Lease agreements - what is in yours?

[Ungawa]

Moving from open harvest to 4.5 and older was our first rule. It has helped us tremendously. Now our issue is our biggest 4 year olds are getting shot. So now we are going to move to 5 year olds. Probably best that you are moving to 5 at the beginning.

Obviously you are hunting either high fence or 10 of thousands of acres. No deer makes it to that age where I hunt, 13 inch rule, too many small properties.

[rocky]

I really feel sorry for those that have to lease property to deer hunt, and have to abide by other's opinion on what you can or cannot shoot, or do while trying to enjoy hunting.

[Hydestik]

I really feel sorry for those that have to lease property to deer hunt, and have to abide by other's opinion on what you can or cannot shoot, or do while trying to enjoy hunting.

Don’t get on a place that manages and you’ll do just fine.

[huntingjunkie]

I hunt with 4 other families and we all have kids in either high school or college that hunt on their own, and younger ones that hunt with family members.
No rules really but we use a few standards for deer management purposes.

- Each family gets their allotted 2 bucks tags for the county to share from members tags
- 9pts and below are target management/cull deer at 4yrs old
- 10pts and above are trophy at 5yrs old
- If you’re uncertain of the age, give the deer the benefit of the doubt
- If you’re wanting meat for the freezer shoot a doe early

Kids want the action so they mostly duck hunt mornings, quail hunt during the day and hog hunt the wheat fields at night. For those of us that prefer hunting deer, the kids lay low during the afternoon hunt or hunt deer/pigs from a blind. The added pressure and gunfire I’m sure isn’t the best when it comes to deer, but we just love the fact that they’re there having a good time in the outdoors with us still so we roll with it. I’ve just learned over the years that it’s much more important having family and friends there to share the outdoors with, than hunting with a bunch of people who only care about that trophy deer and the “rules” needed to help harvest him. With that said, we’ll take 2-3 150-170in trophy deer off a 2,500 acre place every year and the same with management/cull deer, 2-3. If a younger deer gets shot, then so be it - it happens. It does with us too on occasion, but we’re not about to get grumpy over it. It’s just a deer.

Just remember this sport was built around harvesting food, enjoying time with family and friends, and having fun long before it turned into a trophy sport...and this coming from a guy who loves the hunt of a mature trophy as much as anybody. Happy Hunting!

[kumathebear]

I'm not knocking any of the comments above, but I'm so thankful our lease is paid family and paid good friend! We have very simple rules based on experience and knowing each other AND trusting each other:

*Clean up after yourself and keep trash out of the pastures
*Each paid member is allowed 2 does, 2 bucks and if you bring a guest, it's charged to your allowed total
*Let your paid members know if you are bringing a guest
*Take all the pigs you want, when you want (we have ample supplies, lol)
*Culls...take 'em out please...but NO yearling bucks...we are all experienced enough to know the difference.
*A member can hunt another member's stand with permission...ask first if a NO, no problem
*We don't specify work days, rather whenever anyone goes down, we check each others feeders, fill them and it works fine for us.

Obviously the key is WHO you hunt with. Too many, then more problems and more rules just waiting to be broken and on and on. We are fortunate with our lease, been there and done that with other past leases and just won't go that route anymore.

Good luck...lease time is meant to enjoy, not sit and note violations or gripes about who does what...just does not apply to ours.

[rocky]

I hunt with 4 other families and we all have kids in either high school or college that hunt on their own, and younger ones that hunt with family members.
No rules really but we use a few standards for deer management purposes.

