# what is hunting coming to



## tc hardhead (Jun 19, 2006)

I have actively been searching for a deerlease and I have been seeing $3000 to $4000 a gun for the freaking hill country ***. I think i might be getting priced out. Why are these people asking that much money? Are they getting it?


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## RogerB (Oct 11, 2005)

Try looking here:

https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/planning/hunt_lease/

And google Junction Texas chamber of Commerce. They have a link there for hunting leases for west Texas as well as hill country. Keep checking. It's early.


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## TexasBoy79 (Jan 5, 2009)

I feel your pain but the short answer is "yes". People are paying crazy money these days for hunting leases. That goes for all types of game. I remember growing up, my dad would drive me all over the country side to dove hunt on day leases. We'd pay $10 to $20 each day to hunt. Some of the farmers would always asks if we shot anything. If we didn't they'd offer for us to come back for free. Those times are long gone but I do understand they have bills and families to feed. Some of my friends farm and ranch and it has gotten tougher. If they can get it, more power to them. I will say some of my best times were hunting as a kid with my pops, lots of values can be engrained in a youngster doing that. We still hunt a lot, just cost more these days.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk


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## poco jim (Jun 28, 2010)

tc hardhead said:


> I have actively been searching for a deerlease and I have been seeing $3000 to $4000 a gun for the freaking hill country ***. I think i might be getting priced out. Why are these people asking that much money? Are they getting it?


Unforutantely they are getting those prices, but as RB said there are others. Keep looking buddy.


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## Ruthless53 (Jul 6, 2007)

I know it's a long drive but we lease our ranch out in the Panhandle for 10k max 5 guns for trophy bucks. Culls and does can be taken by friends due to our huge deer population and it's a 1 tag county. Our ranch will not be up for lease anytime soon as we've had the same guys on there for 8 yrs and they said they're not leaving until we kick them off. Each year they get at least 1 above 170 with the biggest going 194. They dont take anything under 6.5 and 150+. we don't do a thing for them except plant our winter wheat fields. They are only allowed deer though. They can't touch our quail or turkeys. Just a thought....cost of living in the panhandle is cheaper so normally leases aren't going to be s outrageous. Great deer with alot of Kansas genetics. Buy on certain places of the panhandle and you chances at mules too. Were far east side and there is at least 2-3 mules taken in our county per yr.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Inflation.

My family used to pay $100.00 to be on 1800 acres of great hunting land and a truck cost a couple of thousand then.

Times sure have changed; so have prices.

TH


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

Yes they will get it, why....just look around at some of the deer posted here ALONG with what people pay and WILL pay...WW


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## rubberducky (Mar 19, 2010)

I found one this year 16 acres thats right 16 for 3,500 A GUN!!!!
And they will get it 
Me I pay 750$ a year for a family lease 13,000 acres 30 miles from home. I killed enough to feed my family and give some away to family. Could have killed more but didn't need to.
But to each his own I guess
James


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk because Reeltime told me to


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## MLK (Oct 5, 2009)

Most of it is based on what you are after. Ate you hunting trophies or just looking to put meat on the table? Any place in south Texas, west Texas and hill country are will charge pre.iu. Rates if they k ow they have big trophy deer. If you are jst wanting to have a place to hunt there are places in east Texas for $500 or less but you may only see 1 or 2 deer the h
Whole season. The other thing to look for when looking for a lease is one that leases out per acre and not per gun. We use to have a hunting lease like that for taking customers out on. Goodluck


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## teeroy (Oct 1, 2009)

I hate to see that hunting has become such a big money sport. 

I duck hunt on my public holes and do very good. I wonder how long that is going to last. Quite a shame.


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## RogerB (Oct 11, 2005)

I guess it depends on your perspective. What would a vacation for 2 months cost?
Or even for one week to a vacation spot like Disney World?
I'll hazard a guess that one week at Disney for a family of 4 would equal and probably exceeded what I paid for my lease and for my two grandsons to go on a pacakge hunt in West Texas this year. I gave them both a choice a year ago. Told 'em I could pay for each of them to go on a 3-day hunt or not hunt and we'd use the money to go to Disney World. They had great hunts last year (2010). And did the same this year. 

