Honest guy that works hard for his money looking for a lease that wont break the bank and all I have been able to find so far is people taking advantage of true hunters for profits big profits come on be for real and honest!!!!! Not normally a person that gripes but my lord.......

I never blame a landowner for getting as much as he can for his hunting rights. But if they are crooked then I am with you.

If there is someone willing to pay it, how is it taking advantage of others?

In my experience with leases, I have had access to more land than I can afford at a fraction of the cost to buy it.

There is no doubt that lease prices have gone up, but so has everything else. Seems like if there was a great lease with great hunting for cheap...it would probably be full and stay full

And by the way

That's true the good one that are reasonable stay full and that's the problem too many hunters and not enough land... Supply and demand sorry for being bitter but it is really hard to find a decent place for fair money!

look at it from a land owners prospective, your gonna crap his roads out when it rains, he don't know what you are gonna do.He has no idea from the start if your legit or an a hole, that's why prices are high.From Landowners I know more heartache than its worth.

oh and all deer processing plants in Eastland county reported business down 40 or better percent.

I see your point I really do now that you put it that way, that's why I guess it's better to know someone rather than try the websites.... Maybe I will visit coffee shops and meet owners or ranch hands personally,worth a shot!

A little help when they need it goes a long ways

That's a pretty big slump in business, was it because of population of deer dwindling in that area or just a bad year of hunting? I have read many post of not seeing any deer for the first time in 10 years or so but can't recall what areas.

drought killed a bunch off in my opinion

Deer that were almost like pets here are gone , 3 does that threw twins and so on.

I understand completely and not berating you at all bud. Prices have been climbing and I would hate to be looking for a lease right now, especially a cheap one.

In my experience, there are a few that pop up on occasion on websites like this one, craigslist, etc. but for the most part, the good ones are from people who know people and never advertise. Makes it tough for someone, especially if they have been out of hunting for a few years.

That's one thing I really like about the forum, it helps to bring like minded people together and you never know who you are talking too. I have met some great guys and gals and eventually, some great opportunities may come up.

Hope it's a better year than last!!!!!!!

I wish you luck on your lease hunt.

Drought hurt alot of numbers in different areas. The late rains and acorn crops didn't help either. Late rains and warm temps through November added alot of natural vegetation that we don't usually see. The deer don't have to travel as much and feed isn't important. Makes the hunting a little tougher.

Yeah but does that raised there young in same place for 6 years + not there

Thank You

Same doe or new groups? Might have been reaching the end of their life span...

It will help pops in future years it has before

What is your budget?

Based one what I know around me, people will lease anything a landowner offers regardless if it has deer or not... Luckily we have the deer and a great LO. Do we see deer every time, no, but they are there. One hunt I will see 12 deer, next hunt, nothing. Took, me 4-5 years to finally harvest a mature buck but I did it. I took a doe or two in the years prior. I am very satisfied.

Scrub, we experienced the same thing. Had two doe that were orphaned a year and a half ago while they were itty-bitty, still had spots. I didn't think they would make it without a momma, but they did, in fact they stayed close to the house. I would see them almost every day. I named them Dixie and Trixie. Trixie had a left ear that looked like it had a cotton ball on it's tip so they were easy to recognize. Right before bow season they simply vanished...Last week my neighbor showed me a pic on his phone of mountain lion tracks by the creek. True story, and yes, they were the size of my palm. Not made by a bobcat.

Erath, hope you get a chance at that mountain lion this year. I sent you a PM

Thanks Rodney...My PM light isn't blinking. You sure it went through?

Here is how I like to look at it. Whoever the land owner is payed alot or is still paying alot for the property. You are getting rights to hunt a place at literally pennies on the dollar for what it costs to own. So no I can't fault the land owner for asking a hunter or group of hunters to pay x amount of dollars to hunt his place. Remember whatever you or your group pays to hunt a place for a year likely doesn't even come close to covering his yearly expenses to own the place.

thewrap. What you just described is so true. I wish it were different. But, like a wise man once told me, "It is what it is and it was what it was". Being a landowner, I don't think I would be able to handle strangers on my property. Of course if I had a big place, hunting leases would be part of our ranch management strategy, along with gas-oil, cattle, etc.