Cattle rancher had600 more acres of land he could have leased if he truly wanted too make some $$$off leasing. The 400 acre section can only be accessed easily through our property,, no way a leasee would be given permission too cross our property during hunting season,, take a boat or walk through the swamp!

Farmer knows we actually benefit from cattle being on the property,, and its not that the grass is short around the cabin all summer(thats a bonus). Our property is considerred "active farm land" and not "recreational land or waterfront" too the tax-man.. Saves us about half our tax bill on the land every year. Farmer mentioned that also when we told him he would no longer be grazingour property "if he leased".. It was as simple as saying "we can buy 2 cowsor sheep for that matterand its a farm!"

Personally I think he was just having a bad year and he was trying too milk a couple guys from "the city" who had good jobs and bought new trucks every few years. He soon realized a couple guys from the city arent as stupid as he thoughtthey were!

To whom it may concern;

I would like to take a moment of your time if I may? Why is that there are those of you out there, who still think that the only way you are going to harvest an animal, is if you or your buddies have secureds the rights to hunta specifictract of land exclusively? This does not make you or your friends better hunters and sportsman;in fact the only thing you are actually doing isundermining the huntingtraditionsour grandfathers worked so hard to develpe,organize and manage.

All I keep hearing from those who aprove of leasing is that they will have no where to hunt or that they are doing it for the farmer. Why not tell the real truth those that lease are usually the well to do or privlaged who think they have to have the woods to themselves. Hunting is a public sport that is managed and enjoyed not only by the wealthy ,but the poor as well,we all contribute to hunting through taxes and wild life management.

Leasing would not even be an issue if it were not for all the fancy hunten clubs, ranches and television personalities instilling the idea into others that the only way to suceed in hunting is if you own,rent,or secure property.

Those that lease most of the time realy are not out there to help the farmeror land owners manage herds, they are only out there for the trophy deer. As ontelevision how many of thosesuper huntersdo you notice being excited about taking a nice doe? No sir, Buster Bucks only.Leasing 90% of the time is usually practiced by those I call trophy prowanta be's who are afraid of the local competition.I have friends who have permission to hunt the same land that others lease and my friendshunt to feed their family and friends;while the leasing party only hunt for wall mounters.
Now I ask you who is realy doing more for the farmer, those leasing with money or those taking both doe and buck to feed themselves and bring the herds into check.

Please folks the next time you all decide to rent or lease,think about others who share in the sports. Because if this continues hunting as our grandfathers intended may soon be no more. I already have friends who no longer are able to hunt; because they can not afford to keep up with the rich,trophy,pro wanta be's and clubsthat are buying, selling and leasing land from local farmers, they've been squeezed out of hunting sports.

We all, had plenty of space to hunt before leasing was the greatest fad. Why not stop all of this leasing before it ends hunting as we've known it? It can be all reconcilled if those who are a little selfish stop offering the farmers and land owners money for leasing. If not I think the farmers and land owners should have to pay royalities to wild life management from their profits, maybe this would throw a wrench in the works!??

To holler critter

Thanks for tellings us how to hunt and spend our money. You can come hunt on my lease, for a price[8D]

Maybe we should just move to a socialist society and all share equaly. Kick capitalism and inovation to the curb.

1) The land owners are finding it tougher and tougher to survive as small farming and ranching operations. Many need the $$ from the lease and most are reasonable with their prices. Regardless of what people think, someone has been paying for you to hunt, even when your hunting was free.Same principle with public land, we all pay for it. Hunting land has never been free, its just the burden of the cost is now being passed on.

2)I personally have joined a club. It's like a mutual fund for hunting. We pool our money and 300 of us lease several properties around the state. It works out well and a little extra overtime covers the cost.

3)I'm very fortunate to also live in OK where we have alot of public hunting land available. I can't imagine not having a place to hunt with my kids that would be a nightmare, but I don't think its the fault of those who lease hunting land. Who are we to tell land owners what to do with their private property. You want to blame someone, look at your govt. and ask what has happened to the public hunting opportunities.

Funny. I'm sure he was. LOL He's just work'n it. Good for you city boys. I was one once upon a time and then learned the hard way the ways of the country.Just good old boys. I wouldn't count your inteligence to quickly. LOL Best to keep him thinking he's getting the better part of the deal.

Makes me laugh just picturing it.

Why don't you people that don't like what land owners do with their land buy some of your own land and then you can do with it any thing you want.

