How much for hunting club\lease dues?

[hicountry1]

Our club is $1500 a year, and we hunt on a large estate of 2k acres.

 

[Swamp Fox]

I know this doesn't pertain to everyone especially when It comes to elk hunting (my dream hunt), just curious what others are paying for a deer hunting club or lease every year? Reason I ask, I may have the opportunity to join a club around my area that has a lot to offer outside of deer season, but also has a pretty price too. This place has sandbars and river access to an area that's secluded from public because of shallow rocks up river and down. Quality deer management, whitetail must be 4.5 yr old or better, plenty of hogs, decent duck hunting and turkeys, full cabin with sleeping quarters, kitchen, skinning shed, walk in cooler, 12k plus acres with minimal members. I can be very cheap when I want to be but I don't mind spending money when I feel that I'm getting my monies worth...

What are they asking?

When you say minimal members, what are we talking about? Have you met any of them?

What is the guest policy, and is it a free-for-all in terms of scouting, trail-riding, camera checking, and baiting etc.?

When you say QDM, what are we talking about? Does anyone shoot does or do they all sit with their thumbs up their asses waiting on a hoss? Lots of hogs can be a problem.

You'll have to decide if the price precludes saving for other hunts. But a good club is worth the money. A mediocre club is a waste of money, if you are really focused on your hunting.

 

[FLATHEAD]

The last club I enquired about, the "president of the club" sent me the
17 pages of rules.
No Thanks!!

 

[Swamp Fox]

My goodness those Eastern leases are cheap. Those of you pontificating on never paying to hunt need to get off your high horses. You can hunt whitetails on 200 acres. Out west you need to add another zero.

I can't decide if you are a Packers fan or a Vikings fan ....

 

[FLATHEAD]

Yeah, and I can see the whole 2K acres from one spot. And see that there
is nothing on it.

 

[Txarcher]

640 acres, I get the grass and hunting for $10/acre.

 

[Brunson84]

What are they asking?

When you say minimal members, what are we talking about? Have you met any of them?

What is the guest policy, and is it a free-for-all in terms of scouting, trail-riding, camera checking, and baiting etc.?

When you say QDM, what are we talking about? Does anyone shoot does or do they all sit with their thumbs up their asses waiting on a hoss? Lots of hogs can be a problem.

You'll have to decide if the price precludes saving for other hunts. But a good club is worth the money. A mediocre club is a waste of money, if you are really focused on your hunting.

6k$ in dues, 3 stands per member, unlimited guest invites, must shoot your quota of does... honestly the QDM is not the biggest pro for me, the amenities and river access are. But..I really enjoy out of state hunting and cannot justify doing both so that may be the deal breaker.

 

[OKHunter84]

6k$ in dues, 3 stands per member, unlimited guest invites, must shoot your quota of does... honestly the QDM is not the biggest pro for me, the amenities and river access are. But..I really enjoy out of state hunting and cannot justify doing both so that may be the deal breaker.

Unlimited guest invites could be an issue. What keeps folks for paying for one membership and then bringing their grown son, nephew and buddy till they all tag out? I think you should go with your gut and save the 6k it sounds like

 

[timekiller13]

It really depends on the area you live in.

It sounds like that lease has a lot to offer. I wouldn’t be afraid to drop $4-5k/yr for due on a lease like that.

Around here (NC) most of the big clubs are in the eastern part of the state. From what I hear, dues are $1500-3k/yr for a couple thisudands acres with 15-30 members.

I lease a small 150 acre parcel with my Dad close to home. We pay $15/acre. Which is actually below the average going rate right now. Most places are going $25-40/acre.

 

[Maz7869]

My feelings toward hunt clubs are based on my area central Florida. I’ve had leases in FL, GA and AL what I’ve found is the clubs are very much like high school everyone will try to slip in your spots and if you’re not local you lose the ability to control trespassers and poachers. I now only keep a local lease with friends mainly for turkeys and somewhere to slip away. I’ve found any big money out of state lease’s aren’t worth it to me due to the lack of time to manage them. I can book a couple out of state hunts a year for example elk or mule deer and black bear with less frustration and cost by the time you account for managing an out of state lease year round not to mention the timber company deciding to cut a couple months before the season. Now if it’s local that’s different which is why I keep the turkey lease 45 minutes from my office we actually had a game warden join this year which is really a great way to keep trespassers off the property. I’m my area 12k acres with minimal members would be around 10k annually per member.

