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.