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Just wondering what you guys and gals are paying to hunt on private land. I am thinking about leasing some of my land in Colorado for elk, deer, black bear, and speed goats, and I would like to be fair about it. Thanks fellas!

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BB-

I have hunted in WY and paid tresspass fees. As low or high as $250-300/species (mules/whitetail/antelope/elk). Antelope ranges from $10/gun on up. One rancher let me do some work around the place in exchange for the privilege to hunt. Let me know what you decide. I am interested in coming back to CO next fall if you have openings.

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I WILL NOT AND REFUSE NOT TO PAY FOR MY HUNTING PRIVLEGES.These animals are public property belive it or not,we pay for them with tax,liscening fees,ammo and guns.

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Im with you BareBack Jack. i wil never pay!

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We westerners are spoiled rotten aren' t we? I' ve never had to worry about paying for leased land. I' m a public land hunter all the way. I' m sure you' ll find plenty who' ll be willing to pay though to access your land. Good luck with your venture.

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Let' s see: about $5 each for elk, deer, bear, antelope.....LOLOL. Just kidding. For a place where you had a decent chance at all those species (on your land) I suspect you could easily get $1000-1500 per season per person assuming that it is a nonguided hunt. More if the trophy potential is good. Where is your place and how big is it? That would play a role in how much you can charge. Would the hunting be only on the land or would you have to hunt adjoining public land to find game?

For those that would never pay to hunt private land. Power to you, as long as you don' t berate a guy trying to make enough money from the land to not not have to sell it for another housing development. So much hunting land is being gobbled up every year to another housing, so power to anyone who can make a buck for the right of people to tresspass on his property.

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from your previous posts sounds like you are a hunter, why would you want to charge other hunters?

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1) So he can afford to keep it as hunting land and not sell it to developers.

2) To pay the taxes

3) To send his kids to college

4, 5,6.......

It is HIS land, just like it is your house. You may invite me over to your house to eat now and again, but if you do it on a regular basis, shouldn' t you start charging me?

Ranching alone anymore just don' t pay the piper.

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don' t mean to offend anyone but this seems to be a new aspect to hunting where i come from,, also it it done alot by out iof state owners who are buying land for crp payments ,or what ever,

and you are right it is his land , i would not think of trespass but in conversations that i have had a person whoi is a rancher might not be doing wfat he is sudjesting but a farmer would, diferring views

as for the developer angle that boat dont flaot,, if you are that far down that you can' t make it i am sorry but don' t use it as an exusse for trespass fees

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Ok, first off, the ranch has incredible trophy potential. It backs up to alot of public land, probably about one million acres of it. THe ranch itself, including leases, is in the 150,000 acre range.

Second, I don' t see why people shouldn' t charge for land. Yeah wouldn' t it be a great world if we had unlimited places to hunt, but until everyone starts voting for more farm subsidies and less welfare and social programs that isn' t going to happen. The hunts would be guided by people on the ranch, people who hunt and know the land. People are paying enormous amounts, what is wrong with getting a little bit of it? Ranching and farming is the toughest way to make a living around, and if I can lure some computer desk jockey from Seattle down here to bag an elk, why can' t I charge him?

This is a much bigger issue than my land. We are all tired of decreased places to hunt, more development in places we hunt, and higher prices to participate. The only way to solve this is to (1) write current congressional leaders about the problem and (2) vote for me when I run after I graduate. Until then, I don' t see why I cannot charge people some money. I said I want to be fair about it, I don' t want to screw anybody, but is are the gun companies being fair about their prices? They are protected now by Tort reform, an item that I am strongly in favor of, because they cannot be sued for people misusing their product. So what is causing prices on the exact same rifles to rise $100 dollars per year? How about licensing agents? Clothing manufacturers? If anyone else has a distinct solution to this problem, I cannot see how anyone will be immune to it. Yeah, I could go on for hours about being a revolutionary, how I will let anyone hunt my land, and I would if I could. Fact is we are talking about a small fee, maybe $500-1000 dollars per party.

