I have a renter paying $5000/year/hunter for a section (640a) in pawnee county. been renting for 3 years now, the only guy on the place, and hasn't even seen or taken trail cam pics of a decent deer. Spent 45 days hunting last year and only shot does. Poor rich guy...
Land is worth what someone is willing to pay.
Only way to know is to get out there and check it out. Plan for the long term, don't sign a lease you may not be able to pay for next year. it takes a lot of money above the lease price and a ton of time to make a good deer lease. It's really a waste of money to put in the effort to figure a place out to only get to hunt it one year.
Your are exactly right.... but its a bad thing cause if its a good spot or u work to make it one someone else will allways be willing to pay more than U and the way most land owners are now the guy who signs the biggest check first gets it and he doesnt care about u.