I won't tell you what I do to afford a lease, but I can tell you what I had to do to get in the position to afford a lease.

I busted my hump in school from 2nd grade on. Graduated at the top of my class in high school. Went to college, working jobs to meet tuition, room, board, books, etc.

Then I graduated college, took a job working 80-90 hour weeks. Moved out and up to other jobs.

Now I make enough to afford the $2000/year deer lease and all the accessories that come along with it.

That was expected when the land changed hands. I'm not too worried about it, I hunted the place more as a guest than I did as a member. That was just a place for me to entertain guests and keep them away from the main places we hunt.

Sounds like it was pretty clearly underpriced, rifleman.

Sounds like it still might be, so just be glad to have it.

That place isn't going anywhere, unless the Fed Govt offers up the right $. Looks like it will peak at $1500 next year and hold for 5.

Amen to that.....I get sick of hearin people piss and moan about lease prices when all they'd have to do is get rid of one of their credit card bills and that would more than pay for a NICE lease.

Well I have only 1 car payment and a cheap mortgage. I havent't used credit cards in almost 2 years, tore them up. I still can't justify the high priced leases. If you are content then I am happy for you. Thanks

Well, I can give up Smoking. I can give up Drinking. I can give up Big Macs 2X per day. And I can give up Krispy Creme Donuts.

But I can not give up the local Gentlemen's Club.

So is it a deer lease for only 4 months per year, ... or the club all year. Sorry, the club wins. I prefer does to bucks.

If you only spend $1500 at a gentlemen's club in a year, you're going to the lowest of the low.

I spend that in a weekend if I end up at those places.

its a hottly debateble topic here, This will will never ever change there will always be high priced leases or hunts, just think about it ??? m buddy is on a 2500 acer lease it only has 6 guns on the lease they have Trophy deer, hogg, java, turkey, Neilgi, critters the ranch also shares a low fence with the King Ranch..they have a ranch house with satalite and also 2 trailers they will hold 5 people each. and the ranch is 45 mins from his house.... so to him its worth every penny he dosnt have to go out there and feed or bring corn or anything its all taken care of, but thats what 4500 bucks gets you...

You said 1500 bucks if i could find a place that had deer, wild hoggs, on it and i could bow and gun hunt it i whould be down considering the acers and amount of hunters..

you gotta realize there will always be guys with tons of money willing to outbid there are very few owners that are loyal now..

its a buissnes and it takes money to run these places and a lot of it..this is why i will only lease with friends or go on day or weekend hunts..

now you ask about money ect.. im only 26, my bills are truck and rent and cell phone, i have no debt except a truck, and i dont own credit cards. I live with my GF we have no children. i dont make alot of cash im a Firefighter/EMT.. so im not rich i just manage money well i guess.. and save and use my tax returns and overtime money to pay for new guns or bows or hunts..

Where can we find 3 spots on a 1.5K per year lease Central/West Texas?

BTW what I do is done... kids out of school!

hey dude bow hunt its cheaper !!!

Not much cheaper! LOL. Go to kansas, bigger deer and cheaper.

well us quail hunters have it worse. our birds are dying off.
the experts cant figure out why. most bird leases have to wait half the season to start because of deer hunters. and our prices are still going up.

and there is a very strong opinion that the deer corn is killing our quail. we are losing that battle cause deer is king here.

Huh ?

I am on a new lease this year, 6500 acres in central Texas.
Just south of Seguin
It's 4200 bucks!
OUCH
Here's how I rationalize it:
Year round access
1.5 hrs from my house
Level 3 MLD
children and guests are ok
160 class deer
hogs
turkey
dove
several stocked lakes
cabins
walk in cooler
turn key, show up and hunt
blinds, corn and protein are taken care of

It's a LOT of money, and I have access to friend's places but I am on their schedule. It's very important to me to be able to take my kids hunting, fishing, exploring the outdoors, etc..
And my brother got on the lease, and it's 45 minutes from my parent's house, so, dad cam come out and join us.

I paid 1500 for a crappy small lease last year and we got one deer and put in stands, corn, work.
When you factor in putting corn out, gas, etc.. it adds up quickly.

I have a good job in the computer industry and can barely afford the place.. but, we started a side business (www.tacticalhuntingreview.com) to help offset it and hopefully pay for it by selling ads, affiliate programs, etc..

If you want something bad enough, you will find a way to pay for it.

Where I frankly think land owners are short sighted is what is seeming to be the trend on lease ads: NO CHILDREN
If they don't get the bug early on by hunting with dad, they won't be paying for leases 20 - 30 years from now...

comes down to whether or not its worth it to you.. personally I've always done what I had to to get on a place to hunt.. been on cheap leases as well as expensive ones all were worth it to me because hunting is somthing I love to do.. but now that my parents have been fortunate enough to aquire their own place I dont have to worry about it, nor will it be offered because we have seen the crybaby, sense of entitlement side of people first hand with fellow hunters on past leases... if its not worth it you dont want it bad enough.. YOU PAY TO PLAY

Heck if I could just get my two girls out of Daycare I could afford any lease in Texas. 2 more years to go, comeon kindergarten.

my suggestino to people that dont want to pay big money on a lease is do a good package hunt with a repitul outfitter and get what you want yes youll pay around 5000 but you just hunt. you dont work, you dont feed, you dont have to spend alot of time off work you dont cook , Heck you dont even have to gut your deer! outfitters have management hunts for bucks scoring fro 135 to 150 that are much less than you would spend on a do it yourself lease, and most likeley kill a better deer.

We have been in the deer busniness for about 12 years now, having hunted for about 30 years. I have done it all from Type 2, state draw hunts, cheap leases, hunting with friends, nicer leases, guided and semi-guided........

I prefer leasing my own, to everyting except buying my own, which I work on daily.

I got into the management side 12 years ago. Came about as our then current landowner was fed up with the other hunters he leased to, and we took over. We actually saved that place from never being hunted again. Which is common by the way.

Here's my suggesstion. Buy into a nice lease, decent area, work hard on upkeep, maintenance, management, and just being a sportsman. I have yet to see a landowner run someone off just on price. Sure it happens. But if things are going well, they aren't picking up trash, closing gates behind you, etc. most we deal with won't take the chance of having to change.

Are there commercial places that deer hunting is the business... yes. Can they be greedy, I am sure. Our landowners GROSS about 20-30k a year from deer hunting. They ain't getting rich off that. Nice supplement, you bet... but not getting rich.

I have places available right now for $10 an acre. With electricity, established and managed very conservatively the last few years... they are out there. Just have to do your homework and treat them with respect.

We try to give the landowner a 3% inflation rasise every year. They did not ask for it, we just do it to keep things good for everyone involved. Just trying to match the inflation rate and keep the lease we like.
Coop

this is the most loaded question on thf..i have been off this site for six months now I can see each side of the argument..and have come to the conclusion that if u cant afford to hunt then quit ..like i have..i have hunted all my life and didnt pay a dime..then in the last ten years i have been on paid leases...There is ALWAYS somebody that is willing to pay and the unfortunate thing is that those of us that have hunting in our blood cant keep up with the higher prices..I had been neglecting things for years to juggle the price of a lease..no more!,,Again i agree with both sides..but..boy i sure do miss the commaraderie..and all the good stuff around the campfire..Peace deer huntin brethren!

well said ggunn, I am trying to hang on as long as I can. However I do have limits!