Looking for an area to lease?

[fishuhalik]

Where should I start looking? I tried a couple of websites (I guess I can't name them on here) but there wasn't much there.

[WaveWacker]

Put some adds out in the local papers in the areas that your looking at.

[Coach1310]

If you know the area you would like to hunt, I would try the local ads OR even a little door knocking. Sometimes it just works out that someone has a tract of land that nobody is hunting and you just might find what you are looking for...

It is kind of late now, but driving around during hunting season to observe trucks, activity, camps etc... might give you an idea of what is hunted and what isn't.

[gurkster]

What type of lease are you looking for and where? (Ex: Waterfowl, deer - anywhere in MN, North MN, SE MN, out of state?)

[fishuhalik]

Looking for deer, anywhere within 1-1 1/2 hours from the Twin Cities area, preferably south. We found one area about 20 minutes south of St. Paul, off 52 that looked pretty good but I don't wanna close on the first property we look at.

[sticknstring]

If the habitat is there & it's within your group's budget, jump on it. 601 & 339 are tough to beat.

[lakevet]

Looks like another kid will lose access to hunting the neighbors property because someone leased the hunting rights. Not being critical, just pointing out the growing trend that does impact where local kids can get access to hunt. When I was a kid hunting leases were unheard of and you could hunt pretty much any neighbors property. When you get that lease, consider giving the landowner the option of letting neighbor kids hunt it when you are done for the year.

lakevet

[sticknstring]

How about the kid(s) in the lessee's group that will most likely have a higher quality hunt and remain interested in hunting? How about the farmer that benefits? The days of hunting wherever you want are long over. Someday I hope to have my own land so I have a quality place to introduce my kids to the great outdoors. But I agree, let the youth get first crack. The DNR is making this case in point with the new turkey regulations this year.

[lakevet]

Can get into rich vs poor kids. If Dad has money for lease you hunt, if dad doesn't have the money or doesn't hunt then the kid is out of luck. Theodore Roosevelt wrote about this problem and was very concerned the "average man" or kid would be unable to hunt, etc due to lack of money. That is why he worked so hard to set aside public land for all to enjoy. And he was a "rich kid".

Also it brings up another reason to have hunters choose between different deer seasons. One could hunt firearms and be done then another could hunt muzzy season. Ultimately and hopefully whoever controls the private land would intentionally use the land for the enjoyment and recruitment of their kids and the neighboring kids. After all for hunting to stay strong as an American tradition, we will need the voice and votes of both groups of kids.

lakevet

[threeway]

Here we go again....

[ntrider]

no kidding...gets old...i have been hunting friends land for 8 yrs and i am starting to get pushed out because now their kids and familys kids are getting old enough...too bad for me and i could sit here and complain about it but i figured it would happen...but you know what??? i am going to find some land to lease next yr and in another yr my kids will be able to start going so by leasing i will be "creating" a place for the youth (my youth) to go hunting...why cant we all just get along...

[ntrider]

also, by leasing i don't think i am taking away from other people...some of these people own hundreds of acres and might have a 40 or 60 across the road or something...they lease that out and the rest of the people that he normally lets hunt out there continues to hunt the rest...

[fishuhalik]

Rich man's sport? Buddy, I'm married with a 3 year old and made $40k this year. I wouldn't even be considered middle class

[Musky Buck]

lot cheaper to lease than to buy in the long run, lets say a grand a year, if you live to hunt 70 years that's 70,000 grand, you'd be lucky to get 40-60 acres for that price tag. Got an 80 in Ottertail County I might be interested in leasing, guys this year missed out, the year before many shootable bucks, this years wet October really messed up the swamp hunting although there were 3 likely shootable bucks on Tcam, next year is unknown, mother nature holds the cards. This is in a basic go/grow area meaning most hunters in the 2by3 mile section don't shoot yearling bucks, serious trophy potential exists.

[Musky Buck]

And about the kids etc. Kids have little shot, they might be interested in hunting etc. but to buy land after going into major college debt, tough situation and then they drive by public land and every approach is covered, takes the fun away before it begins, I've brought my fair share of kids hunting and fishing and will continue to do so. Like someone brought my nephew, 6 rifle days and they never saw a deer, that is a bit discouraging also. Times have changed.

