Lease for the season or buy 5 day hunt from outfitter?
 

What is your choice? Lease for the deer season, or hunt a 5 day from outfitter? Why?

Leese all the way.

People will get offended if I say why I feel that way so I won't.

Thanks rockport, I will not get offended, please share.

I will share some advice with you.

People are not going to respond well to your other thread.

Why? I don't understand! Please PM me!

After reading both threads, one suggestion is be careful of the term outfitter. Check the local laws about outfitters being licensed, bonded and certified in various things (first aid for example).

I'd suggest leasing the land to someone or a small group. It's like renting a house as a landlord, get the right people, it's great, get the wrong people, it's a nightmare. Find the right leasees and they will help take care of the land and treat it and the game with respect and you can have a long, good relationship. Get the wrong group, just don't renew the lease!

lease you might not get a buck in 5 days plus that puts you in control

As someone who has land that's apparently excellent hunting grounds, you will have a lot to learn before making a decision. I'd be curious to know just how much land your family owns & controls. As far as leasing it or selling hunts, I'd suggest you not lease it, at least at first.

My reasoning lies in the fact that your (and your family?) are not experienced hunters or even experienced with hunting methods & ethics. It might be a simple matter for someone with more $$ than ethics to lease your land and have it end up becoming a nightmare. By selling hunts YOU control who and especially how many hunters on on your land at one time.

By limiting the number of hunters and having some rules of "engagement" for those hunters to follow, I believe you'll have much more control as to what goes on hunting-wise. Unless you gain a good handle on the quantity and especially the quality of deer (and turkey) present on your lands, you may not get the same price others might in a state known for big deer (and quality turkey hunting) like Kansas is.

Rest assured, however, if your land does hold good numbers of large bucks word will quickly spread and "selling" your hunts may become much more lucrative. Another suggestion might be to find a local person well versed in hunting in that area and have him (her?) take a thorough look at your property and make some informed suggestions as to stand locations, deer management on the property and how many hunters could, in fact experience a quality deer hunt on your property each year.

If you do indeed own a large enough parcel that is also excellent deer habitat, you could be missing out on some good income potential if you do not attempt to sell quality hunts there, IMHO.

Neither. I can get on good private property simply by knowing people. I also hunt a lot of public land in my native CO. I have never used an outfitter and never will. I'd rather hunt on my own in my own way and not be led around the woods.

I have done both.

I prefer to lease.

Having said that, a quality outfitter that has access to (or owns) property with good habitat and a good population of game , in general, will be an arrangment that can be a very good experience. A good outfitter will have guides who have scouted, know the lay of the land, the habits of the game , can be helpful with any faet of hunting , etc. A poor outfitter ... you'll be miserable. I have been on both ends of that stick!

Leasing a place that has a good population of gameand good habitat ... success is almost 100% up to you. Luck will play into the equation as will weather, rainfall, disease, or other factors out of your control. But for the most part, you'll end up with what you have earned.

As for pubilc land hunting? Down this way, just not that much. And what there is is usually crowded. I gave up hunting public land in Alabama over 35 years ago.