How Uncle Sam can help your duck season!

Duck hunters know about government programs that preserves and creates habitat. They know they need a federal stamp in addition to their state license to legally harvest waterfowl in designated seasons. But how many know there are programs to subsidize the cost of having a recreational hunting ground or duck club?

The Federal Natural Resource Conservation Service, NRCS, will purchase conservation easements that fit hand in glove with wetlands ideal for fishing and waterfowl. The farm owner or purchaser of land in a wetlands area can partner with NRCS by selling an easement to NRCS, which commits the landowner to leave the land in its natural state in perpetuity. The owner can hunt, fish and use the land for recreational purposes as long as they do not cut timber or clear the restricted land. This restriction is no real burden on the outdoorsman and the payment for the easement greatly subsidizes the holding cost or acquisition cost of the land.

If you own wetlands or want to buy wetlands, look into partnering with Uncle Sam. He won’t want to take his duck limit and you won’t have to listen to his stale stories around the campfire.