I am thinking of leasing some land in Clay County but wondering how the hunting is up there. This place is a couple miles east of Lake Arrowhead. It is 600 acres. Has a small wheat field, and one large open pasture but it is about 60-70% mesquite cover. It has 2 large ponds that always hold water on it and 2 others that are small seasonal ponds. There is no water and no electricity and about 40 cows on it. Also it is pretty covered up in broomweed.
When I looked at the land I saw a few deer tracks around the ponds but not much other sign, however no one has been feeding for about 4 or 5 months.

My concern is that surrounding this property is almost all large open ag fields without much cover. I know deer aren't living on the place but will they cross such open area to get to this place? What do you think?

Also he wants $10/acre. Reasonable or a little high?

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10 an acre is about going price.I doubt you will have an abundance of deer,but never know.I have had a few places in Clay and they were fair.

Broomweed often flourishes where overgrazing has occurred. Once it takes hold it's difficult to get rid of.

$10/acre seems a bit high for a place with no cabin and no electricity or water for a camp.

Personally, I'd keep looking for someplace that has a bit more diversity in vegetation and topography. For that money you should be able to find a place with at least electric and water.

Is it deer only or birds also? For just deer only with what your are getting for the asking I would say to high. Regrowth mesquite really offers no food value just cover to hide in.

It's anything we want to hunt. The owner isn't a hunter and as long as he's paid he said we can hunt whatever and manage it however we want.

The cows need to go if you're gonna deer hunt.

good luck with that

If it is just bedding cover without much browse then your amount of deer will be limited to rainfall or you supplementing them. All mesquites is not the best deer habitat. Has it been hunted in the past?

Yes it has but not this past season. he's a very hands off owner so he didn't have much info in past kills and what not.
The land is 2 300 acre sections and the cows are only on one side at any given time if that matters.

The season is winding down now. Offer the land owner $200 to hunt it for the rest of the season.
Let him know that if it works out well for both you and him that you would like to retain the hunting rights at $10/acre for the place.

I hunt in the edge of clay and Montague county, seen lots of deer, hogs and Turkey, But $10 is a little high for something that doesnt have water or electricity

You probably have some oak trees over there. All mesquite here.

He actually acknowledged that he's probably a little high but said he gets bombarded by lease brokers art 8/acre.

There is some good deer in that area. $8/acre is about right in my opinion. Brokers might be offering him $8, but my guess is he'd rather deal direct with you direct than a 3rd party that is going to bring in random folks from who knows where to hunt. I'd try to work him down a little. My guess is you can only really hunt about 4 hunters on that place. I've never hunted a place that didn't have cows, they don't hurt a thing as long as you fence off your feeder.

I grew up right down the road from there and we still have a little place on Arrowhead. Nice country up there.