donations, sponsorships and grants. As a result, Wildlife Legacy Donations provide a critical source of funding for the program. In addition, we have been fortunate to have donations made in sponsorships of projects by the Cheshire County Fish and Game Club, Great Bay Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Sullivan County Sportsmen, New Hampshire Wildlife Federation and the New Hampshire Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. We have also recently received a Hunting Heritage Partnership Grant from the National Shooting Sports Foundation. The funds received are used primarily to cover the costs of materials and services required."

The following are a few of the ongoing and planned projects to maintain and increase hunter and angler access to private lands that have been or will be funded in part through the Wildlife Legacy Donations. These funds are used in conjunction with other funding sources in order to maximize their value.

Pheasant Hunter Landowner Relations Project: In response to the loss of 1/3 of the pheasant hunting sites in Cheshire and Sullivan Counties, a cooperative project focused on addressing issues and concerns of landowners was developed in conjunction with Cheshire County Fish and Game Club, Sullivan County Sportsmen and Monadnock Regional High School Fish and Game Club. By working with landowners, specific issues were identified and strategies to address the issues, including access management signage, were developed. As a result of working with landowners and employing the strategies, 36 project volunteers have been able to maintain hunter access to the remaining 23 pheasant sites.

Cocheco River Angler Access Project: Working in partnership with the Great Bay Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the city of Dover, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and two private landowners, angler access to a 2 ½ mile section of the Cocheco River, that was posted nearly 10 years ago, was opened. As a result, Fish and Game has resumed stocking this section of the river, which had been discontinued when access was lost. Future plans for this stretch of river are to provide access for anglers with disabilities. In addition, the New Hampshire Wildlife Federation, New Hampshire Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Great Bay Chapter of Trout Unlimited will be working with the program on community outreach activities.

Turkey Hunter Landowner Relations Project: During the upcoming spring turkey season, information and input will be gathered which will be used to develop the Turkey Hunter Landowner Relations Project. The focus of this project will be to maintain and increase access to private lands for turkey hunting. Assisting the Landowners Relations Program with this effort will be volunteers from the New Hampshire State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. Each volunteer will:

  1. Select one or more parcels of land in their area that provides a quality turkey hunting opportunity.

  2. Meet with the landowner to identify issues and concerns that the landowner has with turkey hunting and listen to how the landowner feels they can be addressed.

  3. After the season, they will contact the landowner to gather input on any issues they experienced during the season.

Once all of the information is gathered, they will be working with the state chapter in order to identify issues impacting turkey hunter access and to develop strategies to address them. This will form the basis of the Turkey Hunter Landowner Relations Project. As with other projects, Wildlife Legacy Funds will be used to supplement funding required.

Operation Land Share: Work has begun on operation Land Share, a project intended to provide hunter access to 100,000 acres of private lands by the end of 2012. It will serve as the foundation of the Landowner Relations Program’s efforts to work in partnership with hunters and landowners to maintain and increase hunting access to private lands. The project is a partnership between the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, New Hampshire Wildlife Federation and the New Hampshire Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. It will be funded through a Hunting Heritage Partnership Grant from the National Shooting Sports Foundation along with supplemental funding from Wildlife Legacy Donations. Landowners who enroll in Operation Land Share will agree to leave their property open to hunting and in return will be provided assistance in managing hunter access. Assistance will be provided in the form of access management signage which will be developed to address specific issues and concerns oflandowners as well as technical assistance with access management.

Landowner Liability: Concerns over liability is a reason many landowners decide to post their land. They are not aware of the protection provided to landowners who allow hunters and anglers access to their land through RSA 212:34. Later this year, the Landowner Relations Program will be producing and distributing an information sheet to landowners on the protection provided them by the RSA statue. Posting their land is not necessary to protect them from any liability. Wildlife Legacy funds will be used in part to cover the cost of this project.

