Leasing Rice Fields
 

Prompted by what someone said in another thread which I have found to be more true than seems logical.

I haven't "shopped" around for land to lease in a while, but several years ago I was in the position to find a new lease (rice field). I checked with several farmers/land owners in the area who had unhunted property and got a similar answer from all. They did not want to lease. Now, all of my previousl leases had contracts holding the owner/farmer harmless in case of any accidents and spelled out who would be responsible for any damage to property. So, my question would be why would someone turn down the chance to make a nice sum of cash (tax free) for doing pretty much nothing? I mean the land is just sitting there doing nothing for the season anyway, right?

Can anyone explain to me?

alot of the farmers don't want to put up with the headache......example tearing roads up, they want to flood when they want to flood, putting blinds up for people, if they are crawfishing doing this around hunters, buffaloing spots. some feel its not worth a couple thousand.....alot has to do with some bad hunters ruined it for the people that do good

That's kind of along the lines I was thinking. Somewhere down the line a farmer got shafted by some hunters and vowed they would never lease out again.

Here are some reasons Boudreaux35;
I have too much-too little water, mind pumping on/off today?:pissed:
My blind has a hole in it can you put a new one in today?:pissed:
We had a horrible season, can we have half our money back?:pissed:
Is it okay if we pay you half now and half next year?:pissed:
Sorry I left the gate open and your cows got out.:pissed:
I stuck my 3/4 ton Suburban on your road can you get me out?:pissed:

all of the above!

I guess all of those are legit, sad part is that in all our years of hunting we can never be accused of any of those things. I guess what was said is true, a fewe bad experiences ruin it for everyone.

I have been hunting rice fields for a long time and the farm we hunt has 4 leased blinds and ours that we hunt every year.......Now here is the deal with the 4 leased blinds......
***My waters too deep
***My Waters too low
***can you buffalo some more
***Can we hunt your blind ours dont have birds
***I think I have a hole in the levee can you check it out
***Can we shoot geese off the roads
***Is the roads dry for us to drive down we dont like to ride 4 wheelers
***can can can can....want want want.........


Then this is what you have to put up with:
Hey dont drive on the field roads when there wet....
Hey dont hook your trailer up to the 4 wheeler when the roads are wet either
Hey dont ride on top the levees
Hey Dont shoot out the truck at geese
Hey please pick up your shell hulls and boxes

seems to me like a few dumbarses ruined it for most . treat peoples **** the way you would want your **** treated , you know the rules follow em

You hit the nail on the head, been thru this before with people wanting to lease blinds, ends up costing you money sometimes.

Everthing above true, I got a real good buddy who farmers a couple thousand acres in sweetlake and he just got tired of the complaining from leaseses so he just gave up on them. Now we hunt the entire farm for free for anything, but we help all year round with rice cutting, flooding, repairs, and anything eles he needs. He said we actually help him in more ways than any lease would ever go for out there.

Basically if you bitzh too much nowadays alot of farmers will just cut u lose.

So Boudreaux, you got a bunch of responses to your question, but here is something else to think about. I have a 10 acre piece in rice stubble. If I flood in November and start crawfishing in December, I stand to make $9,000 if the crawfish crop is good since prices are currently over $2.60/lb

So for December and January I got $18K of "potential" income with absolutely no headaches from lease holders. And I can utilize the entire tract for crawfish production. Or I could lease you a blind for $5000 of guaranteed money and put up with all that has already been mentioned.

Hmmm, I think I will roll the dice!

Bryan........ever think hunt in the morning, run traps in the afternoon?

Not in your best interest to hunt in a field full of crawfish traps, and most buyers these days want the crawfish in by mid afternoon, so they can get their deliveries started.

Like H2Ofowler stated, it just doesn't work. Besides of what he already said, most duck hunters (me included) want to have a open place where the birds can see decoys. If I was running crawfish, I want as much stubble as possible to grow and protect my crop.

The two operations (crawfishing/duck hunting) really don't work that good together.

Problem is SOME of the land owners want his $ 3,500 or 4,000 and not have to do a DANG thing....Funny he does not complain when you pay him cash money which I wonder how many of them actually claim it on their taxes... However, not the land owners fault if there are no birds but he should have it set-up right.....ie....I think it is BS having a 70 acre pond with 2 acres of water showing. We always pay our guy who we lease from in full before the season and we have never asked him for money back on a bad year. Also, when we have a hole in the levee we fix it. To sum it up, you have some bad land owners just like you have some bad people who want to lesae. My uncle has been leasing from the same guy for 14 years and I think it helps to develope a friendship.

Seems as though as soon as things get working good/great. The price goes up and it becomes too much.

It also seems as though every Vice President of Muckity Muck LLC has bought a "B" gun in the the great economy and now they are "duck hunters"

If we went to all walking and push poling to your lease we would likely cut the hunters numbers in half.

Waterfowling has become frustrating to say the least.

Leases are outrageous and public land is often a joke.

What, are you kidding me? It's called being a landowner. If I lease you a spot, it is not up to me to do a darn thing to for "your" hunting. Now, if you want to pay to have it plowed, if you want to pay to have it flooded, if you want to pay to have it planted, then we can talk about the cost associated with each of those items or any other you can dream up. Tractors cost money, fuel cost money, farm equipment cost money, and low and behold, my time cost money! You need to learn how to lease hunting rights before you come on here bashing landowners! I know I will not lease out a blind for $3500, then eat the fuel bill to flood it, or the tractor time to plow it. I have heard of guys getting a $3500 lease, then wanting the landowner to do all kinds of work the week before the season. Get it in writing on exactly what you expect for the right to hunt that persons land.

I agree you need to get things in writing or have an agreement. However, I would not pay 3,500 or 4K for a lease and not have any water or not have the field plowed.....ie.....it takes money to make money. Within everything we do to make $ their is a COST associated with it. So the landowner should lease you a rice field with no water and completed covered with rice or set aside. If you want water on it or plowed once it should be in the price you pay! I have spoken to several landowners this past year and their average price for a lease was 3-4K and they all say they pump you water and plow the field. Some years we had to ask our landowner to pump again for us and he did and we paid him some extra money. All I am saying is for 3.5 - 4K he should pump water on your pond and at least majority of it showing open water. I know the landowner has cost associated: pumping water, fuel and so on.....but that is why you pay 4K for a lease. Trust me, for him to pump water once and plow up a 50 acre field it does not cost him more than $ 500-750 dollars. Also, if you would lease something for 4K and charge extra to pump water and plow the field well good for you. I am sure you will find a "SUCKER" some where to lease it.....

Not trying to get into a bash with you ASR, my real point was to make sure that everyone knows that a "lease" does not mean anything , unless both parties understand what comes with it. Whether the landowner reports his "cash" income to the IRS is no business of mine. Some guys want property to goose hunt, and want no water. Some guys want one side of a levee flooded, and another side muddy for geese. Some guys want 14" of water, others want 4".

I just wanted to bring it to your attention that if you own property, income with it is expected. Your post came off as being "anti-landowner" and most problems come down to a lack of communication.

Fin understood. I agree the main thing is communication between the landowner and hunter! Time for the duck season to end and trout fishing to begin!