Hunting club worth the $$?

[longrangehunter]

It's not just a southern problem either. I went on an elk hunt in NW Colorado some years back. The outfitter and his family had a prime 27,000 acre lease. They had had it for 15 or 20 years, had built water catch basins, installed water tanks and troughs and basically improved the land every year. They even had a 5,000 acre "Sanctuary" that was not hunted period. The elk knew it and during the migration they had to walk through the ranch to get to the "Sanctuary". A really good setup and I was planning a return visit.
They told me they might not be able to get the lease next year due to rising cost.
And they didn't. That was a shame.

That sounds like a previous hunter or hunters with deep pockets had hunted there, saw how good it was, contacted the owners with a better offer, sweetened the deal and bought themselves a Elk hunting ranch for all there other rich buddies.

That or another Outfitter took it over that would pay up. It's a shame.... greed is a terrible thing and happens in everything in life. Someone sees how much money can be made on the other end and next thing you know there not just land owners anymore but Outfitters.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Strange how people and companies perceive themselves. Look at Cabela's actions and listen to their rhetoric? They are a Credit Card business and own a bank, taking $300 million out of inventory to sell credit cards for a couple of years recently. They are also are a large clothing retail operation. I would bet that outfitting is not on the top ten departments/divisions of that company, yet they call themselves "outfitters to the world"!

 

[Dr. Vette]

I would bet that outfitting is not on the top ten departments/divisions of that company, yet they call themselves "outfitters to the world"!

They're referring to outfitting you with gear, not being an outfitter in the sense of leading you on a hunt. The on-a-hunt division is a relatively new piece of their business, and even then they're just a middleman.

 

[Oldtrader3]

As was, Abercrombie and Fitch, I guess! Now they sell t-shirts and jeans.

 

[longrangehunter]

As was, Abercrombie and Fitch, I guess! Now they sell t-shirts and jeans.

Ditto......

 

[NYDAN]

A.J., I own 240 acres in prime deer and turkey hunting country in the southern tier of New York State. How do these costs compare?

Property taxes = $6,000/yr.
Tractor/equipment repair & replacement costs = $1,500/yr.
Permanent hunting blind repair/replacement = $500/yr.
Food plot lime, fertilizer, & seed = $500/yr.
240 acres @ $1000/acre amortized over 20 years = $12,000/yr.
Cost of divorce for wanting to live on the property = $#00,000
Cost of every spare minute working on the property = ?

What about $1,500 per year sounds expensive? If I could get the same benefits I enjoy now for $1,500 a year, I would jump at it and never look back. Of course, the key element is defining the benefits.

It is important to understand the effort to create the hunting habitat. How many hours does a hunter want to invest to have a good place to hunt? I spend 100 hours a year just brush hogging the open fields. Then there is the time to build and maintain food plots and hunting stands. How much is that time worth to someone?

The advise you have received is sound, do your research to know what benefits to will get for your money. But, as you can see from the above numbers, it is not cheap to provide a place to hunt.

At $10.00 per lunch, you can brown bag it for 150 days and have a place to hunt.

I might give someone a deal at $1,000/yr with just the two of us hunting 240 acres with permanent blinds and food plots. If I could get the help I would like, they could hunt for free.....

 

[truck driver]

That is very tempting Dan since I know where you live and have seen some very nice deer in your area and on the other side of US 15/390 some very large Black Bear. I just don't think my wife would be willing to move up there even though we spent a week Vacationing right around you. 8)

 

[NYDAN]

That is very tempting Dan since I know where you live and have seen some very nice deer in your area and on the other side of US 15/390 some very large Black Bear. I just don't think my wife would be willing to move up there even though we spent a week Vacationing right around you. 8)

The next time you are coming to the area, give me shout ahead of time. Maybe I can give you the grand tour. If you know how to hunt coyotes, bring your gear.

 

[sask boy]

I am really blessed here in Saskatchewan as we have 1000s of miles of public land and most private land is very accessible as well.
Where we hunt Elk in the northern part of the province the farmers call us when they find Elk on their land. The herds do big damage to their swathed Canola and then to their bale stacks in the winter.
We always treat them right with Elk steaks and sausage.
I hope that I have never see the time when I have to start paying to hunt on someone's land.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Dwh7271]

All are excellent points and good info.
I second Dans post.
We own a farm and the upkeep and other expenses can be hefty. Don't get me wrong, not wanting out and like our life here.....but sometimes; especially as years start to add up :x
Don't even get me going on real estate taxes. Brings school levies into a whole new dimension .
If the place is of any account and reputable, 1500 sounds cheap. :grin:

Another thought. Look at what you could spend on a hunt in nearby states. Booked with an outfitter with a reasonable crack at something decent, you'll go over 1500 pretty quickly.

 

[DrMike]

I understand costs of maintaining land, and I'm sympathetic to the land owner. I do not resent his seeking some return on his investment. Still, I am blessed to have opportunity to live where I do. There is still a lot of land open for me to explore where I'll not see a soul for days. I do like that.

 

[Dwh7271]

You're a fortunate man Dr.

 

[truck driver]

That is very tempting Dan since I know where you live and have seen some very nice deer in your area and on the other side of US 15/390 some very large Black Bear. I just don't think my wife would be willing to move up there even though we spent a week Vacationing right around you. 8)

The next time you are coming to the area, give me shout ahead of time. Maybe I can give you the grand tour. If you know how to hunt coyotes, bring your gear.

I'm taking the wife to Buffalo for the World Horse Shoe Pitching Tournament in July. But If I don't take Her to Niagara falls while we are up there she will leave me in Canada. :!:
Hmmmmmm. might not be a bad idea. :roll: :lol: Thanks for the invite, I would love to put the Roberts on some Yotes. We will be staying in my trailer at the Fair grounds and then going up on the Lake to a state camp ground the second week.

 

[Darkhorse]

It's one thing to pay 1500 for membership in a 2500 acre club then per the rules you get 1 or 2 spots you can hunt. Or all the best spots are taken by members who have been there longer. Or you get a small area and can't even scout new land. Or you come to hunt and find chewing tobacco spit where others have been hunting the stand you sweated to get up. I have experienced these and far more in the past 40 years.
No. I'll pay the upkeep on my own property any day. It really makes the hunt more meaningful.
And yes, compared to an out of state hunt 1500 is cheap. According to our notes that's about what it took to get me to Colorado and back, including motels, gas, food and license. This is on top of hunting expenses, outfitter fees, tips, and etc.
So 1500 can be cheap to hunt good land. No doubt.
But I remember one night in New Mexico, coming down from 10,000 ft., wet and cold and tired from fighting the snow. It was already below zero and we stopped on a spit of mountain and the whole valley spread far below. I could see the far off twinkles of ranch lights and the air was so pure it almost hurt to breathe. And the sky was so clear it looked like a million diamonds twinkling almost where you could reach out and touch them.
That night stands out, burned in my memory. Because it's just not like that at home.
And I intend if the good lord allows, to pay the money to see those Rocky Mountains one more time.
Maybe twice. :grin:

 

[DrMike]

I'm certainly prepared to drop coin to see new territory. Some of the areas I'm wanting to see before I get too old will require flying in or boating in; I'm prepared to pay the price.