Poll, Deer Leases

[KwackWacker]

I just read an article from a popular hunting magazine about the cost of leasing land. Here in the south, Georgia to be exact, I grew up joining clubs and leasing land to hunt. It isn't something new to me. But I didn't realize that this craze was just catching on in other parts of the U.S. I just wanted to know what some of you pay to hunt, if you do pay and where you hunt.

[quigleysharps4570]

Welcome KwackWacker. Never have paid to hunt anywhere. Hopefully never will. Now where I do most of my shooting at...been known to drop off a case of beer from time to time to keep the ole boy happy.

[T-bird]

Hey Qwack --- it's not uncommon in MS for leases to go for $25-$75 per acre --- and some of them in South MS are more than that. One duck blind on the river can go for $10,000 per year.

[ole3030]

ive seen anywheres from $2 and acre to $20,000 a gun- Tx

[grizz]

i think its a sin to lease out land for hunting, i have never leased land for hunting and never will .if you want to make money from land sell it ..... the next thing everyone will want to find out is how they can sell the oxygen that is above or around their land.its getting so the poor old boy and his son cant afford to go hunting anymore.sorry if it sounds like im angry at people capitolizing but the truth is i am angry at them . what ever happen to the freindly farmer and letting you hunt his land and in return you might help bail hay or something like that.I'll hang my guns on the wall before i pay to hunt on land. no offense meant but if you take offense my question is to you........why?

[KwackWacker]

No offense taken, Here's what brought up my question. In Georgia we have an abundance of land to hunt. Whether it's public land managed by the state DNR, public land managed by the Corps of Engineers (not really managed at all), or private land.
In my part of Ga, farmers have closed their gates to just about all hunting, except maybe family members. They are tired of their land being abused by people they let hunt. They are tired of people leaving gates open and letting livestock loose. I don't blame them. If it was my land, I'd feel the same way. These farmers can make a nice little chunk of change by leasing their hunting rights out.
The problem with public land is the same people abusing private property are destroying public land as well. And you tend to run into these types of idiots when you try to hunt public land. Or should I say they tend to run into you. I'm not accusing anyone here of this, I'm just stating what I see and hear almost daily during hunting season. I know 95% of hunters are good people, it's that 5% that really screw things up for the rest of us.
I do not currently own any land. I would like to someday, but until then, if I want to hunt on some really descent whitetail land, I pay. I don't pay massive amounts of money. Currently I am paying $550 a year to have access to 1400 acres. I get to hunt deer, turkey, small game and ducks. I also get to fish in the summertime. I think it's a pretty fair deal. There are 14 people that also hunt on the same land. Each member is allowed to bring immediate family members anytime they want. They are allowed to bring a guest 4 times a year. We don't litter, shoot signs, steal stands from each other etc. We manage the deer populations as best as we can and we have a good time. I don't mind paying 550, I'm just trying to figure out where I will draw the line, That's why I asked.

[Flatlander]

KnackWhacker that's a real good deal I'd like to get in on a deal such as that I did have a lease with some friends SE of millidgeville but this last year a guy just offered a wild amount to get it so we didn't hunt ga but once I have a friend down there and we went with him but it was so hot it was miserable and he guides so it's tied up the rest of the year and I don't like imposing if you need any members let me know

[carnivore]

my brothers and I with a couple inlaws pay $1.00 per acre plus any help doing fences and minor up keep he plants beans and corn and leaves some for the deer and turkeys and always donates a couple farm tags on the first thousand acres the other 900ac. is no fee for first three years after that if i keep it it'll go to $100 per adult gun kids and spouses no fee. and my family has had this land for 15 years and don't want to lose it so if the farmer wants more within reason he'll get it. there's a lot of 25# gobblers come off this ground in the spring and fall and short of this years low harvest frequent 130-150 class bucks

[KwackWacker]

KnackWhacker that's a real good deal I'd like to get in on a deal such as that I did have a lease with some friends SE of millidgeville but this last year a guy just offered a wild amount to get it so we didn't hunt ga but once I have a friend down there and we went with him but it was so hot it was miserable and he guides so it's tied up the rest of the year and I don't like imposing if you need any members let me know

Well, we haven't had a change in membership in a few years, but I will definitely keep you in mind, Flatlander. Just a forewarning, it takes some time to join, we kind of like to get to know folks before we sign them up for a permanant spot. As far as the weather, we get the smae type of weather in Augusta as they do in Milledgeville.

[Muncy-outdoors]

So far I've been lucky not to pay. I've lived in this area since I was a kid and know the land owners, but It wouldn't surprise me if some city slicker would knock on their door some day and offer some big cash. My buddy told me I should go ahead and offer the cash first to these places and make a 20 year lease ??? I think it would be a waist of money at the moment but all it takes is to not be there first to lose my spots.

