Potlatch Hunting Leases or Fees
Minnesota
I am requesting information about hunting leases or fees of Potlatch Corp Lands in Minn. I am a Regional Director of the Idaho State Bowhunters and Potlatch Corp is the largest private landowner in our state ans are instituting a land use fee system in Idaho this year, Beginning April 1. They have stated in print that they have been doing this in Minn. for quite some time. Would like to hear from you.
Yogi- I personally have a lease on 70 acres of MN. Potlatch Lands. The program has been a great success with cleaning up their properties from hunter abuses like garbage, litter and trespass. They hold the leasee accountable for the property and have quite an extensive set of rules one must follow. They also provide gates in certain situations where needed. They do require access remain open through the lease if the access road leads to other public lands, say state forest or a wildlife management area.
The negatives I see with the lease program is the continued loss of public hunting lands for people who can't afford their own or can't get a tract of Potlatch. It has consumed thousands of acres of once public land into private leases and has resulted in over crowing of public lands in some parts of the state. Adjacent land owners have preference in getting the Potlatch pieces next to their property and then after that it is first come first served based on bid per acre. $5-10 per acre usually. Punch up on Google "Potlatch Land Lease Program" and you can learn more. If you want to pm me I do have the number of the guy who adminsteres the lease program, very good person.
First come first serve after adjacent landowners? Bull! The lease manager at Potlatch is allowed to pick who he wants to get the lease. Sometimes even before a neighboring land owner. Kind of like someone renting an apartment, usually the first person gets it but sometimes the landlord just doesn't like the first applicant.
In Wisconsin forest crop land gets pretty decent property tax credits and I am fairly sure the same is true in Minnesota. One assumption there is that the land will be open to public hunting. Companies doing these leases should have their tax credits terminated and should have to pay all their previous tax credits. But they aren't. That's my problem with the program besides the loss of land huntable by the public.
In Wisconsin and Minnesota many timber companies are also outright selling their property in 40 or 80 acre parcels.
Just one example of how good that tax credit is in Wisconsin. One parcel of about 120 acres was recently sold to the state. Taxes on it were around $80 for the whole thing, per year under the forest credit rate. The state paid around $600,000 for that land. If it had been taxed at the normal tax rate the taxes would have been over $5,000 per year. Not exactly fair to the other 90% of the landowners that do not get that great rate.
Not sure how these rates compare in Minnesota.
How successful are these leases Jeff ?? I know they cut me out of some prime bear hunting ! Then you look at some of the land and after the timber co's clear cut the land, there isn't much left for a few years ! It's just barren waste. They are getting money off it till the second groth comes back.
I don't think a lot of the people know what they just leased !! bearman,
Jeff, the Wi. forrest cropland to puplic hunting was changed a few yrs ago,the owner can restrict whoever what to hunt the property.
Jeff- Interesting on the forest cropland issue in Wisconsin. I don't know if that exists in MN or not. Also I guess I have not been aware of any discrepancies in leasing the land out in MN. Did the situation you stated occur in MN? I know the guy quite well that administers the program here and would be interested to know if there are issues. He has bent over backwards for many requests I am aware of here in MN. Don't think he broke the rules of favortism because I never have heard a complaint before. I will also check on the forest cropland tax credit with him as well in MN. The loss of those lands to public hunting has really had an impact in certain areas I am familiar with.
Bearman, the leases vary a great deal in hunting quality and hunting results. Just like buying land, you need to do your homework before you sign on the line.
Phantom, yes it was in MN. It involves a very good friend of a mutual friend of ours. It was about 4 years ago. I doubt if it happens often tho.
Jeff- Just got a letter in the mail- My lease is done. Potlatch is selling the parcel. Maybe I pisst them off on the site?
Well guys, get out your checkbooks and buy those properties.
