I think that it is always best to have some sort of written agreement with someone to avoid a sistuation like whitetailcrazy describes. My father has a "handshake"agreement withone of his cousins for hunting rights to a piece of ground in exchange for keeping some of it mowed down during the summer. However, he has had problems with his cousin turning right around and giving other folks permission to hunt it from time to time. Its always best to get it in writing even when dealing with good friends and family.

I think that leasing is here to stay. But, as some folks have noted, the trend may drift more towardsmall hunting clubs leasing property for their own use and with the understanding that they are gonna keep the deer numbers weeded down to reduce crop damage.In fact, it would be nice to see folks put together some sort of brief study of the cost/benefit of leasing to better educate landowners aboutleasing.

Another related problem is that as more land gets locked up by deer hunters, there is less access for other types of hunters. I have never boughtinto theidea that letting someone squirrel or dove hunt land in september is gonna ruin things for deer season, but many people do and act accordingly.