Hunting near gas/wind farms

[Sled]

With the proliferation of wind farms on public lands it stands to reason there might be some hunting impacts. Most states have a stand off distance from occupied structures, which those might fit in that category depending on the state.

Have you seen any areas closed to hunting around wind farms or gas fields? Are there any restrictions around the ones you hunt near?

 

[Sled]

Should I take that as no one hunts near these structures or is it just not an issue?

 

[TSAMP]

I've hunted pronghorn amongst these in wyoming with no issues. Also shot praire dogs in that same area.

I will say seeing them up close and witnessing the oil/grease they spit out might ruin some people's warm fuzzy thoughts on them.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

There are rules in place for hunting around windmills in California. When I used to hunt windfarms every day for 7 years straight, the rule in place was no shooting within 300 feet of a "wind structure". This included structures on your own private land as well.

No ranchers or farmers in that area ever listened to that "rule" and never once did I hear of anyone having issues with game enforcement or law enforcement.

 

[Meshnasty]

My wife shot her NM antelope from the shadow of a turbine, but it was on private land.

 

[Dos Perros]

I noticed a lot of the walk-in hunting (private land leased by fish and game for public hunting) was developed for wind energy was taken out of walk-in hunting.

 

[roadrunner]

Unit 2 in NM is a gas field. Parts of the best antelope unit in UT is in a gas field.

A sub unit in unit 2 is nearly impossible to draw for mule deer.

Both units, both states, are good hunting.

 

[Rich M]

I noticed a lot of the walk-in hunting (private land leased by fish and game for public hunting) was developed for wind energy was taken out of walk-in hunting.

This - people break stuff, damage stuff - the only way to stop that is to remove access. I would not expect to hunt near wind turbines, gas fields, or solar fields in the future. We will lose more public hunting areas over this stuff.