Well, the land would be hunted by me, friends and family, and if we couldn't keep the population under control I'd invite some of the guys here to hunt -- but I'd never lease the place to strangers.

I took a motorcycle trip through the hill country last year and seeing all of the high fence ranches made me sick. Hunting in this state is a rich man's game now. With the amount of people moving to texas each year and the cost of land going up like it is I believe hunting will be out of the question unless you have 10k a year to drop

It's possible. And the thing is, for that kind of money you can go to Africa and take several interesting species all bigger than whitetail.

Back over 25 years ago when we leased we got $500 per hunter a year and had 4 hunters. look at it that way and the price of a lease is really not that bad. I looked at my old price list we used in 1980 and we sold WT Bucks for $750 and Does for $75. Now I charge $800 for an 8 point WT Buck and $125 for a Doe. That is not even keeping up with inflation so don't gripe about the price of hunting.

This argument is tired

How much was your motorcycle ?

Would the price of it not pay for hunting leases?


It's hard to feel sorry for someone who is cruising around on a $15k bike complaining about hunting associated costs

Cokes used to be a nickle and a new truck was $2500 off the lot

Times changed

I think his point was that there are guys on here making $35K per year. They can't spend $10K on hunting, so they are priced out of the market.

Very few are spending $10,000 a year on hunting. Very, very few.

Now you got me stirred up. $10,000 for hunting? You could come hunt with me but I doubt I would let you and take 4 does and an 8 point Buck for $1400. That is unless my math is wrong way less than $10.000.

agreed, times changed,,,, but the whining didn't

if you can't afford to pay, you can't play
and you are entitled to NOTHING

I have a small place in the hill country (low fence...for now). I'm sick of the motorcycles going by. But, it's a free country (also, for now).

As a lease manager I've seen and heard it all over the years. Most people that are looking for years for a lease don't want to pay market value for it. They want a lease today at a 20 year old price. I didn't read all the replies but I'm sure someone else already said that. It's like going to a new car lot and telling a salesman you want a new truck but you want to pay 1990 prices for it. You'll be looking for a new truck for a very long time. I hear people blaming the land owners all the time and calling them greedy. Some of them probably are but for the most part they just want market value for what they offer. They would be pretty dumb to take less than it's worth. Fact... if you are desperate for a lease and willing to pay market value for one you can find one TODAY.

It sure has. So has hog hunting. Public land is so restricted on legal means and dates you can hunt them. I mean its better than not hunting, just think it could be a lot better.

don k - $10K is of course high, but someone a few years back toted the cost of his lease including everything and it came to $5,300.

I see alot of people post in this section that dont have many post and it seems to reason the only reason they are on this site is to use it as a free lease finder. Maybe put a post count limit and membership time limit on use of this section? Hell, every other lease finder site wants money.

Wonder if the oil situation will have an impact on leases this year.

You could spend any amount you think you need to on a lease. You can buy a RV to stay in. You can put out protein feeders every 10 acres. you can hire call girls to stay with you when you told the wife you went hunting. you can do a lot of things to bring up the price of hunting. But if you did it old school and just paid for the lease and stayed in a tent and sat behind a tree hunting it would not be that expensive. This was about hunting not about living as comfortable as a person does at home and being guaranteed a book deer.

OK... Been looking a bit myself and really appears that to hunt in east Texas say.. Most affordable option could be starting at 800 per gun.. That is lease fee so all other costs controlled by hunter.... Not horrible but yes hunting lease cost in Texas likely 2500+ for many...