Hunting property lease poll.

In talking to a farmer that I know this weekend, he mentioned that it was a shame nobody was hunting anymore on a outlying farm he owns. He bought the 120 acre farm 20 years ago as a second dairy operation because it had a running milk parlor, but then 7 years ago they got out of dairy entirely and the farm has only been used for the clover fields and for some summer beef pasture, then it’s unused from October to April as far as his activity goes. They move the cattle off the property as it’s too remote to feed/water the cattle over winter.

I asked him if he’d consider leasing it and he said he’d been approached by locals, but “for the few hundred they offered, it’s not worth the hassle.”

I thought that for a 120 acre farm, less than 2 hours from the Twin Cities, he should be able to get considerably more than a few hundred, but maybe I’m out of touch in these leaner deer years. This is Zone 100, Section 159, so about 90 miles north of the Cities and 8 miles east of 35W. Deer numbers are what they are. Certainly solid numbers, but not what they were 10 years ago.

So my question is what do the members here think it would be worth on a lease? Sole hunting rights to 120 acres in the area stated. The farm is almost 100% huntable, no vast areas of swamp or wet ground, mix of pasture, heavy timber, and open clover fields. There is no cabin, but there is a quiet yard/barn area with water and electricity, so camping/travel trailers could be used.

I have my thoughts based on what I know others in the area are paying currently, but I don’t want to bias the poll with my number. And as I said, maybe I’m fixed on numbers that only applied back during the peak deer years and the price has declined considerably.

Grouse

Considering a 120 acre lease could sustain 4-6 hunters, I think $1,500-$2,000 would be a fair price for an exclusive rights lease for the entire season. I throw that number out loosely, as I think there are a lot of variables that go into what the market will bear such as deer densities, quality of bucks on the property, food sources available, huntability of the property, neighboring properties and their deer management strategies etc.

What are taxes on the property? I would use that as a gauge.

suzuki wrote:

What are taxes on the property? I would use that as a gauge.

Judging by what I pay on 80, I’d say the taxes are $1500 a year, so that would put Justin in the ballpark with that number.

Personally, my gut feeling was in the $2000-$3000 range. I know a party that is paying $1000 to lease 60 acres, but maybe that’s high for the current market.

Also, I was thinking that the size of the property would be desirable, finding a property of 120 acres for exclusive use can’t be easy. Especially if you want it in MN and less than 2 hours from the metro. You could probably get cheaper leases as you go farther north and west.

I haven’t been on the property for years, so I’m going to head over there after the season and take a look at it in more detail.

Grouse

I am not that old, but what ever happened to asking politely and not having to pay to hunt-just helped out with chores, etc.? I guess I struggle with the whole lease thing in that I cant afford it, but even if I could, I sure as heck wouldnt pay a lease. When did hunting turn into a “he or she with the most money wins”? Wonder why more kids dont hunt…hell cant even afford to get ground to hunt. It is snowballing and that is a shame…

Sorry to jack your thread.

Its been that way for a while and will only get worse until ultimately only the well-off can hunt. Just like England.

I think $2,000-$3,000 is easily obtainable, provided were talking about decent ground here. When it comes to leasing land, its really about quality over quantity.

For instance, I know guys who pay upwards of $5k a year to lease half that amount of land in Buffalo County. I also know guys in Northern MN who pay less than $1,000 a year to lease 200+ acres.

Wow you guys pay a lot for a deer.
I wouldn’t pay a dime.

I would say for average deer hunting land $10 an acre is a fair price. As said try getting on property in Buffalo County, I have a friend that paid $9,000 for 160 acres. That was for Bow, gun, and black powder seasons.

He asked me if I wanted in on it for $3,000. I have close to 1000 acres to hunt that my cousin and uncle own, I put in a lot time helping them on the farm but I enjoy that time with them and they need the help.

jeweler wrote:

I am not that old, but what ever happened to asking politely and not having to pay to hunt-just helped out with chores, etc.? I guess I struggle with the whole lease thing in that I cant afford it, but even if I could, I sure as heck wouldnt pay a lease. When did hunting turn into a “he or she with the most money wins”? Wonder why more kids dont hunt…hell cant even afford to get ground to hunt. It is snowballing and that is a shame…

Sorry to jack your thread.

Getting free land access is great. If you can get it. But with deer especially, the supply is vastly lower than the demand in many places. And we all know what that does to prices.

The reality is that most farmers and others who own large blocks of land are almost overrun this time of year with relatives, friends, church members, and everyone else asking them for permission to hunt.

On the other side of the coin, many of us want not just access, but some measure of control over the place where we hunt. We don’t want to come to our stand and find out Uncle Dick just put up a stand 100 yards from us last week and now he’s sitting there with his heater running and smoking a cig and there’s nothing you can do about it.

We can talk about weather or not this pay to play is a good thing, but as others say, it’s been moving that way for a long time now.

Grouse

“On the other side of the coin, many of us want not just access, but some measure of control over the place where we hunt.” Amen to that, most miserable opener ever had to give up my spot with no plan B. IMO 70% of Minn. deer hunting success is getting a good spot on private land. You can make a lot of mistakes if you have a spot where you get 4 or 5 chances opening weekend.