Now don' t get me wrong, I love this board and respect all of you. I just always here of people talking about how much they pay to hunt, and do not see why some have to be exempt from getting a piece of that fee. We will spend $500 dollars on a scent lock suit, $1,000 or more on a bow or gun, $40,000 on a pick-up, $1,500 dollars on a Cabela' s wall tent, but want to hunt PRIVATE land for free. And yes, the animals that happen to be on the land are the property of a higher being, but this is not a Communist society, and landowners land is THEIR land.

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This is a very touchy subject for me,I' am in the agricultural buisness.I know farming and ranching don' t make what it used to,with inflation and cost of production.
The farmer and rancher have the right to lease their land,you are right the own it.They should only have the right lease out for domestic heards or farming,I and every other Sportman that hunts has already paid for their right to hunt the animals on the land.
If they donot allow public hunting I think a luxery tax should be imposed,just like timber and oil.Why cuase we pay for them and Fish and Game agencies to monitor them.
If the eastener,or the out of stater that wan' ts to hunt and not have crowds,he should buy the land and pay the taxes himself,that way he can look me in the eye and tell me how much he charges for a trespass fee and I will show him what I think.
This is my own opion and donot force my veiws on anyone else.BBJ

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BigBore,

Sounds like you have a nice place.

Are the leases from other private landowners or are they from the state?

To answer your first question about paying treespas fees I would in certain circumstances. I however would have to make a trip and actually see the area.

I usually do not go looking for a place where I have to pay. There are many public lands in CO, NM and UT the states that I hunt.

But I understand the landowner issue. If I had a tract of land that large that had elk and deer on it, yes I would charge a treespas fee and would setup to offer guide services and the whole bit. Also depending upon the area the fees would be representative quantity/quality of animals on the place.

It is a great free nation that we live in. If we could just change the mindset of the left it could be even better.

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Thats what I am saying, what are we going to do about the left? Obviously I am not a liberal by any means. First off, because of their stance on business and agriculture, and second because of most of their stances on hunting and gun rights, not to mention taxes, families, " world integration" etc... All I was asking was about the fees and such I did not mean to start anything big. I respect all of you on this board, I really do, and I value your opinions. Please understand that. I guess no matter how much we all have in common, there will always be " gray areas." ;)

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i am not sure now what the point is,
a. you want to lease your land for hunting.. ok but alot different than setting up an outfiting bussiness
b. the land is your that you hold deed to.. if you lease an public land is there a clause in your lease that says you control the wildlife be cause the american people hold deed to that.
c. are you going to control the access to the land that you say is on your border, public land i mean, are there existing roads youare going to want closed?

d. are you going to run a high fence along the pulic ground border so thatno public game comes into your domain?

e. i could go on and on, big bore you have the right to do with your deeded land as you see fit and i will stand up for that right against all parties with you as my for fathers did with yours, that is your right as a landowner in the usa . i just think that if you had come out and said the outfitter thing right i would have responded differently, lay out all the thoughts/facts and i can respond better..


if you have not gathered this is a touchy subject for me and the reason may be the lenghth of time my family has been land owners in the states, but as i said before i will stand beside you... on the use of your deeded property as you.. as you see fit

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BigBore

I have looked over the years at places in NW colorado that have a few ranches that they lease per season, the cheapest is 1000 a season, and your drove around the lease the day before and told good luck. They always fill all there spots too.

Maybe if you let me come and hunt your property for free I can give a good review of the land on this board and you can fill some spots easy:D

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Flatheader: that boat don' t float??? Do you know how much hunting land each year is being turned into developments each year. Have you every tried to make a living ranching? Fewer and fewer can make it these days and the day of the small rancher is almost gone. I say anything a landowner can do to earn extra money and fend off thoughts of millions he could make selling the land is OK.

I personally know of many landowners in the Texas hill country that would have already had to sell out if it was not for hunting leases.

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Big Bore,
From now you probaly know my stance on the hunting/lease issue,and I apologize for my rash behavior.It just seems anymore today when you ask to go hunting you get the $ for what or what are you going to do for me.I don' t mind pounding posts for a few miles or helping with the harvest,haying or what ever is needed.A good dead rewarded with generosity.

I would like it be where the working man can afford it,I as a father of 4 would like to take them hunting someday,and would like to call up a land owner and ask to hunt,not hear the " Chiching" of the cash register.

