This Could Be Why Hunters Can’t Gain Access In North Dakota

There are many reasons why hunters are turned down access for land access in North Dakota.

There's no doubt, it's getting tougher and tougher each year to find a spot to hunt. Guides and Outfitters are tying up large tracks of land for their clients for one thing.

Then the internet has made it easier than ever before for landowners to lease up their land for hunting with numerous websites offering up an Airbnb-like option. And you can't blame landowners for doing this, an extra income is hard to turn down. Especially in today's economy.

Competition is also more fierce with other hunters than ever before.

Hunting is on the decline nationwide, but it never seems that way in North Dakota. We have no limits on out-of-staters with waterfowl and upland game licenses and it can get crowded out in the field in certain areas, especially early in the season.

There's another BIG reason why hunters are unable to gain access in the state.

Have you ever heard the saying, "It only takes a few rotten apples" to spoil it for the rest of us? Yep, the other reason why landowners could turn you down has nothing to do with you. It's because some SLOB hunter before you did something to ruin it for the rest of us.

This has happened twice this season with two landowner friends of mine. Slob hunters breasting out their birds and throwing them into the ditch.

WARNING: This photo might be disturbing to some.

Not only is this wrong on so many levels, but it's also ILLEGAL. You can't transport wild game in North Dakota or any state for that matter with just the breasts.

This is just a terrible look for a landowner to run across this on their land, and it happens a lot. Another landowner friend of mine also just came across a bunch of Canada geese breasted out and thrown into his ditch just outside of Bismarck the other day.

If you want the gates to stay OPEN, treat the land like it was your own. 

Be thankful for the opportunity, and make sure you leave the landowners' land in better shape than when you walked in. A very simple way to help keep access open. Don't be a SLOB hunter!