It is getting to the point that the wealthy are making it impossible for the average family to afford a lease.Don't misunderstand me I am a capitalist.I do think that owners/lessors are just getting out of hand.we as hunters are great at standing together I wish we could now.I think its time that all of the association we join and support and make wealthy.I think its time they start helping us on this battle.This is my first step to start a nonprofit association I think to help the hunters on a smaller front.I am a disabled vfw that has some time to organize this but I'm not the smartest person around
I would like some feed back from some intelligent people is this something we could get support. For

I've been around for awhile, killed my first deer in 1968, hunted all of my life, and seen a lot of changes. If you don't mind, I'd like to add one thing for perspective. The very first deer lease I got on was in 1974 or 1975 and I paid $250. Adjusted for inflation, that's just a little over $1000 in today's dollars. I'd say $1000 is a pretty average price for an average deer lease. When you think about it that way, it doesn't seem like lease prices have done much other than keep up with inflation.

BTW - Thank you very much for your service. I sincerely appreciate it.

Sadly we can't stop this madness due to the middle men who get involved. There are still landowners out there that will let a guy and his sons hunt without any charge.

Its when these brokers and the like get involved that the prices start to go way beyond what inflation would drive the price to. I won't lease from anyone except the landowner. Too many shady folks out there doing harm to hard working people and their pasttime.

Supply and demand is one issue. If more landowners opened their land, the cost might go down. More property to choose.

You're clearly not a capitalist if you're advocating the formation of a union to artificially create a price ceiling in deer leases.

The prices will stop rising when demand equals supply. As long as people continue to migrate to Texas and as long as the Texas economy stays strong, you're not going to see any sort of widespread retreat in prices.

If you do, chances are that you won't have the money to pay the lower prices either, so I wouldn't necessarily wish for it.

I am a landowner with what some would consider a sizeable amount of acreage. I do not consider myself to be wealthy...far from it. That being said, I do not lease my property for hunting. Liability issues being the main reason that I do not lease. If I did decide to lease the property in the future, it would be to the highest bidder. Sorry, but that is just the way it is. I do feel for those that have the desire to hunt, but not the financial means to do so. I lot of people think that landowners are getting rich by leasing hunting rights. I don't believe this is the case. I think you should take your enthusiasm and ideas to TPWD. I know for a fact that there is state owned properties available not being utilized for full hunting opportunities.

I appreciate the response so far,I havent ever seen a lease that was only a 1000.i havent been hunting that long,I am on my second lease my first was in archer county and it was 2000,and I got caught up in a land owner a cattleman that leased the land to the hunting manager and then he leased to us and I didnt know what I was doing and I was in charge of 1800 acres.I think from what I have seen the average on a place that has deer is about 1600 and then its only for 1 gun.if you have a couple of kids that you want to bring up hunting they may get to shoot a doe untill they can afford to pay for a spot.Tracker I am in no way being a smart A.I appreciate your thanks,my service was along time ago.I did it because I love this ole gal we call Freedom.

The number doesn't matter. $1000, $2000, $5000, $250.

To you, one of the above numbers may seem ridiculously expensive, but another might seem okay. To another fellow, the number you think is reasonable may seem outrageously expensive. Someone else may not mind paying twice what you'd pay.

Prices keep going up because there are plenty of people willing to pay them. Just because you or I or Joe Smith thinks prices are too high does not mean that we're correct or that they'll stop going higher as long as the economy in Texas is reasonably strong and people keep moving here.

Another way to think about it: 20 years ago there were X acres available for lease for every hunter that wanted to lease land. That number today is problably 1/3 X.

More people with more money = prices go up.

You gotta be kidding me! I pay $600 a gun and we have 6 guns on the lease. The landowner also runs cattle. So he is getting ag exemp from having the cows, right now cattle prices are up so making money when calving, plus an extra $3600 a year to say we can hunt. I enjoy our lease, the owner, and price we pay. I understand he is not getting rich, but thats a nice bonus.

This is why I asked for more intelligent people to post.Thanks Play maker can u give me more info on the land your talking about.I am a capitalist I do believe in profit.my wife owns 2 bussines.I do believe in ur right to make money and my right to get it as cheap as possible.I definitly would not want to be known as the guy that made a hunters union.I lease from a great lady in comanche.I dont have to deal with a middle man.It is less expensive and I think relationships are better.Thanks for your input.

we used to have people hunt ours but a rule of no bucks under 4.5 proved way to difficult when people would see nice young deer so now Im back to keeping 2100 acres to myself and whatever friends I take.. People who dont follow rules and liability will keep many places unleased..

