Hardwood11
It is going to be a good fall!
I lease 360 acres in MN, for $650 a year, but it has 300 tillable, so it around $10-15 acre of cover.
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hoosierhunter
Active Member
5-20 per acre regardless of cover.
StickersNKickers
Camo Up!
Last I had heard was $12-15/acre. $20 wouldn't surprise me depending on the property.
Booner
Well-Known Member
What does this even mean?! Can't beat em so flood the markets and join em??? This is the exact mentality and reason why we are in this ridiculous situation.
What ever happened to gaining permission from a friendly hand shake and a simple thank you ma'am/sir? After a season has come and gone, a simple thanks followed by a fresh bag of morels, maybe a thank you gift card for the farmer and his wife to have a dinner date? What ever happened to here's my phone number give me a call when you wanna cut some of those trees down, clean up that fence row? What ever happened to, sure I'd love to help you a couple days during harvest?
DannyBoy
Well-Known Member
It's often the owners that realize they have an asset and can make money. I miss those days, too, and have lost countless acres due to deeper pockets than mine. It's dog eat dog, though and if it came down to it, I'd absolutely lease, as well. Not ideal but that's the reality.
$5-$30/acre with the average being around $10-$12/a.
Booner
Well-Known Member
I agree 100%, but why weren't these guys charging this rate 10 years ago? God knows in the past 4 years farmers have made a killing (FACT) and the money they are making off the ground is pennies on the dollar to what they are making off their land through production ag practices. So I'm going to have to say realizing they have an asset isn't the case, but maybe that's just me.
I'm sure I'm not the only guy on this site who has gained access to some unbelievable farms by simply going up and talking to the farmer, being appreciative and lending a helping hand. I'm also positive their are guys who have deep deep pockets on this site who know that with money comes power and therefor why not take the easy way out, pay the money for a lease and then be done with it. They don't see the repercussions that follow as now that area of the county is now all leased up, tons and tons of normal blow Joe guys are now out hunting land. Also makes sense why there is so much of a huge problem with left and trespassing on these "leased" lands. What do you guys expect? You come in and bully everyone else out and just expect guys to sit back and be OK with it? Not saying I agree, but truth is truth and I know that if something doesn't change, my kids won't have anything but public to hunt because everything will be leased by that time.
CurtisWalker
Well-Known Member
I agree with you Booner! I have gained permission on some good properties just by going up to the house and talking to the land owner. Yes I occasionally have to bale hay for them in the summer. But that's easy work when I know it secures me a great hunting area.
DannyBoy
Well-Known Member
I agree with that, to an extent. Big difference between big ag, north of I-80 and the combo farms with poor soils down south, where the mass of leasing is taking place. Sure, there are big money operations in every county but not nearly as many in So. Iowa. Profit margins on 50 CSR vs. 80 CSR are much smaller. That's why so much CRP got ripped out south and there isn't hardly any north. My .02. Now, we've seen that margin shrink bad. Guys that have been farming for decades knew darn well those grain prices wouldn't last. A lot has changed in 10 years with the industry and the way it's been promoted in our state. I'd say if they're leasing their land now it's because they didn't know they could back then.
By no means am I saying I like or agree with it but as stated earlier, if it's the difference between me and my kids have crap or quality hunting, I'll whip out the checkbook (down the road, when I plan on having money
).
" I'd say if they're leasing their land now it's because they didn't know they could back then" That pretty much sums it up DannyBoy.
Some of the leases I have seen are north of $20,000. Now that's for a lot of ground, but regardless of how much a farmer is making from normal Ag practices that isn't pennies.... so have to disagree with you Booner. The fact of the matter is the "hunting lease" is now a normalized part of the income model on farms with good hunting ground. I don't ever see it getting as bad as say Pike Co. Illinois, unless Iowa opens up NR tag.
Some of the leases I have seen are north of $20,000. Now that's for a lot of ground, but regardless of how much a farmer is making from normal Ag practices that isn't pennies.... so have to disagree with you Booner. The fact of the matter is the "hunting lease" is now a normalized part of the income model on farms with good hunting ground. I don't ever see it getting as bad as say Pike Co. Illinois, unless Iowa opens up NR tag.
