Leasing Land for Hunting

October 9, 2023

Hunting season is right around the corner which means that hunters will be looking for alternatives to public land for their hunts. Leasing land is a great way to create a passive income and generally, it doesn’t require a lot of effort from the landowner. Private land offers better opportunities and improved safety when compared to public land. Leasing land for hunting benefits the landowner, the hunters, the sport, and the wildlife.

What is a Hunting Lease?

A hunting lease is an agreement between the landowner and hunter that allows access to and the right to hunt a defined amount of land for a period of time. A hunter will often pay a fee per acre, per season, or per single hunt. There are various types of agreements and the structure of the lease is based on the needs of the hunter and the guidelines provided by the landowner. You may wonder where to list your land for lease. There are many online resources you can consider although word of mouth is still a very common way of connecting the hunter with landowners via real estate agents and even your neighbors.

Benefits of Leasing Land for Hunting

For a landowner, the income generated from leasing land to hunters can be significant. This income can be used to improve the property, cover property taxes, it helps in reducing crop damage caused by wildlife, it helps reduce trespassing and poaching because of the frequent movement of the property.

Types of Hunting Land Leases

Selecting the type of lease is up to the landowner. The most common ones are yearly leases, daily leases, exchange of services (non-fee agreements) and no-fee access. In the no-fee access arrangement, the landowner grants access to their property without any compensation but the contract is still in place. In the event that an exchange of services agreement has been signed, the hunter will provide services which may include food plot management, fencing repairs, and structure upkeep.

The more traditional will be a yearly agreement where the hunter gains access to the property for an entire year. This is the best option for hunters who hunt regularly. These leases usually start around late June and early July and last until that time next year. Hunters are generally charged on a per-acre basis which may span from $10 to $60.

Daily leases allow hunter access to the property for a singe or a few days. These types of leases require the landowner to be more involved into the process as they often have to act as guides in navigating the property.

Improving Your Property

Not all land can be suitable for hunting. In order to lease land to hunters, the property should be attractive from the game perspective, access and good hunting amenities. When leasing land, habitat management like food plots, adding watering holes and blind placement is going to be necessary. Adding year-round cameras to track the movements of the animals will be a great bonus to include. If your property is large and ATVs or UTVs will be used to hunt, make sure the trails are ready and remain cleared during the length of the lease.

Regulations and Hunting Liability Insurance

Hunter liability insurance shields personal assets and prevents a hunting disaster from causing a financial harm to you and your family. This type of protection is worth considering, as your homeowner insurance will most likely not cover hunting accidents that occur on land you have leased. Hunting insurance fills the gap, sheltering your personal assets in the event of a hunting accident.

Make sure that your land is up to date with the state’s laws and regulations. Easements, property access and the correct use of land can all fall under particular local regulations. Make sure that your property is ready to be considered for a hunting lease.

Leasing out your land to hunters has a lot of benefits, especially financially. It’s a great form of creating passive income as well as helping to improve your property. Leasing your land helps give your land new life and keep the sport of hunting alive.

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