Permission Revoked on lease land!
 

Well, never thought I would be making a lease land post, but here we are.

One of the properties we have hunted for years is now closed.
Its a half section of grazing lease, mostly brush with some open areas of grass.
We talk to the lease holders every year and have always been given permission for the whole season.

This year we talked to the lease holder in Oct and were given verbal permission for the year.

On Nov 3 we get a text saying that they have decided to put the cows back on the lease land and are revoking hunting permission from everyone this year.

Where does one find the rules for lease holders?
This isn't going to make or break the season but this lease holder has frustrated me in the past with hinting of a "thank you" gift being expected in exchange for being allowed in there.

Pretty sure lease land has a date that cattle need to be moved off by. We have an ***** like that in my area too. Drops that excuse every year trying to keep the land for his private hunting.

Not true. I know of leases that can have cattle on them at anytime of the year. All depends on how the particular lease is written up.

That's true but I do remember this lease holder saying on multiple years that the cows would be moved out on Oct 31.

Correct

Maybe his situation has changed for some reason and now he needs to put his cows back on the lease?

Feed is expensive and hard to come by this year. Better graze as much as possible.

Grizz

I spoke with a lease holder this year who wasn't allowing me on for bow hunting as he was "fully booked".

So I asked for rifle season, he said he was putting cows back on the lease on November 1st, so there would be no access for rifle season.

This conversation happened in mid June.

Just like how some hunters spoil it for others. Some leaseholders do that same thing.

“Fully booked” is what I was running into as well. Calling well ahead of time. Seems to be a loophole excuse.

Check the provisions within the lease. If there isn't one for potential year round grazing you're good to go.

Whether or not you want to push that is up to you.

Typical lease holder. Allows access for years and then cuts everyone off without cause.


If it were a developer or government we would all assume there was a good reason but a lease holder! No way. They never have a good reason do they.

Intersting how hunters never mess in their own beds and lease holders are always unreasonable if they deny access for any reason.

The end of all grazing leases is coming sooner then I thought. And I don't mean that cattle will no longer be grazed, of course they have to graze or lease holders will have no other choice but to sell off the cattle and find another way to make a living.
There is only two options open to them, they can purchase land to graze their cattle on. Or they can sell out.
That will mean the price of steak wil go way up to pay for all those purchased acres or it will go way up because steak will become a rare commodity.

But don't let me disuade you, your rights trump all other considerations.
Besides, you all think you can have your cake and eat it too.

Good luck with that,

You're the public land owner. Call the provincial land manager and get it straightened out.

If a farmer says no and you raise a stink to be allowed on anyway do you really think any future requests for permission will go well? Be polite and move along, it's a big province.

There are reasons that a phone number is available to speak to the land manager in Alberta. If a lease holder isn’t reasonable giving access is one of them. Find out what is reasonable access for this lease and if he is meeting all these points you’re sol. If not, you maybe able to walk on in. You have to follow the proper avenues though.
https://www.alberta.ca/stage-one-inf...ilitation.aspx

You think it's possible he is short on hay due to the wet year and he needs to let his cattle graze as long as possible to avoid selling his herd at a loss. In my world that's a common thing, guy's are letting their cattle graze on the oat's still out in the field due to wet conditions, and the hay is a write off this year. Don't know the circumstances there but around here that's how it is.

Yes but it's hunting season. Why should a person trying to make a living off of a piece of land that he pays the government to graze cattle on, trump hunting season. :thinking-006:

In Alberta we have more land to hunt and less people occupying it than most of the world... yet guys get upset about lease land every year. It used to upset me too, but the right thing to do is respect the farmers and move along. Why are we fighting with our local farmers over a few hundred acres of hunting property? Sure it’s usually easily accessible and prob holds impressive animals. Every other guy just wants the low hanging fruit, and to me that isn’t what hunting is about. Go knock on doors and get permission to private land, it will pay off for you. If you want your own lease then apply for one, buy a couple yearlings to graze for the year.

Exactly.

Do the conditions of the lease not apply if the farmer is trying to make a living? I'm trying to make a living, why do the governments taxes have to trump my need for a new bow?

Also, while on the topic, what do you guys think is the minimum 'thank you' gift we should be giving when the lease holder tells you most people give a gift in return for access?

Call the Gov, file a complaint or whatever the protocol is. This has to stop. These folks RENT the land, they DO NOT own it. My family homesteaded here in 1908.

Do the conditions of the lease lead you to believe you are being worked? What condition is he breaking?

Grazing lease or agricultural lease? We open up our grazing leases. But agricultural leases you do not need to allow access. I.E crops still in field

I don’t know about the minimum for a thank you gift but the max should b a verbal thank you.

If enough stink gets raised about grazing leases, the government will be forced to do something about it.
They will sell the land to the lease holders.

just call the lease agrologist and see if the lease holder is lying. if they are, you may just get access.

No. Much easier for some rewording and education.

Yep, this has been floated before. And the current government is VERY willing to make unpopular decisions and sell public assets.

Call, ask the question, but if they are allowed to graze I’d let it go. Much as I’m not a fan of the current system, now is not the time for changes.

Apparently there is not enough wilderness to go around in Alberta so we have to bother lease holders who have to pay to use the land as well as maintain the boundaries. Maybe try offering to help them in the off season and see if there is a difference in access.

Ok no, that’s going too far. Everyone needs to play by the rules. Both the land and the wildlife are public property. The leaseholder needs to adhere to the conditions and not block recreational access without due cause. Hunters need to understand livestock operations (when allowed) take precedence over recreation.

Easy to say “go somewhere else” when you have it in your back yard, the guy you’re saying it to might have planned all year to get a couple days of hunting in. Not everyone can go to the “wilderness”, and yes it will be your problem. Keep blocking access, hunter participation drops, and you’ll find yourself outvoted by antihunting antigun urbanites. No hunting for you either.