WRP what say you???

[Rakman]

As I start looking for a new farm a consideration to me is WRP ground since I enjoy waterfowl hunting also...I know there will be restrictions but based on what I'm seeing for pricing I can get a significantly larger farm if I go WRP vs standard ground, several hundred acres larger. Appreciation is not a huge thing to me since I'll likely have it forever and while income is nice nowadays with the price of non WRP ground the return isn't very substantial and wont make a payment.

Please share any thoughts/opinions positive and negative or experiences good, bad, or otherwise.

Thanks for any insight.

 

[MickT]

With WRP, you basically need permission to do anything management wise except put and pull boards if there’s a water control structure. Some have “associated upland” acres where some work can be done but go in with both eyes open and ask lots of questions. Talk to the NRCS wetland coordinator to find out what your options are.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bwoods11]

WRP is mostly a wet farm that was converted to native grasses. Restrictive, can be tough to plant food plots.

Has to be cheap to make it worth it. No income, taxes are often high for the value.

 

[Rakman]

WRP is mostly a wet farm that was converted to native grasses. Restrictive, can be tough to plant food plots.

Has to be cheap to make it worth it. No income, taxes are often high for the value.

Most of my conversations with NRCS say 5-10% in food plots is allowed depending on the plan for the particular property. If I buy 400-500 acres that’d be about all I’d put in anyway.

 

[Rakman]

With WRP, you basically need permission to do anything management wise except put and pull boards if there’s a water control structure. Some have “associated upland” acres where some work can be done but go in with both eyes open and ask lots of questions. Talk to the NRCS wetland coordinator to find out what your options are.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I know there is a lot of government oversight. I guess what I’m thinking is if I can get twice the acreage I normally would can I better grow and hold trophy Whitetails.

 

[bwoods11]

Depends on the state
Make sure you get that in writing ... before you buy.

In MN some contracts do not allow any food plots

 

[bwoods11]

What is approx price??

 

[Tree Spud]

I know there is a lot of government oversight. I guess what I’m thinking is if I can get twice the acreage I normally would can I better grow and hold trophy Whitetails.

No you won't. You need a compatible use permit (CPU) to do anything ... planting trees, foodplots, gates, cutting tree(s), cutting grasses/weeds (which is usually restricted till mid July because of nesting birds).

Even placement of deer stand (year round can be regulated) and duck blinds fall under CPU. you want to create an ATV trail ... also restricted to CPU.

You are not guaranteed food plots ... they measure total area around your land for DPSM & food sources (ag fields count against you). My last foodplot permit took 14 months to get approved, I got 3 acres on my 287, neighbor was denied.

Owned one that was 287 acres, neighbor had 500 acres under WRP, for 18 years.

The property was good for deer hunting, but no better than surrounding parcels. Best decision we made was to sell and buy a new parcel 4 years ago.

The last person i will ever want as a partner or on my property is the Gov't.

Oh, by the way, resale of a WRP property is usually 30%-40% less than market.

Good luck ...

 

[Rakman]

What is approx price??

I’m talking in generalities right now as I’m beginning the search. I’d like to get as big of a parcel as I can swing(400-500 acres) and it seems as though WRP may be the only way to go about it. Trying to get a feel for the experences of the experts on this forum such as Govt oversight, QDM on WRP, etc. I think I can get something purchased for 1400-1800. Maybe less with the size I’m looking at.

 

[Rakman]

No you won't. You need a compatible use permit (CPU) to do anything ... planting trees, foodplots, gates, cutting tree(s), cutting grasses/weeds (which is usually restricted till mid July because of nesting birds).

Even placement of deer stand (year round can be regulated) and duck blinds fall under CPU. you want to create an ATV trail ... also restricted to CPU.

You are not guaranteed food plots ... they measure total area around your land for DPSM & food sources (ag fields count against you). My last foodplot permit took 14 months to get approved, I got 3 acres on my 287, neighbor was denied.

Owned one that was 287 acres, neighbor had 500 acres under WRP, for 18 years.

The property was good for deer hunting, but no better than surrounding parcels. Best decision we made was to sell and buy a new parcel 4 years ago.

