Major Minnesota property owner closes land to snowmobilers

bearrassler

bearrassler

Well-known member
That is going to be tough on the Ash River, Orr, Crane Lake and Cook areas I would think. I ride up there some times and if they close parts of the Arrowhead and Voyaguers trails there are not many other ways to get around up there.
 
mezz

mezz

Well-known member
This is not good, moreover, I am reading this as a tad on the greedy side of the land owner. I am not saying they shouldn't get a tax break, but, 2 million dollars worth? That's a lot of moola! I certainly hope they can work something out for all concerned, especially the snowmobile trails. An economic disaster for that area is imminent if they can't do something.-Mezz
 
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Admin

Admin

Administrator
Staff member
mezz said:
This is not good, moreover, I am reading this as a tad on the greedy side of the land owner. I am not saying they shouldn't get a tax break, but, 2 million dollars worth? That's a lot of moola! I certainly hope they can work something out for all concerned, especially the snowmobile trails. An economic disaster for that area is iminent if they can't do something.-Mezz
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It's probably very close to the exact thing that happens up here with the the persons that put their land into the CFA. You only pay a dollar an acre in taxes and in return, you HAVE to allow persons to go in on foot and use the land to hunt or fish.

If MI or the counties ever decided to change the way the CFA works, tons of trails (including just about everything from Calumet north) would be closed.

I don't think it is greedy of the land holding company to do this. There was a working reciprocal arrangement in place (just like here) and the state cut a little bit of fat (1.9 mil is nothing to the state budget of MN) and broke it's end of the deal that had been in place for years. So the land holding company was forced to use it's only source of leverage and stop allowing the state to use their land for snowmobile trails- which it was not required to do in the first place and was only doing out of good-faith.

I seriously doubt that this all happened as a surprise to all involved either.

-John
 
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samc

New member
This is not good but hopefully they can get something worked out soon. We try to ride this area in the Spring most season. Last ride if you will.
This state never seems to think long term! Nothing suprises me anymore!
 
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ezra

Well-known member
Good for them I dont blame them one bit.Vote for yahoos like Dayton and this is what u get only the first in a long line to come
 
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brent

New member
Property tax policy for forestland has been an issue at the Legislature for a decade or more. But the most recent problem surfaced in 2010 when state lawmakers and then-Gov. Tim Pawlenty changed the state’s Sustainable Forestry Incentives Act, which has paid landowners between $7 and $13 per acre per year to keep their land sustainably managed, open to timber harvest and open to public recreation. Lawmakers set the tax break at $7 per acre but added a cap of $100,000 to any single landowner, which hit Molpus hard
 
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frnash

Active member
snowdance said:
Sounds like hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails will be affected. This can't be good.

http://www.snowmobilingnews.com/sno...a-property-owner-closes-land-to-snowmobilers/
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Ooops!

Threat-blocked.jpg
 
M

mjkaliszak

New member
Maybe this should be posted somewhere else BUT...
Yesterday I was out at the range shooting with a couple of Vietnam Vets. They have me by 15 years or so. The range we shoot at is under constant threat of being shut down due to neighbor complaints. Seems the state set up a range by a lake that is now encircled by new developement. The neighbors complain, and the DNR is always stopping by & policing the area. With that said... the 2 guys I was there with informed me that the DNR is selling off huge chunks of STATE land to private affluent parties to set up private hunt clubs. I found this interesting... I thought that state land should be " our " resident resource and at some point in time has to start cutting onto trail systems. Did anyone else hear of this ? I believe my tax dollar along with the special state park fee with my liscense goes to support it.
The conversation primarily centered around squeezing the little guy out of hunting area, however the cost to snowmobiling seems to be immenent ( where is NASH when you need a spell check ? )
Just throwing this out there.
 
D

durphee

Well-known member
mjlaliszak,
i think your post is a good one and brings up some good points. Keeping lands available for public use, whether through state parks or tax breaks to private individuals or corporations, is of vital importance. Without access obviously our hobby is dead. I hope they can work out a deal.
 
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whitedust

Well-known member
Trail between Eagle River WI & 3 Lakes remains closed & probably will not be reopened in near future. Land owner wants DNR to forgive his fines & has already been 1 season closed going into this season still closed.
 
H

HardwaterHoosier

Member
I'm sure MN has a state snowmobile or state club association, right? If so, How are they approaching this? It seems letters need to be righten to state reps in bulk.
 
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HardwaterHoosier

Member
thanks. I feel like an outsider looking in because I don't live there, and haven't been there since I was in elementary.
But, northern MN is on my ck list of places to ride, and it draws some concern when a secluded woods is pull from use and there are trails still in use that use peoples back yards and 'personal space'.
 
R

RX1ER05

New member
Letter to Snowmobilers Letter to Snowmobilers Concerned with Threatened Closure of Trails
from Mark Steinmueller, President of Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association

Many of you have seen the article in the Duluth News and other press with regard to Molpus Woodlands Group blocking hunters and snowmobilers from using access roads across much of the 286,000 acres of Minnesota forest land it now owns in northern St. Louis County. Molpus Woodlands Group of Mississippi purchased the land in July. This closure impacts hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails with crossings on their land including the Arrowhead and Voyaguer trail system and other grant-in-aid trails maintained by clubs in the area.

The International Falls/Voyageurs area is a favorite snowmobile area for residents and out of state visitors and an important part of the 22,000 mile interconnected trail system in our state. Please be assured that MnUSA is aware of this issue and is working with state departments, clubs and legislators to help to find a resolution to keep the trails and access open this coming winter and into the future.
 
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Hoosier

Well-known member
I am not familiar with what is going on in MN, but I think this is an example of why the MSA (Michigan) has been focused on using registration and trail permit funds to buy permanent easements.
 
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ezra

Well-known member
Hoosier said:
I am not familiar with what is going on in MN, but I think this is an example of why the MSA (Michigan) has been focused on using registration and trail permit funds to buy permanent easements.
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and that is the right thing to do.I have been saying that for yrs Even in our small local clubs.we have lost trails over the yrs that could have been payed for before the developments went in.especially the ones that are directly connected to parks that if u loose the trail in or out then the park is closed for good [3 rivers parks the twin citys Eco Nazi park system controling body] but seems most of our local clubs are to busy trying to give money to charity rather than trails.
 
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whitedust

Well-known member
We are probably beyond the haydays of available trail land for snowmobiles. We keep seeing more & more land cut off for public trails. Not much we can do about if land is sold & developed was not ours to begin with. Glad this situation was resolved but not long term. Ride em while we have them.:)
 
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