I don't own property but respect property rights and fair market competition....if you want socialism move to California...I understand lots of folks are moving away from there....just be careful what guns, ammo, and magazines you take with you....

Finding a lease isn't easy...finding a good lease is even harder. Good luck to all those looking, I've been there and it sucks.

The last 3 leases I have been on including the current one were not advertised on any site, paper, chamber of commerce, etc... I was fortunate to know someone who knew someone and I get calls every year wanting to know if I'm interested in leasing this place or that. It's not that easy for everyone and yes, it's not cheap. One thing I'll say is that if a lease comes up in a good area, you better take it if you can afford it, site unseen if necessary. You can slow roll it the first year to see how good it is and either keep it or move to another one. By slow rolling I mean don't set up 20 feeders and stands and move in 10 travel trailers.

I would drive to Ok. before I did a Tx. public land hunt, I know some of you have had good luck, its just to whacky for me, went on a dove hunt a few years ago, there was a hunter every 20yds around a 160acre patch and even some idiots out in the middle

...and finding unicorns, bigfoot, and a black panther in Texas extremely difficult if not impossible....

Good luck finding a 250 acre $2,000 lease covered in deer, family friendly, with 24/7/365 access to run around the place like you own it....

If that is a hunters criteria, they may not have reasonable expectations.

Like if I was lookin for a rich girlfriend, who had a twin sister, never complained, they would buy me a sailboat & give me $20k a month to play with, & they didn’t care if I brought stray chicks home sometimes. Those expectations are not reasonable.

Many hunters have completely unrealistic expectations.

In this scenario, a 250 acre ranch could easily cost $1,000,000. & the hunter is wanting full access, year round, like he owns the joint, for $2,000. What other $1,000,000 assets can you lease for a full year & do as you please for $2,000?

Here’s a little truth for the “free hunt” crowd.

No landowner owes you a cheap lease. They don’t owe you a lease of any sort, for any price. They may not wanna lease it for any amount.

Either pay fair market rate, go buy your own place, or don’t hunt (or hunt public land).

I have hunted public land 1 time & it was awful. The $2-$5,000 spent on a good private deer lease is cheap compared to all the other options out there.

Another option is to buy land with one or two trustworthy friends/family members (or more depending on the size of the land). Set it up as an LLC and split all cost, set rules in the operating agreement of the LLC. this is what me and two of my best friends have done. It cuts down the cost and work for everyone while at the same time owning your own property.

Just a suggestions and I agree that you either pay fair market rate or hunt public land. The land owner doesn't have to lease his land at all.

I'm curious what you guys are calling over priced? How much is a lease worth?

I bet they would let you hang a tree stand if you asked.

Heck I bet he would even let you stomp around the place all you wanted to and never have to put up a stand or feeder. I hunted a place in Texas Panhandle that did not have any deer blinds on it.

You're a grown man that hurls insults like a child.

How does "trespass fee" make you look like a jerk? Let's pretend I am the first person to use it in the forum and post a bunch of bullcrap in my want ad.

Eggshells!

Many landowners in this very forum expect you to pay top dollar for nothing and then kiss their derrierre and do work around their place for free while also paying "fair market price"... fair market price my eye.

Some of these guys that pay what they pay for what they are getting either are new to the game and don't know any better, or they lack the confidence to hunt without a feeder and etc. Eventually they will catch on. Public land is not a bust! It offers more and better habitat and more and better animals than most of the places ya'll call a "lease" these days. Only thing missing is bait and a stand to hide in- what fun is that anyway?

So many deer on public land it is not funny.

I am all about the market doing what it will and I'm happy for landowners to be successful with it. I think it's great and if I has a piece of property I might do the same.

But don't treat me like a scab when I ask for what you think is too much. Maybe give me some pointers instead of the knee jerk reaction. I never used a lease in my life and I got a few things to learn, obviously. But at least I know better than to waste my hard earned money on a lease where I am allowed to walk to and from a stand and fill the feeders. What a joke.

