# Walk In access



## lehi (Sep 13, 2007)

This topic has probably been brought up before. 

My dad and I went hunting for pheasants on saturday. Two days before, we looked up some walk in access areas to hunt, when we got to the field, there was no cover or decent habitat for pheasants. just a big plowed field (that we still hunted with no luck, just ended up with muddy shoes).

I guess what I am trying to get at is the DWR should'nt be paying landowners $1,000 dollars to let hunters on their field if there is no decent habitat or cover to hunt in. I know this is the case with a lot of these walk in access areas.

What do you guys think?


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## HJB (May 22, 2008)

The WIA coordinators are supposed to evaluate the land and make sure that there is game and habitat present. Some of the lands are good for some species and worthless for others. Maybe you chose a Dove hunting property. A lot of land owners own several plots of land and some are better than others.
I would contact the coordinator and let him know what you found and ask him what the deal is. Did you look in the sign in book and see what the comments were and if anybody had harvested anything before you???
I wouldn't think they would waste money on something that didn't offer hunters anything at all. Best bet is to call and discuss it with the coordinator.
I call the Northern Coordinator (Clint Brunson) on a weekly basis and he is very informative and knows his stuff. Never hurts to call.
Good Luck


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Sounds like the WMA scenario. We usually don't see crap when we go into those areas, although there is at least some cover, even if not ideal, there is some.


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## HJB (May 22, 2008)

WMAs and WIA are totally different. WMAs hold the best habitat around the state. The DWR manages these properties for excellent habitat, so that the animals have a good chance of survival during the winter.
WIA are simply private lands open to public hunting. I have great success hunting these WIA areas. I have taken grouse and chukars, seen turkeys and pheasants and huns too. on top of that, I have seen 100 of bucks and bulls on certain properties. I know of a 370 bull elk taken this year and another big five point also taken. These properties are great for the public and I'm glad they decided to do the program.
Yes, maybe a few don't hold "Ideal" habitat, but the others make up for that.


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## duck jerky (Sep 8, 2007)

I have hunted several of the WIa areas and had real good success, of course some of this property I know because i 've had access to it before it was open to the public. The one thing i have noticed is the properties with easy walking are over hunted and there is very little game left. The one i got my deer off this year i had to drag my deer 2 miles and there wasn't a whole lot of people hunting it.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

> The one i got my deer off this year i had to drag my deer 2 miles and there wasn't a whole lot of people hunting it.


And over a fence too if it's the one I'm thinking of. That would have been a real workout!
I've had mixed success on these walk-in areas. Some are definitely better than others, but I'm sure thankful for the access to land I couldn't otherwise hunt on.


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## duck jerky (Sep 8, 2007)

yea i was good the first mile and half but that last half mile I was stopping every 15 feet to rest.


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## Red-Grouse (Sep 22, 2007)

I don't know what we expect! we complain because there is no access we complain because there is no cover we complain because the DWR has done nothing about predators maybe the question we should start asking is what are you doing to improve opportunities for you and other upland hunters...besides complaining ( I AM NOT ATTACKING ANY INDIVIDUAL THIS IS MORE OF A RHETORICAL QUESTION TO ALL OF US)


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