Oregon Hunter's Association

RPS · Dec 2, 2014

For anyone who enjoys hunting and wants to support a great group that is 10,000 strong in the state please check out OHA. They support a lot of the places we all like to hunt as well as legislation to make sure we can keep hunting the units and animals we want.

www.oregonhunters.org

Check out their website or call their office and see what you might be able to do.

Thanks.

nwwoodsman · Dec 8, 2014

I'll sign up again when 1) they can give a straight answer as to what they're doing about Weyehaeuser blackmailing hunters in order to access the game they pay for and 2) quit trying to send insurance salesman to peoples homes.

Oregon Hunter · Dec 9, 2014

nwwoodsman said:
I'll sign up again when 1) they can give a straight answer as to what they're doing about Weyehaeuser blackmailing hunters in order to access the game they pay for and 2) quit trying to send insurance salesman to peoples homes.

My name is Ty Stubblefield, I am the Field Administrator for OHA. I'd like to give you some facts on the two issues you bring up.

1) Weyerhaeuser is charging for an access permit to enter their private lands. The key point in this issue is it's PRIVATE PROPERTY. OHA can do no more about this than we can about a 100,000 acre ranch in Eastern Oregon who charges $5,000 to access their property. You are correct that the game belong to the state of Oregon but there is no legislative protection for big game on private land. In fact ODFW is legislatively mandated to address wildlife and wildlife damage on private lands. This usually means they issue damage permits and create special hunts to kill animals on private lands.

The unfortunate facts are we have no rights to demand anything from any private landowner who initiates a fee permit system. In some ways the public is responsible for it coming to this. For years private landowners have had to deal with trespassing, theft, damage to gates, resource damage, trash dumping and vandalism.

The straight answer is we will do all we can to keep access open to public and private lands. We are working closely with ODFW's Access & Habitat program to keep access open to private lands. Unfortunately in most cases its about the all mighty dollar.

2) With an OHA membership you receive the Oregon Hunter Magazine, Oregon Hunters Calendar with the all important hunt dates, tag sale deadlines and OHA's habitat projects and youth days. You also receive a $3,500 accidental death and dismemberment insurance policy free of charge. Members receive a card in the mail asking if they would like a visit from an insurance agent. The only way you would get an insurance agent at your home is if you filled out and returned the member card requesting a visit from the agent. This is not mandatory and thousands of members do not wish to be bothered. Myself included, who wants an insurance salesman at their house?

I hope this is a straight enough answer for you and you re-join us in our efforts of protecting hunters rights, preserving wildlife habitat and working for wildlife in Oregon.

nwwoodsman · Dec 9, 2014

1) Grays Harbor County in Washington has at least attempted to challenge Weyerhaeuser on the matter which offers at leat a glimmer of hope. Thanks for the reply on that

2) I never filled out a card. I received multiple phone calls saying they just needed a signature for insurance benefits, nothing more. That turned into a 45 minute sales pitch where I repeatedly had to tell a lady no. Only reason I didn't toss her out on her back side was because she seemed so desperate for a sale. Hopefully that's not the experience everyone else has had.

Oregon Hunter · Dec 11, 2014

nwwoodsman said:
1) Grays Harbor County in Washington has at least attempted to challenge Weyerhaeuser on the matter which offers at leat a glimmer of hope. Thanks for the reply on that

2) I never filled out a card. I received multiple phone calls saying they just needed a signature for insurance benefits, nothing more. That turned into a 45 minute sales pitch where I repeatedly had to tell a lady no. Only reason I didn't toss her out on her back side was because she seemed so desperate for a sale. Hopefully that's not the experience everyone else has had.

I will look into the insurance issue and see whats going on, our agreement is that the insurance provider is only supposed to solicit members who return the request card. If you would be willing to share your name I can look into this in more detail. My contact info can be found on the OHA website at www.oregonhunters.org If you will message me I'll look into your issue specifically.

Thank you for informing me of this issue. OHA's By-Laws state that the organization will not share or sale our members contact information. We need to make sure that's being honored with our agreement with the insurance company.

Cheers!

lucky guy · Feb 1, 2015

Thanks for your work with OHA Ty, just re-upped. Anyone else feeling bad that Ty is working so hard and we haven't joined or renewed?

smoothbore · Mar 4, 2015

Oregon Hunter said:
My name is Ty Stubblefield, I am the Field Administrator for OHA. I'd like to give you some facts on the two issues you bring up.

1) Weyerhaeuser is charging for an access permit to enter their private lands. The key point in this issue is it's PRIVATE PROPERTY. OHA can do no more about this than we can about a 100,000 acre ranch in Eastern Oregon who charges $5,000 to access their property. You are correct that the game belong to the state of Oregon but there is no legislative protection for big game on private land. In fact ODFW is legislatively mandated to address wildlife and wildlife damage on private lands. This usually means they issue damage permits and create special hunts to kill animals on private lands.

The unfortunate facts are we have no rights to demand anything from any private landowner who initiates a fee permit system. In some ways the public is responsible for it coming to this. For years private landowners have had to deal with trespassing, theft, damage to gates, resource damage, trash dumping and vandalism.

The straight answer is we will do all we can to keep access open to public and private lands. We are working closely with ODFW's Access & Habitat program to keep access open to private lands. Unfortunately in most cases its about the all mighty dollar.

2) With an OHA membership you receive the Oregon Hunter Magazine, Oregon Hunters Calendar with the all important hunt dates, tag sale deadlines and OHA's habitat projects and youth days. You also receive a $3,500 accidental death and dismemberment insurance policy free of charge. Members receive a card in the mail asking if they would like a visit from an insurance agent. The only way you would get an insurance agent at your home is if you filled out and returned the member card requesting a visit from the agent. This is not mandatory and thousands of members do not wish to be bothered. Myself included, who wants an insurance salesman at their house?

