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Weyerhaeuser is planning to implement a Fee for Access permit program on many of their privately owned tree farm lands in Oregon and Washington. A typical fee for access is $150.00 per year. Fees vary at different locations. If this Fee for Access program is implemented, many of us will need to cease our recreational activities on Weyerhaeuser land, which will in turn, apply more pressure on State and Federal lands.

A Town Hall meeting is scheduled, to discuss this issue, on July 24, 2014 beginning at 6:30 pm, at Toutle Lake School cafeteria located at 5050 Spirit Lake Highway, Toutle, WA. The Town Hall meeting is being hosted by Cowlitz County Commissioner James Misner.

While we all prefer free access to private land, we realize and respect a land owner's rules and requirements. We appreciate access to private land and are willing work in exchange for that privilege.

Our community, of responsible firearms owners, at NorthwestFirearms.com, would like to urge Weyerhaeuser to consider making provisions available to all outdoor enthusiasts regardless of their ability to pay for the permits, if they decide to implement this Fee for Access program.

Therefore, NorthwestFirearms.com is proposing, to Weyerhaeuser, that if a Fee for Access program is put in place, they provide an alternative program that allows for volunteers to obtain an Access Permit by offering free permits to all who participate in a predetermined number of volunteer work hours. In addition, we are asking that those permits be applicable to all Weyerhaeuser Tree Farm lands.

Our volunteer proposal would be to engage the help of the general public, other outdoor groups and organizations, Fish and Wildlife, Law Enforcement and other interested agencies. Details of volunteer activities will be negotiated at future dates, should Weyerhaeuser accept this proposal.

Please cast your vote and attend the Town Hall meeting if you can.

Thank you,

Bill
NorthwestFirearms.com
Volunteer Coordinator
 
Last Edited:
Took down the polling because there's really not enough time to do it justice. The info above still stays as it describes what I will propose to Weyerhaeuser.
 
Town Hall meeting went well. Cowlitz Co. Commissioner James Misner did a good job moderating and keeping the focus on track. He gave an overview of previous developments, of the Fee for Access program, which included proposals for volunteer efforts that Weyerhaeuser promply, and firmly, rejected. Misner informed us that Fee for Access, in Cowlitz County, is set in stone for 1 year. It's a done deal. After that, they said they will review the program and consider any new proposals.

Therefore, the purpose of last nights meeting was to gather ideas, comments and suggestions, from the public, as to what we would want in a proposal to Weyerhaeuser next year.

In attendance were about 40 people, primarily hunters, from within Cowlitz County and a few of us from outside the county. We were all disappointed that Weyerhaeuser, even though invited, was a No-Show. Washington State Dept of Fish and Wildlife did not show either.

The fee is $150 per person, (not per vehicle, nor per family, nor per year), and allows 1 person access from Aug to Jan. (Hunting season dates). Does not include a "Non-hunting buddy" or anyone else.

Commissioner Misner asked me to speak, so I presented NWFA, our membership stats, our recent volunteer projects and the agencies we work with. I proposed that since Weyerhaeuser is charging an access fee, we would still offer our volunteer services IF they would apply the hours you work towards a free permit. In addition, we asked that an earned permit be valid at other Tree Farm lands in Oregon and Washington (not only applicable to the land you worked on). That way, if you live in Oregon, and come to work on a Washington project, your earned permit would be valid to access your preferred land in Oregon.

If they will not go for that, No Deal! I will not ask you to work on a project if it is not worth anything to you. I know that our State and Federal projects are well worth our efforts because they are our lands, but on a deal like this, on private land, we will not work for the benefit of the land owner just so they can charge a premium for others to hunt.

I feel this proposal is fair to us and fair to them. Just like when I go to a rancher, or private land owner, and ask "May I hunt on your land? If so, I would be happy to lend a hand, from time to time, by fixing fence, clean up trash, help on a cattle drive or help at branding time. I 'll trade you for that hunting privilege".

So all in all, it was a good meeting. I will be keeping in touch with Commissioner Misner on his proposal to Weyerhaeuser for next year and we'll see where they go at that time. Ya never know.

I think it was well worth the effort to try to get open access to good hunting lands for our NWFA hunters, a well as, we got some more positive exposure for NWFA.

Bill
 
Town Hall meeting went well. Cowlitz Co. Commissioner James Misner did a good job moderating and keeping the focus on track. He gave an overview of previous developments, of the Fee for Access program, which included proposals for volunteer efforts that Weyerhaeuser promply, and firmly, rejected. Misner informed us that Fee for Access, in Cowlitz County, is set in stone for 1 year. It's a done deal. After that, they said they will review the program and consider any new proposals.

Therefore, the purpose of last nights meeting was to gather ideas, comments and suggestions, from the public, as to what we would want in a proposal to Weyerhaeuser next year.

In attendance were about 40 people, primarily hunters, from within Cowlitz County and a few of us from outside the county. We were all disappointed that Weyerhaeuser, even though invited, was a No-Show. Washington State Dept of Fish and Wildlife did not show either.

The fee is $150 per person, (not per vehicle, nor per family, nor per year), and allows 1 person access from Aug to Jan. (Hunting season dates). Does not include a "Non-hunting buddy" or anyone else.

