Members,

I need your feedback/opinions/suggestions/etc. I am probably fixing to join a lease this week. Had a good convo with the lease manager tonight and am going out to look at lease this week. Unfortunately I do not know him or a soul on this lease. When I go out and look at the lease this week, he will be expecting the check to reserve my spot (the lease is seasonal so total amount due before season). I am not very hip on just handing someone I dont know a four figure check, shake hands and then hope the gate is open on opening morning - Especially in these hard economic times.

What should I do to help protect myself? Generally are there contracts you sign? what about asking for identification of the person you are giving check to? I am definitely going to ask for contact info of other members prior to our meeting out there this week. Other than that I dont know what more I can do. Your thoughts and suggestions are greatly apreciated.

Your concerns are well justified. Several years ago, I notified a lease agent in the Spring that I was terminating his September to August lease. He "neglected" to tell his lessees, took their money for the coming season and ran. It was not pleasant. We caught what we thought was a poacher on the property 3 or 4 years ago. As it turned out, someone from Dallas had sold him a week-end hunt. Paid cash to a friend of a friend... I left it to the Game Warden to sort it out and the entire case eventually went in the trash basket at the courthouse. There are some con artists in every business. Thank goodness, I have had the same group of fellows on the ranch for the last 10-15 years. Do not have to worry about that problem anymore.

Man, donot hand over money without a written contract. There are a lot of shady characters out there and I have unfortunately run into more than one. One of them did jail time but we were fortunate to also get our money back. It did cost me one full season of deer hunting though by the time it all got sorted out and its hard to put a value on that.

Write him a check for half, ask to see his driver's license and copy down the info. Also write down the license plate on his vehicle. Before you head out ask if you may contact someone on that lease and talk to them and make sure everyhting is on the up! Most of be careful and use common sense!!!

Make sure you sign a Lease Agreement on the spot. 2 Copies with signatures of both parties. One copy for him, and one for you.

That makes the transaction legal and binding. Best way to protect yourself.

It's is a strange feeling handing a check to a stranger. I got on a lease this year with 5 other guys. I was able to meet with three of them and we got to meet each other before I decided. Which made us all feel more comfortable. In my case, these guys are great and it's a sweet lease. It's always a gamble.

personaly I would probably want to see a copy of the property deed and be able to contact owner of property.

Yes, get the property owners name, and phone # if possible. Just tell him you want the owners name and # just for emergentcy reasons only! Everyone on the lease should have the owners name and #. Find out, before you meet with him if possible, through the county who owns the land. Don't just take his word for anything, he could give you his buddy's name and # as the owner and as other hunters on the lease. If he is on the up, he will not have a problem with asking for the info. You don't know him and he does not know you. If you can't find out before you meet, then find out asap. You can always stop payment on the check. And yes get 2 copy's of the lease agreement signed and dated! Good luck with it and save some back straps for me.

This topic comes up every year and here in a couple months there will be a couple more from folks that joined a new lease and find out they were scammed and the owner charged them with trespassing or some such.

Before you travel all that way to visit the property, have the primary lessee or agent to fax you a copy of their Lease and/or letter of agency with the owner. Also, ask them to fax to you any lease and related documents you will be required to sign as well. If the person your dealing with tells you that they only deal on a handshake, don't waste your time.

As many times as this topic comes up on here it would seem the moderators might think about creating a reference area where you could find examples of leases to use? I know I have a couple that could be used.

also check with the local GW to see if he had any problems with the guys or owner, btw the owner has to have a state license to lease the land out for hunting ask to see his copy of this licenses

i see how a signing a contract protects you if you need to prove you are authorized to hunt and if you need to sue, but it cant protect your check from being cashed and having to track the person down, charge him, get your money back and not to mention all of the time consumed to do these things. i like looking up the landowner, talking with them and making this guy jump through hoops. if you get a bad vibe or funny feeling then don't do it. don't get pressured into doing it, remember you wont have to ever see this person again