OK. I'm set for the 2014-2015 season, not looking for something for this season.

That said, I just moved to NTX from Alabama a month ago. The Texas lease I had a line on didn't work out so I just rejoined my club in Alabama. I figure I can hunt close to half the season. Great place, it's just 750 miles away.

You folks hear this from people new to Texas all the time- shock over the incredible prices of the leases compared to other parts of the country, and difficulty making connections. But your system here really is different.

So, Lone Star Deer Hunters:

What's the single best way to go about finding a deer lease in this state?

I just refuse to hunt public land- I'll take up bass fishing and skeet shooting before I do that.

Not going to spend $4K or thereabouts to hunt deer. That's nuts. Not when there is hunting land that I know well and which I have taken over 25 deer the past few years that is available to me year 'round for a fraction of that cost.

Not interested in strict QDM, either. Antler requirements are good, but the one club I was in with QDMA nazis was not a good experience. Hard to have QDM when you don't have any QD.

What I am seeing on this board are things like someone will put out a desperate request for a hunting lease (many times with Perfect World type requirements), and a pile of people will read it, but nobody will answer. Sometimes it's not hard to figure out why (Must be within 20 minutes of Plano, must allow 20 guests per day, etc...) other times they seem to be pretty reasonable.

So, I'm not desperate. I have a place to hunt, probably for the rest of my life if I can deal with getting the time off and the long drives.

So let's say... February. What's the best way to go about it for an experienced hunter who is not:

A. A lifelong Texas resident with decades of connections
B. A member of the Knights Templar
C. Affiliated with the Illumimati or the CFR.
D. a UT or A&M alumnus (I'm an Auburn man. War Damn Eagle.)


Thanks,

Rick

Welcome to North Texas! Hunting in Texas is really a mixed bag...we have $15,000 high fenced ranch day hunts for trophy ear tags and all the way down to $750 season club leases on timber land and alot in between.

A good place to start is ask yourself what you want to hunt...
1. How far to drive?
2. Cost?
3. Access (year round)
4. How big of place?
5. What type of hunter are you? (meat, horns, just want to get away from wife, etc)

Give me some answers and I can steer you in some area's...

Once you determine those factors you have a better understanding of what might be out there...

Thanks, KCH.

I pretty much have those answered, but you're right. And I already had excel sheets with comparisons of costs, driving time, all that, before I moved here (had some time on my hands).

Something I seem to be seeing (and correct me if I'm wrong), is the expectation of hunters (or groups of hunters) to send in a fat check for a lease pretty much sight unseen in many cases. I don't know how widespread that is, but I wouldn't do that.

But you know, hunters on a lease vetting a new member and a new hunter vetting a new club or lease is (or should be) a two way street. And like most of us who have been at this a while, I've been on both sides of that- sometimes being The New Guy that everybody is sizing up, and other times being one of the Old Guard helping decide whether that other New Guy seems like a good match for the people already there and they way they hunt. And I know well from experience that it only takes one bad apple to mess it up for everybody else. Even if he's gone the next year, never to be seen again, that's a lot of money, time, and trouble wasted for everybody else and hunting goes from being a fine experience to a stressful one. So hunters are protective of their hunting land, I get that. So am I.

But I can't see joining a club or a lease without having a chance to look the place over and to talk with the other people a bit, just to get a feel for it. Sometimes you just have to go wtih your gut in some situations- what seems like a good deal could just feel wrong when you actually get there and talk to people, and sometimes something that you may not have been interested in can change once you can do that.

Texas is a huge freakin' place (news flash, right?). What would you say is a good way to cover all those bases?

Rick...sounds like you have done some homework on Texas deer hunting.

OK...it sounds like you want to join an established lease as opposed to finding a small place for yourself or a new oppportunity.

If that is case I would keep on constant eye on this board and also the Texasbowhunter board (its quite large). For most average leases within four hours or so I would expect to pay somewhere in the ball park of $2000 for the lease fee...some more some less, also many larger leases want/expect you to pay a protein/corn bill divided up among the members as well as water/electricity...

It is always hard being the new kid on the block in an established lease that has a hierachy and seniority system...its not for everybody.

For a county to look at I would focus on Mills county...good solid deer herd, some good bucks and relatively close to Euless.

Many thanks, KCH-- solid, useful advice. I appreciate it.

