state trust land leases

[bullman315]

Hello all, does anyone have any information on leasing state trust lands in oklahoma. I would like to know how the whole process works and who I would need to contact. Thanks in advance.

 

[sic 'em reds]

What state agency? Dept. of Natural Resources? If so you should be able to find a contact number on the web if you search for what ever agency manages the trust lands. That's how it is here in WA. We have DNR that manages the state trust grounds.

Most of the time you have to find out from the DNR when a particular peice's lease is ending and you can put in a bid to try to get the lease. Then pay so much per year beyond that.

 

[bullman315]

Thanks.

 

[Cowpuncher]

You would be beating a dead horse in Colorado.

Our state lands are all leased for 5-10 years. They post a list of expiring leases in the county court houses some time before the lease is up for remewal.

If you bid on one, and you are the highest bidder, the existing leaseholder has the right to match your offer and retain the lease - even though he didn't bid on it. Also, you would be compelled to purchase whatever leasehold improvements are on the lease from the current leaseholder (such as windbreaks, fences, tanks water systems, etc. The process is quite low-key and most folks don't even know it is going on.

By the way, all the rentals are determined from private leases in the state. The rentals would be the private lease rate less 35% for fencing and water. I think we are paying about $9.00 per animal unit per month which would be the equivalent of about $14.00 for private leases.

On top of that, the state determines the stocking, rate allowing so many AUM's per year. Our lease is 640 acres and we are allowed 192 AUM's per year. For this we pay about $1,900 per year.

In dry years, we are not able to get that much grazing out of it so we eat the loss. Also, the county had discovered they can tax the "possessory interest" of the leasholder - levying property taxes on state owned land.

If this seems discouraging, the State periodically inspects the lease for overgrazing, pest control, etc. etc. etc.

Last year, they found a few prairie dogs on our lease and threatened to cut the lease term if they were not controlled. Of course, in a "green" state, you can't just go around killing these lovable creatures!!!

We do, anyway.

The advantage for us is that the state land is in the middle of our ranch and would be a problem if someone else ran cattle on it.

Also, a lot of state trust land is checkerboarded in private land on larger ranches and the land is not fenced off. If you were to acquire one of these leases, you would have to build fences, provide water and somehow make the guy whose land you have to cross to get to your lease happy - not likely since he lost the lease!! (Our state lease has no indigenous water so we water it by pipeline. If we lost the lease, no water. You could drill a well, but its about 4500 feet to water and that water is non-potable.)

Almost forgot - Colorado retains the hunting rights for most state land leases so they presumably could turn hunters loose on your lease during hunting season. I don't think this has come up, though. Our state lease is not the end of the world, but is just a mile or so short.

If you still have your heart set on this, you can get a list of lessees and buy them out - pay them cash money for their lease. The last one I saw for sale here was $35.00 per acre - about 15-20 years rental - and you still would have to pay the state annually.

 

[nortexsook]

Your little Colorado story sounds like the same good ol boy crap that goes on in Oklahoma.

Sad that these people somehow treat this public land like their own little fiefdom.

 

[Aztumbleweed]

I can't speak for other state trust lands. But in Arizona they are not public land they are trust land. People are allowed on them by permit only i.e. a hunting license or special use permit. The money made of off trust land is for the schools per the Arizona constitution. We just defeated some wacky green liberal propositions to keep it that way.

 

[Cowpuncher]

Colorado trust lands are not public in the sense that anyone can go onto them. They are rented out and the money is supposed to filter back into the school system.

If these were handled economically----------which they are not------- they would be sold and the funds used to create a school trust. There is a section next to where we live that rents forf $1,900 a year. The land is appraised at about $10,000 per acre.

If sold, the $6.4 million would generate about $500,00 per year in income - conservatively.

Should they do it? Of course not. One the land is converted it would be frittered away just like the tobacco settlements have been .

 

[Anonymous]

In Montana all State Land is public and open to the public for recreating (hunting, fishing, hiking, riding, ) if you pay a $5 state lands yearly fee.....