The question came to mind after reading the comments in another thread. I have to believe there are at least a few success stories where hunters were able to secure a new lease with the new landowner after the property they had been hunting was sold to someone else.

If this has happened to you, what do you feel was key in securing a new lease? Just curious. TIA

A checkbook, and a stack of cash. His choice.

Most landowners are not interested in leasing land that they just paid a substantial sum of money for.

The exceptions to this are landowners who purchased the property strictly as an investment and have no intention of utilizing the property for recreation. I sold a farm last year in South Texas where the new landowner leased the Hunting out to a group of guys.

It does happen, but it’s rare.

I suspect cases where ownership changes within the same family can leave an opening to continue a lease. But of course, it can go the opposite way when there are issues within the family.

Yes, I just sold 3 1/2 sections here in Menard County and was able to help negotiate keeping the hunters that had leased the ranch for 30+ years. The new owners are ranchers but interested in maximizing the return on their investment.
We were able to do this without any great changes to the lease or a huge increase in cost.
Adios,
Gary

Another thing people need to be cognizant of is how tidy they keep their lease. I’ve been to hundreds if not a thousand ranches in the past 15 years and can say the overwhelming majority of lease hunters keep a trashy camp and property. Was on one last week where the hunters had bottles and empty shell casings laying around their camp, empty cans out in the pasture, just trashy hunters. And this is a commonplace scenario.

A lot of times a new landowner who may have been open to the idea of leasing or continuing the lease sees this and says “ nope, not gonna happen “. They don’t want to have a shanty town on their property that looks like a bunch of Carneys’ live there.

Something to keep in mind if your currently on a lease.

And an attitude of appreciation rather than expectation. If you know the place is good, so does the land owner and every other hunter out there looking for a lease. I say this often and really believe it, a hunting lease is the only business relationship I know of where you are a customer, but better act like a guest if you want to keep it. I often read comments here, hunters making demands on land owners and shake my head...........The land owner needs to see you as easy to do business with, trustworthy, etc...I kicked a guy off of my lease once, he called our land owner on his own, told him that he (the land owner) needed to brush hog the perimeter and roads. If you have a good land owner, act like a guest. You'll be appreciated and get to stay around long term.

^^^^I agree 100% with this.

“You are a customer, but better act like a guest”

Truer words were never spoken.

Thanks

I was on a lease for many years where the Lease Manager used it to keep old construction materials and other “junk” that I suspect his wife wouldn’t let him keep at the house. Much of it was still there after the lease came apart when legal fights started between heir landowners.

I have not had much luck looking for a lease. My wife graduates nursing school in a few more weeks, and we will buy something soon. I gotta tell you, I have no interest in leasing to other hunters. It would take one hell of a group of guys to reconsider.

I would imagine that almost any hunter that buys a piece of property expects to be the only one hunting it. In Texas, maybe sell some pig hunts. But that’s it!

Used to think our old land owner was a little tight, but we respected all his wishes and went above and beyond what was asked of us. Being a landowner now, I’m surprised he was not more strict. We moved the leased hunters off the ranch when we bought it, gave them 2 months to clear their supplies and clean up all the junk/feeders/blinds that we weren’t interested in having around. They respected that and moved on.

Can’t imagine a scenario where I would ever lease, I’ll stick to invited guests. I feel for the people looking for leases in the shrinking supply of available spots though.

It was because of a very positive relationship with a current lease landowner that I was once given the opportunity to lease another tract from another landowner in the area. Of course, this goes back to the value in running a tight ship already noted in an earlier post. I also believe hunters who only speak to their landowner once a year when it’s time to pay the lease are putting themselves in a vulnerable position. More ongoing communication not only builds the relationship but also helps the hunter stay more abreast of the landowners future plans. With leases being increasingly difficult to find, it only makes sense to build a strong relationship with the landowner so that it becomes something he or she will lose and be forced to start over by leasing to someone else. And this includes when someone offers them more $$$. Most people put a lot of value on peace of mind.

^^^Good post, Dan.

Pretty simple, they don’t want you there, they just want your money, keep their place clean and respectful and you can stay maybe 5 years then they kick you off

When I leased the place i have it was covered with trash inside the small house and outside as well. The owner had been there working to clean it up when i arrived. Since then, others and I on the lease continued to clean up and burn trash. We have made it a point to keep the place clean and do consider ourselves to be guest. We have had one increase in the amount we pay for the lease in 22 years. We try to do all possible to let the owner know we appreciate being there. Always pay the lease fee early.