- Each family gets their allotted 2 bucks tags for the county to share from members tags
- 9pts and below are target management/cull deer at 4yrs old
- 10pts and above are trophy at 5yrs old
- If you’re uncertain of the age, give the deer the benefit of the doubt
- If you’re wanting meat for the freezer shoot a doe early

Kids want the action so they mostly duck hunt mornings, quail hunt during the day and hog hunt the wheat fields at night. For those of us that prefer hunting deer, the kids lay low during the afternoon hunt or hunt deer/pigs from a blind. The added pressure and gunfire I’m sure isn’t the best when it comes to deer, but we just love the fact that they’re there having a good time in the outdoors with us still so we roll with it. I’ve just learned over the years that it’s much more important having family and friends there to share the outdoors with, than hunting with a bunch of people who only care about that trophy deer and the “rules” needed to help harvest him. With that said, we’ll take 2-3 150-170in trophy deer off a 2,500 acre place every year and the same with management/cull deer, 2-3. If a younger deer gets shot, then so be it - it happens. It does with us too on occasion, but we’re not about to get grumpy over it. It’s just a deer.

Just remember this sport was built around harvesting food, enjoying time with family and friends, and having fun long before it turned into a trophy sport...and this coming from a guy who loves the hunt of a mature trophy as much as anybody. Happy Hunting!

I think this is the best post on this thread.
There is 4.5 MILLION deer in Texas.

[Puncher51]

Obviously you are hunting either high fence or 10 of thousands of acres. No deer makes it to that age where I hunt, 13 inch rule, too many small properties.

Nope and nope. We own 1050 ac in Mason County. We are surrounded by small properties as well(probably bigger than what you are referring to though), and have neighbors feeders right on our fenceline.

[El Viejo]

Ours are pretty simple and common sense. Basically it's, "Don't be a jerk!"

[SharpStix]

Just splitting hairs here, what happens if somebody sees a nice deer for the first time, genuinely estimates the age to be 5+, gets back to camp and the camp consensus is 4-5 or 3-4? I realize there are some distinguishing characteristics to look for but when you're in the moment and the adrenaline is pumping rationale can (and will) get a little fuzzy.

[smb250]

Lease agreements - what is in yours?

Ours is pretty simple with the landowners agent. There is only 3 of us on lease. Payments due on certain dates. Keep camp mowed and clean. No trash. Guest permitted must sit with lease member. Dump carcass in designated area. And KEEP GATE CLOSED.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Puncher51]

Just splitting hairs here, what happens if somebody sees a nice deer for the first time, genuinely estimates the age to be 5+, gets back to camp and the camp consensus is 4-5 or 3-4? I realize there are some distinguishing characteristics to look for but when you're in the moment and the adrenaline is pumping rationale can (and will) get a little fuzzy.

If it’s a first offense, then on my place it isn’t that big of a deal at all. I’ll just give them some info on how to properly ID a buck and look at trail camera pictures of different age class of deer. If it’s more than the first offense then that’s a different situation.

[Ramball36]

Just splitting hairs here, what happens if somebody sees a nice deer for the first time, genuinely estimates the age to be 5+, gets back to camp and the camp consensus is 4-5 or 3-4? I realize there are some distinguishing characteristics to look for but when you're in the moment and the adrenaline is pumping rationale can (and will) get a little fuzzy.

I’m thinking a one year mistake will be maybe a $200 fine, a two year mistake would be a $500 fine. All fines would be rolled back into something for the lease. Anything that brings about an argument will be sent off to deerage.com at landowners expense. If the deer is aged to be within the rules, landowner eats that expense. If deer is too young then shooter will be liable to cover the aging fee plus his fine. Multiple offenses would make them subject to being asked to leave, depending on the situation and a group discussion.

[Ramball36]

We are already working on getting some deer aging posters both on the hood and jaw, most of the guys are pretty good with it. One guy seems kind of ignorant to it, and the other I worry just doesn’t care.

[44mAG]

Just splitting hairs here, what happens if somebody sees a nice deer for the first time, genuinely estimates the age to be 5+, gets back to camp and the camp consensus is 4-5 or 3-4? I realize there are some distinguishing characteristics to look for but when you're in the moment and the adrenaline is pumping rationale can (and will) get a little fuzzy.

Sounds like you get a fine...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SharpStix]

Well, sounds like you've got it figured out for the type of lease you're wanting to establish.