Guess it depends on your view of things


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## djduke47823 (Jun 7, 2005)

*where?*



Ruthless53 said:


> I know it's a long drive but we lease our ranch out in the Panhandle for 10k max 5 guns for trophy bucks. Culls and does can be taken by friends due to our huge deer population and it's a 1 tag county. Our ranch will not be up for lease anytime soon as we've had the same guys on there for 8 yrs and they said they're not leaving until we kick them off. Each year they get at least 1 above 170 with the biggest going 194. They dont take anything under 6.5 and 150+. we don't do a thing for them except plant our winter wheat fields. They are only allowed deer though. They can't touch our quail or turkeys. Just a thought....cost of living in the panhandle is cheaper so normally leases aren't going to be s outrageous. Great deer with alot of Kansas genetics. Buy on certain places of the panhandle and you chances at mules too. Were far east side and there is at least 2-3 mules taken in our county per yr.


Panhandle where???


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

Thank goodness I have Corps. land close by. It's tough, but free for bow hunters. I'm in the same boat as you when it comes to looking for a decent lease. I can't justify paying over 1k for a lease.


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## WTN (May 21, 2004)

RogerB said:


> I guess it depends on your perspective. What would a vacation for 2 months cost?
> Or even for one week to a vacation spot like Disney World?
> I'll hazard a guess that one week at Disney for a family of 4 would equal and probably exceeded what I paid for my lease and for my two grandsons to go on a pacakge hunt in West Texas this year. I gave them both a choice a year ago. Told 'em I could pay for each of them to go on a 3-day hunt or not hunt and we'd use the money to go to Disney World. They had great hunts last year (2010). And did the same this year.
> 
> Guess it depends on your view of things


Nailed it. I get year round access for the same cost of a once-a-year vacation. Cheaper is always better but heck, we'll be paying $4.00 for a gallon of gas again soon.


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## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

Yuuuuuuup.

But, when you're looking try to compare the cost of the land per acre to the market rate of a whitetail. Market rate of a whitetail but is - the deer's score, truncate the 1 and add two zeros. So, at $3K - $4K a year, that land should offer you the opportunity (key word - opportunity) at a 130 - 140 inch deer. If he has deer like that, the property is worth it ... if not ... keep looking. Good luck ............


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

Supply and demand, it's the American way. I can't blame owners for getting what they can for their land, I mean if I'm gonna have 10 guys running around blasting my animals I may as well charge market value. Unfortunately that means that I'm priced out as well, I haven't had a lease in 3 years now and there's nothing promising in sight. Like you I have no problem finding them, but anything that fits my criteria seems to run $4k and above and I don't even care about trophy hunting I just want a place where I can be left alone and let the wife and kids kill my allotted deer and blast some hogs every now and then.


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## Capt. Marcus Canales (Aug 25, 2005)

justletmein said:


> Supply and demand, it's the American way. I can't blame owners for getting what they can for their land, I mean if I'm gonna have 10 guys running around blasting my animals I may as well charge market value. Unfortunately that means that I'm priced out as well, I haven't had a lease in 3 years now and there's nothing promising in sight. Like you I have no problem finding them, but anything that fits my criteria seems to run $4k and above and I don't even care about trophy hunting I just want a place where I can be left alone and let the wife and kids kill my allotted deer and blast some hogs every now and then.


should have used the money you spent on that new bote that gets you all wet in the bay and got on a good lease, dummy. :rotfl:


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

osoobsessed said:


> should have used the money you spent on that new bote that gets you all wet in the bay and got on a good lease, dummy. :rotfl:


lol yeah sometimes I wonder about my decisions but hey at least I sold my motorcycle for the boat purchase. That new boat though facilitates the only hunting we've had, ducks in the bays and deer at Amistad.


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## michaelbaranowski (May 24, 2004)

Kind of the reason I having had a hunting lease in about 10 years. I only want to hunt on a family lease cause me family is too important to me.

I just spend more time squirrel hunting and spearfishing. Or go up to a small family place we have in Somerville a few times.


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## capt4fish (Dec 4, 2004)

It is perspective. To me it is a balance of budget/travel time for the amount/quality of game available. I drive a loooong way, but I see tremendous amounts of wildlife. To me that is worth the extra couple hours in the truck.

I feel very blessed to have a lease of 48,000 acres. A 3brm/3bth house on Lake Amistad, on the Mexico side. With 12 guns. Year round access to the ranch and house with guest priviledges.