And yeah, with not much knowledge of the area I thought it might be better to join an established lease to start with.

Many, many thanks!

Rick

Rick, I'd locate the area/counties you'd really want to focus on and travel to that area, get a copy of the local newspaper, check the classifieds, visit the feed stores there looking for listings & talking to the proprietors about your interest in finding a lease, visit the chamber of commerce, check for postings at the Tractor & Supply or even Allsups. While eating there, mention it to the waitstaff, basically whomever your willing and able to mention it to. Be realistic with your expectations and presentation and it can go a long ways. You have to keep in mind, that in these rural areas, a lot of the landowners have been leasing to friends/families/hunters for many years so to impress upon them the kind of person you are, hopefully a good one is a very crucial in my book. This approach for me since I've been hunting North Texas the past 6-8 years has yielded numerous offers, probably 5-10 to join new and existing leases. I have always found that persons with similar interests can connect on many levels. Also, network around work and your neighborhood too, you'll find there are more hunters out there than meets the eye sometimes. When all else fails, hit the internet websites and larger newspaper classifieds.

Many thanks, DQ!

Welcome.

750 miles away would equal about $286 more in gas per trip than my lease. I could justify paying $2,500 for a lease then within 200 miles of home. I pay less but if I had to get a new lease I would expect to pay $2,000 to $2,500.

Best way I know of is through friends at work and kids schools. That is how we fill our lease.

most hunters I see are not really hunters
they want to pay X $ and the place must be within X minutes and have plenty of deer
simple answer here is to go hunt high fence, guaranteed harvest

if you can't pay then you can't afford to play,,, plain and simple
demand and market drives the asking price, it is what it is

I have 2 spots in Eastland Co , about 1.5 hr from you
if you want to put in the time and effort to bring game in and hunt, pm me

the one advice I can give is be flexible and post/check the Land & Leases often

Another place to check, and KCH already mentioned it, it to go to TexasBowhunter.com. The classifieds section on this website many times has lease spots available- in fact they probably have some on there now. Timber holding companies lease their property for hunting, but most all of them are south and east of where you are, although they are closer than Alabama.

Good tips all, and thanks.

And the point about market/demand is exactly right. The market here is different than in the deep South for the most part, though. Different culture, different expectations, different business models.

You have to see it from the landowners point of view. With the last 15-20 being a serious drought in many parts of the state, livestock numbers were cut way back. The drought is still bad in many areas right now. Income to survive and live off of has always been better on hunting leases than livestock till the last couple of years. I never fault a landowner from getting as much lease money for his hunting as he can. The good landowners limit the number of hunters/bucks and their leased land commands a higher price. With so many new oilfield related workers moving into Texas there is a shortage of leases for the most part. The majority of those workers are outdoorsmen and they are on ranches daily. So they ask and then pay.

Understood, Stxranchman, and thanks.

But compared to what I have now (and I mentioned this in a PM earlier)- and I want to make clear I do not expect to find this in Texas, things are just different here for lots of reasons.

My current club is year round, all game, Alabama deer limits are still one deer per day (although there is a 3 buck limit now), it's -woods- (no highfences or pastures). And we all pay $800/year. $100 more if we have a camper there for electricity, that's it. Guest days are closely regulated, but immediate family hunts all they want as long as they hunt with me. That club has been there for decades and isn't going anywhere.

Now it could rightly be said if that's what I want, then stay in the South-- and I couldn't argue with that. But that's what I mean about different business models. Most land in that area is owned by timber or paper companies and is leased either directly in the case of older established clubs or (unfortunately) through Westervelt. Privately owned family farms and such are usually only hunted by family members or close friends.

So that's one of reasons newcomers have sticker shock when they start looking for a place to hunt in Texas. If a landowner can get thousands of dollars per hunter, more power to him. Dollars talk, that's just the way it is. I won't fault them for that. But I can't be hunting there, either

One of the most astute things I've heard about hunting came from my deer processor in Lampasas: "Hunting has become a rich man's sport." Now, I don't know if that is axiomatic, but one thing is for sure--you have to pay to play.

Everything is a rich mans sport nowadays. Have you priced a new pickup lately? What about a kids college education? Gasoline? A nice rifle? Groceries?

