Considering leasing family land for hunting…

dr_boogs

10:51p, 5/1/24

Dad asked me to get some info and a fair price per acre to lease a piece of property for hunting. We have never leased and not really sure where to start. I'm peripherally aware of the need for a contract and umbrella insurance policy, but help me out with a fair asking price and what to be aware of from a landowners' perspective.

Property is ~300 acres in Coleman county. 20 mins from Coleman, on a good / well maintained caliche road. It's divided into an 80 acre pasture that has been in the family since late 1800's and a 220 pasture across the road. The 80 acres has a metal barn that could be used for shared storage. It also has a really cool mountain (hill) that has great brush coverage and an an awesome view from the top. Hunted deer a bunch sitting under a tree at the top of the mountain when I was a kid.

There is electric and county water on one side, county water on the other. It's mesquite, pear, and native pasture w a 30 acre stand of bedall. Low fence of course. Would be willing to lease to the right family or group for deer, hog, dove, turkey, quail (not many around this part of the county). There are several stock tanks through the property but most are dry right now on account of the drought. At one time there was decent panfish catfish and bass fishing in one of them. It has not been hunted in 10-15 years although the neighbors I'm sure hunt their properties to some extent.

Hopefully that gives enough details to get the advice of the all knowing OB. Thanks in advance.

BradMtn346

1:16a, 5/2/24

I can't help with what it is worth, but I might be interested if you want a low impact lessee.

Dirty-8-thirty Ag

6:16a, 5/2/24

If ever interested in leasing the grass, would love to talk. Looking for some lease country.

Yesterday

6:27a, 5/2/24

How far is the drive from DFW or Austin? This will be one of the bigger factors. Is it year round as well?

TH36

6:32a, 5/2/24

Is it 20 mins south (Like towards Brady?) or 20 mins North of Coleman?

If it's towards Brady, I would be interested. My parents own a lake house in Brady and I've wanted to lease something close-ish to that area to hunt. Would be for me, my Dad, and family to hunt. I've got a 3 year old that will be 4 by next season. Would like to start taking him hunting with me.

BlueSmoke

11:59a, 5/2/24

I've seen this movie.

We're very close to Coleman county as well and found some damn stewards of our place here on this very forum. Our place is more than twice the size of yours, so that matters in pricing and also allows for more hunters. My thoughts were to undercut everyone else and find families that can have a generational impact on the land. They have a year-round lease and have free reign for everything: deer, quail/doves, turkeys, even ducks. They pay a flat fee that covers the taxes and helps with maintenance. They are also bow hunters, meaning they hunt earlier and seem to put much less pressure on the animals compared to our neighbors (meaning our place gets a lot of movement away from the surrounding rifle hunters)

The quality of the WT's in just a few years has been amazing. They use many of our existing feeders and insulated blinds, and have supplemented with more of their own.

It's probably a 4-hr drive all in from DFW. Door to gate. I'd guess you can get $6K-$8K (all in) plus they are responsible for all equipment and feed, etc.

I also can't say enough good things about Coleman. The gentrification and money flowing into that town has transformed it. rancho pizzeria. The Black Cur steakhouse. The cattle drive caf. They even have a wine bar with dueling pianos.

dr_boogs

3:20p, 5/2/24

In reply to Yesterday

Yesterday said:
How far is the drive from DFW or Austin? This will be one of the bigger factors. Is it year round as well?

3 hours from DFW. 3-3.5 from Austin. Year round vs. fall and hunting season still open for discussion.

dr_boogs

3:21p, 5/2/24

In reply to TH36

TH36 said:
Is it 20 mins south (Like towards Brady?) or 20 mins North of Coleman?

If it's towards Brady, I would be interested. My parents own a lake house in Brady and I've wanted to lease something close-ish to that area to hunt. Would be for me, my Dad, and family to hunt. I've got a 3 year old that will be 4 by next season. Would like to start taking him hunting with me.

West of Coleman actually.

dr_boogs

3:23p, 5/2/24

In reply to BlueSmoke

Thanks for the feedback, where did you go to find a lease contract/agreement? I'm sure we've crossed paths around town without knowing it.

Breaking local news....Big O's out in Valera closed permanently last week.