We kill 150 to 160's in good rain years. We have lots of deer, quail, some doves turkey, some hogs.

Where would I find another lease like this one that I can treat as my own for $2500/gun? Yep, I am blessed.

Kenneth


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## coogerpop (Sep 3, 2009)

tc hardhead said:


> I have actively been searching for a deerlease and I have been seeing $3000 to $4000 a gun for the freaking hill country ***. I think i might be getting priced out. Why are these people asking that much money? Are they getting it?


Looking at the low end of the spectrum there...The better it is and the more ammenities it has ,the more expensive it is....As long as there are folks that will,or can,pay the big bucks,someone will be happy to take their money...thats what it is all about...how much can I make from my deer....and it's a better market than cattle or sheep or goats,,,only thing better is to raise oil or gas wells.....which many of them do...and that changes the attitude a bunch... they don't NEED the income,just want it ,in cash...pocket change....


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## DadSaid (Apr 4, 2006)

The price is all economy driven. 20 years ago a great paying job, let’s just say a welder was $18 an hour, now they are making $28. 20 years ago guys were paying $800 a gun in the hill country. Now a day, the same rancher is getting $2000-$2500 a gun. Gas was WAY cheaper 20 years ago too.


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## Main Frame 8 (Mar 16, 2007)

Trouthunter said:


> Inflation.
> 
> My family used to pay $100.00 to be on 1800 acres of great hunting land and a truck cost a couple of thousand then.
> 
> ...


Bingo. Gas isn't $1.00 a gallon and land isn't $200 per acre anymore.

It costs everyone (landowners included) more to play.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

I always have to "double check" the per gun way of doing business. Usually the landowner puts way too many guns on the property and if you check some are paying way too much per acre..


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## longhorns13 (Aug 22, 2006)

capt4fish said:


> It is perspective. To me it is a balance of budget/travel time for the amount/quality of game available. I drive a loooong way, but I see tremendous amounts of wildlife. To me that is worth the extra couple hours in the truck.
> 
> I feel very blessed to have a lease of 48,000 acres. A 3brm/3bth house on Lake Amistad, on the Mexico side. With 12 guns. Year round access to the ranch and house with guest priviledges.
> 
> ...


Sounds great! We are on Texas side of the lake, about same price but smaller ranch and animals!


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## lone wolf (Oct 2, 2011)

hunting has turned into who will pay the most,like i said before. no one makes you lease someones land so its all on you,but with that in mind you have land owners that all they care about is the money and they get their place shot out and next year they will find some poor sucker and he leases it.there is good leases out there but they cost,look on lease hunter .com and you will see what i mean theres a man down south past freer that a broker and he has places 150 acres for 10,500 a year 4 hunters max and you are allowed 3 bucks each so total 12 bucks off 150 acres. you cant blame the land owner all he see,s is the money i fill lease brokers are a big blame for the high prices the land owner tells him what he wants for the place and broker add,s his fee,s and the price just goes up.to me a real hunter hunts for the love of the meat and he feeds his family it,i did some work on the 74 ranch 30,000 acres and hunters would pay 6-15,000 dollars to kill a great buck to have people skin and give away meat all he wanted was the head,and before anyone blows a gasket i would love to kill a big buck but i hunt for enjoyment of hunting and i eat all the game i kill.so is hunting becoming a sport where its just shooting a deer or love to eat deer.its like fishing who can cath the biggest bass,trout whatever it may be i remember the day when we would catch a limit of trout and proud of the catch nothing ever said was they trophy trout. a trophy is in the eye of the beholder


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## blackhogdog (Jul 20, 2009)

tc hardhead said:


> I have actively been searching for a deerlease and I have been seeing $3000 to $4000 a gun for the freaking hill country ***. I think i might be getting priced out. Why are these people asking that much money? Are they getting it?


They get that because it is worth it, it was not they would not get it, cliche posts like this dont reflect what improvements were to be furnished, the game offered, the feeding program, closeness to a town, a cooler, who are you to complain, try to buy your own 1000 acre ranch and see what it costs to run a hunting lease, easy to become a millionaire, just start with 2 million and in a couple of years you will be one living off hunting income, just saying.....


