New Hunter with a question
 

I am new to the sport with a question for all you veterans. A friend of mine just acquired some hunting land and he talked me into taking up the sport. Last year I purchased all of my gear, bow, and shotgun. This year he came to me saying I need to start saving for half of the food plot, a stand, and blind. My question is this normal educate for a guest to purchase these things? I told him I would help with cleaning up dead fall, help prep for plot, anything to get the land ready. There are already a few stands up on the property. Just making sure I am doing the right thing here. Thanks

Anytime I'm invited to hunt private property, I always offer to pitch in for food plots, add a stand, whatever. After all, I ultimately plan to harvest a deer or 2 for the freezer.

If your friend has invited you to take advantage of land he paid for, it is only reasonable you help defer some of the cost of managing the land for the deer you are hunting.

Ok Thanks guys. Now have you ever put forth this time and money and been told no big bucks?

Could you provide more details? I think you're right to question the arrangement but you're releasing details to the forum in increments and that makes it kind of hard for anybody to give you accurate advice. Not asking for names, addresses, etc. but what your buddy's reasoning is for not taking big bucks would be important. Is it just you that can't take big bucks or is he forgoing that also? Is anybody else involved in this hunting/business arrangement? What other "rules" are being placed on you? Are they in place for your buddy and anybody else hunting the property? Stuff like that.

IMO if he wants you to pitch in half for plots, stands, ect., You SHOULD have equal opportunity to get a big buck. I would understand him saying that more so if he was just taking you there on a hunt or two but wanting you to equally put forth the money and effort towards getting said "big buck" to come through would (to me) mean equally opportunity for the taking. I understand he is the land owner/leaser or whatever and I completely agree with Oldtimr that it would be fair for you to pitch in but there should be equal opportunities for you both.

OA

From what I gathered he has not shot a monster yet. He has been hunting for a good 5-6 years. I think he would be pretty pissed if one walked under my stand and I tagged it my first year. He has also mentioned though that he is trying to get deer to visit and hopefully stay on his land. That is why last year he didn't hunt it much. Didn't want to pressure them. But it was his first year on the property and didn't have any food source for the deer. This year we plan on making a big food plot and really cleaning the place up.

I have no problem helping with expenses. But if I am limited on what I can shoot I don't think it is worth my time and money.

Sounds like you have the answer to what you are going to do then.

Is that the wrong way of thinking or would you guys say the same thing?