Landowner Relations Guides for Hunters and Anglers: Guides for positive landowner relations will be developed and provided to hunters and anglers in the form of information sheets addressing the most common issues resulting in landowners posting their property. They will be produced later this year and will also be funded in part with Wildlife Legacy funds.

"These are a few of the projects that we are and will be working on in order to maintain access," Charles Miner stated. "The availability of funding will set a path for what we are able to accomplish, with Wildlife Legacy Donations being a critical component."

In essence, the Wildlife Legacy Donations that you can donate through the purchase of your hunting and/or fishing license will certainly help a good cause and you may want to seriously consider it. In my years afield, I have seen former hunting and fishing access lands spring up with posted signs or fall into developments of condos or businesses. If we are forced to rely strictly on state owned land, the hunting situation will become too crowded and dangerous.

Here is your opportunity to help safeguard your sport for today and possibly make it better for tomorrow. Your contribution to the Wildlife Legacy will certainly help. With everyone talking "green" today, let’s do this now before it’s too late.

 

 

Bob Harris can be reached via e-mail at: outwriter2@aol.com
 

Past Columns  >>>

2008
>
Bob Harris 04-25-08:  Fishing Fun Is Here - Trout Ponds Open Saturday, April 26
> Bob Harris 04-18-08:  Protecting Your Shrubs and Crops From Deer Damage
> Bob Harris 04-11-08:  More Harm Than Good - DO NOT FEED the DEER
> Bob Harris 04-04-08:  Snowmobile fatalities in Ossipee
> Bob Harris 03-28-08:  Get Ready for Landlocked Salmon Season
> Bob Harris 03-21-08:  Glenn Normandeau Appointed as Fish and Game Executive Director
> Bob Harris 03-14-08:  Turkey Hunting Workshop Offered April 19th
> Bob Harris 03-07-08:  Corn Chumming Is Threatening the Sport of Trout Fishing
> Bob Harris 02-29-08:  Free Evening Fishing Seminars Offered at N.H. Fish and Game Department
> Bob Harris 02-22-08:  The passing of a great friend and sportsman
> Bob Harris 02-15-08:  Striped Bass Fishing Is Important
> Bob Harris 02-08-08:  A Great Opportunity for Young Artists
> Bob Harris 02-01-08:  FIREARM OWNERS ALERT - Gun Free Zones Coming
> Bob Harris 01-25-08:  A Galaxy of Greats Share Their Knowledge at Eastern Fishing & Outdoors Exposition
> Bob Harris 01-18-08:  Free Ice Fishing classes offered in Milford, N.H.
> Bob Harris 01-04-08:  Be Aware of New Fishing Rule Changes for 2008 

