Trying to figure out what to expect from others on a lease. Does everyone try to work together to make the whole lease good hunting for all members? ie. fill feeder, set up stands, food plots etc. Or, does each person pick his spot and set up his own stands, fill just his feeders and stake out his own game plan?
I've always been friends w/the people I've leased with so we work together to hang stands, check trail cameras, etc. Anyone can hunt any stand they want provided the wind is good for that setup. Never been a part of a bigger lease with people I don't know real well.
I'm trying to get into one up in MI right now where you pay $500 and you get 80-120 acres of your own ground to do with as you see fit. Now if you let another person hunt they also have to pay $500 even to hunt that same ground...also they have big buck rules. Each buck taken under 120 gross inches...is a $25 per inch under fine!! Crazy but one way to insure big bucks walking. Does are encouraged to not be harvested till after the rut, but harvested atleast at a 2 does for every buck harvested minimum, strive for a 3:1 if they feel herd size is larger. The only lease I ever got invited to join was one riddled with a bunch of illegal hunters....not cool at all to see firearms during bow season, baiting with stands over them and the occasional rifle. All illegal in IN, needless to say they got busted and well let's just say not a good ending.
Depends who you're going in on it with. I currently don't have a lease, but am looking to go in on one with a few buddies. Right now we all run our own private land and let each other hunt it and all work together to get the best results. We all kind of stockpile our cameras, stands, tree pegs, etc. for the group and we all do whatever we see fit as long as we make sure its communicated between everyone whats going on. I know leases can be hard to come by, but trying to get into one with friends or guys you've hunted with for a while would be the best option to make sure few or no problems come up.
I have some private land I hunt with friends and this is how we treat it. All for one, one for all. I'm on a new lease with 4 other guys and it's not the same. It's a four hr. drive one way from my home and I've went up many time during off season just to fill everyones feeders, check the cameras, etc then drove back home. I went up last weekend to hunt and found all three feeders I put up dry My understanding was that we'd all work together to make great hunting stands that anyone could hunt depending on the wind. Now it seems like only half of us are doing anything and I cant get back up there till the middle of Dec. so my feeders are worthless if no ones going to fill them. It's like whats the point of having them?
I hunt with Family and the way we break it down is we pay an additional $500 a year on top of the cost of the lease, to pay for Food Plots, fill feeders, maintain stands, etc. that way there is no griping about a feeder not being filled or someone not filling them. We have a bill at the Local Feed store and I pay it off every month when I go out, at the end of the year we have a big camp out and pay for it with any money left over from the year. there are 5 of us that hunt the 300 acres.
I'm just in St. Augustine with 450acres but the issue we run into is not the money so much as time to get to the lease and do the work. People get there just want to hunt.
Yeah I started the Lease and Made the Rules from the start. Had been in Bad leases before, that is actually why I stopped rifle hunting. If everyone is not in the Mindset to keep everything filled and up to date its hard to keep everything communal. we always have a meeting every April when the Dues are due and make any changes to the rules then and they can not be changed until next year, we run it like a business meeting.
