# !!!!!Crazy Deer lease prices!!!!!



## killintime (Aug 15, 2005)

$8000.00 for 200 acres near kerrville....4 people on 200 acres isnt that little too close???

Is it ever going to stop or just get worse every year....

Who actaully gets on a lease like that and thinks they are getting a fair deal?

*Deer Lease - Whitetail, hogs, exotics - $8000 (Kerrville Area)*

My regular hunters couldn't come up with the money and just now told me. 
About 200 Acres, near Ingram (6 mi. west of Kerrville). Whitetails, turkeys, hogs, some exotics on the place - have seen auodads, blackbuck, axis, sika, and fallow over the years. 
Can handle 4 guns at $2000 each, total $8000. Nice, unfurnished house to stay in, with $750 deposit (refundable). Never hunted heavily, and the neighboring ranches mostly don't hunt.

Maybe im just fortunate im on a 2000acre lease 10 people outside of Fredericksburg $1600.00 year round with elec and water


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## Rusty S (Apr 6, 2006)

It will be leased by Monday. rs


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## catchysumfishy (Jul 19, 2008)

You do sound fortunate for what you have depending upon how the lease rules are set-up!

Depends upon where the 200 acres are in Kerrville, it could be in some very steep country which could easily hunt like 1000 acres and the price does seem to be the area of the going rate! A whole lot of factors would have to be figured in and a very Well Defined contract in tact! I personally wouldn't pay that for that country due to the very big fact that it is getting so over ran with hogs in a very fast way-the worst pig populations i have personally ever seen and i also have access to 800 acres in Old Ocean TX in swamp land that can't touch the kerrville count on pigs and that is saying a lot! 
:cheers:


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## crhfish (Dec 3, 2008)

I grew up hunting deer in Alabama in the 60's and 70's. Those were the days. We had what were called church hunts all through the season which lasted from the first of November through Febuary. Limit was one deer a day and two in possesion. At a church hunt back then everyone showed up at a church (spread by local word of mouth) very early on a Saturday morning. You paid $10-$20 to hunt. These were stand hunts using Dogs, no feeders, no Camo, no rifles, only buckshot. All the money went to the church. I've been on hunts this way with 300 hunters and over a 100 dogs, so it could be big money for a small rural church.

Once everyone has paid up and some strong perked coffee has been consumed, everyone lines up outside to draw a stand number. All hunting was done on big tracts of land where the owners had put up stand numbers on big tree's, usually about 200 yards apart dwon the logging roads. You drew your number and hunters were loaded in the back of pickups for the short, extremely cold ride to your stand. (Coldest I've ever been)

Once at your stand, you loaded up and you had to stay within sight of the stand. Using buckshot, with dense tree's and at least 200 yards of distance you were safe, but you knew where the other stands were and you knew not to shoot down the stand line.

Then it began, they let the dogs out in groups of 5 or so. Usually on the next logging road over about a mile away or so. Barking, baying, chasing, sometimes from all directions. Might be a fox, bobcat, or doe. Had to decide very quickly if it was something you could shoot because it was always hauling ***. 

I don't think they do it like this anymore. I loved listening to all the old hunting stories before and after the hunt, or the thrill of knowing I just drew a prime stand number where big deer had been killed before.

I moved to Texas in 1982 and hunting deer has never been the same for me. Perhaps its because my grand dad is not with me, but I just can't get into the sitting in a stand waiting for the feeder to go off style of hunting.


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## Viking48 (Jan 24, 2006)

I grew up hunting in Alabama as well and we always had friends with land to hunt for free. The paper companies started charging something like $14.00 per year to hunt any of their property in the state - thousands of acres. When I moved to Texas in '75 I wondered what a deer lease was - never heard of paying to hunt but I found out pretty quick. I've also noticed that a lot of folks are still trying to fill leases at this late date - leases may be moving slower than in the past.


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## Deep Hunter (May 22, 2004)

I saw an ad here in Georgia this morning for a 30 acre hunting lease. (Yes 30 acres) it said it had 6 stands and 3 of them were for 2 people. Nine deer rifles on a 30 acre piece of ground.


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## impulse (Mar 17, 2010)

killintime said:


> Maybe im just fortunate im on a 2000acre lease 10 people outside of Fredericksburg $1600.00 year round with elec and water


A good accountant would tell you to take the difference between what you're paying and the prevailing market price and put it into a reserve account for when (not if) your current deal ends. By then you MAY have enough in the account to cushion the sticker shock.


