Hey all,

How would I factor the cost on a lease I'm looking at. From the advice I've gotten on here average cost is in the $10-$15 per acre range.

So the lease is 700 acres with 6 guns total. It's a year round lease with water and power for $3000.

Are they asking $3k for access to a little over 100 acres?

Am looking for my first lease ever so could use some advice. Thanks!

Ask if it's $3k per gun or for the whole place.

Depending on the location, animals, and housing ect..it may be in
line. If you consider what you will spend setting up, feeding ect. your animals are going to run about $7K a buck...You can still get a pretty good So. Texas Buck for that..DD

I'd bet it's $3000 per gun/hunter. Seems a bit steep to me. Personally 6 hunters on 700 acres is a bit too many. 3 hunters on 700 acres would be more appropriate.

By comparison, my South Texas lease was $6,000/gun. We had 8 hunters on 5,000 acres. It was under an MLD 3 management plan which meant each hunter had a high deer quota. Usually 8 does, 2 cull bucks, 2 management bucks and a trophy. Guest were allowed. There was a cabin that slept 8.

6 hunters on 700 acres is a bit too crowded, especially for $3000/gun.

If the whole place leases for $3000/year then I'd lease it for myself and maybe one other hunter.

x2

It depends on how the lease is structured.
You'll have to ask the representative you're talking to about the lease the details of how stuff works on each lease you inquire about.
On some leases each paid member has an assigned area, others may use some kind of a system to determine where each member hunts that sit, day, weekend or week.

Usually when folks talk about a per acre price it's for the whole place, then the members split that cost equally.
Example:
700 acres at $15 per acre = $10500, then the members of the lease share that cost equally, 10,500 split 6 ways = $1750 per spot.
700 acres at $25.71 per acre = 17,997, split 6 ways = $2999.50 each.

If it's $3000 per gun and 6 hunters for 700 acres it better be pretty special. Even so,if it's LF with that many hunters it is not likely to be special for long.

Better be good for that price.

Thanks for all the great replies everyone, it's very helpful and there is a lot of info. I decided this isn't the right lease for me and my buddy.

One follow up question. How many acres is typically required per hunter? Is that more of a factor of density of deer in a given part of the state? How do you know what's enough?

Yes, factor of area of state and even where in the county. Being a new hunter it can be a crap shoot. Find a place in your budget and give it a go.

As in real estate it's location, location, location. Our lease is annual hunt (deer, turkey, dove & quail) and goes at $21 per acre. Located in one of Texas Hot Spots counties per the Texas Sportman Mag. Best deer hunting that I have ever found. Winter wheat fields, cover, and very little traffic/people in area. If a guy really want to do some serious hunting will fill his tags. My advice would be to research where the deer are. Check out Texas Sportsman Oct & Nov issue of 2012. Focus your least hunt in the counties where the deer. Your gonna PAY $$$ for a very good/great lease.

Make sure it has the wildlife you want

well we dont lease. but we hunt 15 acres (me, my 2 kids, my buddy and his 2 kids that dont hunt yet) in Buffalo tx.
plenty of deer, no real trophy's yet that i have seen, but the neighbors have some dandies on cam.
no kidding, the deer go left to right in the morning, and right to left in the evening. always a group of at least 5..everyday, all year long.
out in east texas, jefferson..lake o the pines..we hunted 40 acres.
its a nice hill side with 3 natural white sand springs equipped with the creek runs through the middle of the whole property. club on 1 side, and 750 acres private on the other. all tree farm.
saw 1 deer a year for 4 years. hog trap payed out on 3rd year. after installing a plot, and clearing a lane, i saw probably 4 deer every year. tracks dont mean anything lol. and they dont taste so great.
anyway...to me the 15 acres is better. its nice to take the kids out and guarantee they see something. vs them thinking dad is crazy and there is no wildlife around here any where. (my oldest when she 1st started hunting with me, we never saw anything almost everytime out at lake o the pines) now she has seen deer, but still thinks im nuts...kids

Crazy... i wouldnt spend that kind of money on any lease