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## longhorns13 (Aug 22, 2006)

blackhogdog said:


> They get that because it is worth it, it was not they would not get it, cliche posts like this dont reflect what improvements were to be furnished, the game offered, the feeding program, closeness to a town, a cooler, who are you to complain, try to buy your own 1000 acre ranch and see what it costs to run a hunting lease, easy to become a millionaire, just start with 2 million and in a couple of years you will be one living off hunting income, just saying.....


WHAT???!!!


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## bronco1 (Oct 25, 2007)

teeroy said:


> I hate to see that hunting has become such a big money sport.
> 
> I duck hunt on my public holes and do very good. I wonder how long that is going to last. Quite a shame.


You should have never posted that. 
People are tracking your IP address as we speak and getting your physical address, so they can track you to your hunting spot. Next year it will be full of Yahoos.


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## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

blackhogdog said:


> ... They get that because it is worth it ... cliche posts like this dont reflect what improvements were to be furnished, the game offered, the feeding program, closeness to a town, a cooler, *who are you to complain*, try to buy your own 1000 acre ranch and see what it costs to run a hunting lease, easy to become a millionaire...


I never get tired of your myopic logic b-hog. HE IS THE CONSUMER, he can complain all he wants.

Just cause you have land yourself you think the landowner's giving him a good deal by citing all the things it MIGHT have on it ... ? Hilarious.

Almost as hilarious as thinking if you buy a 1000 acres and furnish it with a hunting lease you'll become a millionaire easily. Tell ya what. Why don't you impress us all with what you offer on your little racoon farm there and FOR how MUCH.


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## GUNSNREELS (Aug 17, 2010)

Do like i did,stop hunting there and don't pay it,hunt east texas.They will have to bring down the prices then.


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## cpthook (Jan 16, 2008)

*normal prices*

Where have you guys been the last several years. It's normal ot pay 2 to 5k for a lease spot. Supply and demand, we live in a time where money dictates who and where. People are paying as much as 15 ot 20k for some of the high end ranches. Unfortunately it has come to a money game but with that being said we live in he 4th largest City in the Country with allot of big money players. I now hunt Kansas but even a good lease there is fairly high. I pay $3,500.00 per spot. There are very few leases out there for $500.00 or so but hard ot find and most likely shot out. Good luck keep looking you might get lucky.


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## tc hardhead (Jun 19, 2006)

I'm not saying that they should let us hunt for free or anything just saying the price for hill country leases is getting ridiculous. I pay $1500 a year now in Uvalde county and have had the same price for 4 yrs now but I have noticed a tremendous price increase on advertised leases. Just for the record I have been on this lease 12 yrs but I am wanting to find a new lease because I would like to change the scenery. BTW who is setting the market the leasee or the leaser?


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## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

tc hardhead said:


> ... BTW who is setting the market the leasee or the leaser?


Market rate of a whitetail is - the deer's score, truncate the 1 and add two zeros. So a 145" deer is worth 4500 dollars.

This is probably a combination of issues controlled by both people raising deer to sell and people willing to pay what they ask, but in my opinion has very little to do with "supply and demand". I know countless who set their prices this way and have GREAT difficulty booking hunts and have some GREAT deer.

There's very likely to be an over supply with all the people trying to make business off the "industry". And if the demand was that high, it should drive the price UP. But the cost of deer by the inch seems like it's stayed the same for at least the last ten years. This of course is mostly aimed at the high fenced ops.

Lease prices are more commonly priced per acre which varies greatly from county to county. The demand for LEASES is very high, which is why lease costs have been on a steady increase in that same time.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

tc hardhead said:


> I'm not saying that they should let us hunt for free or anything just saying the price for hill country leases is getting ridiculous. I pay $1500 a year now in Uvalde county and have had the same price for 4 yrs now but I have noticed a tremendous price increase on advertised leases. Just for the record I have been on this lease 12 yrs but I am wanting to find a new lease because I would like to change the scenery. BTW who is setting the market the leasee or the leaser?


The market sets the price....more demand, more money, it is simple. If demand lowers, the price of leases will go down. 
There is not more land so, with more hunters each year, and more that are willing to pay a lot, then the good places will stay high.


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

I gotta ask, where in the hell are you finding welders that will work for 28 dollars an hour?



dadsaid said:


> The price is all economy driven. 20 years ago a great paying job, let


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## espanolabass (Jul 20, 2006)

Its gotten too expensive for me. I do miss sun up in the woods.


