so what you are saying that a rancher is obligated to let people come out and hunt for free, or cheap, and to deny them a source of income.

who is gonna put gas in the ranchers trucks, food on his table or HIS kids/grandkids thru school?

if its overpriced, like 40 acres for $3k, its overpriced and that's why you are seeing it....cause there are no takers. if someone has $3k to spend on a 40 acre lease, good for both the landowner and the lessee.

there is a million acres of public land in texas that the tax payers pay for and anyone can access.

No sir we're not. We think nature's grand and that every child should have the opportunity to pull the trigger. I spend a lot of time doing just that with friends and aquaintances. Gonna take 9 kids out the first weekend of MLD season.

What you might not understand is what it takes to run a hunting ranch. Someone has to pay. Most of the landowners I know are pretty good about letting folks who can't afford trophies shoot culls and does and charge accordingly and actually let them do ranch work and pay nothing.

The folks who whine about cost typically are sitting on their a** wanting to turn back the clock to a time that will never return.

Competition and a free market force good improvements. Paying more for hunting is not a bad thing. Just like paying more for whatever it is that makes your living is NOT A BAD THING!!!

Think about that.

Actually, there are over 4 million acres of public land. No need to thank me... just doing my part to educate the young inexperienced kids on the forum...

Thats when a sport was a sport..its all gone crazy..

It also keeps alot of youth like the 18 year old that we took in from ever getting that opportunity.

How is that? I don't know anyone that doesn't know someone that that 18 year old can't fill feeders for for the right to shoot a doe.

I hear a lot of whining but I don't see any real obstructions to people with initiative and drive.

And therein lies the problem IMO. We are raising a lot of "gimme gimme's" and fewer "I'll go get what I wants". Now THAT'S SAD!!!

whats a 3 million acre spread?

so if you have something on your property, a swimming pool, for instance. are you obligated to let me and my family come swim because I don't have a swimming pool?

if people knew the real cost they would chit a brick.

And where would someone find a place that would let them kill a doe for filling feeders? I hear about all of the public land, but I have hunted it myself and will not put a kid in that type of situation. Too dangerous for me. I have NEVER asked for anyone to give me anything! This kid that we took in was abandoned by his parents. They chose drugs over him. The cost for leases is TOO HIGH for me to afford to pay for all of us. I just want to pay a REASONABLE price for a lease that doesn't over regulate what I can shoot. I don't need a TROPHY lease, just a place that has animals so we can get some meat and a nice buck every now and then.

I quit paying for a deer lease along time ago. One day we sat down and added up lease cost, walmart, corn, walmart, fuel, food, walmart, utilities, feeders, batteries, stands, chainsaws, planting, etc. and WOW! $$$$

We took take same money and discovered a whole new world. The first year we booked a couple of hog hunts, an exotic hunt then went Muskox hunting.

The next year plains game in Africa.

Add it "ALL" up, Whitetail is not everything!

Only when you believe it is, do rancher's keep raising the price.

Step out, there is a whole world outside the lease.

Wow, 10 years ago I hunted Mason Co for $1000 I would suggest since your always moaning and groaning about prices on here, go buy your own land. Then IF you decide to lease it out, you can charge what you think. 200 acres for $3000? yes, I would say $1500 a gun is a going rate these days or you might squeeze 3 on that200 acres and get by with $1000 per gun. It just get old complaining about it!
BTW, when my Dad started in the late 60's...... he paid $25

And there ya go. No whining, just adapt and overcome!! I loveit!!

draw hunts, for one. public lands for another, just hike in further and get further off the roads.

a lot of places are MLD and they will come out and let you shoot does for $150/doe. and you will see a lot of animals and get on some good ranches.

get on with some guys at the feed store, old ranchers, etc. I know a lot of ranchers that are working class that would gladly trade a doe or cull for some regular help around the farm

Dear Sir, No disrespect intended. Take them rabbit hunting, a hog hunt, book a doe hunt with any of the outfitters listed on the THF. $100 - $300. I guarantee you will create memories that will last a lifetime. Horns never make a child better it's the experience and time spent together.

In my early years I could not afford to pay for 2 spots. But I took my children fishing, small game hunting etc. and they loved every moment.

Respectfully

Txmachinist,

I can feel your frustration. There are options out there.


call my buddy mike marbach.

www.mycoa.org

God bless you for taking in a youth from a broken home

You know what none of you "old timers" had when you bought cokes for a nickel?

You didn't have a $200/mo cell phone bill.
You didn't have an $80/mo cable TV bill.
You didn't have an internet service bill.
You probably didn't have air conditioning in your car and you may not have had it in your house.
You didn't need to "remodel" your kitchen or bathroom every ten years if it worked fine.
You ate at food you cooked...at home.
You probably didn't pay a month's wages for a hunting rifle.

Sure costs have gone up, but so have expenses. It's about priorities folks.

true

What day was that? I've been hunting whitetails for over 50 years and they were leasing then. And we thought the price was just as outragious, a 100 dollars a section was allot of money back then.

I have some gentlemen coming out for the opening of youth season. $100 a point for the bucks and $100 for a doe. For $1000 a person could get an 8 point buck and a couple of does. And you call that a good return on property that would bring close to $2,000,000.

Wanna list it? I'll get you a good return

This post is getting out of control...... :-)

Don't they all?

You are right, it is about priorities. If hunting was a big enough priority for you, you would find a way. I decided not to deer hunt this year. I have 3 in the freezer and don't need any more. Instead I bought a dove lease and go out with my young son a few times a week. That is my priority right now.

Something you left off your list was that we had no deer on the place back then. Only my CPA and I know how much I have spent over the past years to be able to charge these "out of control" prices.