Commissioner Misner asked me to speak, so I presented NWFA, our membership stats, our recent volunteer projects and the agencies we work with. I proposed that since Weyerhaeuser is charging an access fee, we would still offer our volunteer services IF they would apply the hours you work towards a free permit. In addition, we asked that an earned permit be valid at other Tree Farm lands in Oregon and Washington (not only applicable to the land you worked on). That way, if you live in Oregon, and come to work on a Washington project, your earned permit would be valid to access your preferred land in Oregon.

If they will not go for that, No Deal! I will not ask you to work on a project if it is not worth anything to you. I know that our State and Federal projects are well worth our efforts because they are our lands, but on a deal like this, on private land, we will not work for the benefit of the land owner just so they can charge a premium for others to hunt.

I feel this proposal is fair to us and fair to them. Just like when I go to a rancher, or private land owner, and ask "May I hunt on your land? If so, I would be happy to lend a hand, from time to time, by fixing fence, clean up trash, help on a cattle drive or help at branding time. I 'll trade you for that hunting privilege".

So all in all, it was a good meeting. I will be keeping in touch with Commissioner Misner on his proposal to Weyerhaeuser for next year and we'll see where they go at that time. Ya never know.

I think it was well worth the effort to try to get open access to good hunting lands for our NWFA hunters, a well as, we got some more positive exposure for NWFA.

Bill

Thank you for attending and representing us at the meeting. I absolutely agree that if they're not willing to work with us, we can find other volunteer projects which are of benefit to us. $150 per person quite steep, they're clearly targeting hunters, whom are usually willing to pay.
 
I have a few questions Bill, so this only effects Cowlitz County? They other is, isnt the land leased to Weyerhaeuser from the government? Doesnt Weyerhaeuser have control over land though out WA and OR?
 
I have a few questions Bill, so this only effects Cowlitz County? They other is, isnt the land leased to Weyerhaeuser from the government? Doesnt Weyerhaeuser have control over land though out WA and OR?

Most of their lands in OR & WA are set for fee access this year. After 1 year they said they'd review and be open for discussion. I don't know if that means they'll discuss all their lands or just the Cowlitz one. They are still discussing land over in Grey's Harbor and that one should prove to be an interesting one.

They own their lands in the US. And yes, they do have control of their land. There are many issues they are, and were, responsible for but I'm not up on all those details.

Bill
 
I thought that there was access rights included when the land was bought from the State... I don't remember where I heard that but I thought that there was something like that. It will essentially make the Weyerhauser land more like a private hunting club, which will increase the chances for those that can afford it but drive out those who cannot. I like the idea of removing their tax breaks.
 
It will essentially make the Weyerhauser land more like a private hunting club, which will increase the chances for those that can afford it but drive out those who cannot.

Exactly. Was watching some facebook conversations about it. Some of those guys were almost giddy, about the limited access. They seemed a bit too happy to see their fellow hunters locked out of the woods, because of the high costs, limited permits, whatever. All they care about is there will be less competition for them,,,
 
I have words I use to describe Weyerhauser........suffice it to say they are throwing signs up all over Columbia County effectively shutting anyone and everyone that either isn't willing or unable to pay their high fees.

I will never again buy a stick that is stamped with their name.
 
I have words I use to describe Weyerhauser........suffice it to say they are throwing signs up all over Columbia County effectively shutting anyone and everyone that either isn't willing or unable to pay their high fees.

I will never again buy a stick that is stamped with their name.


If you live in Columbia County you already know what's going to happen to the sign's they put up.
 
If you live in Columbia County you already know what's going to happen to the sign's they put up.

Vandalism = Not cool.

Shooting at a sign = Negligent homicide. Plus an armed hunter on the receiving end of that stray bullet could decide to defend himself...

Folks, this year's fire season may take out those signs anyway... let nature do her work. :)
 
Went hiking yesterday.
Guess what I found in the woods about 25 feet from the gate.

DSCN1801_zps6lwkszbz.jpg
 
Weyerhaeuser BLOWS !:s0098: They don't allow Rockhounding or Gold Panning on what they call ''Their'' land. :s0154:OK, so I can't move around a few rocks but Weyerhaeuser rapes the Forest and sells OUR Timber to Asia for profit and wants $ for US to go on OUR Lands ? :s0123: :s0073::s0066::s0033:That is ''Federal'' = ''PUBLIC'' LAND !:s0160: :s0025: :s0087: $ is taking our F----- Rights and OUR LAND away.:s0163:
 
and with their great idea, when there is a natural disaster such as flooding, fire, earthquakes,etc they are 100% responsible to right the issue at hand. no public or state or federal fire protection or anything else. just like the woods here in idaho (Potlatch, which are kissing cousins ) rape it and sell it. they try to do the very same thing here. and if you look back into the archives deep enough you will find that (Potlatch) help anybody to homestead fully knowing that it would fail and they (Potlatch) scooped it up before anybody else had a chance to buy. every bit legal but very very shady. because large companies could not homestead like individuals so they encouraged other people to try knowing they woul fail. and that is cold hard facts. :mad:
 

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