The last person i will ever want as a partner or on my property is the Gov't.

Oh, by the way, resale of a WRP property is usually 30%-40% less than market.

Good luck ...

Thank you, great info. My understanding is that there will be a written management plan in place that I can review prior to making any sort of offer should I find a property I’m interested in. Does that not sound right? Will each state have different WRP rules/regs?

 

[bwoods11]

Thank you, great info. My understanding is that there will be a written management plan in place that I can review prior to making any sort of offer should I find a property I’m interested in. Does that not sound right? Will each state have different WRP rules/regs?

I’m talking in generalities right now as I’m beginning the search. I’d like to get as big of a parcel as I can swing(400-500 acres) and it seems as though WRP may be the only way to go about it. Trying to get a feel for the experences of the experts on this forum such as Govt oversight, QDM on WRP, etc. I think I can get something purchased for 1400-1800. Maybe less with the size I’m looking at.

I’d rather have 200-300 acres of non-WRP
Personally.

A 50/50 crop timber farm can have good income which allows a guy to own more acres.

Not trying to tell you what to do... but I’ve seen landowners buy WRP Farms then try to sell them and lose money.

Your buyer group is limited with WRP as many will not buy it... due to restrictions and no income.

 

[Buckly]

I'm with the others, I would rather have 200 acres of prime hunting ground that I could manipulate into a great hunting property. Do what I want, when I want and with appreciation on a resale. That's just me of course, I would have an extremely hard time with other people telling me what I can and can't do.

 

[Tree Spud]

Thank you, great info. My understanding is that there will be a written management plan in place that I can review prior to making any sort of offer should I find a property I’m interested in. Does that not sound right? Will each state have different WRP rules/regs?

Generally the NRCS is looking to convert farmland or other low ground for conversion back to wetland. It is a great deal for farmers as they can sell marginal production land into an easement for WRP, then sell the land to a private buyer. It works out well for them.

Keep in mind that they monitor the easements by satellite and will know if you are not following CPU's for trails, foodplots, etc. If there is water flowing into the easement, you cannot restrict people from coming into your property the same as any other waterway use.

The NRCS' goal with the contract/easement is to control what can be done on the property and restrict use. They put as much value on the spotted tree frog, and marsh wren, as they do on deer. I can only speak for my experience and others here in Wisconsin, but the key line in the contract is ... " ... unless otherwise expressed or listed in this easement, the Easement holder reserves & controls all rights". Essentially, the only rights you have are stated in the contract.

For some it can be a great way to get the wetland conversion done. I know of 2 WRP projects here that are amazing but ... each project had several wealthy individuals buy several farms totaling 1200-1500 acres for their project.

Before you sign any contract, have an attorney review so you understand what you are agreeing to.

 

[H20fwler]

As I start looking for a new farm a consideration to me is WRP ground since I enjoy waterfowl hunting also...I know there will be restrictions but based on what I'm seeing for pricing I can get a significantly larger farm if I go WRP vs standard ground, several hundred acres larger. Appreciation is not a huge thing to me since I'll likely have it forever and while income is nice nowadays with the price of non WRP ground the return isn't very substantial and wont make a payment.

Please share any thoughts/opinions positive and negative or experiences good, bad, or otherwise.

Thanks for any insight.

I'm going to cut and paste my response from the last time this came up;