BlueSmoke

3:27p, 5/2/24

In reply to dr_boogs

dr_boogs said:
Thanks for the feedback, where did you go to find a lease contract/agreement? I'm sure we've crossed paths around town without knowing it.

Breaking local news....Big O's out in Valera closed permanently last week.

GOD DAMMIT!!!!

I've been going there since I was a kid. My blood type is "Big O's" positive. Seriously, he was getting old and I get it. He held the torch for decades when the only food choices were Sonic in Coleman or making the drive all the way into Ballinger. I hope he's well.

Losing old Nonie Smith who had that awesome diesel repair yard up the road was bad enough....with the old half-tracks, tanks, etc is where I got my first Willis Jeep.

Nobody cares. Work Harder

dr_boogs

3:33p, 5/2/24

In reply to BlueSmoke

You and I have definitely crossed paths if you spent that much time at Big O's. My mom and dad's house is 2-3 miles from Valera. There's an interview somewhere talking about Big O's run at that location, why he's closing, and what he plans to do. My google-fu is failing right now, I'll see if I can find it.

BlueSmoke

3:37p, 5/2/24

In reply to dr_boogs

dr_boogs said:
Thanks for the feedback, where did you go to find a lease contract/agreement? I'm sure we've crossed paths around town without knowing it.

It's nothing special. Basically a generic lease we found online and amended that we renew yearly. We have teenagers and live far enough away that keeping on top of things with the wife and I both working became problematic - hence the use of my words as "stewards". That's where they come in. They are good at open lines of communication and have informed us of so many things that could have been problematic had we not known about it - fence issues, livestock issues, etc.

I take the kids later in the season when HS/club sports are ending to hunt the extended MLD season for the most part.

So the first real infusion of capital into the city were the owners of the Rancho Loma B&B near Big O's out of Dallas. It's as exquisite as any B&B you will find in the Hill Country. They are friends with the Goree family out of Midland that have that massive T-Bone ranch that is thousands upon thousands of high-fenced land. They they built the pizza shop, steak house, and wine bar. Then Owl Pharmacy got a facelift, Cattle-drive cafe opened, I even buy all my EVOO at the olive oil shop in town. 100% chance we crossed paths. It's too small a town not to.

Nobody cares. Work Harder

BlueSmoke

3:38p, 5/2/24

If you want to post an email, I'll send it to you

Nobody cares. Work Harder

CS78

3:48p, 5/2/24

Could probably do three guns at $3000-$3500 each pretty easily. Thats cheap these days and the demand greatly outweighs the supply. Id be tempted to put one on the 80 and two on the 220 and not even combine the two pastures. Less chance for drama with less people having to work together.

dr_boogs

3:53p, 5/2/24

In reply to BlueSmoke

My mom and dad are neighbors with Robert and Lori. We met them when they moved to the area years ago. It's been fun to see their vision come to reality and see the ups and downs of their endeavors. Have enjoyed a number of good evenings with them at their place as neighbors over the years. My wife got in to cooking for a while and use to go and help Lori prep meals and learn from her before we had kids (15 years ago now).

Mom and dad shared many a lunch with Travis Goree at Big O's before he passed. Dad is born and raised local, grandad owned the Owl Drug for 30 years or more, at its first location, then through the fire, and re-built in the new location. He was the so proud to have the only pharmacy in the county with a drive through window. That was cutting edge back then. We still go in for a burger and shake now and then, my dad grew up working the soda fountain there for my grandad, so it's always nostalgic. Boy they've changed the drug store into some hybrid Hallmark Pharmacy Burger joint but it's still fun to go hang out. We enjoy the pizzeria and black cur. I'm sure you and I have shared a meal together over the years.

Aggie_2463

4:17p, 5/2/24

I don't know your deer quality or quantity but a fair price for 100 acres per person is 3 guns @ $2000 or $2500.

That's $20+ an acre. The hunters will have to provide all their own equipment, feed, trailer / cabin electric water etc etc?

Im sure you'll find 3 at $3k+ and then after a year or two you'll be looking for more hunters, and continuously looking for new hunters.

I'd also give full year access if you want your herd fed properly and well taken care of. They won't come but to improve, shred your property and put feed out during off season.

