I may very well give up on leases after this season and just start going somewhere for a week long hunt every year. I am really tired of dealing with land owners and lease agents that don't stand behind their word. It just isn't worth it to me! I am done ranting for now!!

You can always come out to our place for a few days. With the cabin done I will be filling some diy hunts.

Depending on cost and size of your lease,it may be better to not lease. I know some guys paying 3k-5k per year. Then factor in maintenance,fuel to and from numerous trips a year. And they still only bag 3 deer. Those thousands could go towards big hunts in alaska,canada,etc if someone desired. Or just a couple 3-5 day hunts here in TEXAS.

Did you get on the lease in Stonewall county that was advertised back in the Spring?

I am definately going to weigh my options between now and May. I have 2 sons that hunt with me also, that IS the only thing that might keep me from doing it. If I sell all my stuff I could pay for several good hunts.

Hey farmerdad I know where you are coming from. I have been on the same lease for much longer than I care to think about and tired of all th BS. This past week we were scheduled to go out to Crocket county to look at a lease and th day before the owner called and said they decided not to lease this year. Just wondering if anyone on this board is currently doing the day or week hunts and if they have any recomendations. I agree it would probably be less costly than the way we are doing it now. Heck just th corn and protin costs alone would go a long way on a package hunt. Yes I hunt East Texas and down south and south west when I can find a decent ran lease.

I know what you mean. We have moved up to MLD2 status, and it SUX BAD!! Only 15 buck permits for 3200 acres???And 30 doe permits??We have over 20 members so some members WON'T get to shoot a buck. Over $1000.00 to get to shoot 1 or 2 does????
This biologist MUST be smoking crack??

Hey dont have a lease???? well have I got a deal for you!!!!

This situation is what I tailor our operation for. We can offer a fully guided package or a less expensive DIY with cabin etc. 5 days at our place is a great time and a fun relaxing hunt.

ETX284 you need to have a sit down with your biologist. We simply told them we needed to have at least one MLD permit per member. If you let him know you are wanting to get out of the MLD program they should work with you. Keeping you all happy and in the program is important to his job no MLD clubs no need for as many biologists. Also when doing your spotlight counts make sure you count all the bucks you see. Add a few to get th count up. They will normally give you a permit for every 150 acres so push the threshold before they hand out the permits. Even if it is too late for this round of permits request more they can get them in two weeks.
They have to give you the permits but they will tell you to only harvest so many. Did you all set up the MLD program or the land owner? The land owner should work with you on the numbers. No one will give $1,000 bucks and not have a chance to get a buck.

I have been really blessed with the lease I am on and will stay on it as long as I can. If I ever have to get off though, I'm done with leasing. I will go on a couple hunts every year and hunt the National Forest here close to the house. My dues aren't that much, but my other expenses are pretty high. I've done the math, just hope the wife never does!!!

I'm already there farmerdad. I'm limited in vacation time this year so I'm just shopping for a fairly close to home weekend hunt for this year. But next year and the years to follow I plan on taking a week off and live "the good life" while filling the freezer.
Landowers, upkeep, and year around expense are issues but don't leave out "do nothing" members and those that could give a "bleep" less about the property which leads to an even more problems with the land owner (and rightly so).
If I find a good place to spend 3 - 5 days a year without costing a small furtune, have a decent chance at a cull/management buck and a doe or two (maybe drop extra $$$ for an occasional WOW buck) then I found my new "lease" for years to come. At least that is the plan ...

What kind of management plan do you have? Are you trying to harvest bigger/older deer or just everyone gets to shoot bucks and does? On lots of places you can not have it both ways. If you have deer running out of your ears then I would tend to agree with your statement about your biologist smoking crack but if he is trying to follow a strict management plan and your deer numbers are not real high, then I think he is just doing his job IMO?

Not trying to sound abrasive, I have just heard this and similar stories from some guys I know and I always ask that question.

I too would struggle with paying that much for a doe permit. I have gotten away from leasing myself for now.

And this is why I hunt out west every year. With tags, trip out there and back, and groceries all comes to around 700.00 and I have 200 sq miles to hunt. Granted, I don't get a deer every year but the times I have in camp and the deer I do see makes it all worthwhile.

Ya, all I have to do is figure out how to do convince my boys of this. Hopefully it would only be for a few years and then I could buy some land of my own.

Keeping in mind that with an MLD status, if you use up all your MLD atags, you can still use your regular TPWD tags when needed.

EXT sounds like there are too many guns on your property. 3 bucks per section is what we harvest. It really does not seem unreasonable. You may have to restructure your lease.

x2

Just because you don't get an MLD permit doesn't mean every lessee can't shoot a buck.

This is in EAST Texas We regularly take 25-30 bucks EVERY year. On the spotlight count(drive around drinking beer night) The GW and lease manager saw 1 doe. Last year they saw 2 does. LMAO!

We have ran this lease since 1958. We KNOW what we are doing and we kill good bucks EVERY year. THIS biologist is CRAZY.

I would double check this one guys. Under a Level 1 permit you use your own buck tags off of your license and MLDP tags on spikes and doe. Under level 3 " Once permits have been issued, every deer (buck and antlerless) harvested on the property must be tagged with an appropriate Level 3 MLDP"..
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications...tailed_deer.pdf

bingo - we have a winner.

unless this is high fence and stocked you my friend are the one smoking crack - 20 bucks off of 3200ac is not good management. the biologist knows what he's doing - thats what he went to school for.

Lots of people went to school for lots of things. That fancy piece of paper framed on the wall in his office doesn't mean he's necessarily right. My lease isn't long from being in ETX284's shoes and I had seen the writing on the wall some time back. Regardless of whether or not the biologist is "right" the fact of the matter is not too many people are going to be be willing to hand over their lease money, do the work and not be allowed to kill a buck if the opportunity presented itself. I sure as hell wouldn't.

And I didn't co to bioligist school