| Author |
Message |
Diablo
| | Posted on Thursday, October 24, 2002 - 9:34 am: | |
As a native of WV, the notion of leasing land to hunt was not all that common to me except for the larger lumber companies (Westvaco, GP, etc.). Then I moved to SC and learned first hand that in order to hunt down here, you'd better be prepared to pay $$. That was a hard pill to swallow. Game management land offers limited opportunities (especially for youngsters). I really do not like the hunting clubs at all - to me it's worse than public land hunting (hunting should not be a competition sport). Some of us have discussed the idea of not spending the money to lease land at all, and instead use it toward a really nice hunting trip or 2 each year. So I was just curious to know ya'll's opinion relate to hunting leases...like 'em?, dislike 'em? etc. What are your thoughts on the matter?
JD |
GN
| | Posted on Thursday, October 24, 2002 - 10:26 am: | |
Leasing for hunting is a relatively new (last few years) concept in Tenn SW VA and Ky , comparedto NC and SCwhere leasing is a tradition. What has happened in these applachian areas now is that you have a new resource:turkeys. They are in places now that they have never been in in the last 150 years, and in large numbers. So all these lowland counties with smaller land holding s of 100 acres or less have birds all over them .and the smaller landowners are tired of people hunting without permission and welcome somebody else's money and effort to control the place. Many of the large landowners in appalchia , principlaly land companies for oil, gas, coal compnaies sort of let the world hunt their vast territores bak in the big mountains because it was a tradition to hunt where one pleased andthere was not much there to protect anyway(in the nature of a game resource)...also,such open lands policies often resulted in a better real estate tax treatment from their local counties and beside it was not economical to hire enforcement people to patrol , gate roads etc. That is changing fast in many areas. The land companies are strapped for income in many areas as the appalchian coal business is disappearing and these folks are looking for income sources just like the rest of us. I have turkey hunted all over applachia for over 40 yeaRS WITHOUT PARTICIPATING IN A LEASE...UNITL LAST YEAR...and I joined a very small lease for two people on a few hundred acres in a "new" turkey hunting county...we thought if we posted the place and traded the deer hunting rights away we could have the turkey hunting for free so to speak. We still are fighting poachers and I do not think we have any better situation that the one we started with having no lease. The bottom line of all leasing is that if the local custom is to poach, and ignore posted signs or ownership rights of private property, then leasing is a waste of money.... You will be poached anyway and have gained nothing as far as interference is concerned. On the other hnad, if there is a serious effort made at enforcing he posting of formerly open lands, and you can stand being burned out or get all the nails out of your tires in the first few years of the lease, then you may have an asset that is worth something over time . There is a lot of public hunting land owned by state of federal interests in Tenn so the turkey hunting is still available to the public and frankly, some of it is still pretty good, and I have taken al ot of turkey over the years off these public lands, and they are still there. But the four-wheeler s have made this kind of hunting a lot more risky in terms of hunter safety and interference as you never know when you are going to be involved in having another hunter show up and ride through your bird on a four-wheeler or set up and start calling the bird you are working, no matterhow far back in the mountain you have walked before daylight.... You go through this a few times and the idea of a turkey lease starts to look pretty good. Bottom line: I do not like leases. I like lease beter than four-wheelers. I spect I will be looking for more leasing opportunities, as the world is getting smaller. If you are going to spend money to hunt a piece of land, leasing is better than buying because it is cheaper and you have an exit strategy (go lease somewhere else) if you run in to poaching issues that you cannot solve. (PS--I grouse hunt public lands 95% of the time). Got a little long-winded here . |
Freddy McGuire (Vaturkey)
| | Posted on Thursday, October 24, 2002 - 11:17 am: | |
Fortunatly the leasing of land is not commonplace here... yet! It is becoming more and more apparent that folks are trying to lease land and I have lost a few hunting spots over the years because someone has leased the hunting rights. In one instance the lease did not work out and I have again gained access to that property. Most of my hunting areas are smallish tracks of land (50-150 acres) and I think that cuts down on the lease interests in my area. Hunting access boils down to having a relationship with the landowner and knocking on a strangers door will normally just get you a kind "I don't allow any hunting, my (insert family member here) hunts it." which I totally respect. I am very fortunate that I was born and raised in the same area that my parents were and know most everyone in our communtity. Some will let me hunt, some will not, and the hunters in our area have a respect for each other's hunting spot. For instance, I have permission to hunt several spots that I never set foot on becuase it has been the long time hunting area of another local resident. He respects "my spots" and I do likewise along with the rest of the community. So, back to the question... I don't like the idea of having to lease property, however, there will come a time when most, if not all of us, will have to deal with it. Land is a precious commodity and if there is any left undeveloped and I have to pay for a lease to hunt I will. Right now I am very fortunate... |
Turkey576
| | Posted on Thursday, October 24, 2002 - 1:27 pm: | |
I agree with you Freddy. I used to have one of the best spots to hunt in Franklin Co. over 1100 acres. When my G.pa passed and my uncle took over he leased the land and I was out of a good spot. I think that some people want money to let us enjoy our sport like if you go to a football game you need to buy a ticket. The lease is like that "ticket". I guess the times are changing and if you don't own land and don't have a whole lot of money then hunting will go down hill. The only peolple hunting will be hunting clubs ( which I have no problem with)the wealthy and the people who own there own land. I love hunting a lot and I guess even though I do not like it I have to change with the times. Hope all have a safe and happy season now and the ones to come. God Bless
Jon |
Ryan Tucker
| | Posted on Thursday, October 24, 2002 - 2:48 pm: | |
I think the reason leasing isn't a big deal yet in the Mountains is because land is often broke into small lots of a few hundred acres. Generally if people are going to lease they want a few thousand acres to hunt. However, they day is probably coming when you have to pay to hunt anywhere but family or public land. I would rather not lease, but I would rather hunt than not lease. |
knight_va
| | Posted on Thursday, October 24, 2002 - 10:18 pm: | |
Well heres my 2 cents....