I hope this is a straight enough answer for you and you re-join us in our efforts of protecting hunters rights, preserving wildlife habitat and working for wildlife in Oregon.

My Problem with Wayerhaeuser or any other large timber company is not their rights to do with their private land as they see fit, but what gives them the right to keep me and other hunters from hunting on public land locked behind their gates? This has become a big problem in Douglas county where I hunt. We are losing a tremendous amount of hunting land because of this. What is your organization doing to address this problem? By charging a fee to enter their gate, they are in essence charging me to hunt public land, that others and I pay taxes for the right to do so.

lucky guy · Mar 4, 2015

smoothbore said:
My Problem with Wayerhaeuser or any other large timber company is not their rights to do with their private land as they see fit, but what gives them the right to keep me and other hunters from hunting on public land locked behind their gates? This has become a big problem in Douglas county where I hunt. We are losing a tremendous amount of hunting land because of this. What is your organization doing to address this problem? By charging a fee to enter their gate, they are in essence charging me to hunt public land, that others and I pay taxes for the right to do so.

If I may ask, what are you doing about it? Let us know so we can jump in and help.

Landlocked public land is nothing new, not unique to Oregon. If you want to work on something rather than just complain, how about the corner jumping prohibition? A lot of the public land isn't landlocked, there's just this artificial construct that you can't go from corner to corner without trespassing.

I don't have a fix either, but I can't agree with attacking well-intentioned people volunteering on our behalf. If you're too cheap to join then don't, but spare us the whining. :s0094:

smoothbore · Mar 4, 2015

I don't know what your problem is , but I didn't know I was attacking anyone. I asked a question. You don't know me pal, and whether I'm cheap or not. If you consider asking questions as whining, you have a problem. Not me. As far as what I'm doing about it, I have been bugging my Reps. Both state and Federal. Also have been trying to get legit answers from BLM.

lucky guy · Mar 4, 2015

smoothbore said:
I don't know what your problem is , but I didn't know I was attacking anyone. I asked a question. You don't know me pal, and whether I'm cheap or not. If you consider asking questions as whining, you have a problem. Not me. As far as what I'm doing about it, I have been bugging my Reps. Both state and Federal. Also have been trying to get legit answers from BLM.

"What is your organization doing to address this problem? By charging a fee to enter their gate, they are in essence charging me to hunt public land, that others and I pay taxes for the right to do so."

Might have been this part, or the part about you'll join as soon as they stop the the insurance calls. You were not just asking a question anymore than I was just asking you a question.

OHA is the best org we have around here, get on or get out of the way. Why call them out when you apparently know very little about what they are doing. So you're demanding the same answers from others and you think you're doing something that even begins to match what guys like Ty do year round?

I do get a little touchy about people who sit anonymously behind a screen and criticize hard-working volunteers rather than asking how they can help advance a shared objective. You owe Ty and OHA a thank you and not uninformed, baseless public criticism.

Glenn Brown

smoothbore · Mar 4, 2015

lucky guy said:
"What is your organization doing to address this problem? By charging a fee to enter their gate, they are in essence charging me to hunt public land, that others and I pay taxes for the right to do so."

Might have been this part, or the part about you'll join as soon as they stop the the insurance calls. You were not just asking a question anymore than I was just asking you a question.

OHA is the best org we have around here, get on or get out of the way. Why call them out when you apparently know very little about what they are doing. So you're demanding the same answers from others and you think you're doing something that even begins to match what guys like Ty do year round?

I do get a little touchy about people who sit anonymously behind a screen and criticize hard-working volunteers rather than asking how they can help advance a shared objective. You owe Ty and OHA a thank you and not uninformed, baseless public criticism.

Glenn Brown

Mr Brown, you need to open your eyes and pay more attentions to the posts. The guy complaining about the Ins. people was another member not me.

prkrgrp · May 6, 2015

waste of time and money

Automag68 · Jun 2, 2015

It is unfortunate that the bad Hunters have spoiled it for us responsible hunters had they not trashed there property we would still be hunting there. and if you dont believe it happens just look at your public land same goes on there I hunted tioga for years and killed some great animals. But no more on wyerhauser land wont and cant afford to pay. We need to get back to ethical hunters and respect our public and private lands. OHA helps we are more powerful in numbers and if we get involved just not throughing $35 to OHA and walking away get involved. TY is a great Guy and really knows his stuff he will be missed.
Automag68(D.S.)

DuneHopper · Aug 29, 2015

Hey Oregon Hunter I am in your area, do you know of some good target shooting areas ?
If you want you can PM me them, we have a few we have gone to but fire restrictions are keeping us from getting practice. Thanks.

Automag68 · Aug 30, 2015

I use the Gunclub for 60 a year and in town best bang for your buck

mikemenzie · Sep 23, 2015

Hey there, I don't know if this is the best place to do it, but I want to tag onto the landlocked public lands issue here...I, personally haven't done anything about it. I have no idea WHAT to do. I've actually been trying to find advice or help with this since last season, trying to find my mother a place to hunt. Who do you contact? Weyerhauser and the other timber companies seem no good to contact. There's always just a bored sounding person on the phone saying 'we'll know what areas are open when fire season is over, maybe' and then, half the time, they still don't open them after fire season closes, even for a fee.
Does BLM have any info or opinion on why we can't access BLM land, or what to do about it? Or ODFW? Who is best to contact about it?

Thanks, guys! I've forwarded the info for OHA to my mother, and we'll look into them, too.