I started a post "should I stay or should I go"...
(leaving my current lease for a new lease..)

Before I jump ship...

What are some good solid questions to ask a lease manager prior to dishing out my money?

1. Price
2. Location
3. Rules...

ETC...

What should I watch out for?

Is it a year round lease? If not, when are work weekends?
Kid/guest friendly?
What can I shoot? Extra to shoot exotics? Ask even if they aren't on there, never know when a free range axis or fallow might pop out.
What has been shot in the past? Pictures?
ATVs allowed?
Can I drive off the road?
Multiple stand locations per person?
Cattle?

Justin T covered all major questions that usually seem to be issues. IMO for $2,000 per gun it better be year round (all legal game is huntable)!

Is hunting by bling only or can you spot stalk?
Do you have your own area, or shared stands?
Boundaries?
How is feeding handled?
Written lease rules? (I can tell you from experience you want them written)
Owners expectations?

If one hunter out of all leasing messes up (trespasses, commits a game violation, does something not allowed by the landowner), does it make the entire group to lose their lease and all money?

Is electricity/water available and is it included in the price or is that extra?

Does the landowner hunt there too and his/her family/friends hunt the land also, or is it just lease holders only?

Can a cabin or hunter-shack be built and where?

Is it a long-term lease with a fixed lease price?

Just a few

Get all of this in writing and make sure the lessor will agree to that so they can't change their mind/terms after you have paid them. It does not have to be anything elaborate but I would highly recommend a written agreement.

don't forget to ask specific questions regarding day hunts! seen to much of this going on.

References. Ask for references from hunters staying and going. Find out way hunters are leaving. IF the lease manager won't provide them keep moving. Trust me I learned the hard way.

Is the landowner or any of his family going to be hunting.

I made up a checklist I used when calling around for a new lease. I just copied/pasted it here. It didn't paste very good but if you just copy it and paste into a Word document add some tabs back in and it should be OK. Do one for everyone you call because it is easy to get them confused after calling a few. Mostly it is fill in the blank or check it off. Hope this helps.


DEER LEASE
LOCATION:
County-


COST: $________________ # OF ACRES: ____________
TERRAIN:
Ponds- Creeks- Planted Fields- Timber/Brush-



# OF HUNTERS______________ GUESTS:______

TYPE OF GAME:
Deer- Fall Turkey- Spring Turkey- Dove-
Quail- Duck- Coyotes- Bobcats-
Rattlesnakes- Hogs- Javelina- Fishing-
Does/Permits- Rabbits- Squirrels-


1 OR 2 BUCK COUNTY: __________________ AR's_____

FACILITIES:
Electricity- Water- Firewood- Outhouse-
Camping- Deer Stands- Deer Feeders- Roads-
Buildings- ATV’s OK?-


LEASE:
Dates- Releasing Rights-
Exclusive access all year-
Prior Lease History-


Game Management-

REFERENCES:
Name:
Address:
Phone:

OWNER'S NAME:
ADDRESS:
PHONE NUMBER: ( ) -

Since you are leaving your lease for a reason.

That question (reason for leaving) should be resolved in your pursuit of new one, no?

If you are a beer drinker....better ask if alcohol is allowed.