I am sure you could find a place to lease that may even by your standards be for a reasonable price.That being said, that lease probably doesn't have any deer on it. I have a small 17 acre place that if I leased it at $100 per acre or even $200 per acre someone would be getting a lease where they would have no trouble getting their limit on WT probably the first hour of daylight on the first morning of the season opening. And that is not even counting year around Axis. So if you want a cheap lease it is cheap for a reason.

Im your man if you ever choose that route

I agree with what everyone has said. After thinkin on it, it isnt greed. I just wasnt prepared for some of this stuff that Im finding. I will find a good quality place sooner or later...just may have to drive further than I want

sorry to be repetitive but deer leases are NO DIFFERENT from the rest of the economy - supply and demand

go anywhere in Texas right now and get a bid for any type of construction work - they are all so busy that they can bid crazy prices = if you bite then they make a ton of money - if you don't then they move on to the next bid - nothing wrong with that -

Deer leases are no different - if you want a deal or a cheap place then you will get what you ask for pure and simple - if you want a first class place then find your wallet - but complaining about it is useless

As a lease manager on 10 tracts of timbered land it is more about having good quality people that respect the property than to price them off the property. I have lots of rules and regulations to go by but I have no complainers. I try and keep it to around one hunter to 150 acres and I have been at $8.00/acre for several years. I have around 12000 acres total so I need help and most of my hunters will at least try and do a little road work or mowing and trimming. Sure make me proud to drive into a nice clean camp also.. And no I don't have any openings and don't expect to any time soon. The Lord has blessed me with a dream come true job. I get to hunt the ranch headquarters my self which is around 2200 acres with the near 300 acres I bought to quit leasing. I understand both sides of the leasing issue.

COS...that sounds like a heck of a deal.

Although I understand you don't have any openings...can you elaborate on what exactly your hunters get for $8/acre. What improvements are in place, if any? (cabins/electric/water/stands/feeders/etc)?

How close are your 10 tracts to DFW?

I like many watching this discussion are curious as to what the real market is as it relates to hunting leases.

No cabins, some have electric but most don't. Typical East Texas deer for Houston, Trinity, Cherokee and Angelina counties. Plenty of deer if you do your part; 130 inch deer usually gets shot but getting better with a few going into 140's and 150's last few years.

You running any places down Bragg Rd?

Thanks for the input COS...so on the lower end of the price spectrum a hunter should expect mostly unimproved land to hunt exclusively in the $8-10/acre range with the likelihood of water and electric hookups.

Some folks mentioned paying $15/acre and even upwards of $20/acre....how do you categorically close the gap?

Just to define a basic variable....let's assume 1,000 acres and your allowed some 150-200/acres per hunter or 5-6 hunters max and your within 3 hours of a major city like DFW.

What do you get for $10-15/acre and then what should one expect for $15-20/acre?

I assume it exist and so I'll ask what should $20+ per acre give the hunter(s)?

There aren't any set standards, basic expectations or definitions of what you should get for xx $ per acre.

There are pricing differences between differing regions / areas of the state.
The closer to major city higher the price, more amenities even more $.

Timber company land in E Tx least expensive, private land in a more desirable area more $, in area known for high deer populations more $, area with 'trophy' possibilities more $, in an area known for consistently big deer even more $.
Campsite with water & elec, more $. Barn, cabin or house even more $

The only thing a hunter should 'expect' for xx $ per acre is access, and if leasing the entire property not just a spot on a lease, exclusive hunting rights.

I know LO's that get from $4 to as much as $70 per acre for hunting leases.

I think one of the issues that is sometimes overlooked also is that many of the "good leases" are never advertised and rarely go out to the public. Many are filled by friends of friends or have a waiting list.



Difference in price could be determined by many things with the variables you placed...size of the deer available, management programs in place, feeding programs, accommodations, neighbors, cover, agriculture, land management, number of different species available, bag limits, year around access versus seasonal, etc.

All good points for sure...and of course the variability is what continues to drive confusion amongst hunters looking for a lease.

If you think about how to evaluate real estate (any kind) and you factor in comps to support your asking price that validates an asking price, right? Within those comps you look at many variables and determine what you have that specifically adds or deducts value based on the comps. Even when leasing property the same fundamentals apply.

As the OP pointed out the prices are sky rocketing and yes Supply/Demand is the driver for certain, but how does one really know if the deal they are making is truly at market value?

Unfortunately, the opportunity to evaluate deal vs deal doesn't really exist, so a property loaded with amenities vs. another property 5 miles down the road with only a few of amenities are priced by a landowner simply trying to maximize their profit. Property A got $15/acre therefor Property B should get around that too even though the offerings are quite different when listed out on paper. Are those differences $2/acre or $4/acre...when you lease 1,000 acres that moves the needle, right?

Don't get me wrong I'm not opposed to paying a fair price for my corresponding wants/desires are, but how do you really check the boxes on comparability? I suppose the confusion and madness will continue until everything is so far out of reach for most hunters.

It's all a wash when it comes down to out of pocket expenses per hunter IMHO. We pay less than $7 per acre (don't know exact number as we've acquired more acreage recently), but all that means is I put more 7 hour trips and more feed into the situation. I've got two friends 10 miles down the road that pay close to $20 per acre with one of those requiring to supply feed year round and the other having the feed supplied with the price of the lease.

