How to find a lease

NickP

Ten Pointer
I know this is the wrong time to be discussing this but next year I would really like to find some property to lease. How do you guys leasing find these properties and how do you judge what it's worth. I found a few sights but it's obviously not the time to be looking to fill a lease so there were only 3 available. For 450acres. It was $6700. Is this serious who actually pays that or am I crazy for thinking that's a weeee bit high.
 

Briargoat

Ten Pointer
That's way more than I would pay but I've seen higher. After feeling like I got ripped off on a lease last season, I got much more critical about choosing hunting leases. When looking at a property, I look at in terms of how many successful stand locations will work on it. The seller wants you to look at overall acreage but a lot of the land may not be huntable.
Other factors:
Access-is the property set up in a way where you can travel
It without disturbing the game
Distance from home
Can you trust seller?-get everything in writing regardless
Game sign
How was it hunted in past?
Neighboring land owners
Terrain, crops, timber

I maybe leaving some things out but get all the details in writing. Don't rush. Look till you find the right place.
 

NickP

Ten Pointer
Where should I even start looking? Ok and I'm not crazy for thinking that's WAY to high for that much land.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
Leasing i thonk ncland said expect around $15 an acre. Our club leases 2000 acres for around $6 an acre if i remember correctly so there are deals out there .


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nc rabbit hunter

Guest
Once these agents get inbetween the landowner and the person looking the lease the price doubles.Try to lease directly from the OWNER!! I know,I was approached few years ago by Valentine land,they wanted me to let them lease my farm,said they could get me top dollar.
 

buckshooter

Old Mossy Horns
Once these agents get inbetween the landowner and the person looking the lease the price doubles.Try to lease directly from the OWNER!! I know,I was approached few years ago by Valentine land,they wanted me to let them lease my farm,said they could get me top dollar.

Very true about those agents. If it's possible do exactly as nc rabbit hunter suggests. I've been on a couple of leases that were 15.50 to 17.50 an acre in Caswell and Person counties respectively , both really great places to hunt , by the OP's figures that piece would be 14.88 an acre ( $6700 by 450 acres )....don't know if insurance is included if not , it will be a bit more. But 14.88 is still below average , for a few counties in NC.
 

Putt

Old Mossy Horns
Some are paying more for a large lease as such.. For the average hunter money means a lot, others money isn't optional. They will pay it, fence it in and tell you to stay off it, and guess what in 5 years they will kill a freak nasty monster off it. Yes they could have paided to go to Texas or Pike county Ill. But they will kill it right here in NC. Money in the pocket will win you better hunting or just do it yourself.
 

NickP

Ten Pointer
Maybe I'm just to young to see the point in paying that much to lease land for 1 year. My pockets aren't deep enough to play with money like that yet. And this was Greene county where the land was available. Looks like I'll be knocking on some doors come spring. I would really love to find a place in Granville county because I live in northern wake but I'd be willing to travel. Or I'll be looking for a like minded club to join
 

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
I'm in northern Granville and the 500 ac. next to me is rumored to have leased for about $20/ac. Most is around $13-15/AC. I wouldn't even ask the guy to hunt the land next door. Nothing there. In my opinion, there are some good genes up this way but the current atmosphere is not conducive to producing a significant number of good deer. Some do occur but northern Granville is not living up to it reputation of years past. Am seeing much better deer taken from a lot further south. Just my observations.
 

nckeith

Ten Pointer
I've been paying 20 per acre in Union county despite having our club in anson and chesterfield. It's close like 2 miles from home and I can run over after work. The owner has been offered way more, but I understand the economics of land in Weddington


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Biggin

Four Pointer
I have a friend that sub lease land that is wildlife management. For 18 dollars a acre. In Caswell and person county . That's just for deer hunting rights. The land owner is a bird hunter so small game is not leases out . Turkey and duck hunting is 18 dollar also . Hunting is not a poor man sport no more .it's
 

NickP

Ten Pointer
Yeah it's really sad what it has become. It's used to be your doing the land owners a favor helping preserve there land and keep the ecosystem in check. Nows it's business like everything else. Everyone's trying to make a buck off one an other
 

Tunanut

Ten Pointer
My buddy that was paying $32/acre for a 47acre parcel in a very nice spot in Meck Co., but lost it this year to a fella who offered the landowner nearly $100/acre. $4500.00 for 47 acres seems crazy, but that doesn't even cover the taxes on the land. So I'd say that lease rates entirely depend on location and demand for hunting land.
 

badlandbucks

Ten Pointer
My buddy that was paying $32/acre for a 47acre parcel in a very nice spot in Meck Co., but lost it this year to a fella who offered the landowner nearly $100/acre. $4500.00 for 47 acres seems crazy, but that doesn't even cover the taxes on the land. So I'd say that lease rates entirely depend on location and demand for hunting land.
This is spot on. Leasing has become a business. Prices vary depending on what the demand is....hunting land is now a commodity. In an area close to big cities (and big money) prime hunting land costs a fortune. It's worse in the Midwest....I personally know of a lease that's 500 acres in Illinois that's going for $20,000a year. Personally I think someone's out of their gourd to pay that...There are still places you can find good property for a decent price...but they are getting harder to find
 

Dan Apple

Old Mossy Horns
This is spot on. Leasing has become a business. Prices vary depending on what the demand is....hunting land is now a commodity. In an area close to big cities (and big money) prime hunting land costs a fortune. It's worse in the Midwest....I personally know of a lease that's 500 acres in Illinois that's going for $20,000a year. Personally I think someone's out of their gourd to pay that...There are still places you can find good property for a decent price...but they are getting harder to find

I agree to a point..... but 500 acres, 5 guys go in on it,,,, that's 4k a year to hunt Illinois... the whole season,,, lots of folks paying almost that much to hunt a week in IL...
 

Banjo

Old Mossy Horns
Finding a lease is hard to do. I do not put a lot of stock in brokers, even though they make pennies compared to what they used to make. I have been trying to meet folks, but more often than not, somebody else already has their property leased.
 

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
To address the original question, either look on the web, craigslist and such on a regular basis, like daily. Most any land won't last long, especially at a good price. Burn some gas. Ride the roads in the areas you are most interested in and look for an area without posted signs or purple paint, then hit the GIS site. Look at the size of the property and owner contact info. Property owners are constantly getting junk mail from timber companies and such so a phone call would probably be the best first contact. As has been said earlier, land leases are becoming more expensive but I think more land will come available as the lease practice continues. Just don't be disillusioned and think you will easily find a $5 lease. Good luck.
 

hog&deerhunter

Ten Pointer
You are living a charmed life if you can find good land in Northampton County for under 20.00/acre. A good club with good facilities is the answer, and those are not easy to find/get in to unless you know members.
 

deerhunter28

Ten Pointer
For the prices I'm seeing it is cheaper to go on a guided MidWest hunt.
I did have a Illinois lease for $13-$15 acre.
I let it go because it was 850 miles away and had trespassers .
It was good ground near the Iowa Missouri line on the Mississippi River.
But when you get pictures of people on your camera it's not worth the hassle and money.


PSE EVO 60 Lbs.
Blacked out
 
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