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## goatchze (Aug 1, 2006)

blackhogdog said:


> They get that because it is worth it, it was not they would not get it, cliche posts like this dont reflect what improvements were to be furnished, the game offered, the feeding program, closeness to a town, a cooler, who are you to complain, try to buy your own 1000 acre ranch and see what it costs to run a hunting lease, *easy to become a millionaire, just start with 2 million and in a couple of years you will be one living off hunting income*, just saying.....


If you started with 2 million, wouldn't you already be a millionaire?


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## Folsetth (Jan 18, 2007)

longhorns13 said:


> WHAT???!!!


WHAT???
That's exactly what i was thinking. 
Maybe he'll explain.

Sent from somewhere in Texas.


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## Bukkskin (Oct 21, 2009)

bigfishtx;3917120There is not more land so said:


> Bingo. We are not making more land, just more people. As long as the population in Texas Explodes(in the country for that matter), so will the lease prices. My .02 cents.


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## duhunter (Nov 17, 2009)

I say just out of state ! I can be lot cheap than hunting south texas or even west texas, with bigger deer and same size horns. Texas is no longer a place for the good ole boys to hunt besides east tx. Now its all about how deep your pockets are!!:hairout:


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## shanesdad (Jun 3, 2011)

duhunter said:


> I say just out of state ! I can be lot cheap than hunting south texas or even west texas, with bigger deer and same size horns. Texas is no longer a place for the good ole boys to hunt besides east tx. Now its all about how deep your pockets are!!:hairout:


That aint no freakin lie!!! I once thought it was really cool that all land in Texas was public land till I talked to a state wild life guy who told me 95% of all land in Texas was owned by someone. Thats why the only public hunting there is was Natl. Forests....you can go to Colorado and hunt elk for 300 to 500 a tag. and pay no lease fee all public lands and or what they call BLM lands hwell::texasflag


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## tc hardhead (Jun 19, 2006)

You know I'm now mad at a landowner making money off of his piece of land but I hunt with my family and I feel like with the cost of living and the cost of leases going the way they are I and other family men may not be able to enjoy the family experiences that we do currently. Not saying it's their fault I can't afford to do it at that cost it's just unfortunate.


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## tc hardhead (Jun 19, 2006)

I mean not mad sorry I forgot how to edit post.


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## Robert10 (Jan 15, 2008)

Spec-Rig.006 said:


> Market rate of a whitetail is - the deer's score, truncate the 1 and add two zeros. So a 145" deer is worth 4500 dollars.
> 
> This is probably a combination of issues controlled by both people raising deer to sell and people willing to pay what they ask, but in my opinion has very little to do with "supply and demand". I know countless who set their prices this way and have GREAT difficulty booking hunts and have some GREAT deer.
> 
> ...


I worked at a ranch 1.5hrs from houston. 149" and under is $2500 and 150-159" is $4000. I have a deer lease where I pay $3000 and we shoot deer from the 150-160s????


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## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

Robert10 said:


> I worked at a ranch 1.5hrs from houston. 149" and under is $2500 and 150-159" is $4000. I have a deer lease where I pay $3000 and we shoot deer from the 150-160s????


Hang on to it bro. That is NOT the norm ... ! I've been associated with "that business" in some way shape or form since '96. Sometimes you find a sweetheart deal ... !


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## pshay4 (Aug 18, 2005)

I think the millionaire thing was: Have 2 mil., make hunting lease, have 1 million left.

From the landowner's standpoint: Why would you risk letting strangers come on your property for any reason unless there was some reward in it? Do you know how hard it is to find good hunters? We've had vehicles running all over the pastures (not staying along the fences) killing grass. Trash thrown out. Water lines to troughs ripped out by sendero clearing (and not fixed). Animal carcasses left just anywhere. Day bowhunters who swore they never left their blinds or fired, but we found their arrows later in other areas. We had neighbor's hunters cut our bottom fence wire so the deer could get through easier. Most of the hunters were always on the lookout for something better, cheaper. We haven't leased out for years, but I still get the same guys calling every year, just to be sure.

Some of our relatives wanted to sell their property. We couldn't afford to buy it and pay for it with land use. But some hunters came in and never blinked at the price. Don't blame everything on greedy landowners. There are all kinds of hunters out there as well.


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