Everyone on our lease are friends and we work together. We also put up an extra 500 to cover cost of corn, stands, ect.... Im the one who checks the cameras every week since I love to do it!:D
This post will be kind of long, but here are the rules we put together for our lease. 2011 RULES AND REGULATIONS Federal and Georgia State laws prevail except for the number of deer killed (See Rule H-3). Members and guests are solely and individually responsible for obtaining the appropriate license in order to hunt the state of Georgia. MEMBERSHIP M-1) Memberships run annually from March 15 to March 14. M-2) Membership applies to one (1) hunter. M-3) The maximum number of members will be seven (7) for the approximate 300 acres. M-4) Membership costs are determined by the lease manager each year, as necessary to meet club expenses. Current membership fees will be due to _____________ by the designated time, make all checks payable to ____________. - Lease fees $____ by March 15 The above costs are determined based on the number of members. Prices are subject to change if the number of members changes. The total cost is $_____ for the lease. M-5) Memberships may be terminated at any time or not renewed for violation of these rules/regulations OR failure to pay the associated fees. No refund will be given. M-6) All club members will be given a key to the gate upon payment of club fees. If a member decides to leave the club or has their membership terminated the gate key should be returned to a club officer as soon as possible. M-7) A membership list with phone numbers will be provided to all members no later than opening day of GA turkey season each year. GUESTS G-1) Members may not invite guests on any opening weekend (bow, muzzleloader or rifle), and guests will not be allowed from November 1-December 1. G-2) Guests may only harvest one (1) buck (See Rule H-3) and two (2) does. G-3) Guest’s deer kills count towards member’s limit (See Rule H-3). G-4) The inviting member must be present on the property for a guest to hunt. STANDS S-1) All club stands are available to all members and guests. S-2) All stand placements will be coordinated with the lease manager. S-3) If a member leaves a stand on club property, the owner of the stand will always have first priority to hunt his stand. S-4) Temporary stands (climbers, lock-ons) can be placed/ hunted anywhere on the club. However please be aware of stand placement so that there is not interference with another member’s hunt. HUNTING H-1) Bow and arrow (including crossbow), and all legal firearms (including muzzleloaders) are permitted. H-2) The property is primarily leased for deer hunting. All other legal game hunting is allowed i.e. turkey, coyote, small game, etc. as long as it does not interfere with deer hunters. H-3) The Deer Kill Limit for members shall not exceed five (5). ▪ Three (3) Doe/Antlerless (as defined by GA State Laws) ▪ Two (2) Buck (minimum of 4 points or better on one side OR 15” outside spread for BOTH bucks) H-4) A $100 fine will be paid by any member who kills a buck that does not meet the minimum requirements. This fee will go towards lease maintenance i.e. food plots, club stands, etc. H-5) A member’s dependent child (15 years of age or younger) may take any legal deer. Dependent children must be under the direct supervision of an adult at all times while hunting. H-6) A member’s dependent child’s (15 years of age or younger) kill will count towards member kill limits. OTHER O-1) Members and guests must hunt safely at all times. O-2) Members and guests will conduct themselves in an orderly manner and respect the rights and property of others at all times. Members and guests agree not to use or allow the premises to be used for any improper, illegal or immoral purposes. O-3) Camping is to be done in designated area only. Camp area and facilities must be kept clean and free of debris, rubbish, trash, bottles, cans, and other waste. All trash must be removed when leaving the property. Littering or dumping on property is prohibited. Intestines, gut, etc. from harvested game that are field dressed/processed in the camp area must be removed from the camp area immediately afterwards. O-4) Campers are available on the property on a first come first serve basis. The only exception is the owner of the camper will have first choice of bed in their camper. O-5) All members are required to participate in maintaining the club property. Membership meetings and workdays may be scheduled as needed. Dates and times for meetings and workdays will be announced in advance. Members should make every effort to attend/participate. O-6) Any changes to the rules and regulations must be agreed upon by a majority of club members, and will not be implemented until the following year.
Thanks all. Very helpful. I think I get myself bent out of shape because I've had no problem putting in a little more money or time & effort into a lease and I'm not sure it's being reciprocated. Time will tell. Some guys are great and I can see going on with them on other leases in the future. I guess this is how you find great hunting buddy's over the years.
We all work together but everyone has there own little honey hole that they like to hunt. I know just a few guys in the camp but still a good group of men.
The lease is 4.5 hours away from all the members and only 2 of us make regular trips down there. (Funny thing is we've got 2 guys that have paid and never made a trip to hunt it.) This is our 4th year on the lease and the most ever taken off in a given season is 4. It is also surrounded by 2000 additional acres of woods, which we have access to track but not to hunt. We are good with our heard. Appreciate the concern though.
