Free Hunting Might Be Over For Mansfield Landowners

Landowners in Mansfield, Missouri might have to start having to pay to hunt on their own land. At present, landowners with 5 or more acres are allowed to hunt on their property for free.

MANSFIELD, Mo. -- For people close to the land, especially their land, a proposal to make small farm owners pay to hunt on their own property has created a lot of anger.

Mike Tate and his family have been hunting his land for four years. He bought 40 acres to share his love of the outdoors with his grandkids.

"We wanted to get enough land to take the grandkids hunting to teach them as they grew,” he said.

As it now stands, landowners with five or more acres don't have to pay for deer and turkey tags for hunting on their own property. That could change by next year. The Missouri Department of Conservation proposes requiring landowners who own between 5 and 79 acres to buy deer permits.

In part, it's a budgetary move. The three largest sources of Conservation revenue are declining. They include sales tax revenue, hunting and fishing permit sales and federal reimbursements. At the same time, costs are rising.

"The cost of business is going up and we want to make sure that we have the money to provide the people the

Mansfield Landowner

good agency we have now,” said Francis Skalicky, a spokesman and educator for the department.

"The Conservation Department has done a great job here in Missouri,” said Tate.

Tate, who has worked closely with conservation agents, says the agency has been a tremendous asset but he thinks this latest request is too much.

"It's a slap in the face,” he said.

Like many landowners, Tate says he's created habitat beneficial to raising and caring for wildlife.

"This whole bottom here is planted in clover for the deer and the turkeys. We plant alfalfa on top for them and we try to create habitat for them that's really beneficial,” said Tate.

Tate says his land supports far more wildlife than he or his family could or would ever hunt.

"If I don't eat it, we don't hunt it," he said.

Tate feels he and other landowners are already doing their part.

"Yes, we need the landowners and we realize their value and, while we realize not everybody is going to be happy with this, we hope they understand why,” said Skalicky.

The proposal stemmed in part because of budgetary needs. The other primary reason is biology. The Conservation Department says deer harvests in recent years have set records, and the agency wants to ensure a balance is maintained.

A 30-day comment period opened Monday. Anyone can call or e-mail the department to voice an opinion.

by Paula Morehouse, KY3 News