outfitted hunts on your land

[buckdeer1]

So do any of you sell a hunt or 2 on your land. Reason I ask is I have a swamp that when it's got water and if you like to duck hunt it can be a very magical place.I have a few friends and my daughter that likes to duck hunt so we do a few hunts every year.The last couple years it has dried up but this year it's got water.A waterfowl outfitter saw the ducks coming into it and contacted me about leasing for some hunts. I won't get in to exact numbers but it was over 5K for them to hunt 4 times and have 8 hunters per hunt. I have a neighbor that also has some of the water on them and they turned them down also. I told them I wanted to keep for us to hunt and they have raised the offer and text me everyday but I think I will stay just so we have a great place to hunt with family and friends.It would be nice to get most of the years land payment taken care of but the crops do most of that anyway.Thoughts?

 

[SwampCat]

Unless you were just purely a non hunter, I wouldnt do it

 

[bwoods11]

I don’t … except I let a big name hunter turkey hunt . Won’t say who, but I know he’s going to respect the land .

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

For the love of god please don’t unless you need the money. Outfitters are the anal wart on the world of hunting. Especially domestically.

 

[Catscratch]

You certainly have the right spot buckdeer! Absolutely beautiful waterfowl spot!!!

I've considered selling some hunts, some fishing, and maybe even converting our house into an AIRBNB a few weekends a yr. Never considered leasing to an outfitter.


I do view ducks differently than deer. Someone comes in and shoots a 200 inch buck off your place that may have been your only chance ever. Someone comes in and shoots 20 mallard off your place and there'll be another 20 in a week.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Waterfowl would be the only thing I would even consider potentially leasing out if that was ever an opportunity on ground that I owned. They are extremely transient, so whether they kill 20 or 2 really has no bearing on what your population would be like in a month or a year. All other species are impacted locally. I really do not like outfitters, unfortunately I have one 2 miles from my property. I have grown to be rather sick and tired of their Facebook posts this Winter, they try and pass off all the huge deer in their pens as the "wild ones you could be hunting" if you showed up and paid them a few thousand. Today I saw one of their posts regarding turkey season this Spring. A line of gobblers standing at one of their feeders, I really don't see the thrill of shooting a turkey over a pile of corn, but apparently it must be what life is all about.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

$5000 to hunt ducks for 4 days? Yup, I’d agree to that if you could do it on days that don’t mess up the deer hunting.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I think yall are underestimating the effect hunting has on duck populations whether it is through take or pressure negatively affecting behavior which leads to survivability issues

 

[Feelslikefar.]

The fact that the neighbors all said no already might give me pause (assuming they were duck hunters). Otherwise I'd jump at that, give up a couple days to pay my taxes.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I’m guessing those clients will be hunting ducks those days in the general area whether it is on that property or somewhere else. I don’t think it would have a long term impact on duck numbers, but having a bonus $5000/year in my pocket would be a nice bonus.

 

[H20fwler]

Don't know how your state is, but;
In Ohio when a landowner takes money to let someone hunt, they take on some liability.
If you decide to lease it out, make sure you get a contract that relieves you of all liability and responsibilities for anything.


Myself, I would duck hunt with family and friends.

 

[Bill]

I don’t turkey hunt but I let a guy that “may” be pretty well known run all over my place in the spring. We’re old friends and I hate turkeys.

So for me I guess it depends on your relationship with the ducks.

 

[Kdog]

Me personally would be a no. It may be different down here, but if you have good bird numbers, that would be $1K per gun minimum or $32K he plans to make off your place.

 

[goatman]

You can answer your own questions. My place ain't public. Don't fall in love with money.

 

[Mortenson]

I don’t turkey hunt but I let a guy that “may” be pretty well known run all over my place in the spring. We’re old friends and I hate turkeys.

So for me I guess it depends on your relationship with the ducks.

Do you have clearly defined sanctuaries he has to stay out of?

 

[Foggy47]

I have turned down some pretty good freinds on requests to hunt my property for deer. I have developed my place for family....and that is it. However hunting for spring turkey is an interesting thought. Not sure I could get much money for a hunt such as that tho? I do have allot of feathered rats here....and would not mind getting a few off my land. Interesting.

 

[bwoods11]

You can answer your own questions. My place ain't public. Don't fall in love with money.

That’s a very good point. I’ve had people ask me to hunt & even had a casual friend ask me to hunt my top farm in Minnesota. He called for first time in years and asked about my family then beat around the bush, then hinted that he likes my area where my farm was, and I’m looking for second place to hunt ?

Without hanging up on him, I basically told him, it’s not public land and I have 4 boys. I let a few friends hunt for does in the late season (with me) . The thing that pissed me off the most, is he has his own land ?

Then I find out he called 2 of my friends to hunt their land. Same exact “speel” on trying to find another spot to hunt. Be careful with these types. They know something. I found he was getting trail cam pics from a neighbor of mine & we had a really big buck on our farm … which my son shot.

Long story, but just be careful about who you let on your farm & sometimes the money is not worth it !

 

[Bill]

Do you have clearly defined sanctuaries he has to stay out of?

No, spring is usually when I will also enter my sanctuaries shed hunting.

 

[Brian662]

That’s a very good point. I’ve had people ask me to hunt & even had a casual friend ask me to hunt my top farm in Minnesota. He called for first time in years and asked about my family then beat around the bush, then hinted that he likes my area where my farm was, and I’m looking for second place to hunt ?

Without hanging up on him, I basically told him, it’s not public land and I have 4 boys. I let a few friends hunt for does in the late season (with me) . The thing that pissed me off the most, is he has his own land ?

Then I find out he called 2 of my friends to hunt their land. Same exact “speel” on trying to find another spot to hunt. Be careful with these types. They know something. I found he was getting trail cam pics from a neighbor of mine & we had a really big buck on our farm … which my son shot.

Long story, but just be careful about who you let on your farm & sometimes the money is not worth it !

Damn, that takes some nerve to cold call after years and try to get on some hunting ground.

 

[hillrunner]

I let several people hunt my land for free every year. No chance I would let an outfitter on though. That'd be extremely hypocritical of me.