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## gordaflatsstalker (Jul 3, 2008)

They're getting more and more. I'm on a lease in the panhandle, they're usually a little bit cheaper here but not by much. We have a 5 year contract @ 2500 a gun. 8 hunters on nearly 8k acres. We have big deer, a legitimate shot at a 160"+ whitetail and 180" mule deer, free ranging aoudad, and all the hogs you can shoot. It also as a doublewide trailer with satellite for our use. But it's about 10 1/2 hours from Houston, only 1 hour from my driveway. And I'm sitting in my pop up waiting for the sun to come up as I type this.


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## KEN KERLEY (Nov 13, 2006)

I got off my lease in 1986 because I started traveling with my job. After 14 years, I was able to quit traveling and started checking on year around leases. WOW! Never mind. It wasn't that important to me. I just started fishing more.
4e5a5d7d-b26b-4767-b871-6274ac9cc567
1.03.01


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## Pasadena1944 (Mar 20, 2010)

My BIL gets $20,000 a year for his 1000 acres.. A company in Houston leases it.


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## Roger (Aug 12, 2005)

My cousin and I lease 900 acres from International Paper up in Arkansas for $2.00/acre. We've had that lease for 20yrs. It's all bottom land and plenty of deer and hogs. Both of my boys shot their first deer up and it'll be my grandaughters turn this year. It's a little piece of heaven for me. It's still a part of the country where kids don't show up for school the first week of deer season.


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## mud minner (Apr 12, 2009)

Catchy....where at in double O....is it on old dancinger road?


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

only thing i can say is that in that area , it is not just a deer lease , look at all the bonus animals........might actually be worth it if they are not restricted by the owner too heavily


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## Lone-Star (Dec 19, 2009)

2k a gun is about average for a hill country lease. Id wager that for your average Texan it's more about being in the hill country than the per acre rate or the quality of bucks etc. Lets face it, the Texas hill country is an all around great place just to spend time in so obviously the prices are going to be high versus the size/quality of lease.


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## donkeyman (Jan 8, 2007)

Ive been thinking we have alot of 2 -coolers on here that like to hunt, we should get together early next year and find us a good place to lease..(with year around access and the right to let a family member shoot one of your given deer.) im sure someone one here has a connection , one of the reasons im not on one now is due to the fact that most of the ones ive found only have a few spots ..and you have no idea what kinda people you are hunting with... or the rules are just plain stupid. I hunted the Galvan Ranch for years outside of Laredo on Mines Rd.I would be curious what that is going for per gun now. It was pretty expensive before we got off. I would like to hunt some where within 3 hours of Houston I like the area below Victoria looks like some nice hunting


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

crhfish said:


> I grew up hunting deer in Alabama in the 60's and 70's. Those were the days. We had what were called church hunts all through the season which lasted from the first of November through Febuary. Limit was one deer a day and two in possesion. At a church hunt back then everyone showed up at a church (spread by local word of mouth) very early on a Saturday morning. You paid $10-$20 to hunt. These were stand hunts using Dogs, no feeders, no Camo, no rifles, only buckshot. All the money went to the church. I've been on hunts this way with 300 hunters and over a 100 dogs, so it could be big money for a small rural church.
> 
> Once everyone has paid up and some strong perked coffee has been consumed, everyone lines up outside to draw a stand number. All hunting was done on big tracts of land where the owners had put up stand numbers on big tree's, usually about 200 yards apart dwon the logging roads. You drew your number and hunters were loaded in the back of pickups for the short, extremely cold ride to your stand. (Coldest I've ever been)
> 
> ...


we hunted like that when I was young in Jasper. Thoose were the good days of hunting, much more fun. Now days we will do man drives at times, this is as social as the past. But dogs can no longer be used and this takes away from the thrill. My first trip to Austin was to watch my father speak on behalf of deer hunters in East Texas. It was a very sad day when they took dog hunting away.

As for lease prices, I pay $450 a year for me and my wife. Ten hunters on the lease and we have a 1000 acres. But only about six of the paying members hunt. Plenty of deer, not alot of monster bucks but we have killed some good ones.


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## MEGABITE (May 21, 2004)

As long as people continue to pay those ridiculously high prices, it will go nowhere but up.


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## mr. buck (Jan 11, 2009)

ive actually noticed prices softening this year for the first time in a long time. heard from a few last minutes landowners and that hasn't happened in years. i'll take a quick shot at what i think the going rate is and im sure this is gonna tick some people of, but this is my per acre guess where hunters handle their own feed feeders and blinds and the place has no accomodations but a key to the gate. for a year round lf lease:

STX $10-14 acre
Central TX $6-10 acre
Panhandle $5-7 acre
west texas $4 acre

Im not claiming to be an expert and would love to hear everybody else's opinions.


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## Blk Jck 224 (Oct 16, 2009)

I can't wait until deer season opens & everyone gets the hail out of the bay!