Yep it's getting bad I can almost smell it.

[DocHolladay]

i was going to lease 100 ac. at $5 an acre. it was prime deer territory for my area. by the time i called the next day it was taken. i was broken hearted, but oh well, win some lose some. i dont see any thing wrong with leasing, the owner may not want to sell the land, and needs help paying the morgage on it. lease it out make some cash. if the person or people they lease it to are good hunters they may help the wildlife by planting food plots. plus you can write a contract that has rules that must be followed. say maybe the leasee has to only take a certain age deer or a certain size rack. numerous things could be included in the contract. its up to the leaser. just my opinion.

p.s. i dont pay to hunt either, but im not afraid to do it.

[Jack Ryan]

I'll NEVER pay a lease to hunt.

[carnivore]

careful now jack, that word has sharper edges going back down than when it came out.

[rvoutdoorsman]

I quess I'm lucky to have a 100 acres to hunt and don't have to pay other than bailing hay a couple times a year. I tried hunting the state parks in the area but rarely saw a deer let alone get a shot at one. The secound time I went out to my uncle's I bagged a doe and since then have shot several nice bucks. I had a chance to go to Missouri and bag a doe with a handgun on a lodge until they told me it would cost a thousand dollars, since then we can handgun in Illinois. If I lost my uncle's place I would be hard pressed to hunt the state parks again and I don't have that kind of money to pay to hunt. This is a touchie subject with those " I'll never pay!" to those more than willing to pay the fee to hunt; land owners are finding out they can make more money with leases to hunt than raising crops or livestock. It's all economics and we outdoorsmen and women will eventually have to pay. I'd be more than willing to pay a reasonable sum to have unlimited acess to land to hunt and fish, until then I'll do it as cheaply as I can. If it cost an arm and a leg to do something it kind of takes the fun out of it, Rick.

[sloan75]

Well maybe this is a little insight as to why people lease land. We lease out land to some guys and I also hunt this land with my brothers and nephews. The reason we lease out to others that want to hunt our land is that we use to let people hunt for free which was fine. 20 years ago they would help us bale hay, put up fence, drive trucks during silage season,etc. That was fine and we never asked for help but it was always much appreciated. They would even offer meat if we didn't have the time to get out and hunt ourselves. Then it got to where people asked if they could bring a buddy along, "why sure go ahead." Then the helping hands started dwindling. The next thing you know me or my brother or my nephew goes out to one of our stands and someone sitting in it. You politly ask them to leave and they tell you they have permission to hunt. you ask from who and they say your name. Well its one thing for a man to sit in your stand on your land , its a totally nother thing for him to say you gave him permission to hunt and you've never seen him before. Next thing you know you have a hunting club on your land and your not a member. Basicly it's like this, people have lost respect for other peoples property, most who say they will never lease land usualy don't own more than an 1 acre and don't know how hard it is to control so much land. Someone said earlier that next thing we'll want to sell the air. Well i never knew we paid taxes on it. Farmers are just tired of being run off their own land. How would they like to walk out the back door of their house in that nice cozy subdivision one morning and have someone up in a stand in your oak tree, I bet you'd be urinated.The guys that lease from us manage the deer, they don't over hunt and we also allow them to bring their kids along any time they want but thats all. They respect us and they don't get mad when we have to combine the field they are in during rifle season. They take care of the trespassers and deal with the law so we don't have to. Its not about getting rich. Most farmers work 80+ hrs a week and don't have time to hunt or chase down the bad apple hunters tresspasing and spinning up the crops. Maybe that helps some of you understand a bit better. Sorry i'm so long winded.

[KwackWacker]

I agree whole heartedly. Well put Sloan.

[TXhntr25-06]

Well this will be my first year to have to pay if I do pay at all that is. I moved to far away from the family land just north of Lake Amistad so I was thinking of doing some public land and taking my chances, figure I would just hike in as deep as possible to get away from everyone. How would I go about finding these farmer types or such. I work on a flightline with c-130 aircraft so hard work and heat is second nature to me, would not mind putting up fences or the like for some hunting! In the end I guess I would do whatever I have to in order to hunt for some dinner and a wall hanging!

[DocHolladay]

all it takes is a little people skills. i see places id like to hunt while working or going somewhere. i then go back to the houses and talk to the people. try to swap work for hunting, if not offer cash per acre. if they still say no move to the next one. you are going to get a yes at some point in time. dont feel heart broke if it takes 15-20 houses to get permission or work out a deal. it may take more or less, depending on your attitude and personality. just work hard and tell them what you will do for them if they give you permission. plus if you swap work for a hunt you can look at the area while doing your work. just my opinion, hope this helps




p.s. i finally hit 100 post, woooo hoooo