Hunting Leases

Leasing access rights to hunters is one of the most common types of recreation enterprises in the South. Leasing operations are highly variable, ranging from no landowner participation to a broad array of services and facilities offered by the landowner. Payments for hunting leases are generally made on a per-acre basis for the privilege of gaining access to a landowner's property for a specified period.

Based upon recent conversations with a university wildlife specialist in Georgia, the average price of hunting leases (for ``average hunting'') fall between $5 and $10 per acre. ``Good hunting,'' however, may bring even higher prices.

Hunting leases can be thought of as time-share leases for a vacation condominium. In this sense, leases can be sold to separate groups or individuals, for specific time periods, to hunt specific game. This time sharing leasing concept affords more flexibility for the landowner and can maximize leasing. This way, one tract of land may be leased to an individual or a hunt club several times during the same year for turkey, squirrels, deer, etc. A plan of this type requires the landowner to be more involved in making decisions about his/her land.

However, it maybe to the landowner's advantage to negotiate a lower price per acre if the hunt club will agree to invest time and effort in habitat management to increase wildlife numbers and guard against poachers. Hunt clubs often do a better job of posting and policing the property than the landowner can. They have a vested interest in discouraging poachers and are willing to spend the money it takes to keep others out of their leased land.

Another way to increase the income from leased land is to add such amenities as a cabin for the hunters or provide for their meals during their use of the property. An innovative way to increase the income from forestland is to strike up a deal with the local bed and breakfast inn to house and feed the hunters while you provide a guide service of your land.

Advantages of leasing include:

1. improved control of land access,
2. expected income is known in advance,
3. few managements cost, and
4. the landowner usually becomes familiar with the individuals using the property.

Disadvantages include:

1. guests may be present at inopportune times, especially with annual leases,
2. often difficult to monitor the game harvest,
3. inadequate harvest of deer can be a problem in highly populated areas, and
4. hunters may feel ``ownership ties'' (especially with long-term leases) and interfere or disagree with your land management practices.