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## great white fisherman (Jun 24, 2008)

We hunt on 1,000 acres in the panhandle with six hunters. Big deer as mentioned, lots of hogs and javelina, and coyotes. We are so lucky to only pay $500.00 gun. O-I forgot lots of rattlesnakes.


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## catchysumfishy (Jul 19, 2008)

mud minner said:


> Catchy....where at in double O....is it on old dancinger road?


Yes Sir!


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## mud minner (Apr 12, 2009)

catchysumfishy said:


> Yes Sir!


nice....i got a buddy that lives out there....its past CR 3 a couple miles cant remember the cr he lives on but its the next one to the left once you pass CR 3..i grew up on boyscout rd.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Its all about how much per acre. I hear and read so many times well its $2500 per gun. Check out how many hunters per acre it will scare ya. Should be about 1 hunter per 500 acres. Now I am gonna hear well it depends on the country. Thats BS, too many hunters on small tracts (or large) does nothing for management and normally landowners who lease this way only count their money (per acre) and care nothing about the deer

Charlie


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

The last yr we hunted the hill country the rancher wanted to go up to 150$ my dad said he ain't paying that much to hunt anywhere....that was in 1972 and was per family along with a BOOK of doe permits....WW


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## coup de grace (Aug 7, 2010)

*gone already...*


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## joe martin (Jun 13, 2006)

As long as there is demand and people are willing to pay, the prices will keep going up


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## haparks (Apr 12, 2006)

thats crazy i hunt fer free


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

CHARLIE said:


> Should be about 1 hunter per 500 acres.


Good luck with that.


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## Brassnadz (Jun 18, 2007)

MEGABITE said:


> As long as people continue to pay those ridiculously high prices, it will go nowhere but up.


Exactly. Im not in the position to pay the going rate, but I am for landowners getting what they can for their land. Unfortunately that leaves me out when it comes to a lease. I just wait for the season to end and hunt exotics. Its cheaper that way when you consider the price of the lease, corn, maintenance, and fuel costs. I miss the comeraderie of deer camp, but thats a price us poorer folks have to pay.

If I could find decent hill country land, and get in on a lease for half of the going rate, I might consider it, but I dont see that in the near future.

Oh well, I like axis more than whitetail anyway.:cheers:


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## tiedown (Oct 12, 2005)

Yep we have 1,500 acres in Menard and are paying $16,000 for the entire place, can put a max 8 guns total if we want. Has camp house, water elect. shower toilet, Dish TV, everything. Some pretty good deer. Killed a 146 this year with a bow. Is managed very well


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## DMANCAN (Apr 7, 2009)

I grew up hunting in Alabama and a few places still run a few structured dog hunts a year. Millwood and dollarhide are the only ones I know of. 
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20090222/news/902211934?p=1&tc=pg












crhfish said:


> I grew up hunting deer in Alabama in the 60's and 70's. Those were the days. We had what were called church hunts all through the season which lasted from the first of November through Febuary. Limit was one deer a day and two in possesion. At a church hunt back then everyone showed up at a church (spread by local word of mouth) very early on a Saturday morning. You paid $10-$20 to hunt. These were stand hunts using Dogs, no feeders, no Camo, no rifles, only buckshot. All the money went to the church. I've been on hunts this way with 300 hunters and over a 100 dogs, so it could be big money for a small rural church.
> 
> Once everyone has paid up and some strong perked coffee has been consumed, everyone lines up outside to draw a stand number. All hunting was done on big tracts of land where the owners had put up stand numbers on big tree's, usually about 200 yards apart dwon the logging roads. You drew your number and hunters were loaded in the back of pickups for the short, extremely cold ride to your stand. (Coldest I've ever been)
> 
> ...


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> but I just can't get into the sitting in a stand waiting for the feeder to go off style of hunting.


You don't have to hunt that way. If you do it's your choice.

TH


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

Dang, we are fortunate!


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## Lezz Go (Jun 27, 2006)

I'd rather save for a couple of years and do a plains game hunt in Africa. I appreciate a big white-tailed deer, but I like the exotics a whole lot better.


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## DMC (Apr 2, 2006)

As long as there are richer people willing to pay more to keep the middle income earners out, the middle income earners will be left out. It's capitalism. That's how it works. Whatever the market will support is what the price will be. No one is going to lower it just to let some less fortunate people on the land. If you find a decent lease, you should try to stay on it or buy land if possible.

I don't even deer hunt anymore for those reasons. I cannot see spending several thousand on a couple of brush bucks, and the leases remind me of some of the public lakes that all think they are going to have trophies some day because of their management program. Leases that allow different groups unsupervised every year (honor system) aren't going to see much of an improvement, just like lakes where forage doesn't support the growth expectations aren't going to produce trophy fish, regardless of slots. Sure that 139 someone took with a bow is a nice animal, but it was one of many taken that size all over the state. 