2007
>
Bob Harris 12-28-07:  New Hampshire Anglers and Hunters Have a Significant Impact On the Economy
> Bob Harris 12-21-07:  New Hampshire's Winter Black Crappie
> Bob Harris 12-14-07:  A Great Show Soon to Come
> Bob Harris 12-07-07:  A Reminder: Be Safe On N.H. Lakes and Ponds This Winter
> Bob Harris 11-30-07:  A deer hunter's dilemma
> Bob Harris 11-23-07:  Hunting and Fishing Bill of Rights and Responsibilities?
> Bob Harris 11-16-07:  Blood Finder of New Hampshire Is A Great Help To Hunters
> Bob Harris 11-09-07:  Hunters Can Help the N.H. Food Bank to Feed the Hungry
> Bob Harris 11-02-07:  2007 New Hampshire Moose Hunt Big Success
> Bob Harris 10-26-07:  New Hampshire Archery Deer Kill, to Date, Is The Highest In 9 Years
> Bob Harris 10-19-07:  Non-Hunters Can Enjoy the Woodlands During Hunting Season, Too
> Bob Harris 10-12-07:  Fall turkey shotgun season is here
> Bob Harris 10-05-07:  Trouble at Glen Lake
> Bob Harris 09-28-07:  Are You Ready for Pheasant Season?
> Bob Harris 09-21-07:  A Dangerous Assault On Our Second Amendment Rights
> Bob Harris 09-14-07:  Cyanobacteria - No Luck O’ the Irish here
> Bob Harris 09-07-07:  Upland Bird Hunting and The Dogs Used To Roust Them
> Bob Harris 08-31-07:  Largemouth Bass virus found in Lake Winnipesaukee
> Bob Harris 08-24-07:  Farewell To Fish and Game Executive Director Lee Perry
> Bob Harris 08-17-07:  Time to sign up for a Hunter Education course
> Bob Harris 08-10-07:  Another invasive algae threatens New Hampshire waters
> Bob Harris 08-03-07:  Crappie fishing in New Hampshire
> Bob Harris 07-27-07:  Lake Winnisquam to get public boat access site
> Bob Harris 07-20-07:  Hearing set for proposed 2008 Freshwater Fishing rules
>
Bob Harris 07-13-07:  Good fishing luck only comes to those who believe
> Bob Harris 07-06-07:  Hunters have a chance to take an additional antlerless deer in WMU "M"
> Bob Harris 06-29-07:  Courtesy is a MUST at the boat launch
> Bob Harris 06-22-07:  What’s happening in New Jersey could happen in New Hampshire
> Bob Harris 06-15-07:  Check Your Watercraft Thoroughly Before Launching
> Bob Harris 06-08-07:  The HSUS Isn’t What You Think It Is
> Bob Harris 06-01-07:  River bass are powerful
> Bob Harris 05-25-07:  A website for outdoors women
>
Bob Harris 05-18-07:  Vicious attack by a butterfly
> Bob Harris 05-11-07:  The Mini-Tandem Streamer
> Bob Harris 05-04-07:  Tandem Streamers - The Size Counts
> Bob Harris 04-27-07:  Come Have Fun at N. H. Fish and Game’s All-Fish Exposition
> Bob Harris 04-20-07:  Trout ponds open April 28th
> Bob Harris 04-13-07:  Come and enjoy "Discover Wild New Hampshire Day"
> Bob Harris 04-06-07:  It's time to enjoy landlocked salmon fishing
> Bob Harris 03-30-07:  New Hampshire Fish and Game Executive Director Will Be Missed
> Bob Harris 03-23-07:  Turkey hunting seminar April 14th
> Bob Harris 03-16-07:  The most sweeping gun ban ever introduced in Congress
> Bob Harris 03-09-07:  A backdoor assault on our right-to-carry in New Hampshire
> Bob Harris 03-02-07:  A call to action on Fish & Game funding
> Bob Harris 02-23-07:  Come Enjoy the 5th Annual Fly-Fish New Hampshire Show
> Bob Harris 02-16-07:  Snowshoe Hare Hunting Workshop Offered by N.N Fish and Game Department 
> Bob Harris 02-09-07:  Need to ride snowmobiles responsibly and safely
> Bob Harris 02-02-07:  The joys of wildlife watching and photography
> Bob Harris 01-26-07:  Many New Hampshire waters are open for fishing year-round
> Bob Harris 01-19-07:  Tell Governor John Lynch you care about Fish and Game funding
> Bob Harris 01-12-07:  Come and Enjoy the 31st Toyota Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Exposition
> Bob Harris 01-05-07:  Fox television joins movement to ban trapping

2006
> Bob Harris 12-29-06:  A successful year for deer hunters
> Bob Harris 12-22-06:  Marine fisheries law enforcement activities increased in 2006
> Bob Harris 12-15-06:  December - a beautiful time for pheasant hunting
> Bob Harris 12-08-06:  The ice will be coming.  Be ready, be safe.
> Bob Harris 12-01-06:  Let's all help support the NH Fish & Game department
> Bob Harris 11-24-06:  The bear facts
> Bob Harris 11-17-06:  Become a volunteer ice fishing instructor
> Bob Harris 11-10-06:  Take a kid hunting this fall




> About Bob Harris

 


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