I understand your concern and nobody wants to lose a friend. I suggest establishing some guidelines for the lease just so everyone can be on the same page. I would approach everyone in the group and just tell them first and foremost is the friendship but lets all sit down and hash out some simple rules. Nobody wants a lease with 10 pages of rules.

One of our lease rules is that all stands are open starting December 1st. We used this to encourage hunters to share the game cam photos because everyone enjoys seeing them. It allowed the hunter ample opportunity to kill a deer first if he was on camera. You could hunt other stands prior to that date with stand owner permission assuming you had a stand/feeder up and running

If you hunt with people you can't Trust and share experiences with then you need to find new people.
There are two kinds of Friends..
Ones you Trust and the others

Started using Ear Tags

He's a friend that has asked you to come in with him to lease his family property and he would crawl out of bed at 2:00 to get you out of jail, but you are afraid to show him pictures of some deer? In this day and age there are way too many other things to worry about. If he wants to use your stand when you are not there and possibly have the chance to kill a big buck, then you so be it. Friendships should be more important than shooting a deer. I'd be happy for one of my friends to kill a big deer, regardless of who saw it first.

You can look at this a couple of ways. If you're getting to hunt cheap, then you can expect a cheap hunt. You may have to tolerate somebody else shooting larger deer, etc. You are not an equal partner in this situation. So, you can lock your stand, spy on the other guys, and get bent out of shape or you can do none of that, fill your freezer accordingly, and know that in the end the venison in your freezer is going to taste about the same as what's in your buddy's and you didn't pay an arm and a leg for it. I would just see how it plays out this year before you decide to stay or go.

Ye who chums the most wins


Add 4 more feed pens and chum 300 pounds a day if it's that big of a deal...

I have so much fun with guys that are worried with what you're doing...we have all hunted with them..where are you going, what are you doing, why did you put that up, etc etc...Beat them at their on game...Out Hunt them

Ignore them and go be concerned on your AREA if it's not a community lease and enjoy yourself. Otherwise you are just going to make yourself miserable.

Have fun and go enjoy the Lease and the fellowship, you always have a "Sneaky" just avoid them and do your on gig.
Good Luck on your new lease

If that's the case, why did you go into a lease with him?

If I have issues like that with someone who has jealous issues, last thing I would do is involve money with the friendship. To me it just rings an alarm of warning.

friend can turn into stupid drama queen and enemy real quick

I've dealt with a few myself

my advice to you

1. stay neutral on sharing info
2. having a piece of lease to hunt on is more important than seeing bucks at your feeder
3. when in doubt , ask for an agreement that you and everyone signed/dated

Wait....... unless your really not in your area....

I hunt with my best friend of many years along with a couple members of my family. I manage the lease. For the most part we all get along and have some general rules that are mostly followed. However, I am a little more particular about how I hunt, how the property is kept up, who can come and go, etc and so they tend to get under my skin pretty regularly.

I decided the 2nd year into it that friends and family were more important than inside spread on whatever deer I happened to shoot. If you can't learn to let things roll off your skin or don't have the kind of relationship where you guys can get along on the lease I'd find a new place to hunt or a new best friend.

That's why I hunt Tues-Thurs now

Silence is golden.

Thanks. Nothing has happened yet, i was just asking for advice from you who have been in similar situations. I don't care what size deer i shoot, im a meat hunter. But im just curious how everyone agrees upon the lease rules and if anyone has found themselves in lease drama

Trust has nothing to do with it. I would trust said friend with a chest full of gold, i was the best man at his wedding. I just wanted advice on how to avoid possible problems in the future.

"I just wanted advice on how to avoid possible problems in the future."
Talk to him now to avoid possible problems in the future. Be willing to compromise on rules of who gets to hunt where.

You let him get married?????

Well in my Book those two go hand in hand but Duly Noted and will take that under advisement. I assume you you have a written or (unwritten and agreed upon) set of Rules.

There are some people I hunt with that I share info with and others I don't...Good Luck on your endeavor

We have a very basic lease agreement but nothing about specific rules on who hunts where. We have had a talk with everyone and we all agreed we could each pick 2 spots to hunt. Its around 700 acres btw, I guess i'll just pull my game cameras off to avoid the situation all together.

Does anyone here wish to offer basic guidelines to follow or a document we can all agree to?

Hunting can bring out the best in some and the worst in others! My brother will let most anybody that ask to hunt our land....if they just want deer meat he will load them up and get a doe! Problem is nephew sets couple cameras and feeders in attempt to monitor and selective harvest, his father finds them and lets everyone know where and to hunt it! Nephews attempt at some kind of control goes right out window. So basicly family can hose you just fast as friends sometimes.

How old are you and your friends?

Why does it matter? We are adults.

Damn guys! Lol. I asked for some simple advice not a life lesson. I have invested considerable amount of money into this venture so far, I just want to make sure everything goes smoothly and avoid any potential conflicts in the future.

our lease rules...IT is a freaking DEER..... Everyone has certain stands they tend to hunt more than others and that is fine....Just dont act like it is yours...Deer eat EVERYONES feed so it doesnt matter where he shows up..Most likely he will be seen at other feeders once the rut has started...Too many times we see leases and friendships go to hell because of a animal...We are pretty hard core hunters, BUT enjoy the company at the campfire more...Just a different perspective...

I have just never been around a grown man that would be jealous of a deer that someone else killed.