So to each his own. Some people get as itchy about hunting as I do about fishing. I just had my fill of the hype already.

Like some others here, I grew up hunting public lands. These days, you would be lucky to not get shot hunting public lands.


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## Bozo (Jun 16, 2004)

Recreational hunting is fun and I enjoy it. Too bad there isn't any. It's all business now and they don't let folks just have fun and play. Too many rules by ranch foremen and too many dollars to gain access is why I quit many moons ago.

To me, all the fun is scouting, placing, watching and then harvesting a deer. Now they want you to come down on a Friday night and be gone by Saturday evening 2 or 3 times a year and leave 10K in their bank account for the privileged. I don't get any enjoyment out of that sort of thing. To each their own though.


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## boom! (Jul 10, 2004)

This is America and everyone has the right to buy a ranch of their own and lease it out for as little (or as much) as they choose. If you look at buying a ranch then you will soon understand why leases are expensive. There is always the National Forrest....


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## Bozo (Jun 16, 2004)

I don't fault them for getting what they can. I was just saying the price point has surpassed my enjoyment of hunting long ago. 

When you add up grazing rights, hunting rights, oil/gas production rights, timber rights, owning land isn't a losing proposition if you buy the right place. 

You get to run a business and pay ag tax rates. What a country.


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## ST.SIMONS (Jan 27, 2010)

I will save my money and take my son on a trip of a lifetime every year. Something about feeding deer at the feeder and breeding them does nothing for me. Wheres the word hunting in that and paying to do so? What is so special about killing a prize Buck that will literally eat out of your hand at least thats the way it appears in my eyes. Just my opinion though..Its called shooting not hunting..Reminds me of people eating at the buffet line really ..


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## jshepherd55 (Jan 4, 2011)

where can i find that add for the lease??


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## Cartman (Jun 18, 2008)

jshepherd said:


> where can i find that add for the lease??


Well, I'll take a wild guess at it... Since that thread was started somewhere around 27 months ago I would look in the Fredericksburg Standard archives. I bet since that ad is hot spanking New that they haven't had any takers!


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## Johnny9 (Sep 7, 2005)

Blk Jck 224 said:


> I can't wait until deer season opens & everyone gets the hail out of the bay!


You can thank the CCA for starting a summer long tournament which everyone is trying to catch their kid a Scholarship or Truck, Boat Motor and Trailer. Said adios to bay 10 years ago.


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## INTOTHEBLUE (Jun 21, 2011)

I am a guest of my Dad when I go because his lease is $5200 a gun for 10 guys, with 4500 acres. Too rich for my blood. If I am going to pay that much I am going elk hunting


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## Blk Jck 224 (Oct 16, 2009)

juan said:


> You can thank the CCA for starting a summer long tournament which everyone is trying to catch their kid a Scholarship or Truck, Boat Motor and Trailer. Said adios to bay 10 years ago.[/QUOTE
> 
> I'm well aware of the STAR tourney & have entered in every year since 1997. It runs from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. Most people don't hunt deer during this time. Thank You for staying off the bay!


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## Smackdaddy53 (Nov 4, 2011)

When I was a kid we had a deer lease near Mathis and payed $500 a year. It was huge, right on Lake Corpus Christi and only had five other people on it.

http://www.fishingscout.com/anglers/SmackDaddy


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## Buckshot Magee (Dec 13, 2009)

Folks who brag that they paid to kill an animal on a high fenced ranch that's been bread & fed to be a trophy class deer, are akin to those who would go to the zoo, kill a lion, and claim they bagged an African Safari trophy....


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

2010 called, and said it would like to have its thread back.


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## Reloder28 (Apr 10, 2010)

No way I'd be on 200 acres with 3 other guns. I have given up on lease rip-offs.

I plan to soon buy a boat.


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## GuyFromHuntsville (Aug 4, 2011)

juan said:


> You can thank the CCA for starting a summer long tournament which everyone is trying to catch their kid a Scholarship or Truck, Boat Motor and Trailer. Said adios to bay 10 years ago.


I'd rather have a kid on the water or in the woods then at home playing video games.


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## redduck (Jul 26, 2006)

A deer lease is more than a place to shoot a deer. Agreed there is a limit to what a person will pay but each person and each landowner has their own opinion. He who owns the land controls. I enjoy getting out doors, working on the lease, filling feeders, clearing shooting lanes, moving stands, sharing fun times with family and friends. Getting a deer is a bonus. I can afford more than I pay but it is not the killing a trophy that matters.i am happy with a doe or hog. A nice buck is a bonus.


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