MDF partnership with private ranches?

[elkantlers]

Is MDF for the public sportsman or out to privatize our hunting?

I don't like the looks of this and would hope that money raised off the backs of public land hunters wouldn't be used to feather the nests of private landowners and put more acres in private hands.

 

[elkhunterUT]

Thought the exact same thing when I received that email. Not a great look!

 

[SS!]

haven’t you heard of the Millions the feds gave the MDF because they are doing such an awesome job?

Just ask them! 35 years and our mule deer are at an all time low.

 

[SS!]

Not much info out there. Looks like St James is partnered with MDF since 2021. Looks like they are also partnered with Mossback. WTF does that mean when a realtor teams with a “non profit” “conservation” organization?

 

[2lumpy]

Not much info out there. Looks like St James is partnered with MDF since 2021. Looks like they are also partnered with Mossback. WTF does that mean when a realtor teams with a “non profit” “conservation” organization?

View attachment 129657

I don’t think you understand SS! However maybe you do but your not making it very clear that you do.

It’s might seem subtle but it’s not when you peel back the layers.

There has been a lot of thought put into non-profit organizations, all non-profits that have longevity and it’s certainly not limited to just wildlife conservation groups. Not by any means.

The key to longevity for a non-profit is to avoid, at all cost, conflict/controversy, because it causes a loss of memebership and lose of membership cause a lose in revenue donations. In as much as donation are life blood, .

 

[elkantlers]

This is definitely conflict territory. Trouble is, most of the guys donating to MDF are blissfully ignorant to most of the goings on inside the organization.

 

[Tristate]

If you want to be effective you need to network with private land owners and public hunters.

There's a pile of money flowing from private land owners and shouldn't be solely spent on public properties.

 

[Buckfever34]

Tagscribe. I saw the email as well.

 

[slamdunk]

No need to panic or start another conspiracy theory over this.

As it was explained to me, this little partnership took place in 2021 and expires in 24, 3 year deal.

No conservation money or habitat work goes into this ranch whatsoever.
It was a financial deal only that was made by people who are no longer with the MDF.

 

[slamdunk]

If you want to be effective you need to network with private land owners and public hunters.

There's a pile of money flowing from private land owners and shouldn't be solely spent on public properties.

This I can agree with you on.

 

[Sparks Shooter]

Private land owners are managing mule deer way better than public land owners right now in the western states that I'm familiar with. How is it that a ranch in the middle of a general unit in Utah can consistently have more does, young bucks, and older bucks than the surrounding unit? Only logical answer is better management. All that and they are taking 10-15 bucks per year off a 7k acre place so its not like there is no hunting pressure.-----SS

 

[2lumpy]

Private land owners are managing mule deer way better than public land owners right now in the western states that I'm familiar with. How is it that a ranch in the middle of a general unit in Utah can consistently have more does, young bucks, and older bucks than the surrounding unit? Only logical answer is better management. All that and they are taking 10-15 bucks per year off a 7k acre place so its not like there is no hunting pressure.-----SS

I absolutely agree that we should be asking and answering that question.

Only logical answer is better management.

I might suggest different management.

Better management presumes they are inept, I don’t believe they are but they dang sure are hard set on different management and what’s worse is they aren’t going anywhere ideologically and are still doubling down on bucks don’t have fawns and fish die from corn bait.

Oh wait, that’s not entirely true, they now believe fish don’t die from eating corn…… sorry about that.

 

[slamdunk]

Private land owners are managing mule deer way better than public land owners right now in the western states that I'm familiar with. How is it that a ranch in the middle of a general unit in Utah can consistently have more does, young bucks, and older bucks than the surrounding unit? Only logical answer is better management. All that and they are taking 10-15 bucks per year off a 7k acre place so its not like there is no hunting pressure.-----SS

I completely agree.
Look at northern Utah around the Deseret country.
The reason those CWMU's like Ensign Ranches, Two Bear, etc, etc are so successful is because of micro management of animals and habitat.
Big game pays more money than cattle.

Those CWMU's are the only reason there are any animals on the public land at all.

 

[middlefork]

Big game pays more money than cattle.

Any financials to back that up?
I can't think of an operation out there that is financed by wildlife. If there was there would be no need to have livestock.

 

[2lumpy]

I completely agree.
Look at northern Utah around the Deseret country.
The reason those CWMU's like Ensign Ranches, Two Bear, etc, etc are so successful is because of micro management of animals and habitat.
Big game pays more money than cattle.

Those CWMU's are the only reason there are any animals on the public land at all.

Image that…….. the African safari outfitters say the same thing. The second the world outlaws rhino hunting, the African farmer gets rid them (kills them on his property) they also say, the minute the world outlaws hunting giraffes, the private land owner will kill them all, or to put it in more gentle terms, he will sell them to hunters…….. quick and cheap.

As you’ve heard me say, ad nauseam, folks had better start building a personal plan to hunt mule deer and other species on private property if…….. they are going to continue hunting mule deer.


Very sad! Absolutely, because it’s totally unnecessary.

 

[2lumpy]

Any financials to back that up?
I can't think of an operation out there that is financed by wildlife. If there was there would be no need to have livestock.

