I’ve always been successful finding good places to deer hunt by just being polite, respectful and ethical but it seems more and more landowners are going for the paid lease. Depending on the area these lease can range in dollar amount. What have you been seeing in your area and how much are leases going for? Also does anyone know the cut or percent that these land/lease brokers are getting paid? Are leases the wave of the future? What are your thoughts?

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I do not like trying to hunt public hunting areas. Too many people. If you do a little scouting and spending time trying to get a deer opening day ten more people will be in the same place. We lease 100% of the property we hunt. Most of the land runs around $6 per acre. That way we can try to manage the property for better bucks. It doesn't take but about 3 years to see a big difference in the size of your bucks. Most of our leases are timber companies but we are always looking for 300 plus acre leases in the right areas. If you don't lease or have family lands to hunt in our area you miss out on the best hunting.

Here in Pa. we have lots of public land but I don't hunt it because its over crowded and gets hunted to heavy. A group of us have leased 4000 acres of timber company land about 3 hrs from home. The down side to this is that its to far to hunt for one day and return home. But the up sides are there is a limited amount of hunters that hunt it. We also have control of whats harvested so our QDM program has worked well. There are about 50 members and we pay about 3.50 an acre.

God Bless & Good Hunting
LM/NAHC
Member NRA
Member P&Y CLUB
Member QDMA
Member Ducks Unlimited

I buy a Sportsman's license every year for $50, it allows me to hunt 1.3 million acres in the state. There is 250,000 acres within 30 miles of my house. I've hunted public land successfully for 20+ years. With all that said, I still join a club every year for a variety of reasons. Being able to hunt on Sunday, controlling access by other hunters, setting up a QDM program. etc...
The are very distinct differences between the various regions within the country regards to lease land availability/public land availability and the qaulity of the hunt found on the same lands. You might say that one shoe doesn't fit all.
In the Southeast leased lands are very common and are definately not "overrated and a waste of money". Nothing personal drache, but your comment shows a very narrow view of the status of hunting within the country, it may be appropriate for where you live but you are participating on a board that extends beyond your region. I understand that it is just your opinion and as such we are all entitled to our opinions but we've got to start looking at the bigger picture and that would be that in some regions of the country deer leases are not only appropriate but quite possibly the only option available.
Ansel, leased land can be found in my neck of the woods for as low as $5-$6 per acre but the average for good land is between $10-$15 per acre with some going as high as $20.
Most clubs can be joined for $400-$500 per year, the club I'm in costs me $800 a year. Some of the more exclusive clubs/plantations can cost several thousand dollars.( I don't hate a deer that bad )

Mark

We don't see much leasing around here because of all the public land for deer and elk hunting .But some people have started to charge a trespass fee for turkey hunters which is about all . The people here would go into shock if they had to pay to hunt deer or elk .

In south arkansas leases are just a fact. i lease 2000 acres with 12 other people. yeah we pay 400 a year but i dont worry about a place to hunt . around here hunting is like a cult. everybody hunts. and if you drop your lease someone will snatch it before you can blink. i could hunt family land for free but the fun we have is priceless. actually i get my moneys worth because my lessors let me cut dead or downed trees for firewood. after our ice storm i have been having a field day. my lessors get the check. i make the checks out to the landowner . unless its international paper or other timber company. they seem to be going up every few years right now we avg. 2.75 @ acre. i guess someday they may out price the good ole boys. i'll deal with that when it happens.

I havn't ever leased or don't knowbody who ever has in my area. All you have to do is ask the land owner if you can hunt on his land this year.They don't care because most people shotgun hunt and i bowhunt so its pretty easy getting permition.

In the past it's been pretty much the same way Edmund, but in the last 5 years or so, bow hunting has become very popular and the competition for quality land to hunt on has also increased.
What I'm just starting to see that has me concerned is these type of brokers approaching farmers/land owners and saying "we'll get you X amount and we'll take a cut" and the thing is there is usually someone with the money willing to pay the money. Now many of these farmers/land owners know they can get good money for their property hunting rights. The polite, respectful and ethical hunter approaching with a smile isn't getting as far. Many farmers/land owners are holding out for the money.
Everybody has bills to pay so I can't say I blame them but where does it end, Something in demand in limited quantities always demands a top dollar and that what I am starting to see.
I guess I’m used to hunting for “free” and looks as if the writing is on the wall. There is no such thing as a free lunch.

these days its cheaper to buy your own land. leases are alot, we pay. $900.00 per person for the year im our club.