Texas is taking in about 1400 people a day. There have been 1,000,000 people move to the D/FW area in the last 6 years. They ain't making no more land. Wealthy folks are buying up property, dividing up large tracts into small tracts for housing, & they have enough money to not worry about piddling deer hunters wanting to pay $1500 for access to their property. I have a feeling that in 10 years deer lease prices will double.

Yep = it is what it is - like it or not the free market is at work in Texas as it pertains to hunting - there are very few free rides - you can pay less and be crowded up on a small lease with too many hunters or you can pay up and be on a lease that is not shot out and has the proper number of hunters per acre -

I am sure back in the 60's when my Dad and others leased Hill Country leases at $200 per gun they thought that was highway robbery - so rather than complain about prices one needs to decide what their price level is and react accordingly

In the early 70's we paid $100 each. We had a very productive lease between Menard and Eldorado. There was ten of us on 3,000 acres. Hard to swallow what you have to pay now but such a large part of Texas is now owned for recreational purposes. That means most landowners don't want to and don't have to lease to make things work. Just look at some of the ranch houses now; huge and expensive. Back in the day most family members lived in the house their grandparents and parents lived in. It is what it is now. If you want to hunt and not worry about getting shot because of an overcrowded lease then you have to find something to cut from the family budget to make up for a quality place. It's not going to get any better so I'll do what I have to do now so I can see that my kids enjoy what I did (while we can).

To the OP. You're in Texas and deer hunting is No.1. If you're interested in finding a lease in Texas you'll need to first make some hunter friends and earn their respect. Get on Texas Deer lease .com and pick up a Houston Chronicle a couple of days a week. Be ready to go and look at a place on the spur of the moment. That may mean taking a day off from work. If you call a place on Tuesday and want to look on Saturday...the place will be gone. Lastly, have your money put aside and in your hand when you go and look at a place. Take the money with you and if you like it...pay the man. Always get a receipt or sign a contract. Too many guys want a landowner to wait till I get my money together, get my party together, or can you wait till I look at this other place. Completely backwards from what a serious deer hunter should do. Many times it's better to just get a 90day loan from your prospective financial institution and pay for the whole place up front then find your own party. By the way, good leases sell themselves so filling one is not a problem as you can see here on the forum. Just a few thoughts from a Texan. powdr

It's gonna be hard, but it's definitely doable. There are always leases looking for a guy, you just have to be ready to go right that minute. But then again there are place like mine that hasn't had an opening come up in almost 6 years, and before that it was about 10 years. That's just because it's an established place with good landowners and were still paying the same thing the original guys payed (my dad) 30 something years ago. Just keep an eye out and cash in hand for the right minute.

I had a friend that hunted Alabama in the 1980's, he drove from Abilene, TX to the place, back then he said it was cheaper than leasing in Texas. I made the trip with him a few times, a long drive straight down IH20 about 11 hours later we would be there, made some good friends back there.

Just at a glance I'd say...

If $4k is too high, you can probably rule out most of the better places.

You get what you pay for.

Moved to Texas 10 years ago from Tennessee. I can still relate to every point you made. My advice would be keep the Bama lease! I have done the public land thing, a few smaller east Tex leases 1-2 hours from Houston. Last year I got on a South Tex lease so I was still driving 5-6 hours. The hunting was good not great, but the lease rules and people were awesome. So I'm looking for a new camper and a lease vehicle then BAM, they lost the lease and the core group had been there 20 years. You have probably seen a dozen of these "lost my lease" tales on this site, so my point is finding a lease one year, doesn't mean you have a lease the next. My anticipation of deer season used to be like a kid for Christmas morning, now I'm wondering who has the cheapest price for a box of skeet..........

Best time to start looking for a lease is Jan-Feb. Turnover numbers are high then.

Leasing is ALWAYS going to be dicy, for about 30 or 40 different reasons.

That's why I saved 20 grand and put it down on my first ranch in 1996. I've never looked back.

It was worth it to me to bust my a$$ and own my own, rather than to live with the uncertainty, and unrecoverable money spent leasing.

Welcome and good luck! There are some gems out there for reasonable prices (2500 or so), but they are rare and coveted and don't stay on the market long.

You can find leases sub 1k but the quality will not be there. My lease is 750 and there was a cabin. But it's east texas so there are not big bucks and does are limited. But I enjoy it