Any attorneys on here? Would love to know the consequences?

I lease, as buying the size of property I want to hunt is currently unattainable. Leasing is great for me, yet I understand how it can impact others (I was on that side of the fence several times through the years).

I lease for two basic reasons:
1. I don't have to share my hunting grounds with anyone else.
2. I can manage the "herd" to what I want.

Do those reasons make me a bad person? Don't know, don't care. The fact remains that if the previous hunters hadn't trashed the landowner's property, I wouldn't be in the position I am today.

Ive "leased" the property I hunt on for 17 years...why, cause of IDIOTS who should not have been on the place, they are now long gone...it was way over hunted and I wanted to have a place that I could do food plots and not have some dipwad walkin on me at best light...I got sick and tired of having to drive 80 miles round trip to hunt...now I drive only 14 round trip...Now the property is hunted properly, and there is more food for the deer(even though the numbers are down). I am friends with the farmer and his family...they still duck hunt a small portion but I now control the whole 300 acres....I take care of the place and watch for trespassers and limit the intrusions...the property is better for it

I think that is the biggest bonus for the me and the landowner. He no longer has to deal with the trespassers or the constant calls from people asking to hunt his ground. Everything is referred to me.

Nothing wrong with leasing whatsoever, it can be a win/win situation.

So have a buddy do it and he can invite you

What solo said

I have leased through Basecamp and another agency, and currently have a nice lease in southern, IL with a couple buddies. We love the deal, exclusive hunting rights on a great property, all to ourselves in a good area. Cost per man runs less than a cheap five day semi-guided bow hunt, and we can go when we want, all season, plus scout and set stands, plus turkey hunt or mushroom hunt. On our present lease, we've never met nor seen the owner which is a large corporate type farm.

The contracts through these leasing agencies state that you can't go direct to the landowner and "back door" them and cut them out of their fee. Lease companies have costs to cover and they go to the work of locating these opportunities, so I don't mind them taking their cut. And frankly it would be very rude and unethical to pull a stunt like that. If you want a lease without the leasing agent, get out and find them yourself. I don't have time to do that.

I also own a nice farm set up for hunting that I share with several family members and friends. Sorry, but not much room for anyone else without overhunting and over harvesting.

A much worse problem than leasing in my opinion is habitat loss due to clean row crop farming practices ($8,00 corn) and urban sprawl. There are a whole lot less places to hunt that there were 20-30 years ago. I saw this coming, so bought ground to set up long term for hunting.

You can get into a lease pretty economically. Many of those that gripe about lease costs spend as much annually on tobacco, booze, un-needed toys and other luxuries. Hunting is not as high on their priority list.

This system won't be changing anytime soon. Still some good free hunting to be had for a few, but less everyday.