I help landowners get started when it comes to turning their property into a lease. One question I get a lot is what are the hunters looking for. One obvious answer is a healthy population of game. Now I would like to dig a little deeper and ask those of you who lease what you would consider an improvement over your current setup. Would a covered pavilion be a positive or do you look forward to roughing it on your excursions? Owner managed feeder upkeep? Tell me what you truly desire for your dream lease.

IF THE LEASE HAS A HEALTHY POPULATION OF GAME --------- I CAN WORK AROUND THE REST OF IT.

After a healthy game population, electricity and water. I can bring a generator and haul water but having those on site makes it easier especially after a long day or when cleaning game.

Ya a good spigot is a God-send when you have dumped bile on your boots.

X2

What is some of your biggest complaints about the lease you're currently on and how would you like it fixed?

Would be great to have electricity run, there’s a well just no power as it was windmill powered. Exotics would be great, other than that it’s peaceful off the beaten path.

I’d like the price cut in half and 4 tons of free corn please 👍

Id want a lease I can improve the deer herd and really manage it. As soon as the land owner sees results, I don't want them increasing the price or kicking us off so the family can hunt and shoot it up. Then require someone else to build the herd up.

hard to find, but my next lease Will. Not. Have. Cows.

Cows dont bother me at all.

You're gonna have to figure a way to buy your own place. Make sure there's cows on it when you buy it, tell 'em to get them off before closing, then, when April rolls around, apply for Wildlife Valuation with the appraisal district. 'Haven't been at it that long, but it's been awesome so far. Lots fewer people coming on your property "having a gander around", if you do everything yourself. (Full disclosure: I was needing something to do. )

I don’t understand this line of reasoning.

If the deer herd has greatly improved more in 5-10 years, isn’t the lease worth more?

Assuming standard inflation, that alone means your lease will be worth more in years to come.

Land prices go up every year, after a few years, why wouldn’t a lease?

Asking for a friend.

To the OP's question...mutual respect between the hunter and LO. For example, not having the ranch hand roar around on a four-wheeler right at the evening "golden hour" during deer season, or the LO's wife drive by the feeder to check her bee boxes at a similar time of day, or the LO fly his chopper over the ridges of the pasture (with no livestock in it) your group has paid 40K to hunt. I understand "it's a working ranch", but I know when it's just about taking your money and not really caring about your hunters.

Not every ranch owner is a saint.

This! Wildlife Valuation can save you thousands in taxes while requiring a lot less work than keeping a standard Ag valuation. This is actually a service of mine in which I will take over the entire process of gaining a Wildlife Valuation for you. It also has the benefit of leading to an awesome lease or hunting property in the future.

It seems like you found a really bad apple of a ranch. I would definitely be seeking the return of my money if I had such an experience.

I agree with you but I thing they are talking about their lease payments and work being taken advantage of. I believe it totally reasonable to have the cost of the lease increase with time, however what they are referring to seems much more predatory in nature.

Good luck getting a refund!

Wildlife valuation, 1-D Ag valuation and 1-D-1 open space Ag valuation are the same property tax rate.
There is no property tax benefit / reduction from Ag to wildlife, none, and you lose the ability to qualify for Tx ag/timber sales tax exemption for qualifying purchases.

Gaining a wildlife valuation is as simple as filling out some forms to include a half arsed to semi decent management plan and resubmitting it to the CAD every year.

If you're talking about property that has lost the 1-d or 1-d-1 CAD valuation first it must qualify for 1-d-1 which can take 7 years before it can be changed to wildlife.

I never said that you get a better tax rate. The point of a Wildlife Valuation is the ease in which it can be maintained versus running any form of agricultural operation. There are also CADs which oppose the status or try to limit those who can receive it. Assuming that anyone can write a "half arsed" management plan and get the status is ignorant.
Also not all property owners are concerned with the sales tax exemptions you reference because they are either trying to leave that world or their land has little potential in such uses. Bottom line is that a Wildlife Valuation is the easiest to maintain once achieved while having the benefit of increasing your property's wildlife potential (that is if you don't half arse it).

The leases that I have been on the most pleasurable type are those that have a biologist, a knowledgeable LO or a lease manager or all the above that are actively involved in the lease activity. When it is left up to a “lease boss” to manage the lease usually things are not that equitable. The lease boss guy alway wants to restrict everyone else while he and his friends don’t abide by any of his own rules. Also a Low hunter to acres ratio is also very important to me.

Leases that are set up as open leases are more enjoyable to me. As opposed to a lease where you can only hunt your own little assigned area gets boring. When all stands and feeders are “community” it removes the territorial aspect of a lease and leads to less conflict.

This is what I do, but I own and live on the ranch.
Cabins with water/elect ch/a.
I fill the protein feeders and keep them going year round.
Pick up and store corn in a container.
Have a 40x40 covered pavilion between cabins.
Cleaning station with hanging rack and water.
I mow and keep roads and senderos clean.
I plant two wheat fields (60 acres) for the deer.
I maintain all the roads on the ranch.
I move cows to a pasture we don't deer hunt in.
I do absolutely no work on the ranch during rifle season.
Manage the herd and target 5.5 yr old bucks.
I keep corn feeders full and in proper working order.
I provide all protein and corn.
I keep the yards mowed and clean.
I cut firewood and have it stored close to cabins.
I provide smokers and grills.
I provide ice.
I provide washer and cornhole boards.

I'm sure there's more but this is what I can think of.

"I'm sure there's more but this is what I can think of."


You pull people out of the mud with your tractor.

yea, there's that too.

Dang, Stompy, I want to hunt with you.