"Apr 26, 2018
#75

I know some on here have had bad experiences with the WRP program, a lot of that might be how your state is and how your DNR project manager is.
I'm fortunate enough to have a project manager that is very supportive and easy to get along with. Like others have said get in writing and agree beforehand what you can and cannot do with your land once you enroll it and help with the overall design and what will be planted on it.
For my project ground I am allowed to plant native species of shrubs/trees/groundcover after talking with project manager, I'm allowed to cut firewood, trim trails and shooting lanes, have a nice food plot, put as many stands up as I want, put up a shooting house if it's on skids, put up nest boxes, select harvest trees to open canopy every 20 years with managers approval, hunt and fish all we want, chase off trespassers and pay taxes.
I'm not allowed to build on it or farm it or spring mow. The state helped with two nice shallow wetland ponds and the initial tree/shrub/native grass plantings. I had input on shape/depth of ponds and where the spoil dirt was placed...although there are limits to how deep and the slope grade on ponds. I spray any cattails and reeds with a gly/aqua guard mix once or twice a summer so cattails are a non issue for me.
I am not into mowing, I am into raising bunnies/birds/deer/turkeys/bugs/quail on the place..my pasture got mowed the first two years to help the switch and bluestem crown and to keep initial weeds down, now I just mow a strip around the outside of shrub strips in August once so wife can walk her bluebird boxes and the boys and I can slip quiet to our stands.
It takes a different frame of mind having the state involved in having restrictions on your property...you can't think like a farmer. If you think habitat and what benefits all wildlife it is very easy to manage your land and get along with your biologist and turns the property into a paradise for you and wildlife. My project manager checks on mine a couple times a year walking it with me sometimes with other biologists and at least once a year random on his own. I email ideas and future projects with him that I an interested in and discuss how things are going a few times a year.

I didn't sign my place up to make money off it although it did pay off a large chunk of initial cost and got the ponds put in along with initial plantings. Everything that the state did I was going to do anyway, it was a win-win for me.
I recommend for anyone getting into a program to not enroll the whole property into it so that you still have ground to plant any type of orchard or put up a cabin or buildings on or do whatever you want with, that's what we did."

 

[JFK52]

I do not want any government organization to have the ability to tell me what I can or can not do on my land beyond hunting rules like the opening dates of seasons, harvest quotas etc. I have always believed that the best government is the LEAST government. You are too fixated on the size of the property you want to purchase.
H2Ofwler, what if you got a project manager who was a total fascist regarding your projects? Do you think you will have the same manager for the rest of the time you own the farm? I have seen petty bureaucrats turn into power hungry buttheads. A little bit of power just goes to their heads.
My land, my choices.

 

[H20fwler]

I do not want any government organization to have the ability to tell me what I can or can not do on my land beyond hunting rules like the opening dates of seasons, harvest quotas etc. I have always believed that the best government is the LEAST government. You are too fixated on the size of the property you want to purchase.
H2Ofwler, what if you got a project manager who was a total fascist regarding your projects? Do you think you will have the same manager for the rest of the time you own the farm? I have seen petty bureaucrats turn into power hungry buttheads. A little bit of power just goes to their heads.
My land, my choices.

Pretty sure I wont have the same project manager forever, everyone I have interacted with from the ODNR has been very reasonable so far. I've got a contract so I know what I can and can't do and like I said the state did everything I was going to do anyway. It's not for everyone but it has sure worked out very well for my situation, there isn't even a lot more I can do with mine but watch things grow getting even better while the family enjoys the benefits and hunts it some. It is a very common thing in my area, at least ten other similar projects within a five mile radius of me, some landowners continually work to keep making their WRP properties better like we have some just do the initial basic and leave theirs sit. I am very satisfied with the choice I made, I've learned a lot working with the state.

 

[Rakman]

I do not want any government organization to have the ability to tell me what I can or can not do on my land beyond hunting rules like the opening dates of seasons, harvest quotas etc. I have always believed that the best government is the LEAST government. You are too fixated on the size of the property you want to purchase.
H2Ofwler, what if you got a project manager who was a total fascist regarding your projects? Do you think you will have the same manager for the rest of the time you own the farm? I have seen petty bureaucrats turn into power hungry buttheads. A little bit of power just goes to their heads.
My land, my choices.

Right, I like having a lot of room to hunt. I have 427 acres of non WRP in No Missouri and prefer to be able to move around a lot and have more bucks to choose from... Being that I’m used to that amount of acreage I’d like to have at least that at a second place to hunt across the state line. Beyond that I have young 2 sons who are expressing a great interest to hunt and another boy on the way so yes I’m fixated on size of the tract of ground it’s going to be a big peramiter in my decision with the potential of 4 guys hunting one day.
It seems the feel is WRP is not worth the headache unless you are the one who puts it in originally. I’m glad I started this thread so I could get this feed back. I’d rather save a few more years to get a bigger acreage place in IL than go out and buy it immediately in the form of WRP. Good info from everyone. Thank you for the insight, I gained a lot of knowledge.