I could be wrong but doesnt Tx have something like 1mil acres +/-of public land?

jakhunter - Your typical 2000 acre tract is worth more than $2,000,000 these days. Sometimes a multiple of that.

Even if the landowner were bringing in $50,000 in lease fees (which he's not), that'd be a 2.5% rate of return (assuming the land is only worth $1k/acre). That's not exactly a solid return.

Now let's factor in taxes. They're not zero for ag-exempt property, just much less than they'd be if the land were commercial or residential. My $130k tract is ag-exempt and still has annual taxes of $350. The aforementioned tract will pay roughly 20 times that, or about $7000 in taxes.

That more than wipes out what you're paying in hunting lease fees.

I would be willing to bet that your $3600 lease doesn't come close to paying his property taxes, much less anything else. Concerning the AG Valuation tax base, have you ever thought of what beef prices would be if he didn't get the reduced valuation? Yes, cattle prices are up and so is everything else it takes to produce a pound of beef: diesel, fertilizer, seed, feed, etc., etc..

Sorry, Cameron00. Didn't mean to cover you up. Didn't see your reply before I posted.

That is awsome Jakhunter.I havent ever even heard of anyone paying so little.I dont think anybody is getting rich.I do think that some of these management guys that do it for a living are hurting alot of hunters.I wont lease from a management person again.

You said it better than I did, so by all means...

I'm not a big land owner, but it drives me crazy when people complain about having to pay $1500 to use a $2,000,000 asset for a year.

Would anyone suggest that $1500/year is too much to rent a $2,000,000 lakehouse for a year? Of course not. You'd pay that for a week. Deer leases are a relative steal.

We have been offered 1500-2k per buck by some outfitters so there would be absolutely no logic in leasing for that and have each hunter to tag out..

People also need to realize that in most cases you get what you pay for.. lots of places have years of management, healthier herds from feed programs, better habitat, and gentetics.. Most of those things have cost the landowner in one way or another..

Hunting rights are a priveledge, nobody HAS to let you hunt

We've had $1M offered on a 276 acre property...in East Tx @ $4-10/acre to lease, that would be a steal for someone.

it does but if your disabled and cant walk like me it is impossible to hunt they will only allow horses no motorized vehicles are allowed not even for the disabled.I tried hunting Lbj grasslands and that was before my neropathy got bad now i cant hunt without aid of a vehicle.

These are all great exlpanations why it is so much,but that dosnt change the ability for the working class to be able to pay to hunt.We are the people eating the beef that most land owners make there money on.I am not trying to start a feud.I just know what its like to be poor due to a disability.I have fought my way back we r not poor now.I love being outdoors and I truly love hunting.I dont like making people mad unless your just trying to justify taking advantage of nieve hunters.

I see your point.. But its simple really.. My family owns land but I work my butt off on an oil rig to afford my seperate lease.. All people have to do is save for their lease if hunting is a big priority in their life.. To me hunting is huge so if I have to Ill go without other things I dont really need to be able to do something I love... A year is plenty of time for people to come up with much more than they are paying on their leases if managed correctly IMO

Hunting on private land is hardly a necessity or a right anymore than taking a particular vacation or golfing at any particular golf course is. I can't afford to play golf at Pebble Beach or rent a home in the Mediterranean. So I go to a municipal course and maybe cruise to Gulf Shores, Alabama for vacations. If someone can't afford to lease a piece of property, they'll have to lease a less expensive piece. If they can't afford to lease any property, they'll need to either hunt public land or befriend someone that will take them hunting.

you are right about saving.thats what we do and we sacrifice.im glad ididnt say that you were one of those rich guys that had it handed to him lol.Thats some hard work.Im glad i ask for opinions.I like this for that reason.I am a dogooder i didnt get to hunt growing up my dad wasnt a outdoors man,so consequently I have a soft spot for those kids that dont get to.

I dont exactly understand what your saying.Your land is worth a million and your leasing for four dollars an acre?

That $1M is the dollar value that's been offered for it. Going rate for leasing in our area is $4-10/acre. On something carrying that much value $1104-2760/yr for access would be a bargain. But to answer that last part, No, the place will get sold before it gets leased out.