Hunting Lease Experiences Good and Bad

[Nuts]

If you have been involved in a lease with a 3rd party leasing company what has your experience been? Good and bad. I have been asked to come onboard with a Hunting Lease Company as a representative. I dug into it. Having leased from several different companies I have some opinions. I have not committed. I have a contract in my in box to sign if I want. Having seen behind the curtain I have some thoughts but wanted to hear what others thought. Looking for opinions on leasing companies not the concept of leasing.

 

[Stocker]

If you have been involved in a lease with a 3rd party leasing company what has your experience been? Good and bad. I have been asked to come onboard with a Hunting Lease Company as a representative. I dug into it. Having leased from several different companies I have some opinions. I have not committed. I have a contract in my in box to sign if I want. Having seen behind the curtain I have some thoughts but wanted to hear what others thought. Looking for opinions on leasing companies not the concept of leasing.

I went down this rabbit hole after I got burnt out on guiding. If you value your time during hunting season it’s tough. I never want to steer anyone away from an opportunity so I’m not telling you not to do it, just giving my 2 cents.


I only worked with a handful of landowner I knew. What people hear, want, and what’s in the contract are all different things. I really thought I could get a handle on everyone but there was farmers doing fieldwork, turning out cattle, checking cattle, you name it on opening mornings. People who leased the land tearing up fields, fences, crossing fences, putting up structures, being there when they weren’t supposed to, treating it like they owned it and all but moved in. So in with all of that there’s 1 person who gets all of the calls and gets to play referee.


When it comes to humans, never say they won’t do that because the almost always immediately will do just that.

 

[Nuts]

I went down this rabbit hole after I got burnt out on guiding. If you value your time during hunting season it’s tough. I never want to steer anyone away from an opportunity so I’m not telling you not to do it, just giving my 2 cents.


I only worked with a handful of landowner I knew. What people hear, want, and what’s in the contract are all different things. I really thought I could get a handle on everyone but there was farmers doing fieldwork, turning out cattle, checking cattle, you name it on opening mornings. People who leased the land tearing up fields, fences, crossing fences, putting up structures, being there when they weren’t supposed to, treating it like they owned it and all but moved in. So in with all of that there’s 1 person who gets all of the calls and gets to play referee.


When it comes to humans, never say they won’t do that because the almost always immediately will do just that.

Got to be honest. That incite is the most helpful thing I have ever read on HT. While I thought of a lot playing referee was not one of them. I am not built with the patience for nonsense. Thank you very much! I considered all the great people I would meet an interact with. I did not consider the morons.

 

[Mallardsx2]

We leased from a well known deer lease company for a couple years in Illinois. It was an absolute disaster. The landowner had clearly lost control of their property and that leasing company could care less what was going on there. Fights with neighbors, trespassers, you name it, it all happened. I will NEVER lease from that company again because they offered NO support in any of the matters.

If you want to know specifics, feel free to PM me.

 

[Steiny77]

I lease ground in IL. First lease for a couple years was with Basecamp and no complaints, we just found a better place so gave it up. Current lease is with HLN for about 13 years now with no complaints.
Rarely have we even seen the owner, no issues with stand theft and have not had any serious trespassing issues. Field work by the farmer in fall sometimes can screw up a hunt but that goes with the territory, they have work to do.

It's a great deal if you can get the right piece of property and good hunting partners.

 

[Nick87]

I lease ground in IL. First lease for a couple years was with Basecamp and no complaints, we just found a better place so gave it up. Current lease is with HLN for about 13 years now with no complaints.
Rarely have we even seen the owner, no issues with stand theft and have not had any serious trespassing issues. Field work by the farmer in fall sometimes can screw up a hunt but that goes with the territory, they have work to do.

It's a great deal if you can get the right piece of property and good hunting partners.

Don't they auction those leases to the highest bidder?

 

[Letthemgrow]

I've tried leasing farms for deer and duck hunting.
Every time it was a circle J.
"Neighbor's kid just wants to shoot a buck". . . "My nephew hasn't killed his deer yet this year" . . . "My son's co-worker's kid has never duck hunted before" . . . Of course, after cashing the check.
I just quit trying.

 

[Dave N]

Don't they auction those leases to the highest bidder?

 

[Rack Daniels]

Dude. This guy reminds me a LOT of Bill Christy…. AI is on a whole ‘nother level…

 

[Nuts]

Ai ?

 

[Steiny77]

Don't they auction those leases to the highest bidder?

Not that I'm aware of.