Deer Lease questions for a newb

[jh2785]

Where ever you do lease, get it in writing. There are some who might try to who-do you. I have only met one in my 70 years. But it left a scar on my brain. Most people, a hand shake is good to go. But it's all up to you.

It'll have have to be a written lease

 

[jh2785]

Personally I think that's pretty high for 150 acres. I understand 2 buck, 2 doe, that's about right depending on area to support that take off if 150 acres, but that is probably not trophy stock.

I've hunted Tx a while and think I'd look around. I decided to buy some property out west and pulled off 120 acres @ 1400 / month. So your paying a chunk of someone else's property payment at $6000. I had a lease with about eight guys in east Tx at $1600/ year and that was about 2,000 acres on paper company land. That was year round access for hunting, shooting, and moderate four wheeling (did not want to make the deer nervous) $3000 for 150 acres don't sound reasonable to me, and what does this guy use the property for? If he hunts too then if he takes any deer it is probably over the land's capacity for (4) deer.

He is on a much larger lease on adjacent property. I plan to eventually own a good chunk of land. I'm forecasting a big downturn in real estate with the pressure that gas prices, interest rates and inflation are putting on the economy.

 

[Recon$$]

I think it's all relative. If you can get out there shoot with the kids and shoot a nice buck every year. It's worth it. Nice it's year around. I pay 3k every couple years to hunt a 20k acre ranch but I only get a week on the property.

 

[jh2785]

Lots of great perspective and help for the newb here from this great community! Ya'll are great, thanks a bunch

 

[jh2785]

I have hunted on newly acquired land, it took years getting the word out and the trespassers off. It was painful. I own the land so it was worth it as along term investment. But we had a lot of frustrating and spoiled hunting opportunities for that period. The hunters trespassing did not have permission from the previous owner either. I'm not saying this is your case, but it's something to consider.

This is along one of the farm to market roads and trespassers is a concern of mine

 

[SeboCreek]

Last bag of corn was $12.25 a bag. Thanks Brandon.

 

[Chas1]

Save the $3k, buy a nice Buck mount off of Craigs List or a local flea market for a couple of hundred and then take the rest of the money and take you wife on a nice vacation.
Better yet save up for two-three years and go to Africa for a Hunt/Vacation of a life time!

I wouldn't dump 3 grand for a deer or two. Hunt public lands and spend the 3K on something else.

 

[Mcranch]

As someone who transitioned from land ownership to lease hunting then back to land ownership, I must say that leasing, at least in Texas, can be a can of worms. Between eccentric owners and/or land managers and camp egos when hunting with previously unknown hunters, I wish you luck...but it ain't easy.

To your question, I would suggest $3,000 a gun without any infrastructure (established camp, cabin, electric, water, septic, feeders, stands) is high for 150 acres. The game limits don't bother me quite as much because they are not that far out of line with what a biologist would most likely recommend for the acreage and land carrying capacity. (NOTE: It gets real dry, real fast as you go west of Fort Worth.

Before you commit, definitely tour the property, look for sign and habitat that could support a healthy deer population. If the land manager cannot make a good case for why the property is worth what he's asking, it's probably best to take your time and continue looking. I would suspect, with the current economic conditions, we're in a Buyer's market for hunting leases.

The last lease I was on was 6 hours from my house, near Comstock, TX. Great lease: good guys, good (not great) buck genetics, 10,000 acres, 10 guns, year-round protein feeding program included, most blinds and feeders included..... but it was that 6-hour drive. We paid $1,200 a gun in 2018 to give you a point of reference.

There are some on-line resources to search for leases. That is how I found the above mentioned lease. DeerTexas.com, LeaseHunter.com and HuntingLocator.com are just a few. Unfortunately, there are far more crappy leases out there than good ones. When you find a good one, never give it up. That's why good ones are hard to find. Best of luck!,

I too hunted in Sonora, Ozona, El Dorado and leases did jump from 1000 to 2500 and it was an adventure in touring all the way from the metro. Having been a deer hunter before I was a land owner it was a hit miss on leases that is why I'm extremely cautious on whom I allow on the property. I have hunted groups where the slob hunters made things unsafe in camp and out in the field. I do have common sense rules that allows for deer to stay and age on the property. 140/150 class deer have been taken not every year but occasionally with 120 class deer are regularly available. I have 840 acres but lease only 300 there is heavy cover and draws that hold deer but one would be surprised that this close to the metro there are places that have decent deer density. I have another 350 acre place that is surrounded by hunters since I drill wheat and oats in the fields so I have fence hunters. Since I hold deer for the area and I don't lease that property but there are not as many deer because of all the number of hunters on the properties around me. It's about scouting the area considered. I have been on leases where if you saw an eight point worth harvesting you were the lucky one. Some places you had the owners family hunt on certain days so you couldn't go. Read the fine print and do your home work. I think average is 15/25 per acre. Depending on amenities. This year many stock tanks have gotten low to no water. I have wells on both places so the troughs help the livestock and wildlife.

 

[baldhunter]

Another thing you can do is put in for the public draw hunts with Texas Parks and Wildlife.I haven't looked in a long time but they also used to have landowners listing their land for lease.I don't know how old your kids are,but check into youth hunting oppurtunities.It's a great way to get them into hunting. https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/

 

[bamban]

Here is the link to Texas Parks and Wildlife. Lots of information and possibilities.

Drawn Hunt Catalog - 2024 - 2025 Hunt Categories - Drawn Hunts - TPWD

tpwd.texas.gov

Edit: Sorry, redundant.

 

[Starlite]

Yep, hunting in Texas has always been more expensive for a lease than most other states. You just may have to pay up for the convenience. Good luck.

I'm wondering what the cost is for the OP to fly to Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada, shoot a fatty Bull moose and fly back home. Around $5000 USD way better trip. On a serious note. In Canada; well in Atlantic Canada, it's becoming ever more difficult to find land to freely hunt on. Most of the crown (government) land has been illegally pillaged and plundered of its wildlife. More and more land owners no longer want anyone hunting their lands for this reason. So… in a lot of ways knowing you can hunt non pressured land is priceless. For me though the day I have to pay thousands of dollars for a few deer (outside an out of province/country hunt) is the day I quit hunting. I feel privileged and honoured to be able to hunt coyotes on a nearby cow farm. In return, which was not negotiated I get to hunt his many hectares of land. Best of all by myself and on foot/ebike/horseback only. Truly priceless. Kill yotes in the spring then all the bears (max 2/yr here) WTD (one Buck and 1 island deer with bow on Deer island) one moose (if you win the lottery for that), Yotes Birds and chucks I want. Great trout fishing too. Win win.

 

[Revolting Peasant]

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.

 

[Revolting Peasant]

And it is getting hard to find a family lease that allows you to take your kids or guests. Figure that into the costs.

 

[bamban]

Every year I put in for the Mule deer hunt sponsored by the TP&W. Maybe will get lucky someday.

Not interested in WT, I can harvest them on a 67 acre place 45 minutes from the house. Last year I passed up on this and a couple of young 8 pointers. Pictures taken through my spotter from 240 yards. The closest I can shoot.

To take this one out, so it does not breed any further. I worked hard on this guy, very illusive. 175EH from 280AI, 240 yards bang-flop.