Do you pay for hunting access?

[Bowferd]

I purchased 26 acres with a spring fed creek winding 3 times thru it and approximately 30% of that property is creek bottom with trees and overgrowth. That was 12 years ago, and at one time it was paid for. 4 years ago I decided to add a building and believe you me, I'm paying to hunt. The interest to the banker is more than most pay for a lease on much larger property.
I'm not complaining because I fell in love with the property and feel fortunate to have found it.
But it would be cheaper to lease.

[Terry Green]

Yep...

[Kip]

I have hunted public land when younger and enjoyed it to the fullest,now own and lease some of the land I hunt and enjoy it to the fullest.This cost me a lot more than public but lets face it all public land is paid by taxpayers yourself and myself included just more of us paying a lease more or less.Now for the ones who enjoy private land at no cost thank you lucky stars.I am afraid that will not last much longer b/c the taxes will soon get so high (at least in my area) that they will have to accept some compensation to keep the land or have some other means of return like selling lot for houses.Just my .02 Kip

[horatio1226]

I am a first time hunter and am lucky enough to have 2 parcels of private land to hunt for free. One parcel is 80 acres and the other is 100 acres. The only thing I pay is what I give in gratitude. Both places are loaded with deer and turkey.
 
 
 
 
 

[Biggie Hoffman]

I have no issues paying for access. In fact, I prefer it that way. Keeps all the weekenders off the places I hunt!

[Bob G]

Thanks to the Military I have had the opportunity to hunt quite a few states. I am forever envious of the folks in Upstate NY. I hunted the Adirondaks for 4 years, never paid a penny and never hunted more beautiful and bountiful country. I spent 3 years in North Dakota. I hunted the shelter belts, always on a handshake from the farmer. Froze my A$$ off and enjoyed every minute of it. Never paid a penney and the variety of fish fowl and game was astounding.
  Now I am in Texas, a state I dearly love, my home untill I die. I DO NOT HUNT here. Leases begin in the 1500-2000 dollar per gun price. Plus most have a fee for any animals you kill based on trophy size, that can run to the tens of thousands.  Hunts for "cull or Management" deer, the ones they want out, run 1000 to 1500 per animal and does about 200-250. The wild hogs that rancher detest for tearing up their land go in the 150-200 range. High fences and Geneticaly bred deer that I feel are becoming to look a little freaky are becoming the norm. Deer breeding stock and semen sales from prize bucks are advertized everywhere. It is a sad state of affairs we have gotten into and I fear for the future of the sport.

[snag]

We all pay for access in one way or another. I pay for access by having to buy a license and tag to hunt public land. But what I look for is big roadless area with few if any people. I will not pay a lease fee...ever.

[wingnut]

Depends on where I am.  I've hunted on my tax dollars most of my life living in Washington State.  I now live in Texas am fortunate to have friends and customers that invite us to hunt there properties.  I also pay to hunt on a few select places that we really enjoy.

I have paid trespass fees in Wyoming to hunt antelope.  Like Biggie said it's nice to have the property to yourself.

I guess my answer is yes.

Mike

[Fritz]

Blessed to have a couple hundred acres of family land to hunt. Also have a family lease of about 500 acres.  Leasing is pretty much a fact of life in SW Louisiana.  I like having a piece of land that I know the people that hunt it.

[Cory Mattson]

Something to be considered about leasing. I see there is a lot of negative feeling about - and I do not understand that except when people feel they should be allowed to hunt someone else's land for nothing. This is called "Mooching" - and I will have no part of it. LEASING has opened land to hunters that was not - or would not have been - available to hunters before. Not in all cases certainly - but in EVERY case I have been involved with. That is PLENTY of clubs - FL, GA, SC, TX, NC. Property owners feel like they aren't being "used" - get some help at tax time - have serious dedicated hunters on the place instead of wanna bees - and the members get to manage and hunt land at an affordable rate. Everyone can afford a lease with some simple extra work each year - it isn't free - but it is well worth it. Everybody wins with a good landowner who leases to a good club.
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[adkmountainken]

Mooching, are you kidding me????? its called sportsmanship from one hunter to another! i will not buy my deer thank you very much. talk about negative feed back. i have stated before i would gladly bring anyone that wants to go hunting in NY to my stands which they can feel free to use for years to come with or with out me. i would not accept a dime. i have been preety respectfull on what i thought about leasing untill you bring up mooching. man that will be the day when i pay to hunt deer becouse i don't want compettion from others and i want to have my little private hunting area all to myself. ya i guess i am a mooch becoue i ask permission and don't offer cash! seems to me like we think paying $$ enables us to write the rules. thank God for the Adirondacks, good health and fair play!!  

[Cory Mattson]

And we share the hunting we lease -with MANY people - and we do not take a dime. I take friends on public land too. If you expect to hunt someones private land for nothing - that is mooching. If the shoe fits - put it on. Don't confuse the issue though - The adirondacks is a huge public area - you work it - more power to ya - and I too enjoy hunting on public land ------ but we who lease are also generous with what we work (and pay) for - and remember - we have a track record of "Creating" hunting opportunity where NONE exited. How is that bad for hunting?????????????
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[adkmountainken]

how is that bad for hunting well i'll tell ya. how about all the young kids just starting out in hunting that do not have extra cash to pay to "buy" there deer?? sure maybe you would agree to take him for free but how about the 10 other kids that do not have $$ to "buy" an area? yeah i mooch, if mooching is sharing the game i kill, cleaning the area of garbage and offering to help with anything that needs to be done as well as offering to take the land owner to any of my hunting areas.