Give a group a good fair price and your land will be treated as if it was their own. Atleast, I would treat it that way. Been on hunting leases for 35 years from east Texas to old mexico

montanagriz

4:25p, 5/2/24

https://insurance.ahuntinglease.org/hunting-lease-insurance-annually/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=BP_AHLA_Insurance&utm_content=&utm_term=hunting%20lease%20liability%20insurance&matchtype=e&network=g&device=m&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw88yxBhBWEiwA7cm6pV-8GywbKRVz7LZrnO2sM_BNYHUmnI6bYauyDMVUF4LhTWn7taslWhoCE3oQAvD_BwE

I would use this for insurance and contracts

cheeky

4:47p, 5/2/24

We're between Brady and Santa Anna. Take all our deer to Coleman Processing. Best smoked sausage I've ever had. Coleman is a cool little town.

BlueSmoke

7:17p, 5/2/24

In reply to cheeky

cheeky said:
We're between Brady and Santa Anna. Take all our deer to Coleman Processing. Best smoked sausage I've ever had. Coleman is a cool little town.

Halls? Been going there for years. Good people. Sausage is amazing. Love their hunter sticks.

Nobody cares. Work Harder

Yesterday

8:55p, 5/2/24

3 hours from DFW will bring $3k for 3 hunters easily. Before we bought our place the hunters on it had a lease for $30/acre and that was 2 years ago.

One thing is certain, there are fewer leases and more hunters than 10 years ago. The influx of people has made it very expensive to hunt if you don't already have a locked in lease. Ranches are splitting up and people don't want to share their new get away property. If you're on a good lease now make sure and stay in the good graces. You only have to read Texas bow hunter or Texas lease finder to find desperate hunters.

I'd start with Texags outdoors board. The only place I would advertise if/when we go that route.

TdoubleH

9:19p, 5/2/24

I'll lease it from you if you decide to.

Eight 1 seven-six five O-five O nine 0ne

montanagriz

7:31a, 5/3/24

Sure influx of people have made leases hard to find and expensive. However i have noticed a lot more lease openings than years past. Im guessing the economy is to blame and well cwd panic in some.

I go out of state for quality hunting now. Too expensive to me to lease ground here that is full of young 110in bucks and confined to a box blind or small 100 ac area surrounded by everybody else. However, a lot of people enjoy it and that makes the world go round. Not all alike

Im also very fortunate to have places to go in state for free. Just low quality deer and doesnt scratch my itch but its a way to get outdoors

cheeky

9:12a, 5/3/24

In reply to BlueSmoke

BlueSmoke said:
cheeky said:
We're between Brady and Santa Anna. Take all our deer to Coleman Processing. Best smoked sausage I've ever had. Coleman is a cool little town.

Halls? Been going there for years. Good people. Sausage is amazing. Love their hunter sticks.

Yes, but I believe they call it Coleman County Processing now. Either way, same place.

dr_boogs

10:06a, 5/3/24

In reply to cheeky

cheeky said:
BlueSmoke said:
cheeky said:
We're between Brady and Santa Anna. Take all our deer to Coleman Processing. Best smoked sausage I've ever had. Coleman is a cool little town.

Halls? Been going there for years. Good people. Sausage is amazing. Love their hunter sticks.
Yes, but I believe they call it Coleman County Processing now. Either way, same place.

Sold to a new owner couple of years ago now. I'm glad y'all are reporting consistently good results since the sale. We got a batch of snack sticks about 6 months after the sale that were inedible because of the salt content. I mean....terribly bad. We've used them for years for sausage and snack sticks so I was pretty bummed. Based on what I'm hearing we'll try them again this next season.

dr_boogs

10:06a, 5/3/24

In reply to Aggie_2463

Thanks for your post, a lot of wisdom and common sense there.

Aggie_2463

10:23a, 5/3/24

In reply to dr_boogs

dr_boogs said:
Thanks for your post, a lot of wisdom and common sense there.

Unfortunately leasing prices have gotten out of hand, and with inflation one would think spending on hunting would come down but it hasn't really. A lot of blue collar middle class stewards of the land are being priced out, it's hard to blame a land owner for taking the money though. Sometimes, not always, the relief you give for upfront lease price may allow for the hunters to spend more improving the place. Instead of just paying lease and some corn and being tapped out.

I lost my East Texas lease last year when inheritance was handed down to 13 different people from the original
Owner, I need to start looking again for my son myself.

