Finding a hunting lease in TX

[AzDak42]

After a pretty grueling year at work in 2011, I've come to the conclusion that life is too short to spend all my time up to my eyeballs in work. If I'm going to work that hard, I'm going to do a bit more of what I want with my free time.

To that end, I want more days in the field. I'm thinking about just ponying up the cash and buying a lease, just so I can make sure to time hunting deer and hogs every year.

But I'm clueless about leases and how to go about finding a good one. All my hunting growing up was done on the land of family friends. I never had to worry about the transaction to find hunting spots.

Where do folks go to find leases? What do you look for when negotiating one? Anyone have recommendations?

 

[Guest]

My experience is that it's likely to take a good bit of time and effort to find a good lease. Start talking with guys you know who hunt, and with the guys at the local hunting supply stores. Also, ask the local game officers. They don't always know of open leases, but they can tell you which leases to avoid as far as where the game-law-breakers are hanging out.

I looked off and on for about five years, and then looked hard for the last two of that. Finally found a lease that fit all my criteria:

1. Close enough to go often
2. Good habitat selection
3. Accessible by foot or truck (I don't own a four-wheeler)
4. Reasonable price

It's up to you to define what you want. We just have a land lease, with no clubhouse or bunkhouse or anything. But it's within 20min of my house, so that works. If it were farther away, right now, I wouldn't get to go much. Whole weekends are near impossible for me. You might want (or need) a place to stay out at the lease. Lots of people have campers set up during the season at leases, but our lease doesn't do that. Mostly because we're all fairly close.

Good luck. Where in TX are you looking?

 

[HTDUCK]

Yes, where in Texas are you looking?
Most of the local Chambers of Commerce in rural areas will have some listing of property available to lease.

Howard

 

[AzDak42]

Thanks for the replies gents...


Right now, I'm looking at White tail and hogs, but I would love to find some with upland game available as well.

I'm a bit ignorant to most Texas geography and only have a passing knowledge of the area around Austin where I've been when visiting my family there. It would be great to be within a few hours of Austin or closer to the new mexico border, which would save me some drive time.

I'm also pretty easy about amenities. Bare bones to fully decked out bunk house all works. I'm more interested in great terrain with good game.