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What is a fair price for leasing hunting property?

6K views 35 replies 26 participants last post by  mus42tang 
#1 ·
What is the going rate to lease hunting rights per acre?
 
#2 ·
i was told $5-8/acre by someone in the leasing business at least for NW PA land. It will depend of course on the landowner, their taxes, their desire to have deer controlled,their desire for cash, the lay of the land, size of the land and makeup of the acreage. Lots of variables.

Gotta use a range in most cases when looking at parcels, much like buying them. Some land is worth $4000 an acre here, some is worth less than $ 1,000.

All comes down to what the landowner sets it at, too high it will sit empty, too low expect a short lease as they look to correct their error.
 
#7 ·
Be careful offering to lease for taxes on smaller tracts in suburban counties, taxes are not cheap or low anymore.

5 to 10 dollars per acre in big woods timer tracts, 10 to 20 in more farm/southern counties and 20+ in suburban tracts. Also small tracts tend to be much higher "per acre" than large tracts.
 
#8 ·
I’m on a lease in Venango County I pay $275.00 a year there are 30 of us and there is 1500 acres. There are different kinds of lease as well. I’m on what called a recreational lease. Which means I can gain access all year (356), we can ride atv’s, and even put up a tent or even a camper. The only restrictions with campers are they have to be removed for one full week each year. Some leases in the area you can only access from like September to the end of hunting season. Do not quote me on the dates.

I live in Butler County I know a family that pays $1800.00 to hunt a 25 acre plot. But hat is surrounded by other quality areas. It depends on what you are looking for out of a lease and where the property is located at as the price per acre will change drastically.

Other important factors are who else is on the lease and what are interests, and their values? Do they bait because they are behind closed gates, do they ride around in a truck/atv’s shooting deer, or are they ridding around at night whacked the good bucks?

The lease I’m in is gated, the only interest of the majority of the others is rifle, rifle, and the rifle. There’s 2-4 people other than me that spring turkey hunting you may see 2 others on the 1st day. Bear season there will be a couple guys out the 1st day. And archery I may see 4 guys regularly. I’m the only guy who traps it. But my trade of is rifle season you put up with A LOT of crap… Watch out for what you’re getting into and with whom.
 
#9 ·
Detail, details, get them all straight. I know in Md., many farms are starting to lease out rights for different stuff. Example, one lease for deer, one for Canada geese and ducks, and another for snow geese......

Even though you think they may be stupid questions, ask them anyway.
 
#10 ·
A lot of the leased property around here, at least the larger plots of land are setup/leased by groups of hunters who establish hunting clubs many of them have bylaws. If you run into that you can always get a copy of them as well. The leasing of land in select areas is almost a necessity. Look into it carefully it can be a great opportunity or a lousy experience. When/if you’re looking out of state it can be an entirely different ball game. I know a guy who leases in Texas and pays $5000.00 a year to hunt 2000 acres there. Again quality of land, hunting opportunity, number of hunters all dictate dollar amounts. It all depends on how much money you have to spend and what you are looking to get out of it.
 
#11 ·
I used to lease one of my tracts out for $3000/year for 300 acres. One year I charged $1500 plus a bunch of amish deck furniture for the camp. My properties are in clean and green so an offer of paying the taxes isn't worth much time in discussing because the dollars are way too low for the potential headaches.
 
#13 ·
Around $6/acre in the northern tier for timber investment company lands. It will obviously vary greatly depending on the area around the state and the potential of the property.
 
#16 ·
I'm pretty sure clean and green opens your property up to the public as well. That's why I took mine off. May wanna check into that. They wouldn't even have to lease. With tax breaks come stipulations. They ain't free.

Sorry to get off topic.
 
#19 ·
Lightning84 said:
I'm pretty sure clean and green opens your property up to the public as well. That's why I took mine off. May wanna check into that. They wouldn't even have to lease. With tax breaks come stipulations. They ain't free.

Agricultural reserve land is the only category of land under the Clean and Green program that must be open to the public for recreational use. Agricultural use and timberland are not required to be open to the public. I save, on average, at least seventy-five percent on my taxes.

Sorry to get off topic.
 
#20 ·
Doubledog said:
I used to lease one of my tracts out for $3000/year for 300 acres. One year I charged $1500 plus a bunch of amish deck furniture for the camp. My properties are in clean and green so an offer of paying the taxes isn't worth much time in discussing because the dollars are way too low for the potential headaches.
How do you handle the clause about allowing reasonable public access if you lease the land out for hunting?

Do the lessees dictate permissions to the public, or do you?
 
#22 ·
HighCountry66 said:
Doubledog said:
I used to lease one of my tracts out for $3000/year for 300 acres. One year I charged $1500 plus a bunch of amish deck furniture for the camp. My properties are in clean and green so an offer of paying the taxes isn't worth much time in discussing because the dollars are way too low for the potential headaches.
How do you handle the clause about allowing reasonable public access if you lease the land out for hunting?

Do the lessees dictate permissions to the public, or do you?
There is no public access permitted. Those that have permission for access have their names on the lease.
 
#26 ·
Snapper said:
I’m on a lease in Venango County I pay $275.00 a year there are 30 of us and there is 1500 acres. There are different kinds of lease as well. I’m on what called a recreational lease. Which means I can gain access all year (356), we can ride atv’s, and even put up a tent or even a camper. The only restrictions with campers are they have to be removed for one full week each year. Some leases in the area you can only access from like September to the end of hunting season. Do not quote me on the dates.

I live in Butler County I know a family that pays $1800.00 to hunt a 25 acre plot. But hat is surrounded by other quality areas. It depends on what you are looking for out of a lease and where the property is located at as the price per acre will change drastically.

Other important factors are who else is on the lease and what are interests, and their values? Do they bait because they are behind closed gates, do they ride around in a truck/atv’s shooting deer, or are they ridding around at night whacked the good bucks?

The lease I’m in is gated, the only interest of the majority of the others is rifle, rifle, and the rifle. There’s 2-4 people other than me that spring turkey hunting you may see 2 others on the 1st day. Bear season there will be a couple guys out the 1st day. And archery I may see 4 guys regularly. I’m the only guy who traps it. But my trade of is rifle season you put up with A LOT of crap… Watch out for what you’re getting into and with whom.
snapper, do you know if they are taking any new members on the 1500 acre lease you are on? I have a camp about 4 miles from gamelands 95 near boyers, butler/Venango line. awayslooking to expand my hunting area near there.
can you pm me with details? thanks.
 
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