Do you pay for a lease? Not in dollars. I send Christmas cards, Venison Stew/Suasage/Jerky and try to become a steward of the property (ie leave only tracks and pick up stuff others may have left) for those that allow me to hunt their properties

Do you travel to get there? Not really

How far? Not more than 1 hr one way to about 9-11 spots with differing acreages at each. Some as small as 25 some as large as 1200


If you don't would you? Don't have t pay for a lease now so I'll say no...if my properties ever dry up I think I'd buy land myself as you did.

I'm not sure if I'm just cheap or what but I have friends that do Elk hunts out west and pay 3-4k for a 7 day hunt, 2500 for a Kansas hunt, trips to Mongolia for rams etc. I have a hard time swallowing that kind of price
for a "vacation" my whole family won't come on or enjoy if they did.

Being a chef and loving food the outdoor lifestyle really fits in well. I waste nothing when I make a kill, process it myself make sausage and other items and to me...it's my little way, small as it is, of "living with and from the land".

I'm sure I'll ruffle some feathers here but I really cast no judgement on those that do those hunts. Many only have a certain time to hunt, save up and can afford it and enjoy it. I infer no condescention in the next statement...but to me paying that much to take a trophy animal is like paying to sleep with a hooker. The feeling wouldn't be the same and the backdrop of all the hard work it takes me to get that animal would seem tainted in some way in my mind.

Leases are a different story. You still pattern, track and find your own game and the hunter ususally feels there was a perceived value and the landowner make a little jack. Win Win situation.