Hunting Leases

[creekhunter]

I was just curious as to what some of you that lease are paying these days. We were offered $50.00/acre for the lease of our farm in Illinois. There's an outfitter out of Carmi, Illinois that is leasing up several of the farms in White and Edwards Counties. He then brings in hunters from Chicago and other such places charging them 2,000 to 3,000.00 for a three day hunt from what I'm told. We said no of course because my family hunts our property. But, I was curious as to what the going rate is. $50.00/acre sounded very high to me. These guys did wind up with 800 acres right next to us. SOmething tells me next season will be a real rodeo.

[Multidigits]

$40,000 for an 800 acre lease?????? I'll believe it when I see it.

[joekat46]

These high priced leases will be the ultimate doom for hunting. You CAN'T price out the average man and expect to retain any political clout. Anybody that pays $2000 to hunt a deer or turkey, whether or not they can afford it, is demeaning the sport. Anyone who pays that kind of money isn't going to be happy with the hunting experience. They EXPECT to kill something.

[creekhunter]

Believe it. That's the price being paid. Last November I was hanging out in my travel trailer after tagging my deer and a local stopped me and started ranting to me about the leasing problem. He knows we've owned our property for 100 years and just wanted to make sure that it had not been, nor was it going to be, leased. We've taken several B & C bucks off this property in the last 15 years. It's all hardwoods surrounded by grain agriculture. That's what makes the place so sought after. If you're driving towards St. Louis sometime (hopefully next weekend - GO BLUE!) look to the South (out your left window) about 10 miles after you cross the Illinois line from Indiana. You'll see all the woods on the horizon. That's the land we're talking about.

The outfitter has apparently put up a nice lodge in Carmi and is really putting on the dog for his guests. And yes, let me tell you for a guy coming out of Chicago making 250K a year, 2-3K is nothing to pay for a long weekend. They'll do it at the drop of a hat. Hell, they are doing it. I know these guys are all from Illinois. They have to be given the mpossibility of drawing a first season tag in White County if you're from out of state. The locals are really hot about it and I don't blame them because they're losing their hunting spots.

In any event, I don't disagree that leasing can be a bad thing. But, there's probably a whole lot of guys that post on here that lease and it's here to stay I'm afraid.

[skin_dog1]

The prices continue to rise. It isn't unusual to get $25 plus dollars per acre in places like KS, TX, and IL. A $2000 three day gun hunt where you have an honest to goodnest chance at seeing or harvesting a B&C is cheap. Try and go to Texas and come away with a 170" deer for $2000! I don't ever see myself paying these fees but before long average people may have no choice. With land access being denied more and more these days public ground gets more crowded.

[KyHorse]

creekhunter,
Sounds like you are talking about Campbell Resources out of Carmi. If so, they do kill some good bucks. Not sure how many actually make B&C though. If they are paying that per acre to herd up land to hunt, it is likely because they started some sort of filming/hunting competition circuit where a team of two guys, one camera man and one hunter, spend several days competing with other teams for cash prizes. There was press about this in the local paper and now on their website. These 2-man teams paid like $10-$15,000 to enter. They have a competition for Whitetails and another for turkey. I think it is kind of cheesy myself. I guess they are trying to find the next B.A.S.S. They did have 10 or so teams competing last year, which is some cash on top of their normal booked hunts.

I don't have any affiliation with them. I just know about their operation because I have ties to White Co. and hunt there every year as a non-resident on in-law land.