Leasing Land

[johnksully]

My group that I hunt with is thinking about leasing land this year. We have never leased hunting land before. Does anyone have a generic copy of a hunting lease or know where I could find one? Also does anyone have some do's and dont's about leasing.

Any input would be a great help. Thanks everyone!

Good luck to everyone that gets to go out this weekend.

[Rob Heflin]

Best advice I could give (I don't lease much, but know a lot of people who are leasors and leasees).

1. Find out hunting history of the place (have they had birds in past or not-consider bad and good years). Not every water hole is a duck hole, know what I mean? Birds have "flyways" within flyways. Is this land in a sub-flyway, or in between flyways. That could make all the difference in the world. In my county, you've got a main corridor in the county and you've got edges, and then you've got other places that won't see a bird all winter.

2. Why did the last group not re-lease the land this year? Ask for names of previous lease members and talk to them.

3. Get everything written down on paper. A big problem down here is when people think the landowner is going to pump water (they never asked, just assumed) but that was never in the contract. So they have to come up with more money in order to flood it for ducks if the rain doesn't do it. Will it have blinds, pits, etc?

4. Ask landowner up front what he expects from you. He may not allow atv's, hunting near houses in early morning, riding on field roads, etc.

5. Tell landowner what you expect from him and the lease.

6. If it's farmland, find out what farming practices are in place. Is it no-till where all grain will be left on top of ground, will farmer leave any standing crops, or will he turn it all under before season?

7. And last but not least, the local conservation officer or mail man will probably be able to tell you if the land holds birds or not from year to year.

Just some things I would like to know before I leased. Sorry, I don't have a copy of any type of lease agreement. I leased a 40 acre block last year from a lady in California( she was raised on this 40 in MS but moved away years ago). All business was done over the phone. I just typed up something simple stating I would have all rights to any outdoor/ recreational activity on her land for 3 years and would have her paid by November 1 of each year. I also put up a cable to keep all of the "lovers" off of the place on the weekends; she was very glad to know that someone would be looking after her land and worked with me in every way.