Booner
Well-Known Member
I agree with that, to an extent. Big difference between big ag, north of I-80 and the combo farms with poor soils down south, where the mass of leasing is taking place. Sure, there are big money operations in every county but not nearly as many in So. Iowa. Profit margins on 50 CSR vs. 80 CSR are much smaller. That's why so much CRP got ripped out south and there isn't hardly any north. My .02. Now, we've seen that margin shrink bad. Guys that have been farming for decades knew darn well those grain prices wouldn't last. A lot has changed in 10 years with the industry and the way it's been promoted in our state. I'd say if they're leasing their land now it's because they didn't know they could back then.
By no means am I saying I like or agree with it but as stated earlier, if it's the difference between me and my kids have crap or quality hunting, I'll whip out the checkbook (down the road, when I plan on having money
Absolutely agree. What does a guy do I suppose. If you can't beat em join em, however I'll drag my feet in the mud the entire way until the day comes where I'm forced to lease. Hopefully that super duper expensive piece of paper from Iowa State pays off down the road and I'll be owning my own ground and will never have to deal with this situation. But for the time being, I'll keep my blue collar roots and give thanks and pay land owners with morels, shed antlers, gift cards and a helping hand.
Hardwood11
It is going to be a good fall!
I actually do not like leasing. My only lease is primarily a duck and pheasant farm. However, I love this particular farm (family ties) and the guy won't sell it so I lease it instead.
Buying is a much better option. Spending $20k on a lease, what? You could buy a small farm with that money down?
I hear what you guys are saying, ask permission to hunt. The issue with that is control. By leasing and or buying you have control of the farm. Otherwise you may not? It's nice to hear you can still get permission by asking. In many states that is just not going to happen.
Buying is a much better option. Spending $20k on a lease, what? You could buy a small farm with that money down?
I hear what you guys are saying, ask permission to hunt. The issue with that is control. By leasing and or buying you have control of the farm. Otherwise you may not? It's nice to hear you can still get permission by asking. In many states that is just not going to happen.
...yes lots of farms lease for an insane amount of money. BIG farms. Its not the normal person like me doing it. I am just saying it happens....that's all. I personally know of several. The 3 most common scenarios that happens in are 1. Outfitters 2. A group of people that get together and split it up. 3. TV Show people
Oct-Lull
Well-Known Member
I personally will not lease. I have lots of state close and I still have private to hunt. Have last almost a farm a year for the past 3 and I am not for it. I saw one for 25$ an acre thats why I was asking.
The going rate is 10-20 per acre. Lots of reason for this to become more popular one is the recent increase in recreational land value. When I started here you could buy all the marginal farm/timber farms you would want for less than 500 an acre. Recreational land wasn't a category of land use. Today with Recreational land going for 2500-3000 an acre many feel they should be compensated for owning and maintaining it. Also with company's like Base Camp leasing and other farm management firms brokering leases it is going to get a lot worse.
Oct-Lull
Well-Known Member
Another thing that bugs me, lost a 300 acre farm to a kid that is paying some older folks 500$. Thats a joke. Taking on that liability. I won't pay but in some ways I would like to tell them they are being taken. But, then someone else will come in, them try to lease where I hunt now because its never enough and the grass is always greener. My hope is we pay off our farm and prices get a little more reasonable in 5-7 years. BTW our farm hasn't much deer on it due to location. I will own or ask, that's it.
Medicine Man
Member
Here is another reason,not mentioned, that farmers lease. They are sick and tired of some local slob hunters that believe it is their right to hunt in the area where they grew up...regardless of who owns the land. A few years back I bought a small piece of ground in So. Iowa.....I made it a point to itroduce myself to my neighbors. An elderly neighbor farmer asked me if I would be interested in leasing some of his ground for hunting. When I asked why he said locals are tearing up his roads, leaving his gates open and treating it like they owned it......I did lease the property and he tells me every year it's the best decision he's every made re: hunting.....no more problems for him....however I was the target for years ....I was the bad guy...superglued locks, deer parts scatered about the farm, horn honking on the gravel at primetime....
I understand the loss of hunting for free. I've lost hundreds of acres to lease or sell of farm. But to think that just because we help with a few chores or give small gifts in trade does not ever make it a fair trade. I myself leased 1000 acres this year and it was worth every penny. No fouled up hunts by other hunters. Able to control size of deer taken. And no cams or stands stolen. Whether public or private with other hunters on land, you will have headaches. To be upset that landowners have realized the true value of what they're land is worth is crazy. What If a company offered you 10 times your salary to do the same job you do now? Anyone that says they would keep their current employer and less pay is full of it. It's basic supply and demand.