No sure about financials but the Market value for beef is easy to find. At $200 per hundred weight, means a 1,000 pound steer will bring $2,000. It doesn’t take a very mature mule deer buck to bring all of that and more, but maybe my math is screwed up……. again.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_2039.pdf

 

[slamdunk]

No sure about financials but the Market value for beef is easy to find. At $200 per hundred weight, means a 1,000 pound steer will bring $2,000. It doesn’t take a very mature mule deer buck to bring all of that add more, but maybe my math is screwed up……. again.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_2039.pdf

When I was guiding deer on Ensign Ranches (4 years), our lease expired and to renew it was going to cost $1.3m.

The math on even breaking even was having to charge $20k for deer tags in which we only had 10 per season.

We walked away from it and Western Lands Outfitters took it over.

 

[SS!]

No need to panic or start another conspiracy theory over this.

As it was explained to me, this little partnership took place in 2021 and expires in 24, 3 year deal.

No conservation money or habitat work goes into this ranch whatsoever.
It was a financial deal only that was made by people who are no longer with the MDF.

So what is the details of the partnership? Of course it’s financial! But who’s paying who?

 

[SS!]

Any financials to back that up?
I can't think of an operation out there that is financed by wildlife. If there was there would be no need to have livestock.

Don’t hold your breath.

 

[notdonhunting]

No sure about financials but the Market value for beef is easy to find. At $200 per hundred weight, means a 1,000 pound steer will bring $2,000. It doesn’t take a very mature mule deer buck to bring all of that and more, but maybe my math is screwed up……. again.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_2039.pdf

Your math is correct, but most ranches raise more than one steer, Probably a couple hundred more.

 

[slamdunk]

Any financials to back that up?
I can't think of an operation out there that is financed by wildlife. If there was there would be no need to have livestock.

I do not have any on paper to back up my comment no, I'm just going off what I have heard and been told when I was working those ranches.

I'm sure is varies from ranch to ranch and with the number of Livestock they have as well.

Example-

Utah Ranch Viable Thanks to Wildlife not Livestock

How one family ranch was saved by creating a habitat for wild game and partnering with the state and hunting outfitters.

utahstories.com

 

[elkantlers]

It was a financial deal only that was made by people who are no longer with the MDF.

Is there accounting for this "little" deal?

I'd be interested in knowing how much money was made and where it has been spent to benefit mule deer.

 

[2lumpy]

Your math is correct, but most ranches raise more than one steer, Probably a couple hundred more.

Many more, for sure. Their cost to raise those steers is also a factor, not that wildlife are a no cost operation either. A wise business rancher knows how to maximize whatever it is he’s selling. Even the unwise rancher can’t work for free.

 

[SS!]

I do not have any on paper to back up my comment no, I'm just going off what I have heard and been told when I was working those ranches.

I'm sure is varies from ranch to ranch and with the number of Livestock they have as well.

Example-

Utah Ranch Viable Thanks to Wildlife not Livestock

How one family ranch was saved by creating a habitat for wild game and partnering with the state and hunting outfitters.

utahstories.com

You’re the guy who hates HEARSAY but yet spread it

 

[SS!]

Is there accounting for this "little" deal?

I'd be interested in knowing how much money was made and where it has been spent to benefit mule deer.

Well he heard it’s all ok so just take his word for it.

 

[SS!]

Looks like some closed door deals being made.

 

[Tristate]

Looks like some closed door deals being made.View attachment 130073

Very secret. Two private entities do business with each other. Must be reeeeeeal shady.


I hear people send them money and MDF spends it. I bet it's part of an international drug cartel.

 

[SS!]

Very secret. Two private entities do business with each other. Must be reeeeeeal shady.


I hear people send them money and MDF spends it. I bet it's part of an international drug cartel.

Agree!!!

 

[Rie bread]

Rich old dude like to invest money and shoot big mule deer too?

 

[slamdunk]

Ya, totally sketchy!

Wealthy person who cares about wildlife on and off his property needs to make big donations for tax reasons, chooses the best that he feels benefits him in all aspects.....Definitely another conspiracy!

Better investigate the USFS & BLM as well, they partnered with MDF as well and gave $65m

 

[SS!]

Ya, totally sketchy!

Wealthy person who cares about wildlife on and off his property needs to make big donations for tax reasons, chooses the best that he feels benefits him in all aspects.....Definitely another conspiracy!

Better investigate the USFS & BLM as well, they partnered with MDF as well and gave $65m

The MDF is the Enron of the hunting world for sure.

 

[Tristate]

The corruption might go al the way to the top. Colonel Sanders ain't dead and he huntin' muleys on the island.

 

[HntHrdr]

Kind of turns you off when MDF is pouring tons of money into big private ranch in Northern Co which the only guys that hunt it are the owner and his MDF buddies… just my personal experience, oh and there is loads of public they could be putting those guzzlers and improving habitat on just to the west on public ground where those poor public land muleys could enjoy it

 

[slamdunk]

Kind of turns you off when MDF is pouring tons of money into big private ranch in Northern Co which the only guys that hunt it are the owner and his MDF buddies… just my personal experience, oh and there is loads of public they could be putting those guzzlers and improving habitat on just to the west on public ground where those poor public land muleys could enjoy it

See post #9......

 

[HntHrdr]

See post #9......

Not this specific ranch, I’ll look up and see if I can find the ranch it was in unit 9 or 191 in Co.