Deer Lease questions for a newb

[Tulsa Reiner]

Ty! I appreciate the feedback. I'm leaning toward biting on the $3k

You really need to scout the land in detail to learn if it is worth the cost. I would want to see 150 acres of excellent habitat for the price of $40/acre. It might be a lot of pasture or grassland, and little woods, which would not be good.
Also, what is going on around this property re hunting, agriculture, habitation by humans, dogs, etc?
In Oklahoma, this would be a ridiculous price. We pay more like $1-2 per acre/ species, or $4/acre in your case, if it indeed holds deer, turkey, dove, and hogs.

 

[Mcranch]

I wish more property owners felt the same way but they don't.Too many over hunt their property just for the sake of the almighty dollar.I've seen them put five hunters on fifty acres and they all expect to kill five deer a piece,it's unsustainable.

So true, I tried to get the surrounding property owners involved in a wildlife management program to no avail. They were not going to limit the dollar potential of their property for state owned product (deer).

 

[Mike D Texas]

Any property for lease near a large Texas metropolitan area is gonna be expensive. The deer lease websites will let you search and compare prices. A lot of the county and city chamber of commerce's have online lists of land for hunting leases to compare. I would also lean toward trying to find someone you know to take the other half and split the lease with you. Go into it with open eyes. There are some less than honest folks out there in the lease game.

Even if it is expensive, close to home means you may use it more. Time spent outdoors with your kids is more important than the number of deer on your quota and will pay off long term. Now is more important than saving up another year. If you hunt with your kids you won't have to hunt for your kids. Just me. Good luck.

While that's true about the kids, they will quickly get bored if there is not enough game to keep them occupied.

 

[bamban]

So true, I tried to get the surrounding property owners involved in a wildlife management program to no avail. They were not going to limit the dollar potential of their property for state owned product (deer).

I hunted for free from 1980 through 2015 on a section owned by a friend in Webb County, TX till he sold it. Besides the owner, it was me and another friend were the only ones who hunted on the place. We all had keys to the gate and ranch house.

We only took a deer a piece every year, but killed a bunch of Coyotes and feral hogs. The only exemption was during the height of the war in Afghanistan, the owner allowed me to shoot 3 deer that I turned into dry sausage and slim jims and sent to the 1st Shirts of the units over there. One year I sent 14 L flat rate boxes.

The one section sustained the herd with our harvest rate. I sure missed the place as it was my private rifle range the owner set up for me that went to 1000 yards. Put a lot of rounds at 1000 yards on 1 and 1/2 moa plates.

Killed a lot of rattlers as well.

 

[Hard rock]

Ty for the advice! There are some really massive places 4+ hours away.....and even bigger so down south / west in the Trans-Pecos area.....which I love that terrain...but whew buddy.....it's a full day there and a full day back

That's where I'm at I have second home away from home , love that canyon country , northwest of Ozona east of the Pecos

 

[Buck1970]

I think you can do better, next year. Too late to to find a place now, if you can afford it after you look, better jump on it.
For perspective I've two leases 2 hours north east of Dallas. Bowie co farm land In the red river bottoms. This a result of me having no lease last year.
750 acres with 6 guys at $2000 a hunter.( one is from Dallas)
Family can hunt but only 6 13" bucks can be taken total. Ducks, fish, hogs, predators and anything else legal for the entire year.
The other is 4500 acres with 10 hunters at $1600 which includes liability insurance. Same rules and a year lease. On the 4500 acres kids and spouse
can kill deer too.
So, I'm at $3600 but, I'm within 15 minutes of both.

It really is all relative.
This axis in the pic was a$1500 deer from rock springs last year. I lucked out and a buddy took me to his lease there where they pay $1500 per gun on 700 acres and they charge a day fee to guest.
It would of been $2500 to anyone else.

Good luck and I may have an opening here next season.
Keep in mind, both Parker and Palo pinto county's have 13" antler restrictions.
And in Texas, when you lease, you are getting the hunting rights to the place only unless otherwise specified.

 

[Mcranch]

I think you can do better, next year. Too late to to find a place now, if you can afford it after you look, better jump on it.
For perspective I've two leases 2 hours north east of Dallas. Bowie co farm land In the red river bottoms. This a result of me having no lease last year.
750 acres with 6 guys at $2000 a hunter.( one is from Dallas)
Family can hunt but only 6 13" bucks can be taken total. Ducks, fish, hogs, predators and anything else legal for the entire year.
The other is 4500 acres with 10 hunters at $1600 which includes liability insurance. Same rules and a year lease. On the 4500 acres kids and spouse
can kill deer too.
So, I'm at $3600 but, I'm within 15 minutes of both.

It really is all relative.
This axis in the pic was a$1500 deer from rock springs last year. I lucked out and a buddy took me to his lease there where they pay $1500 per gun on 700 acres and they charge a day fee to guest.
It would of been $2500 to anyone else.

Good luck and I may have an opening here next season.
Keep in mind, both Parker and Palo pinto county's have 13" antler restrictions.
And in Texas, when you lease, you are getting the hunting rights to the place only unless otherwise specified.

Yes, correct on the hunting trespass rights. I had one hunter that thought he had complete ownership for his clients and friends. Some people will push for all it's worth.

 

[LouisianaHunter]

Been leasing in north texas for about twenty years. Lots of ranch and hunting land being split into smaller acreage and sold for secondary recreational owners. Because of this turnover, Hunters are losing their leases everywhere. For whatever is left, Prices are increasing. It's nuts.

If you find a place that you can afford 1hr from your home, you take it. You can decide if you want to renew the next year.

