How do you feel about leasing land??

[bowhunter34]

I am wondering how people feel about the leasing of land to hunt? I am originally from Missouri, and still go home every year to hunt. I am fortunate enough that, my family and I have been able to hunt the same place without having to pay to hunt for about 20 years now. It seems like every year it is getting harder and harder for some people to find a place to hunt. I am in the same boat as these people are in since I have recently moved to Tulsa Ok. I have went door to door, called people, even asked neighbors if they knew of anyone that would let me hunt. Everyone wants money these days. What's this world coming to? Lol . I really feel for the people that love to hunt, but can't find a place, nor do they have the money to rent a place to hunt. I know there is a lot of public land in almost every state, but for some reason I just don't feel safe hunting on public land. You never know about the other hunters out there. Is it going to come down to where if you don't have the money to lease land then you don't hunt? I sure hope not. Should the people that are leasing the land have to pay taxes on what money the get for the lease? Just curious on what other people thought and also just making conversation. Give me your feed back, you won't hurt my feeling either way. I do know that some farmers feel that the animals are eating some of their profit, and that's why they say the lease their land to help cover that. I guess that also makes since.

 

[ProBusiness]

It is my understanding that a lot of guys with money from Texas can't lease any land there so they are coming North.

 

[Shadowrider]

Sadly today leasing is probably the best route to take if you can't buy your own, which most of us can't. A lot of reasons that owners won't let people hunt these days, but look at it from their perspective. You get hurt or hurt someone else there, he can be held liable. Lots of landowners shy away for this specific reason. Others just don't trust people because some idiot he let hunt in the past was too lazy to shut a gate, or left beer cans all over, etc. and say the hell with it.

If you do lease, it's all about what's specified in the lease. It specifies your rights and it's binding on the landowner too, so if you do take a lease make sure you know what you want, it's in the lease you sign and that the owner understands it too. You can't be too specific.

 

[F16mickey]

I have always heard people say that its dangerous to hunt on public land but i have never had a problem!
As far as leasing land goes its here to stay if you want to hunt private land you gonna pay to play whether it be money or labor.

 

[Cedar Creek]

Correct on the Texicans invading SE Oklahoma; they are about to take over the southern part of LeFlore County and the northern half of McCurtain County and off over in Pushmataha County. I think they brought the fire ants with them.

I grew up in LeFlore County - lots of open country that included National Forest and timber company land, first Dierks and then Weyerhaueser about 1969 or so. Then John Hancock bought a lot of Weyerhaueser's land in Leflore and Push counties - rumors of leases were flying, but the Oklahoma Wildlife Dept wound up managing Hancock's land as the Honobia Creek Wilderness Area or whatever it was called. Now there's only a little of that left and the rest was purchased by a lawyer from Ft. Worth and a timber speculator from Louisiana - now leased for hunting. My cronies and I have 3200 acres of the part we always hunted, and I like it OK although I feel bad for the folks that can't afford to pay the lease fees to hunt where they always hunted.

Cedar Creek

 

[Oklahomabassin]

I see 3 ways out here folks hunt private land. 1. They own it, or family/friend owns it.
2. They have plenty of time to put in footwork to find the few who will still let somebody hunt. (maybe they do some labor trading, but primarily free)
3. Those who either work 70+ hours a week, or have white collar jobs. The guys that work all the time, lease out of convenience cause they know it will be there when they get there to hunt it. The white collar guys well have more money and tend to become a little lazy and its easier to lease, later on they may buy.

 

[longrangepistol]

I grew up in Souteastern New Mexico where public land or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land was everywhere. I got spoiled and when I moved to Oklahoma in the early 90's I ran into the same problem. My solution was to do my homework and meet as many landowners and offer to help them out. I got a few offers and earned my access to hunt. I primarily bow hunted, which some landowners were relieved, because they had prior "hunters" shoot their place up target practicing on farm implements and signs. You reap what you sow and unfortunately you have to deal with prior hunter's bad acts and be an ambassador for the sport, which includes showing landowners there are hunters who will pick up other's trash and and be respectful of their land.

I no longer work to hunt, my firm leases land for clients and business associates. The one caveat I still hold dear is to treat the landowner and his lands as if they were your own. We still do Christmas baskets for the landowners and always stop by and let them know of any updates or changes on the property. I have carried this philosophy with me all my life and it's returned ten fold in the courtesies extended by the landowners we've leased from.

There is no free lunch in being afforded the opportunity to hunt private lands. BUT, do your homework and meet as many landowners as you can. The worst they can tell you is no. Don't give up and you'll find the experience and people you'll meet may become lasting relationships.

LRP

 

[rebelracer79]

There is a alot of little known public land, dont look at the WMAs, look for the corps land that gets leased to people for cattle, it is still public hunting even tho it is leased for cattle....

It is all along creeks and rivers and lakes, just got to know where you find it. at the courthouse you can get a map of your county that will show all landowners and property lines, I think it costs like $20 or somthing, but it also shows if there is any corps land...

 

[RidgeHunter]

I've been on the same lease for 12 years; my dad's been on it close to 20. It's very reasonable price, there is really only 3 of us that hunt it, and the landowner is a great guy. He's never raised the price on us, rather we have voulntarily done it several times. He just likes that he can trust us. Hell we practically live there in the fall. He appreciates the cash as nobody is getting rich running a few cows and cutting hay. Worth every penny to me.

The leasing world is getting more competitive and I can't say I really like the direction it's heading. I'd have a hard time finding anything decent for an affordable price if I ever lost this one (man...I hope I never do. His son's a nice guy and I bet he'll let me have it when he inherits the place). Can't say I like non-residents doing grabbing leases here that much either.

It is what it is I guess. Like rebel said, there is some good public land. I know much off it hardly sees a hunter. Just takes a good bit of work to find it.

 

[shotty]

I have all but given up on deer hunting. My family had a very nice lease in SW Oklahoma and we hunted it for 30 years. Texans came in and offered 10x the price we were paying. Don't blame the rancher, it was a tidy sum and he did offer us to match it. As has been said in previous posts, land owners are leary to lease or give permission for hunting to anyone they don't know. I recently had recieved permission to hunt this blackpowder season on a piece of land only to be bumped by a friend of the family at the last minute. Rant over. Going back to bird and coyote hunting. Seems to be alot cheaper and easier to find places to go.