touchy subject. paying members spend good money to have a place and animals to hunt. always seems like stands get "borrowed" when no one is around and for a guy like me that hunts year round its a pain. dont need somebody messing up my program.

also run a chance of folks selling hunts for pigs or varmits in off season. not that its a bad thing but there again it puts a dent in critters you are paying to hunt.

I manage our lease, but I can tell you it is not a dictatorship. All of the guys on the lease are good friends, and every year we vote on the rules for guests. In the past 15 years with most of these guys ( we have had some turnover), our guest policy is pretty simple. Guests are allowed only twice per deer season, no bucks allowed unless a management buck or spike, and they come off the paid guns tag. No more than one guest per trip, two total for the season. Off season, deer season, guests are allowed. Turkey, varmints and hogs are totally fine. The first two weeks in September guests are allowed for dove, but no predator or hog hunting at night. We have guys that bow hunt and want to give the ranch a rest the last 2 weeks of September. No guest is allowed to hunt during bow season and opening weekend of rifle. Of course this works for us as we all have been friends for many years. There have been only 2 instances in the last decade where we have had to bring in someone we did not personally know, and it just didn't work out. They were were promoted to non guests!

Our old lease had strict guest rules, and I liked them, never had a problem with them. If you needed help to work on soething bring help. If you wanted to bring someone with you while hunting it had to be your child, your husband or wife/girlfriend or boyfriend (of the oposite gender of course!)they were only alowed to sit with you in your blind, not alone, and they were not alowed to shoot anythign, no not even off your tags.

matt

Our rules are pretty simple & strict which are set by the landowner. Hunting is limited to family. Deer allowed per gun / purchased spot are 2 does & 2 bucks. Family can use there tags which counts against the per gun limits. Hogs and exotics can be taken as well during season. We are able to hunt during deer season & can hunt turkey during spring turkey season. No hunting is allowed except during those times. It seems to work pretty well with the exception we don't have a bow season.

We allow one guest per member for dove season and during quail season after deer season is complete. No guest are allowed from opening weekend till after Thanksgiving during deer season. After that if there will not be more than 6 people staying at the lease then you are allowed to bring your family or one non family member guest. Each paid spot is allowed 1 buck and 3 does. Your wife or son/daughter can shoot any of those 4 but it does come off of your tag. Guest must stay with the paid gun at all times and are not allowed to sit alone.

The problem with guests is the wife and kids turn into non paying members, friends and other family start dropping hints and or regularly bugging you to invite them again.

Besides kids under 18 no bucks payed for lease no bucks taken, no dough for lease no doe taken. Pigs are fair game.

I think this system is the way to go...He's your guest you double up with him in the stand, and if he's not a good enough buddy to share a blind with.....Then why should all the paying hunters share their lease with him?

Although we don't have a no guest rule, no one evers brings one in fear of upsetting what has been an extremely successful lease in all regards.

My last lease was fairly unique. First it was large and each hunter had over a section to himself. Secondly, it was MLD3 and each hunter had a very large quota of deer. Really more than one person needed or could handle. Guests were necessary to aid in the killing of the required doe quota. Also, we were 20 miles from the border. It was infested with rattlesnakes. Cell service was spotty to nonexistent. It just wasn't safe to be there alone. Plus it was a 250 mile drive.

Now, if it were a small place with a small quota then this policy wouldn't work. Also, the majority of my time off is during the week. Many times my guest and I would be the only two in camp for days. I think you have to have an open mind about it for various reasons and circumstances.

Our policy is no guests from opening day until Thanksgiving. They use your tags at all other times. Seems like a fair way to run it.

Shoot all pigs and nothing else

I have a buddy that takes me with him from time to time. I hunt in a stand by myself at times, but prefer to sit in the blind and hunt with him. I will not shoot a deer unless it is a spike that needs to be shot. I just enjoy going with him, and don't really care about shooting anything. I also go with him on weekends work needs to be done. Alot of times we go up there and there is nobody else up there so it is safer with me being there instead of him being up there by himself. I guess its not really a matter of your guest policy, just a matter of if the guest is respectful

Don't start something you can't stop.

I know that sounds harsh but that's about the only workable policy right there. Been there and done that.

This is how we do it.

We have no guests during hunting season per rancher unless immediate family, kids and wives shoot mgt deer and if they shoot a trophy that is your buck. One Muley per paid hunter doesn't matter who in their family shoots it. We have had zero problems we have had a few guests to help with work in ff season and to shoot pigs. But we only have 5 paid hunters and we are all friends and have no issues.

I would not be on lease where there were NOT limits on guest. I would limit how many each time and how many total. I would also let each animal taken, go against the legal limit of the lease member who invited. Also, I would have a yahoo group account set up and require each to report who they will have and when..Voilations are immediate removal from lease. If you dont, it will be a free for all and you WILL have problems...Trust me...