# State Land expanding or declining?



## wpmisport (Feb 9, 2010)

Does anyone know if State Land is expanding or declining? I sometimes hear about state land being sold but seldom about them buying land. Did not find any info on the dnr sites. How do you find out about new state land? Thanks.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

What the NRC meeting minutes for updates.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

There is a "no net loss" law regarding public hunting land in michigan. They can buy, sell or exchange. But they can not reduce the total acreage.


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## UplandnWaterfowl (Jan 3, 2010)

They are buying more then selling and the land they are selling is undesirable for one reason or another (i.e. landlocked). They may not be buying in your backyard but here are links to acquisitions recently:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/TF_ACQ_FINAL_507604_7.pdf
https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2015-2016/billanalysis/House/pdf/2015-HLA-4078-B805752D.pdf


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## fowl (Feb 15, 2003)

UplandnWaterfowl said:


> They are buying more then selling and the land they are selling is undesirable for one reason or another (i.e. landlocked). They may not be buying in your backyard but here are links to acquisitions recently:
> http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/TF_ACQ_FINAL_507604_7.pdf
> https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2015-2016/billanalysis/House/pdf/2015-HLA-4078-B805752D.pdf


I don't think that is accurate. Much of the land purchased through the Natural Resources Trust fund is not state land. Those funds are administered to local units of government (townships, county, etc). Not necessarily managed by Dnr.


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## fowl (Feb 15, 2003)

fowl said:


> I don't think that is accurate. Much of the land purchased through the Natural Resources Trust fund is not state land. Those funds are administered to local units of government (townships, county, etc). Not necessarily managed by Dnr.


And it is funded through oil and gas revenue. Not general funds or your tax dollars.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

All property purchased through the MNRTF is open to the public. It is not necessarily public hunting land. It includes water access sites, parks, sensitive habitat, even urban swimming pools, etc. PILT also in some cases.

Along with oil and gas revenue, timer harvest, mining etc also contributes.


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## wpmisport (Feb 9, 2010)

Thank you for the info and links (uplandwaterfow links). They sold about 20 acres of good deer and grouse land close to were I live with state land on the other side of the road that they did not sell. Not a big deal but hate to see it go. They seem to sell land they do not want for low prices and pay top dollar for the prime land they do want. Good to know.


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## veratas (Oct 6, 2010)

Anyone interested in the sales of public land should listen to the first 10 minutes of the this podcast. The show is called Meateater. The host is Steven Rinella (Michigan Native). He gives a great breakdown of Federal/State land issues.
http://www.themeateater.com/podcasts/episode050/


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## Spartan4Life (Jan 13, 2016)

wpmisport said:


> Thank you for the info and links (uplandwaterfow links). They seem to sell land they do not want for low prices and pay top dollar for the prime land they do want. Good to know.


DNR legally cannot purchase land for more than fair market value. Land can sell fairly inexpensive in some cases, but as mentioned earlier much of this land is landlocked or small parcels away from other land so not as important for providing public hunting opportunities.


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## SteelyStalker (Feb 26, 2014)

I only see state land being sold near me. Talked to a DNR officer about it and he said that they are selling state owned parcels that are either land locked, and smaller parcels that are not near/connected to large tracts of state land. Makes it easier for them to patrol. I just dont get how the state can sell off lands that belong to the people of this state without our permission. Sometimes those small chunks away from the large wildlife areas are great for hunting since most guys look right over a 40 or 80 acre parcel surrounded by private.


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

SteelyStalker said:


> I only see state land being sold near me. Talked to a DNR officer about it and he said that they are selling state owned parcels that are either land locked, and smaller parcels that are not near/connected to large tracts of state land. Makes it easier for them to patrol. I just dont get how the state can sell off lands that belong to the people of this state without our permission. Sometimes those small chunks away from the large wildlife areas are great for hunting since most guys look right over a 40 or 80 acre parcel surrounded by private.


SteelyStalker, they operate under the authority granted to them by us. Those small parcels you speak of a may not be desirable for one reason or another. They are sold off and the money is used to buy more desirable lands.


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## SteelyStalker (Feb 26, 2014)

I sure hope they are buying more land, but that isn't taking place in my area. By us, you mean elected people that say, but rarely do, have our best interests in mind? Anyone else seeing new huntable state owned lands in their area??


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## JimP (Feb 8, 2002)

Nostromo said:


> SteelyStalker, they operate under the authority granted to them by us. Those small parcels you speak of a may not be desirable for one reason or another. They are sold off and the money is used to buy more desirable lands.


Yup.
Many of the State land parcels were acquired at one time by the DNR through tax reversion.
Desirable properties at the time were kept by the State or affected local units of government.
An inventory was ordered and some of those that had problems went up for sale at market prices, some of them ridiculously high.

The only way I've seen to get land cheap from the State or County government is the tax auctions. https://www.tax-sale.info/
(If you're not an insider/crony)
Years ago if the State or locals didn't foreclose the property at the time, the public could buy the yearly tax certificates on a parcel, attempt to collect each year for several years and if not successful in recovering the back taxes - they could get a deed. Now it's an open auction and then they frequently sell below market value, I have several. Just meet the starting bid, which is the recovery of taxes and maybe fees, and win the bid - it's yours. Gotta do research though, some are still in the undesirable category such as land locked, pollution, tribal antiquities, condemned trailers/homes, dumped trash that must be removed. Other than death and no heirs, that's possibly why the original owners stopped paying the taxes.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

SteelyStalker said:


> I sure hope they are buying more land, but that isn't taking place in my area. By us, you mean elected people that say, but rarely do, have our best interests in mind? Anyone else seeing new huntable state owned lands in their area??


Money from sales of state land have to go into a fund that is used to purchase other properties. I bought a piece of state property back when granholm was governer. I was getting financing on the land so I had to have title work done. There were back payments in leau of taxes owed by the state to the township so I couldn't close on the land. There was a $200 balance due. Granholm had stopped payments to townships during her tenure. This caused an issue so I couldn't close on my loan. You would think the state could have used $200 of the sale price to pay their debt but the law wouldn't allow it. I was stuck and the issue drug out for 2 yrs. There were about 100 people in the same boat as me. Eventually this went to the state legislators and a special law was written to make the sales happen. The state was held up on collecting money on all those lands over a few bucks owed to the townships.....all because every penny from the sale had to go into the intended fund.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Here is a new 1000 acre chunk being purchased from those monies....

http://www.9and10news.com/story/341...e-state-purchase-of-1000-acres-for-recreation


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