Oh yea I know why because you can't afford to buy land & monster mudders for your new truck that you must have to haul your quad so if you do shoot a deer with your new switchback you won't have to drag that heavy deer out.

I see most of you will run your pie hole about how you can't afford to buy land but you don't have any problem buying every mega white tailed deer slayer gadget at thearchery shop!

The land is a great investmentthat you can enjoy for a life time , all the toys are just money pissed into the wind!

This is going to be long so I appologize in advance. What I dont understand is where you are coming up with the conclusion that everywhere in the country is under the same situation as your area. I also do not understand why you have such a problem with leasing property. How is leasing property any different then giving the person whos land you are hunting on some venison if you are lucky enough to come away with a deer? Or how it is different from an agreement to where you help the land owner out with some sort of work? They are all the same idea but when you lease you use cash instead of meat or work. I am saying all of this and I dont lease any land, nor can I afford to. I am just another person living from paycheck to paycheck that has a deep pasion for hunting and the hunting community.

Look at it from this point of view. You live in the city because it is what is affordable to you. You used to be into hunting but got out of it once your son was born. Now 12 years later,you and your son are trying to get into hunting but do not know any of the local land owners.You stumble across an oppertunity to lease 100 wooded acres from a local gentleman for $800 a year. Money is tight but you manage to come up with the money to lease the land. You use your older bow equiptment and you buy your son a used setup and they hunt the land after going through all of the proper safety education courses and getting all of their permits. Now this whole time you have spent alot of money but made alot of friends in the process. But most importantly you are bonding with your son. All with the help of being able to lease the land. My point is you cant assume that everyone is out to get a trophy buck. For most hunters they are in it for another reason other then the trophy buck. The people that are in it for the trophy buck... these so called rich people you speak of can go to one of these "outfitters" and "hunt" tame and caged deer for their thrills. These people that you speak of are the ones who can usually afford to BUY the land and not lease it. There are a million different ways to look at this topic and no matter what you do there is not going to be a right answer. These "facts" that you are stating are actually "Opinions". If you want something done about it dont argue with these here good people. Go out and get some real facts and then try to get people to help you with your cause. Not trying to be mean but until there are solid facts and ways to fix the wrong doings... why fight about it?

AutherP, I'm in the same boat as you, pass me the other oar. I did pay $180 for a non resident license to hunt Md, my home state and have a total of less than 15 hours in the woods since Sept 1. Next year I will proably have my own boat, anyone want the other oar?

Holler Critter,
You sound exactly like the hunters I met when my father and I purchased 160 acres here in Ohio. Neighbors had been hunting the woods and fields for years with out permission, safe in knowing the widow who owned the farm was to frail and feeble to goback into the woods and chase them off.
I never met one of these so called hunters while I was driving fence posts to clearly mark the property lines, brush hogging fields, planting with deer and turkey in mind and clearing up the woods while cutting in tractor and atv trails. NO when I met them was soon after the first frost of fall and they stopped by my house or called on the phone since I had put my phone number on the NO TRESSPASSING signs. They said "we have hunted the farm for years YOU POSTED IT can we still hunt there?" To all I said NO
My family leases out the bow hunting rights on the farm each year. We reserve gun and muzzleloader season for our family. In the lease the hunters are required to take at least 1doe per hunter per season. The money from leasing the bow hunting rights goes a long way toward paying the property taxes, buying those expensive parts for john deere tractors and planters, buying seeds and spray and the other items required for properly managing the farm for wildlife.
You, Like them WANT SOMETHING FOR NOTHING, Hunters like you are perfectly willing to let myself and family pay for the land, pay the taxes, buy the equipment to plant and manage the farm for you. Then when you are not given permission to hunt for free you bemoan how landowners who lease are ruining hunting for hunters like you. THERE ARE NO FREE RIDES
I suggest you buy a piece of ground, pour your own blood, your own sweat, your own tears, and your money into it. I bet once the shoe is on the other foot you won't be so quick to critize landowners and leasing...

Amen to that. While he's trying to swallow that pill he can stop trying to tell others how to hunt. Today he's lambasting anyone who want to shoot a big buck, but come the day he shoots a big one he'll probably be blasting the meat hunters.

I'll be getting a lease for the reasons stated in my earlier post, and when I buy land I'll be posting it too. Now , I'll ad one more reason as to why. Like the previous poster, to keep away ungrateful dead beats.