If you find a better value before this fall, take it too if you can afford to. You will have no problem finding someone to take over your original lease (but I would probably keep both, hunt them and renew my favorite next year).

This is Good advice. Get yourself a place and keep looking for the next one.

 

[Mcranch]

I hunted for free from 1980 through 2015 on a section owned by a friend in Webb County, TX till he sold it. Besides the owner, it was me and another friend were the only ones who hunted on the place. We all had keys to the gate and ranch house.

We only took a deer a piece every year, but killed a bunch of Coyotes and feral hogs. The only exemption was during the height of the war in Afghanistan, the owner allowed me to shoot 3 deer that I turned into dry sausage and slim jims and sent to the 1st Shirts of the units over there. One year I sent 14 L flat rate boxes.

The one section sustained the herd with our harvest rate. I sure missed the place as it was my private rifle range the owner set up for me that went to 1000 yards. Put a lot of rounds at 1000 yards on 1 and 1/2 moa plates.

Killed a lot rattlers as well.

Hunted on the old Callahan down by Encinal the rattler's were everywhere. Good times

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I wrote and article about "HUNTING" and how it is becoming a sport for only rich and Arostrcactics about 10 years ago. Got the information from the UK. There is almost no land in the UK where you can hunt for FREE as in Public Lands. All the land to hunt is by the owners or costs a fortune to hunt on that land.
It is & has been getting that way for years now in the USA. First there are a lot of State Game Lands and Federal lands. Most of these lands are being split up and you have to raw a tag or put money into a lottery. Never used to be that way and then the government decided to make money off of tax payer land. The other side of that is State & Federal land are being over run with hunters and most of them don't really know how to hunt. Makes it for a very bad day when you have scouted out an area all year then some idiots bust into your area with no etiquette. We had some really nice Wildlife Resource Area for 20 years that would not ever hunt there again for safety reasons.
I remember 60 years ago i would go hunting with my dad just about anywhere. Farmers and land owners would give permission as long as you asked and didn't through you garbage around and not shoot their cows. It is still that way in some places but not many. everyone if looking for $$$sss.
Don't even get caught trespassing on someone's land in GA. You go straight to jail and a big fine.

There are more hunters now, which I see as a PLUS, but LESS land for them to hunt on.
It is coming down to you either have your own land or have to purchase a lease. God help you on some of the leases and costs with return on the investment.
Some day Hunting in the USA may just be for the Rich like in other Countries.

 

[Mcranch]

I wrote and article about "HUNTING" and how it is becoming a sport for only rich and Arostrcactics about 10 years ago. Got the information from the UK. There is almost no land in the UK where you can hunt for FREE as in Public Lands. All the land to hunt is by the owners or costs a fortune to hunt on that land.
It is & has been getting that way for years now in the USA. First there are a lot of State Game Lands and Federal lands. Most of these lands are being split up and you have to raw a tag or put money into a lottery. Never used to be that way and then the government decided to make money off of tax payer land. The other side of that is State & Federal land are being over run with hunters and most of them don't really know how to hunt. Makes it for a very bad day when you have scouted out an area all year then some idiots bust into your area with no etiquette. We had some really nice Wildlife Resource Area for 20 years that would not ever hunt there again for safety reasons.
I remember 60 years ago i would go hunting with my dad just about anywhere. Farmers and land owners would give permission as long as you asked and didn't through you garbage around and not shoot their cows. It is still that way in some places but not many. everyone if looking for $$$sss.
Don't even get caught trespassing on someone's land in GA. You go straight to jail and a big fine.

There are more hunters now, which I see as a PLUS, but LESS land for them to hunt on.
It is coming down to you either have your own land or have to purchase a lease. God help you on some of the leases and costs with return on the investment.
Some day Hunting in the USA may just be for the Rich like in other Countries.

When it went to 1500 a gun I looked for my own. Back then you could get into property for 250/400 an acre. That was during the mid eighties high interest rates of 17%.

 

[wonderman4]

Read the regulations put forth by TPWD. They have it rigged so that you can install an app on your phone and it is very handy. Bag limits vary by county. If you found a place like that, jump on it. I had a friend that was gonna lease 10 acres for $300.00. Then he was gonna put a premium on the bigger bucks. I told him he was an A**hole for doing that, but he did it. Plus it was gonna be a day lease to boot. I have hunted all over the state and these days land is drawing premium prices like never before. When I started hunting back in 1963, a lease was going for $100 and day leases were $15-20.

 

[Mcranch]

Read the regulations put forth by TPWD. They have it rigged so that you can install an app on your phone and it is very handy. Bag limits vary by county. If you found a place like that, jump on it. I had a friend that was gonna lease 10 acres for $300.00. Then he was gonna put a premium on the bigger bucks. I told him he was an A**hole for doing that, but he did it. Plus it was gonna be a day lease to boot. I have hunted all over the state and these days land is drawing premium prices like never before. When I started hunting back in 1963, a lease was going for $100 and day leases were $15-20.

Read the regulations put forth by TPWD. They have it rigged so that you can install an app on your phone and it is very handy. Bag limits vary by county. If you found a place like that, jump on it. I had a friend that was gonna lease 10 acres for $300.00. Then he was gonna put a premium on the bigger bucks. I told him he was an A**hole for doing that, but he did it. Plus it was gonna be a day lease to boot. I have hunted all over the state and these days land is drawing premium prices like never before. When I started hunting back in 1963, a lease was going for $100 and day leases were $15-20.

My first lease I was 15 the T Boles Ranch Eastland Tx my brother and myself leased it for a dollar an acre.

 

[Rflshootr]

I don't think I'd be telling anyone about the first buck or doe taken....just saying.