LAND LEASES BAD FOR HUNTERS?
 

Howdy! yaw;

I have been thinking about all of these land lease deals that folks are talking about, and how they are are becoming the norm in a lot areas.

I would like to add a few comments and suggestions to the idea of renting and leasing private land for hunting. Not to step on toes or offend anyone, but this leasing craze may blow up in the hunting worlds face.

First, let me say I am not saying this because I have no where to hunt: only the opposite,I have currently 180 plus acres that I hunt any time I want.

The thing is if these hunting land lease deals continue; before long no one who likes hunt intheir local areas will be able to do so without paying for (safari) prices in excessive of $500 to $2000 dollars a year. For a local hunter who only hunts local farms on an average of two to five days a month would in my opinion be throwing money away.

Another thing to consider, how long before the farmers and land owners start to realize that they have the hunters at an disadvantage, and start charging even more. I believe in the long run we are hurting our hunting rights and privlages as outdoors man and hunters. The average hunter is only going a harvest a very small percentage of trophy deer and other game.

In my final opinion I'd like to add this statement on behalf of the none tropy hunters; who use the hunting season to help feed their families. Why hunt if you have to pay triple or better the price(Safari) than you would for store bought meat. As hunters and outdoors man we all have the duty to make hunting and sports enjoyble and affordable to all the masses not just the rich sponored trophy hunters,but the poor to average hunter who hunts not just for himself and bragging rights,but to feed his family and friends.

So the next time one of you good folks think of leasing land to hunt think of the ramifications of your actions. You could just be bringing hunting as a lot of us normal folks know to an end. Without the means to pay for hunting leases the average hunter will not be able to afford to hunt. So in the long run is that trophy deer and bragging rights realy all that important?

In closing ,let me say in no circumstances,do I mean to demenor or put anyone down. These are just thoughts and concerns that I have for all hunters. If in writing this I have hurt or offended anyone,please let me say that was not my intent.

God Bless/Good Hunting!

Holler Critter

RE: LAND LEASES BAD FOR HUNTERS?
 

leases have been the norm in Texas for many years. it's not going away. 2000 per gun is pretty typical.

RE: LAND LEASES BAD FOR HUNTERS?
 

Exactly his point. When I lived in Katy, Texas as a young kid and teenager my family could not afford for me and my brother to hunt in Texas. We deer hunted twice in 12 years. :(If you don't have money available for hunting then you won't do much of it in Texas.


Holler, I agree with you 100%. Hunting isn't hunting any more. Every season that goes by it becomes more and more a rich mans sport. I know plaes in Alabama that charge up to $25 per acre to lease.

RE: LAND LEASES BAD FOR HUNTERS?
 

I live in the Washington DC area. Public land is far and few between in this area, compared to the number of hunters. If you care to take your life into your own hands and risk hunting with the masses in the WMA's, state and federal land, then that is your right. Not all hunters have access to private land to huntfor free. Why should homeowners allow access to their private property for free? Leasing land benefits the land owners, farmersand hunters. The farms I hunt are leased by the land owners to farmers tofarm. Isn't this the same senario as the hunter leasing the land to hunt? If the price get to outrageous then the land owners will not be able to lease the land to farmers or hunters. I look at leasing as a win win situation. I feel safe and secure on my leased land plus it is full of deer, compared to the public land that is over hunted and overcrowded. Just my 2 cents worth.

RE: LAND LEASES BAD FOR HUNTERS?
 

I agree, I think leasing land is just another way to make some money. We paid for hunting 2 years in a row, $200 for the season which is not bad and the man who leases it says he only wants the money to keep up the road going in. I almost shot a monster the very first time I went out there! Then his wife starts bringing the dog out for walks, and driving through the middle of the field honking her horn thinking people are trespassing!We no longer hunt there.

We have 2 small pieces of land one 11 acres and one is 5 acre's. I harvested my first deer on my own land and it was the best feeling in the world! I guess we are lucky as in Minnesota there is a lot of state land open to public hunting, and there are a lot of real pigs running around out there. (at this point I mean deer) You have to share, but it he land is there and if you dont have any other spots to hunt you may as well hunt state land. We have noticed that the weekend warrior's come out in droves the first weekend of shotgun, then its back to the couch for football! Try state land!

RE: LAND LEASES BAD FOR HUNTERS?
 

Just the the the thing I was talking about. If it were not for these so called trophy and pro wanta be hunters the average hunter would have more chance to hunt and harvest animals and food for their families.

They say that leasing provides a more secure,safe and relaxed hunting enviroment; maybe so,but these rich and privlaged trophy hunters who do not hunt for food or conservation,but for their own pride ,bragging,and endorsement rights or the fact they want all private and public land for themselves is truely unsportsman like. Hunting private land was just as safe and secure beforeso called pro and semi wanta be pros flooded the woods. the only difference now is we have to pay to hunt were we used to hunt free on our neighbors farms. Used to be all you had to do to hunt was talk with and be friendly to to local farmers and land owners.

I tell the truth be told, if this hunting scenero of leasing to hunt continues, hunting as we've known it will not exist. After all the idea in hunting should be to eat what you kill and not to brag to your buddies or for endorsements. How are we going to continue on with the hunting traditions and land and wild life management, If we take the average hunter out of the picture. I'm sure the ones to suffer most will be all of us not to mention the wild life.

RE: LAND LEASES BAD FOR HUNTERS?
 

holler, i'm too young to know of times before lease hunting. something like 97% of land in Texas is private. my family does not own land, and we don't have money. fortunately, we have some very good friends that let us hunt their land because we always follow their rules and help them out on workweekends.

in texas, we don't have a choice.

RE: LAND LEASES BAD FOR HUNTERS?
 

I tried to bring this topic up a while back and found little interest.

Here in WV, timber and coal mines companies own most of the property. It has always been an understood agreement that if their property was not posted it was ok to hunt. Now, just recently, (past 10 years) these companies have begun leasing their property to hunting clubs. The hunting clubs are posting all the property and not allowing local residents to hunt anymore.( tens of thousands of acres) Many generations of these local residents have hunted these properties and can no longer do so. Now, they are just just supposed to forgot all the memories they have created over the years with their dad and their dad's dad and move on.

I think it stinks! WV is a very rural state and many people depend on deer as a food source. These companies, instead of the state, should own the deer because they control access to most of the land. Its all about money and as long as people are willing to "pay to play" it will not change.

RE: LAND LEASES BAD FOR HUNTERS?
 

3% of Texas is public land. Of that 3% not very much is open to hunting. The land that is open is very highly pressured. The chances of being successful are slim at best. I pay $450 a year to hunt a 400 acre lease. There are not great numbers of deer or any monsters out there but that is all I can afford. Maybe in the North you may still be able to stop leasing from becoming a reality. In Texas it is pay the lease, buy your own land, or hunt with the crowds on public land. That is the way it is and will continue to be here. There is no turning back now, Ican promise you that. I have tried asking ranchers if I can hunt thier land and always get the same response. No it is leased. There is no such thing as a free property to hunt here to the best of my knowledge and I looked hard to find it.

RE: LAND LEASES BAD FOR HUNTERS?
 

I don't pay a lease but I have to drive far enough to avoid paying a lease so that I end up paying it to the gas companies and to Ford Motor Company. It seems like you can't win. Hunting for the most part is for the rich. If you have access to land because your family owns it then you are technically paying for it. Or at least someone is.

I like the spirit of the original post but it is a pipe dream. Figure out your own situation and move on. It isn't getting better only worse.

Tom