[RBuker]

Anyone know what the going rate is per acre for a lease? I wouldn't have a clue.

[fsh4trout]

Why lease? Couldn't you just ask permission?

[mabr]

Anyone know what the going rate is per acre for a lease? I wouldn't have a clue.

Im curious on this as well. I know what I paid in other states. But wonder what it would be here.

[PostFrontal]

There is no hard and fast rule. Usually you first take into account the number acres (It's not usually done $ per acre like sales). Then what game opportunities, restrictions, type of hunting, and lastly how much the area is in demand.

So for example. I go look at 160 acres in a medium demand area that I have no restrictions on what I can hunt. But I'm getting it for primarily deer and turkey. Has some pheasant, waterfowl and coyote opportunities.

When I look at the land I can see we can safely get 6 guys deer hunting at a time. I would say it would be around $500 a piece = $3,000 Total.

So usually starting the scale is around $350 x max number of people you could get on the land at one time for marginal land, small pieces, land with only certain types of game, or restrictions, up to $750 per person for prime land no restrictions.

Some farmers just want their taxes paid, someone to keep tresspassers off. so they aren't bothered when they are trying to get their crops out people are asking them to hunt, and someone that isn't going to anger their neighbors.

Everything is negotiable...

[RBuker]

Wow, I had no idea... My wife and I are tree sitters who don't need a lot of room. But, what you are saying is that basically, I can be looking at anywhere from $500 to $750 for the two of us to lease a place. We are meat hunters. Let me do the math. HA HA.... Wow!

We lost our place to hunt two years ago and it's been a bugger to get on anywhere. I got lucky this year and my neighbor let me hunt his land. I don't suppose next year will be the same... Not sure I'll be doing the lease thing though. WOW....

[PostFrontal]

For a wooded 40, a year lease with all rights to the property to hunt everything on that would be about right.

Depending on where you are at, seen them for $350.

[jlm]

No worries, there are still plenty of places you can hunt for free if you are willing to do some scouting and knocking on doors. Leasing is a growing trend however. I think we as hunters need to continue to advocate and support public hunting lands. Particularly in the southern 1/3 of the state. We should always have room for anyone that wants to hunt!!!!!

[luckey]

Here's another way to lose access to private land.

For the past 8 years or so I let my son's neighbor hunt with us. Never once during that time did he offer to help us plant trees, make or maintain trails, plant food plots, build or maintain stands or work on the access road for the land. Several years ago I had him bid a job (in his occupation) at my house. I didn't expect him to lose money but he was $2000 over the other bids on a $5000 job. Last year we were working on my sons house and ask him for advice on how best to do a job (again in his field of work). He said he would come and provide help for an hourly rate. Now, I understand he has to make a living too, but it kinda got me a little po'ed. At any rate, right or wrong, he was not invited to hunt with us this year. By the way, when he hunted with us he had full access to over 600 acres of excellent, (for sure a doe and a very good chance of getting a big buck) hunting land. I guess my point here is that if you have access to someones land, don't make it a "hunting" only experience.

[honker23]

I think this is a scary trend with an unhappy end in store for a lot of people. In the area we hunt there is a "ranch" 4000 acres, bow only, 5K per deer with antler minimum. So this "ranch" has a huge deer herd (public resource) and charges a big sum of money to shoot one, and limits the ability of the DNR to manage the deer. All the neighbors have to watch herds of 75-100 deer walk out at night and eat their crops, but have no way to control the population.

It seems like there should be a size limit on land that would designate you to fence it in and feed them yourself and manage them yourself. Or am I way out of line in my reasoning.

I am just worried that we are going to see some big changes in the future.

[Musky Buck]

My dad warned me of all of this in 1983. He drove to Texas for a job and some were paying 30,000 grand a year or more back then for a lease or a hunting club membership, he said some day if you don't own hunting land you won't be hunting. As ACDC sings "money talks".