Yeah I can see that my place is too small. I killed one of my nicest bucks on one of those "guest" stands located right by the highway many years back. Killed another on the same place at the kids' "oat patch" stand right by the house (no kids there).

Is your friend's lease also in Tyler Co?

Our lease has the community stand process. It sucks. There are things we could do to make it more palatable but the way it is now sucks. It's the main reason I'm looking for a new lease. It isn't right that you feed year round, put up several stands for different wind directions and someone else can set a camera up and hunt your spot when they barely feed until right up at hunting season, only have one stand poorly placed and never hunt the spot they maintain. There are some guys who make as much effort as you do and you don't mind reciprocating with them at all. But I guess that's in all things in life. Good lease other than that though.

We had 8 stands up last year for 3 hunters. We all split the food plot and feed bill evenly. All cam pics were downloaded on the cabin laptop and everyone had access to all pics. Each person had exclusive access to their first stand on opening weekend and after that it was a draw for the stands. We never had to draw as most stands had lots of pics. We all killed our 2 buck limit and passed on many does. Leases work best when the group is all friends.

Last year was my first year on a big lease. I'm the ramrod, we have 5k acres and I took 9 members. I told everyone they needed to set up corn & protein feeders ASAP when we secured the lease. It was an every man for yourself type of deal, no hunting others spots w/o permission. Me and another guy set up protein feeders and corn feeders in March. A couple guys set up corn feeders when we did, but no other protein until I set up another one, and another member put one up in August. Three members waited until October to set up (only corn feeders), then they shot the only bucks we killed last year, three bucks that I had been feeding all year, and they shot one out of my stand without telling me (found out through someone else that was there). They also shot a button buck the first day they showed up.

After all that, we are going to an all community system, and you have first dibs on hunting any spot that you set up yourself as long as you are present. It is mandatory that each member supply at least 1corn feeder and 1 free choice protein feeder, set up no later than March. Cost of feed is now figured into the Lease dues as well. It's pretty disheartening to put in all that effort and have someone else reap the benefit. The 3 I mentioned are not invited back next season.

I'm sorry, but this is plain stupid.
Some people like me, get on a lease to kill deer, not to feed them. I would never get on a place that "made it mandatory" to set up a feeder.
Now hunting somebody else's stand is one thing, but making them put up feeders, corn AND protein, C'mon man!!!

I was told when I got on our lease that some members didnt want others hunting their area/blinds period, and some dont mind at all, with their permission. So, me and one other buddy of mine work together out there, and our blinds and feeder are NOT community property, and no one may hunt them without permission whether we are there or not. Our blinds are locked and you have to get the key to access, and we have the keys. We put in alot of work over the last two seasons and we dont mind sharing, as we all paid the same, however, there are times when we will be out there and we would plan to hunt our areas, and we dont want someone else putting pressure there right before we plan to hunt. Just as we wouldnt want to intrude on anothers plan for their area. It's all about respect and cooperation.
In addition,I made a map and each hunters name on a tag which they hang on the stand/area they will be hunting that day, so we all know where somebody is out there so we can be safe.

Bowhunting a set up is worse than gun hunting. A bowhunter who is not careful with his/her scent will screw up a setup faster than if they sit in a blind a hundred yards away.