 

[Stalker69]

My goodness those Eastern leases are cheap. Those of you pontificating on never paying to hunt need to get off your high horses. You can hunt whitetails on 200 acres. Out west you need to add another zero.

Our high horse, sounds like your the one on the high horse to me. Because we don't have deep pockets, and you must, I would say it's the other way around. I realize eventually all hunting will be, pay to play. And only the wealthy will be able to afford to do it. But until then, the hunting is pretty damn good, with out having a " club" or lease here. I will quit before it reaches that point.

 

[voltage]

I’m in a “club” in the Midwest that has a lot of different properties spread across three states. It is managed with an online reservation system that is only competitive on the openers and ideal rut weekend dates. It’s right around $1,900 a year. I don’t love paying, but I sure love hunting it. I send $75 a pay check to an account I call “hunting lease fund” and write the annual check out of that.

 

[SDHNTR]

Our high horse, sounds like your the one on the high horse to me. Because we don't have deep pockets, and you must, I would say it's the other way around. I realize eventually all hunting will be, pay to play. And only the wealthy will be able to afford to do it. But until then, the hunting is pretty damn good, with out having a " club" or lease here. I will quit before it reaches that point.

That’s the difference between you and me. I’ll quit when I’m dead.

 

[Stalker69]

That’s the difference between you and me. I’ll quit when I’m dead.

I gotta feeling, there's a bigger differance then that, between us.

 

[Swamp Fox]

6k$ in dues, 3 stands per member, unlimited guest invites, must shoot your quota of does... honestly the QDM is not the biggest pro for me, the amenities and river access are. But..I really enjoy out of state hunting and cannot justify doing both so that may be the deal breaker.

I would pass. I can float any river, and can manage to take enough showers of some type to keep most people happy.

 

[Boarmaster]

I pay $3500 per year along with 9 other members for around 3500 acres timber company land in Alabama.
Primarily a whitetail lease with some wild hogs And turkey. We are mostly all 9 hrs away we trade the turkey rights to one member from there and he looks after the place and uses his equipment and time to plant the food plots. There are probably more than 25 food plots some are very large.
The lease is loaded with deer. Actually over loaded with does. Most of the members don't hunt the food plots. We hunt back in the woods. Very few big bucks venture out on the plots in daylight.
The season is long. Archer season starts in October then rifle in November thru Feb 10th. Not too many hunting opportunities in southwest florida anymore do to development so we travel. Leases are all about who you are in one with , the quality of the lease and opportunities. Members must have the same goals for the lease or respect the differences. We got guys that want to only hunt big bucks and guys that enjoy shooting does.

 

[Yoteassasin]

An average duck blind costs 2K per seat in my area.... I could only imagine what a deer club would cost.

You would be very surprised….

 

[Yarak]

Down this way $1000 per year is cheap for a lease and theyre not getting cheaper unless youre in a club that has far too many members than the land can support
The rule should be 100 acres per person

 

[Stalker69]

This is really sad to hear, but as development takes over and there are no “ wild” places left, this and high fence places will become the norm. As that happens, it’s unimaginable how much the places to “ shoot something” will cost. Boy I am glad I am on my way out of this world, and not just entering it. I just don’t think I could enjoy the hunt, if I had to “ rent” property to do it. But then maybe that’s the way a lot of you have done it your whole lives, and that normal ? I have only hunted national forests, BLM, and state lands my entire life. I really didn’t think, other then Texas, hunting land was this limited. Kinda of frightening, to think this is probably headed west. Hopefully I am nothing more then ashes when that happens here.

 

[hunterjmj]

When I moved to Nebraska for school I leased hunting rights in 2 different years. First year was $350 for the whole archery season for 50 acres. I shot 5 does and could have killed more. The second year I leased a big farm for $550 for archery season and killed several deer and my Dad killed a yuge whitetail. Both places sold the year after I leased and became unavailable. Glad I don't live in the Midwest cause finding a place to hunt is not easy. Hunting is so different in the Midwest than what I'm use to and I don't miss my short stint in Nebraska.