You pay $3,000 a gun and only see does or illegal bucks. Some hunts you see no deer. That is probably overpriced. Many places like this. We pay $9 an acre for 1,000 acres 2 hours from Dallas. Maybe under priced but we only kill 2 to 3 bucks a year between 6 of us. Neighbors pay even less. Mine being biggest in 10 years at 145. I have only taken 3 the whole time. One guy no buck in 8 years. Place only supports 2 to 3 a year max anyway. LO inherited the place. I don't know anyone leasing a place that isn't 100% paid off. Neighboring property sold for $1,800 an acre abt 6 years ago and $2,200 3 years ago. Now someone is chopping g it up into stupid 10 acre ranchettes charging $10K an acre with a barndo.

I've been a land owner for 3 years now but leased before I bought my own land. it's not easy finding a good lease and finding the value of what you are leasing takes a little leg work. I suggest always scouting the land before leasing, know who else is hunting on the lease, who runs the lease, what the rules are, and most important how safe are the other hunters. it's best to lease with only people you know and have the same ethical hunting standards that you have. The counties that produce the biggest bucks will always be the highest price but make sure that were you lease has potential and good terrain for hunting.


lastly,,,, something to think about,,, don't get a lease that is too far were you are reluctant to go because it's a beating driving for 4 plus hours to hunt... and it becomes less enjoyable.

If this is what you get for $9,000 you need to get into public land for sure. And if you can't find any nearby that allow you to take deer then to hell with deer hunting, just start hunting pigs.

The one poor guy with no buck in 8 years could take his $9,000 and do a couple of trophy hunts in Hill Country where literally the deer and the antelope play.

I'm thinking King Ranch or etc for sure. Shameful.

You are only factoring in deer hunting and leaving out hogs, turkey, doves, quail, ducks, geese, cranes, varmints, predators, rabbits, squirrels, fishing, etc.

You will never, ever find a lease bro with those expectations.. Plus your math is wrong. You want to kill a 150+ a year for $1,000 or something? I take 1 to 3 a year total on our place and 1 to 4 elsewhere with friends. Plus turkey, dove, preds, hogs, snakes, arrowheads, fish, etc...Buddy who hasn't shot one in 8 maybe goes 2 to 3 nights the whole year. One of our guys only pig hunts and hasn't killed a deer since he was a kid 25 years ago. We have year round total access with all game with water and electricty, camp mile from nearest gate, LO lives elsewhere. I have almost 20 different guests come out. Some shooting their first animal. Good luck beating that anywhere for that price. Good luck.

$9 an acre for 1,000 acres is $9,000.

But even at $1,000 a year, after 8 years of getting skunked you could have spent that and gotten a dream hunt twice.

Exactly. Because dealing with most landowners, according to what I read in this very forum, you don't get all those priveleges with most landowners.

If I could get all that for $1,000-$2,000 a year, I wouldn't even care about the damn deer. I spend more than that on internet and cable. Be perfectly happy taking my kids fishing and rabbit and squirrel hunting if it's productive enough. But I get it for FREE minus the deer so you're paying for the deer.

If I could get a spot like that I'd be willing to pay.

Its $10K for 1,100 acres.l to be exact. Geez. You are all about the blood, we get it. You don't control anyone's trigger finger you know right?? Good luck on your public.

All about the blood?

Not exactly although I am not even sure what you mean.

But I am definitely all about calling out landowners on ripping people off! Especially in this forum.

I never asked for socialism and I love Texas more than you know. But I see what you did there, accuse me of being a socialist and try to reduce my credibility. Very sly. Not really though.

But hey if you like getting ripped off, go for it.

You are wrong about what the "majority" of lease members are getting for their lease. Those leases they are on are not posted on here because the are full or easily filled by word of mouth. Even when you do find a lease like that you would still find something to pizz and moan about on here.