If you would do a favor for me,check with you Fish and Game and see if they offer a hunter/pay thing or a Block Mangement,like here in Montana.If you would like more info on this sort of deal let me know.

Us as a group are undivided,apart we are conqerd.

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Bareback: Good points all. I personally do a compromise position on my own ranch in Texas. We lease 3 spots to paid leasors. All of that money goes to my widowed mother. I then take friends/guests/swap hunters. I took 5 kids less than 18 yrs. other than my kids last year. So you can see that I believe there is some middle ground.

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tx i am aware now that what is called a lease in one part of the contry may not mean the same in another, and if you would like to think that i don' t understand the hardships of making it on family ground ok, but when you explain things to me so i know what you are saying you would find we are probly on the same page.. i have stated my apology to bigbore for venting sideways, on the land use issuein texas i just havent walked in your shoes yet i guess , i think it admirable to help keep the sport alive by taking kids, i hope that you continue to do that and my hat is off to you for the respect and honor that you have for your mother

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BIGBORE, just returned from near Craig Colorado, didn' t get drawn anywhere so for the first time had to pay a tresspass fee to recieve a deer voucher and hunt. it cost $1200 for the voucher and 5 day' s of hunting and I must say I was pleasantly surprised, 12 hunter' s on 18000 acre' s and lot' s of deer, got a nice 4x4 and never felt crowded, count me in if you decide to let folk' s hunt your property. I could go into a long diatribe about how forest service is selling us down the river but I won' t, my point is that the folk' s who live in area' s of vast public land don' t realize how quickly their land is dissapearing, someday we will be like the indian' s where the only place left for us to hunt is worthless and barren ground and the government will tell us how lucky we are,

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I' m reading all these posts and am somewhat confused. I' ve never heard of a trespass fee or even leasing your land to hunt. Obviously we have much different rules up here. It is actually illegal to charge someone to hunt on your land in Alberta, we either have to ask permission for private land, own it outright or go on public (crown land). Could someone please explain how you lease and what a tresspass fee is? JDinAB

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JD,
A lease for hunting is ,the landowner is paid to let a individual or group to have sole right to hunt his property and the animals there within the boundries.

or
A landowner will charge a lease fee for the animal the wish to hunt,ie.. He charge you $500.00 a gun to hunt elk or what ever.

A tresspass charge is when the landowner of Leasie will charge some one to cross their land or allow hunting.Basicaly charge you to hunt,some will only give permision to cross not to hunt.

This what I was talking about.BBJ

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and USA paid a gut $1200 for 5 days of hunting...WOW! I' d have to be loaded to hunt down there[:o]. Sorry to hear that fellas, I usually just bring the guy a bottle of whiskey and he' s more than happy to let me go hunting:D JDinAB

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And in Texas, about 95% of hunting ground is private property. As stated above, the State of Texas (the people of Texas) actually own the wildlife, not the landowner. All a landowner can charge for is the right to enter his property for the purpose of hunting, not for the game itself.

I do know of some ranches that charge a " trophy" fee if you kill something above and beyond the fee you pay to hunt. I have never thought that was legal or ethical. That is truly like " selling" the wildlife, whick I think is wrong.

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What a topic. For those of us in the " east" the cost of land is super high and state land is loaded with orange clothes, and getting permission to hunt private land is getting more and more difficult - in fact the land on which I currently deer hunt is locked into a nature conservancy after the farmer passes on - which in this particular case means no more hunting - the land will go fallow, not be farmed and will be maintained for bugs and bunnys. So for some of us who are serious hunters and want to get away from the competition and the experience excitement of hunting for species that are not native to our home state, we come west or south or north. Belive me I would rather not have to pay a tresspass fee and I may grumble about doing it but the couple times when I have - I have enjoyed the time there - it is just plain big county there and that in itself (just sitting and watching what some of you are lucky enough to see daily) is worth the price of admission for we who dwell close to sea level. Not everyone is motivated the same way - like I indicated previoulsy, i was able to do a days work for the rancher in exchange for a week of hunting. There have also been times when hunting BLM land that i wish I had paid someone because of having to deal with some of the moves that are made by less than ethical or ignorant hunters in the same vicinity. It is his deeded land to do with what he pleases and I support that alone.