Maybe your idea has some merit norskie, let's run with that for a minute.
Perhaps SRD should create a landowner's contact tool of some kind; something that makes it a bit easier to identify where accessible land exists, who owns it, how to get in touch to request access, and what restrictions may exist.
I wouldn't mind an increase in licenses of a few dollars, if I knew the extra money was going to that kind of initiative.
Perhaps eligibility for crop damage relief could be linked to participation in such a scheme.
Access is one issue, and habitat is quite another. Morton wants to link them because he knows the access component would fall on deaf ears unless it is sold under the auspices of something that everyone might find acceptable - like habitat.
I mentioned the idea of additional training/information being offered to young hunters as a means of possibly bolstering new hunters to Morton during one of the Open Spaces meetings. He listened and promptly went on to suggest the merits of his brain child. He doesn't care. this is strictly about advancing his ideological principles and or patronage to folks that helped bankroll his past leadership bid. IMHO
If you want to talk about improving access opportunities to hunters, I really believe we can improve how we interact with landowners to secure access, and likely create more opportunity without having to "buy it". In the "good times" economy it has been easy to condition us to just throw money at any issue to make them go away. The access issue down here is not as prevalent as Morton would like you to believe. I cold called 13 landowners on the ridge two years ago to hunt birds and was granted permission to hunt on all parcels - with one condition on one property to stay out of the quarter that his house was on. I did not know any of these landowners prior to that first call.
In my opinion a system that really takes the hunter training to a new level by having a requirement of a certain # of hours of hands-on to certify - spent between some range time, information sessions on determining who owns land (eg - using land maps to scout areas) coupled with a bit of training on how to "cold call" landowners with a finishing piece kind of tying in the whole circle and how we are but one small piece in the process. I would finish this with having the kid pick an area, do some calling and secure permission for a hunt. This would take some time and additional volunteers, but I believe the end result would likely be a wholesale change in the perception of both landowners and hunters.
This could easily be dove tailed in with a first time hunter program AHEIA runs where they take first timers out to hunt.
The database you mention is a good idea, but I fear that the lazy tendencies of people in general would mean some areas would get heavy pressure while others would fall by the wayside. IMO
I think by educating young hunters and equipping the with the correct tools we keep the human touch.
Actually.......
