and don't mind east Texas, Campbell Group has just posted a whole bunch of tracts up for bid for this year, both in Texas and other states. They have a new website address, www.tcgrecreation.com. This is timber company land that Temple used to own.

Russ do you lease land currently from this outfit? What are all the different clubs listed that have the tracts available?

I currently have three tracts leased from them, but I only hunt on two of them. Hancock and Ranier are two others that lease land. I stick with Campbell because they own more land around me than the others. I was lucky enough to get the tracts that I have that are close to my house- one is less than a mile and the farthest is seven miles.

Russ79,

I have a few questions about Campbell as i have not leased before and am looking to. Can I PM you with them or would you be wiling to take a few questions over the phone? Thanks in advance.

HT, be glad to answer any questions. You can PM me and I will give you my phone number.

Russ,

I am new here and my constant searching of the internet for information on Campbell group land has led me to you and several of your posts here as well as on Tx bowhunter forum. I am currently a member of a Campbell lease in Sabine county but a small group of friends and I would like to try and manage a piece of property on our own. I have some questions regarding bidding on land and insurance requirements. This being my first post I am unsure if I can send a PM but could really use your insight on a few things is possible....

Nike, I got your PM and responded. I am like you, I was on a lease that was Campbell land in Cherokee county but got tired of getting screwed over by the lease manager. I found Campbell's website and there happened to be a 300 acre tract less than a mile from my house. I bid on it and got it. Since them I have gotten two other tracts along with this one. Got some good guys on each of them. This started about six or seven years ago and haven't looked back. I am also on TBH.

Russ…pm sent. I have a few questions as well if you don't mind. thanks

Bringing this back up to the top.

When does bidding close?

FYI, they (the folks at Campbell) seem to be better at answering emails than they have been in the past. Contact them thru their website with particular questions that you might want an answer right away. I don't and haven't minded answering what I can about the process. Their main office is in Diboll- if you get a chance go by and visit with them. I am going to try to get by there myself Friday afternoon because I have a few questions myself about my existing leases.

I went today and looked at one of their leases and was wondering about any poaching problems they might have on their lands. There was no fencing and open access to the property and no one around. But there were plenty of beer cans and 12 pack boxes and other trash. Is this similar to others experiences at these properties? I'd hate to get one of these leases and have to compete with the locals for game!

I had dealings with Campbell land last year and in the middle of December, they decided to clear cut right by my stands!!! Needless to say, I didn't even see a squirrel at my feeder!!! This past season I got on a lease in Hardin county and saw a lot of game,( not timber company land)!!!

First off, timber holding companies such as Campbell, are in the business to grow and sell trees. Leasing for hunting is just icing on the cake for them. They do not feel the need to let the lease managers know when the will be conducting their business- they say that in their rules and regulations. I have had to deal with replanting a clearcut the first week of a deer season, I have had a helicopter flying over spraying herbicide opening weekend of bow season, and thinning in the spring during turkey season. This is what you have to deal with when you lease from these companies. I am lucky in that I live so close and check them sometimes daily that I can actually get the crews to help make some improvements. The first year of a clearcut might not be so good but I guarantee you that it will be attracting wildlife- new growth on clearcuts always draw deer. As far as how to protect the property- anything you do will be at your expense. You pretty much have to count on standing timber along the property lines to keep vehicles out and gates on roads going in will have to be supplied by whoever leases it. There is also a regulation as to how wide the gate must be and how far off the road it is located. East Texas kids grow up riding the roads and drinking beer and with all the timber company land there are plenty of places to pull off and pitch out trash. I haven't had any poaching problems, per se, but have found over the years a deer or two that was probably shot off the side of the road at night. Timber company land in east Texas has its own set of headaches to deal with but almost any lease does. For the price though it has been a good value for me since the farthest of the three tracts I lease is only seven miles from my house so I have more opportunities to hunt than many.

Another plus is longevity, its rare to hear of guys that lease land from private land owners for 20+ years. Yea it sucks if they clear cut but I can promise after they re plant in pines the deer seem to pile up in them. I use to be on a lease in northeast Texas (wish I still was) and they clear cut a 150 acre track of hardwoods, then replanted in pines. 3 years later I hunted on one of the logging roads where it made a T. I bet I saw 20+ deer.

my first lease was on a timber farm. the day before deer season they cleared my area. Leasing from a timber farm is the worse idea. even if your area is clear you have trucking coming and going at all hours.

You're right about longevity. Unless you really screw something up, as long as you pay the bill on time you will have it as long as you want it. Plus, there will be no surprises on price increase- each year's contract has three year pricing that rolls every year so you can see what you will be paying for the next two years from the year you are paying on.

Just a heads up and I don't mean to be a buzz kill, BUT I have a buddy that leased from A timber company (I don't know which one) he took a camper down there and the next day he went back and the propane bottles were gone. He put up no tresspassing signs and some gates the next weekend they were all gone. SO he contacted the GW who said.... "Yea, those people down there have been running around on that land all their lives and don't like people coming in trying to tell them to keep out." He said there were lots of meth labs and suggested that my buddy be armed at all times and that it was probably not a good place to bring his family.

I don't know how much of it is like that but it's something to think about...

I recently bid on a Campbell Group lease; since bidding is now closed the status of my bid on their site is now "In Review". We'll see what happens.

I have a campbell lease have for 6 years.My experience is the lease will go to who lives the closest to the property for lease.

They do give preference to bidders who live close. I was told that by one of the Campbell folks. The farthest I live from any of the three leases I have is seven miles, but that one I didn't have to bid on- just got with the lease manager that had it and he transferred everything over to me.

I bid on two different tracts in Newton County and live about 1 1/2 hrs away. Hoping that doesn't stop Campbell from leasing it to me. Offering good money for the land IMO.

Nike:

Care to share what the minimum bid was and what your bid was or simply the percent of your bid over the min?

I also have 2 bids in review but I live 3 hours away so sounds like odds are not in my favor

Here's my take. Yes, they like to lease to folks who are local or close. They figure you have a better opportunity to watch it and manage the "bad stuff" that could happen. But I find it hard to believe that they would take less money to lease a tract especially if there is only an hour or so difference in location between the top two bidders.