I've never done a lease before, but I wouldn't be opposed to it since it is next to impossible to find a new place to hunt around where I live. My question is to guys/gals who have leased land before...what is the going rate for land to lease? I'm sure the size and location of the land will have an effect on the price but just looking for some input!
In Northern IL, typically anywhere from $25-30 an acre. If you can get lucky and find a landowner that doesn't know what the going rate is you might get yourself into something for the $20 an acre range, but finding this is going to require you finding someone that hasn't leased before and isn't aware of the going rates on the lease broker websites.
Remember those rates on the broker websites include a mark up for the broker. Your offer may look like less but it could be more than what the farmer is getting after the broker takes their cut.
It's not as much as you think. I've talked with probably 20 people over the past couple years who actively lease their land every year and if they have leased in the past, they are gonna typically expect $25-$30 an acre. If the landowner goes without a broker, it's because they want to pocket that extra $$ for the hassle of dealing with it directly, they rarely pass that on to the lessee.
Came across this in my own research last summer. It's helpful as a general outline. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have offered for leases around where I live and still no one will do it.. I have a few places that the people have given permission, but mostly no one will even respond back. Sent out about 60 letters in Jan and received 2 calls and 1 letter back. All 3 were rejections, the rest no one even bothered to answer. I offered to pay them and still nothing.
I suppose that may be true. I have been fortunate to find a farmer who would rather deal with me than the broker from another state and split the difference with me. You can also plan on the price to go up.
Leasing seems to be the norm here in TX. I haven't found one to join yet but it seems everybody on the texasbowhunter forum has a lease lol. Of the two I have inquired about, one was $1750 a year, 500 acres, and shared with 3 hunters. The other was $2000/yr, 1000 acres and shared with 5 hunters. Both were a little too far away so I didn't pursue it any farther. Those prices were per hunter.
I got my lease this year from basecampleasing.com. I though it was a good deal, but some other sites (archerytalk) didn't have to many good reviews on them just because of the prices. I got a 53 acre lease for $45/ acre. But with my lack of resources in the areas I want to hunt, I have been happy with everything so far. Sure there is a middle man, but everything was pretty easy. I put down a deposit to hold the land for me, went and walked the property to confirm it is something I want to pursue. I liked what I saw and paid my premium. I didnt have to go knocking on doors, cold call, or send letters. Sure it may have come with a few extra dollars an acre, but it was ok with me. I am pretty pumped to have this 53 acre piece I can call my hunting grounds. I have permission to do some food plots, go shed hunting, ect..
sometimes you can find property available on lesser known websites. Just search "hunting leases" without a particular location. You may have to browse through 8 or 9 pages, but the results surprised me. There are lesser known agencies who lease. I do this kind of stuff just for the heck of it. I found half a dozen SC leases for folks one day. Went back a month later and all the leases were snagged up.
Be sure to keep an eye on Craigslist as well. Leases will pop up there from time to time. And if you find a good one make sure you're ready with the check book because they go fast. Finding a good hunting spot is the single hardest part of hunting these days.
you can always knock on doors and find free access or trade hunting for something you can do. Like I would trade some custom tilling for permission to hunt on a farmers ground
$20-30 around here. I just can't justify that type of price for hunting ground, especially since most of those leases have cattle on them. Nothing like walking through the pasture to your stand with 150 cows staring at and following you all the way in.
I figured you would have said not missing was the hardest part, that seems to be my affliction these days!
Right now I'm looking at 2 different leases. One is 5000 acres low fence hasn't been hunted in about 5 yrs and the neighboring ranch is culling 150's This one is for $2800. The other is about 2800 acres low fence and has various exotics that are on it and roam through it also for $2800. Both have a limit of 7 hunters. What to do what to do. And yes we have the 7 people before you start blowing up my pm.
Well I'm already planning out my public land hunts if that tells you the probability of this happening. I have sent out 16 letters so far with only one response and that was a no but with good reason. So back to map I go.
