Overview

Few hunting, conservation or land-use issues are as controversial as the ongoing trend toward “lease hunting.” This is not a new concept. Hunting leases have been a common practice in some states for over half a century. For landowners, farmers and ranchers, hunting leases are a means by which to generate additional income from wildlife resources that the landowners sustain through their crops and habitat maintenance. For the sportsperson, the growing number and prevalence of lease arrangements are an indication of diminishing public access opportunities and “highest-bidder” price wars that could exclude access to a lot of private land. Additionally, thriving game populations of many species rely on hunting to maintain their populations within the biological carrying capacity of the habitat. Also, big-game lease hunting tends to target trophy animals, requiring “cull” hunts or similar strategies for population control and removal of less desirable animals.  January 2009 ... Hunting Leases

Other Links

• Basic Considerations for Leasing Post-CRP Land, Debra Elias, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
• Business Planning for Clay-Target Shooting Facilities
• Developing a Forest Land Hunting Lease - This Web site provides a tutorial and guide on preparing a hunting lease for an individual hunter or hunting club to use.
• Fee Hunting, Illinois Agritourism, University of Illinois Extension - This new site provides information specific to fee hunting.
• Fee Hunting May Boost Farm Income, Wildlife Habitat, Amber Waves, Economic Research Service (ERS), USDA, 2008 - Some U.S. landowners market hunting opportunities by managing wildlife on their property and charging hunters a fee to access their land. These landowners may also provide a public service for those who value wildlife for reasons other than hunting.
• How to Manage Liability in Recreational Lease Enterprises, Grant Huggins, Noble Foundation, 2004.
• Hunting Lease Agreement, Michigan Farm Bureau - Provides a sample hunting lease.
• Hunting Leases and Permits, Auburn University, 1994 - Alabama-related information on developing a lease and permits for hunters. The site contains links to a sample access permit, sample short-term hunting lease and sample season hunting lease.
• Hunting Leases in Kansas, Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, Kansas State University, 2003.
• National Woodland Owners Association - This national organization of private woodland owners provides group rates for woodland and for hunting lease liability insurance.
• The New Farm Bill & CRP, Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, 2008 - An overview of changes in the Farm Bill.
• Suggestions for Developing Wildlife Recreational Enterprises, Texas A&M University and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 1998 - Guidelines to developing a lease, examples of different leases and marketing the lease.

Links checked January 2010.