Knucklesammich

11:33a, 5/3/24

In reply to BlueSmoke

BlueSmoke said:
dr_boogs said:
Thanks for the feedback, where did you go to find a lease contract/agreement? I'm sure we've crossed paths around town without knowing it.

Breaking local news....Big O's out in Valera closed permanently last week.
GOD DAMMIT!!!!

I've been going there since I was a kid. My blood type is "Big O's" positive. Seriously, he was getting old and I get it. He held the torch for decades when the only food choices were Sonic in Coleman or making the drive all the way into Ballinger. I hope he's well.

Losing old Nonie Smith who had that awesome diesel repair yard up the road was bad enough....with the old half-tracks, tanks, etc is where I got my first Willis Jeep.

What!?!?

My dad sold his place outside Valera so haven't been out that way in a while...Big O's was the truth.

Knucklesammich

11:35a, 5/3/24

In reply to BlueSmoke

BlueSmoke said:
cheeky said:
We're between Brady and Santa Anna. Take all our deer to Coleman Processing. Best smoked sausage I've ever had. Coleman is a cool little town.

Halls? Been going there for years. Good people. Sausage is amazing. Love their hunter sticks.

Their summer sausage is also killer

O.G.

12:22p, 5/3/24

I've been the leasor and the leasee...both have struggles & being the ramrod of a lease can be its own private hell.

Have a lease agreement with everything spelled out. Where they can park/camp/clean animals etc.

IF you are going to hunt it during the season, that needs to be said up front and which weekends/stands etc.

If cousin Eddy comes in for the holidays and wants to hunt because its "family land" the answer will have to be No, unless you've arranged it ahead of time. (I let a Landowner's relative that was in from the military hunt with me once and he killed a deer, turned out to be pretty fun and it was definitely a situation where it was mutually beneficial)

Handshake deals are great but unless you know the people really well, I would put everything in writing.

Also, and this is based on a good deal of experience. I wouldn't lease to anyone that didn't come from TexAgs that wasn't already established here. Thats going to filter out a lot of problem children right there.

highvelocity

12:40p, 5/3/24

would be interested in leasing - been looking for a texas place to hunt

cheeky

1:14p, 5/4/24

In reply to Knucklesammich

Knucklesammich said:
BlueSmoke said:
cheeky said:
We're between Brady and Santa Anna. Take all our deer to Coleman Processing. Best smoked sausage I've ever had. Coleman is a cool little town.

Halls? Been going there for years. Good people. Sausage is amazing. Love their hunter sticks.
Their summer sausage is also killer

Can vouch. We always do the jalapeño and cheese SS, sticks and smoked sausage and it never lasts long around our crowd. The prices have gone up noticeably the past few years, but they are fairly quick and flexible on holding it for a while if you're out of town. Also, pleased with the taxidermy work they outsource on several European mounts. As I recall it's a fellow named Buddy out of Abilene. Rustic Oaks Taxidermy. Good work and reasonable prices.

Lonestar_Ag09

3:30p, 5/5/24

Good luck finding a great fit. Posts like these make me thankful every day for our lease. Year round access, We've been on it for about 12yrs and the only foreseeable end will be when the owner dies

My dad handles all the financials for it and corn/lease/bills etc we split 4 ways about $1200 a piece

Going to be a sad day when he passes and we inevitably lose access.

BurnetAggie99

4:33p, 5/5/24

Dang would always stop at Big O's when was out that way. Hate to hear it's closed

Aggie_2463

9:41p, 5/5/24

In reply to Lonestar_Ag09

Lonestar_Ag09 said:
Good luck finding a great fit. Posts like these make me thankful every day for our lease. Year round access, We've been on it for about 12yrs and the only foreseeable end will be when the owner dies

My dad handles all the financials for it and corn/lease/bills etc we split 4 ways about $1200 a piece

Going to be a sad day when he passes and we inevitably lose access.

Lost my lease last year - 3 of us were paying $750 each for 300 acres - had it about 13 years or so

agsalaska

9:04a, 5/6/24

In reply to O.G.

I agree with this last statement.

Just lease it to OB posters. That will be by far the easiest way to get a good group that respects the land and the herd

I bet if you charged $3333 a year you would have three quality hunters just off this thread in the next hour. A smooth 10k.

The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you never know if they are genuine. -- Abraham Lincoln.