....Leasing of hunting rights is becoming common place in my neck of the woods...While I can not blame the land owner who needs the money to help with his needs...I cant also not fault the leasor who has big bucks to pitch around... I can however blame society.....The worls is not what it once was nor will it ever be again.. gone are the golden era of close knit communitys where everybody knew each other. When we lost that the personal contacts were missing & we became strangers to our neibors....Now ask yourself if u had 100 acres & u didnt hunt... & after letting a few strangers on the place to hunt you had to chase cattle & fix fence....WOULD U let strangers hunt for free????...........Be Honest....leasing is the way it will be in the future of our sport.....Saving that money for a good hunting trip every few years is an idea......but do you not hunt except for the trips?..... I dont like canned hunts.....so I would have to be very picky about the place & outfitter.......THis whole thing is sad really......Sad that the world is changing for the worse...........well thats more like 25 cents than 2 but thats how I see it... Good hunting folks & God bless!
Max |
HODY
| | Posted on Friday, October 25, 2002 - 7:01 am: | |
Some excellent points gentlemen. As a native of PA and living in the heart of the ANF a 2 million acre piece of National Forest. I could hunt just about anywhere becauseI knew everyone in that small community. When I moved here I was fortunate to have some good friends that got me on a few small places to hunt. I then joined a 2500 acre lease which at first I was not in favor of. The guys I hunt with for the most part are good guys and we have built a nice membership. I also cherish those few PRIVATE spots I have to hunt and look forward to gaining access to hunt others. I have a mix of land to hunt now, and I continue to look for other spots. You just have to make do with what you have, and work hard to keep your eyes and ears open for new opportunities. I am not happy about PAYING to hunt the lease, but you do what you have to to enjoy the sport. Good luck!!! |
GN
| | Posted on Friday, October 25, 2002 - 8:26 am: | |
Couple of other thoughts: Good news isthat there are lots of people/landowners who will let a stranger "hunt for free", and they are to be found all over thecountry. Often I go to places to bird hunt that are 1000-2000 miles from here. Mabny times I go to new placs where I have no access history and I have been successful at getting private land accesses. I have a far greater per centage of being welcomed to a totlly strange place than being turned down, once I have knocked on the door, told folks where I am from and what I am doing, and that I would 'ppreciate the opportunity to huntthat little patch of ground etc, etc...I have been very surprised by the continued access I have gained this way, but if you are courteous, and treat people the way you would wantto be treated if you were the landownder, it is surprising how manuy hunting accesses(dinner inviataions too) that you receive from just being polite and asking. I think these same peopel might shoot you or procsecute you if you did not ask. Point 2: Leasing is going on everywhere besisides the southeast now...in montana thaerewassom uch lasing of bird huntingcountry that they passed laws prohibitinbg out of staters from hunting early in the pheasant season , same in Idaho(wihtout adn additional licenece cost)...."outfitters" are the problem pout there...I talked at length to several landowbnders in Idaho this year, they have a real turkey boom going on there and they all told me they have never had hunter pressure for elk or deer or pheasant likethey are getting for turkey accesses and by turkey tresspasssing....apparently the fact the birds are so visible in open territory out there makes it too hard to resist for tresspassing etc and the landownders are really upset about the turkey hunters(bad ones) which hurts all the "good" property respecting turky hunters (like us). |
|