Last year I ran a deer lease for a landowner in Central Texas. My family has had this lease for about 12 years and this was my second year running the lease.
The landowner and I never signed any lease agreement, just a verbal commitment & a handshake.


Last year, the broom weeds on the place were 4' - 5' tall over every open pasture making about 70% of the place useless. You could barely see a deer if it raised it's head up. The landowner was supposed to have the place shredded long before deer season started the previous year, but never got around to it and I ended up losing all my hunters. Last year he was again supposed to shred it, but then decided he wasn't going to be able to get it done, so the price of the lease was dropped from $4,500 to $3,500.

After deer season started he stated that the price of the lease would be raised back up and he was going to shred immediately. He never shredded the place and after deer season was over, he started harrassing me about the $1,000.
I told him since he didn't shred the place, I wasn't paying it.



Now he is telling me that he is going to take me to court over this. What do you think is going to happen?
We have no signed lease agreement and the only paperwork we have is reciepts for each payment made.




Any advice?

If there is nothing in writing I doubt you will have to pay!!

From now on get a written lease agreement! It will protect both parties!

No written lease agreement, then its just your word against his. i dont think he has a leg to stand on.

x2. he has no proof.

This is why you should always have a written agreement. It protects both parties and keeps the BS to a minimum. Can also protect both you and the landowner from lawsuits if a hunter gets killed or injured. Just my .02 cents.

I don't think I will ever manage a deer lease again. I will be looking for a lease to hunt on (maybe) this year, but most likely next year.



This has been going on since January. He actually came up to my office cussing, yelling, and raising hell for about an hour. My boss threatened to call the cops on him and he finally left.


He has been threatening to sue me for about 6 months now, but this time he told one of my family members that he was seriously fixing to go through with it.
I am assuming he called my family member since I won't answer any of his calls anymore...............

What you have is a statute of frauds issue (Texas Business & Commerce Code § 26). Basically, the statute of frauds sets out the rules for when a contract has to be in writing and when it can be oral. For example, a lease of real estate for a term longer than one year must be in writing. If you only have a year to year lease, that may not help you. You might be able to get by on 26.01(b)(6) that requires a written agreement which is not to be performed within one year from the date of making the agreement.

You probably also have a counterclaim against him for his failure to shred.

Either way, both of y'all are going to spend more than $1,000.00 on attorneys if this thing goes to court.

F the landowner! What a crappy thing to do by going back on his word.

I would get my stuff off there and walk. Make him find you and come after the $$. Most likely, he'll let it go.

Don't sweat it....no contract no foundation for retaliation....I know....been there....done that.

was a 12 year lease worth loosing for a G? And I assume that Grand would have been split so were talking a couple of hundred bucks.....I'd offer him Half and see if you can't salvage the lease, its expensive to move leases.....That said If it isn't in writing, it didn't happen.....

I agree, I wouldn't pay him a dime.

I'd tell him go ahead and sue, but it's going to cost you more than what you want to get from me even you would win, and without a written agreement, the judge will more than likely throw out the case, and if he doesn't, I'll take my chances with the judge.

Tell him that, and let him chew on that for a while.

The place is completely covered in broom weeds over 4' tall. He has not taken care of the place and refuses to do any work to make it better.

in that case, I would just quit taking his calls, if he sues you, fine, but I bet he wont...Don't let it bother you anymore and go on with your life and find a new lease, but be nice until you get all your stuff out of there

All of my equipment is already gone, except for one old feeder and one old ground blind.

If I can't get those back I am not going to lose any sleep.


This has been going on since January. He actually came up to my office cussing, yelling, and raising hell for about an hour. My boss threatened to call the cops on him and he finally left.


He has been threatening to sue me for about 6 months now, but this time he told one of my family members that he was seriously fixing to go through with it.
I am assuming he called my family member since I won't answer any of his calls anymore...............

The guy sounds like a nut case.

Next time he shows up and pulls those antics, don't tell him anything, just call the cops, and say he threatened you!

restraining order is next on my list of advise...

then screw with him, tell him your gonna file Chapter 11 anyway so he can just get in line....then find someone in his family to harass about him harassing you....

The only language some crazy people understand is crazy

pm sent

Hate to hear your bad news. I dont think you will have to pay it. Surely he realizes if he wins, once his lawyer is paid all he gains is satifaction of winning. Our lease is tall grass also. If we need it mowed we have to do it ourselves. We still pay full price no matter what.

It points to why one of the questions on the TPWD Hunter Education Final Exam points to the importance of having a written lease agreement. It helps protect both the landowner and hunters who lease his/her property.

While you might loose this lease, your wallet is safe.

very true, but honestly, I'de be looking to move on once a landowner's word wasn't binding.

I'd give him directions to the courthouse

Id tell him to go chase himself.

I am dealing with two guys in that part of the world now, trying to get me to lease theirs next year, while I wouldn't want to trash the guy in public, I'd love to know who to avoid privately...

Better yet, post his name and number on here and try to help him lease his land.

Maybe if he gets enough calls, and people calling he'll finally forget about you.

Who knows, maybe someone will actually lease it, and you'll surely be forgotten.

Wouldnt worry to much, as said his word against yours!