[BigHink66]

Cory,

If you ever lose a lease because someone comes along and offers more money, you will likely change your mind.

Or when it comes to the point that you can no longer afford it and there isn't much left that isn't being leased, you will change your mind.

Eventually everywhere will be like Texas.  You might not have to deal with it, but you will know someone in the future that will.

[MI_Bowhunter]

While leasing opens doors for a few it closes doors for many more.

It's bad for hunting because it reduces hunting to nothing more then an activity for the elite, closing the door to many who do not have the financial means to partake.  As more farms become leases it will only get worse.

There used to be a day where you could befriend a farmer, allowed hunt his property, maybe do a little work for him.  Now its changing, its all about the $$$.  I think it's sad that things are going this way.

[Cory Mattson]

I have lost land to a higher bid. I have thrown landowners overboard who could not keep their word. I didn't invent leasing - but I see it as reasonable compensation to the private landowner. I work at this continually - I take nothing for granted - only do my best - for the landowner, my members, and hunting overall. Have any of you ever considered how many people have gone on nice hunts directly because of those willing to lease.
Young kids take game with us all the time - again - on land that would not get hunted if not for our lease. This on no way takes anything away from any of you - it is opportunity created.
Folks there are many landowners who do not hunt - they don't want to go hunting with you - they want fair market value. Just because someone owns land that has game on it does NOT mean they owe you the right to hunt on that land.
For those who hunt a piece of land for a handshake or a chore - fine ---- but I would not assume that is the way it is suppose to be.
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[leatherneck]

People who do chores are paying for land as well. Some farmers around our parts want money, and some want work. Either way your paying for it. How about respecting the landowner enough to help him/her cover the taxes on their land. They are letting you use it you know. It's only courtesy. Cash and work is not expected from the owner I lease off of. I volunteer it! It's only fair to the landowner. It isn't much and it definately doesn't cover the taxes, but I volunteer as much as possible. Some are fortunate to live where there is ample amounts of public land to use. Outstanding! But to those of us who lease to pursue our passion is this bad? So when I go on a guided hunt am I paying for an animal there as well? Is a landowner who lets certain few hunt but not others the same as me? Sometimes we need to look into a mirror before we start throwing stones.

Mike

[allanburden]

This argument falls back on the sad state of affairs our culture finds itself in these days.  When my dad started hunting in his teens, he could go to any farmer in the area and get permission to hunt for helping with the cows or fences, or just checking over the property.  Thanks to all the sorry, inconsiderate, worthless poachers, trespassers, and all others that desecrate the proud sport of hunting, that ability is now almost completely gone.  I choose to hunt public land, and on property that I am invited to hunt on because 1. I am a father of three with a stay at home wife and pastors are not exactly highly paid. 2.  I refuse to be told what I can or cannot kill.  I am out for meat, purely and simply. 3.  I don't mind sharing my area with others.  Yes, there are times when it can get crowded on public land.  But I have had some great conversations and made great friends with people I have bumped into or who have bumped into me on public land. Will I ever lease land to hunt?  I don't know.  I'm not sure what the market value is here in SC.  I know of a few clubs that chrage $500 to hunt.  That seems like a lot to me.  But then I'm just a poor ole country boy.
On a seperate note.  I disagree on ownership of the land as a whole.  Myself and others on this board wish our world would revert back several generations.  Yes, wishful thinking. Most would say we're childish, crazy, whatever.  But the fact remains that all land in this country was stolen when the first European immigrants came over.  Anyone could argue that we don't know who the natives took the land from, but we do not have that information in recorded history.  It is a known fact what happened to the natives of this land.  I know I'm getting longwinded, but I've grown tired of people bashing each other over paying or not paying.  I have my opinion.  It's in agreement with some, not with others.  Big deal, who cares, so what.  I'm happy with my hunting life and circumstances and I hope all others are too.  All land should be free to hunt, but it's not because it's too dangerous for society.

[Biggie Hoffman]

Cory is right on about leasing! We have had many big name hunters come hunt our leases who publicly denounce it!
Cory said it a coupla times but it seems some of you guys aren't reading it, THEY ARE HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES CREATED!

You guys stick to your guns and "never" pay to hunt. That's fine. Those of us who live and breathe bowhunting will always have a place to hunt and I can't speak for Cory, but you guys will be welcome when your free ride ends.

[adkmountainken]

i guess it comes down to where and how you were brought up.  hunting has been a way of life and a tradition where i live in NY. no one asks for money to hunt there land. its either open to all ( which most is ) or its posted and some times it just takes the common curtiousy of asking permission which many times is granted. i came from a POOR family. if had to lease to hunt i never would have been able to hunt period! hunting, the woods and waters kept me out of major trouble as a kid and young adult, i still found my way in to A LOT of trouble but if it was not for my passion of hunting i'm sure i would not be where i am today, i would have been lost in the numbers of vilonce, drug abuse and everything else that hammers our youth. i would NOT been able to hunt if leasing were the case so you tell me how leasing benefits everyone?? i know MANY young kids on this very forum who do not have the money to lease, how does this benefit them? leasing = the man that has the $$ makes the rules, HORSE CRAP!!!!