Like stated earlier there's no set standard and I can assure you I wouldn't be dropping the $$$ for feed if i was paying $20-$25 per acre like others.

OP,

Imagine how I felt when I moved to Texas. The lease I had in Louisiana I paid $400.00 to be on. That include a camp with electric and water.

Got here and it was a punch in the gut and disappointment.

I've never consider the landowners to be greedy. The bottom line is Texas has way more people than Louisiana, and a bunch with tons of money.

Yea, what you've found is sticker shock, but at the end of the day, you had 9 good years of hunting free.

Keep searching and find the right lease that fits in your budget.

I'm at a point where a lease just doesn't make sense. To busy with family and work to justify the expense.

I hunt public when I do get to go, but I'd like to be on a lease if for no other reason to be around like minded folks that enjoy hunting.

Maybe one day I'll have the time. Just not right now.

BTW, for $48 dollars you get access to some big federal properties. Haven't gotten that public deer year, but the day I do, it will be my trophy.

Goodluck

I don't believe that there really is a way to truly compare one lease to another and know that you are getting the best deal on the place you choose. One, unlike most real estate, there isn't a brochure with pictures and a list showing you what your neighbor paid. Two, if you take the time there is a really good chance that if you attempt to make a decision based on those factors alone you will end up sitting on the couch for a season.

I believe that fear of the second part drives alot of the price. When I look at a lease, I like to see what else is out there and the price point but my main point is "what is it worth to me." It has never bothered me that someone else is paying less or paying more for a lease. The lease that I am on is "worth it" to me and I don't care if someone else thinks that I pay too much and doubt anyone would tell me that I am paying too little unless it is a rancher.

For instance, I hunted Kansas for $1250. I had shot opurtunities at 150"+ deer with a top end potential of realistically around 200" (we had pictures of deer close and saw 3 that would break 190" just not in bow range.) No camping on the property, 6 hour drive, 2 people on 6-700 acres, 300 acres of soy bean/corn fields, 3 deer max with one buck, fishing, etc.

I have a lease in Texas that is 5500 acres, full camp site, walk in cooler, skinning rack, year around access, 3 hour drive, fishing, 4 wheeling, deer, varmints, few exotics, turkey, dove, 300 acres per hunter, water, electricity, skinning rack, and some other perks. Shot oppurtunities every year in the 130" with top in of 150". Price tag was almost twice what I paid in Kansas.

Which one was the better deal? Just depends on what you want and what you are willing to spend...

What you are willing to spend is the key .

Not really that hard. Boots on the ground inspection of the property; if you don't know what to look for take someone with you that does. Ask for references from other hunters that have hunted there.

In the 1960's my Father leased a place in Bandera. First year we took no deer, it was the learning the place experience.

Second year. we took 3 deer.

Third year. we took 10 deer, opening weekend.

Land owner said we had to go, he did not want that many deer killed, We were allowed 10 bucks, 5 guns.

Was going to lease my neighbors place next to the ranch several years so I had control of it. After looking it over and we agreed with the lady on the price. She said she did not want any deer killed, she only wanted the money.

Leasing is tough.

And how far willing to travel from homebase..

I know of three leases in south texas where you won't have to worry about hunter density. Going to cost a tad more than $2,000 a year though.

All I know is we aren't going to complain with our 1,100 acres 5 guy place with water and electricity.... We don't all shoot bucks but less than 2 hours from home. Some LOs rather have folks that take care of the place and have no expectations. Many places need way less hunters and MLDP to grow big deer but is it worth it?? And always price per acre...

Folks on here talk about not leasing to folks ever is fine if you just bought a property for a million but when you have owned or inherited one it makes total financial sense if you don't hunt. There are great leasors and LO out there. Lucky many work and provide for their families instead of selling out. Ours could sell the property and make $2.5 mil in a weekend but then have nothing but money in a bank with nothing backing it... Their family all works and are successful as well as their lessors. Now my buddy on the lease could buy it out right but hope he doesn't.... I remind him it is cheaper to lease!!

When I first moved here (from out west, where I hunted exclusively on BLM/public land) I was very surprised and more than a little miffed than I would have to pay to hunt. Over time, I got over it, I recognized the tremendous hunting opportunities that the state offers and started looking for a lease. The first one (Georgetown) was really close but not a great property and the quality/quantity of animals was subpar, we were too close to the city and adjacent properties carried a lot of hunters, several with unscrupulous crews. We were paying $1,000, season only, and after only three years on the property it was sold and developed. The current one, where I was on the waiting list for three years, is in Round Mountain. 2,900 acres, 10 hunters with long tenure on the lease, shared management philosophy and a better-than-decent herd with 130-140 class deer and some hogs. We only have access during the season and we pay $1,400 each. It's a beautiful property, has a good cabin and facilities, and is only 1.5 hour from my driveway. Great place for a great price (I think) but I'd love to have access to it all year and would not mind paying more for that privilege. I have no doubt that the pace of development along that 281 corridor between Marble Falls and Johnson City will one day result in the property selling and getting developed, but I will deal with that heartbreak when the time comes. For now, I consider it a blessing to hunt it.