This just chaps my ***!

[Tete Dur]

I hunt in the Pine Island area. Our farmer is giving up the property and a new farmer is takin over at the end of the year. Our current farmer went to the new farmer in our behalf to ask if we could continue leasing next year. He told the new farmer that we are paying $6000 a blind and have 3 blinds leased on that section. (although there is a 4th blind that could be leased out). So our total comes to $18000 /year to lease the 3 blinds. Well the new farmer said he has a chemical company that would give him twice that much for the lease.

So it looks like the little man gets F'd again. I'm so fed up with it being so darn expensive for a regular middle class person to go duck hunting. I wish a law would be passed to keep big business out of hunting and leave it to the individual hunters. I work so hard to learn to train my dog myself to get enjoyment out of taking her on a hunt and then our dreams get squashed by money once again!!!!

[specktator]

I know some guys that pay $38,500/year for 600 acres in Pecan Island. Won't be long until I'm facing the same problem as you. Sorry to hear.

[Lake Chuck Duck]

I believe If a lease is signed prior to selling it has to be honored by the new party until the lease is up, which would give you at least this season to hunt. I could be wrong.

[Tete Dur]

The guy that is in charge of our lease said our farmer never believed in signing a lease. His and our word was good enough. So we have nothing on paper. I don't know if a hand hake still holds up in LA as "official".

[Tete Dur]

Update....well I just found out that we get to hunt the entire season. He is going to honor our current lease agreement. I am thankful for that!!!! But still upset if we lose this to a big company coming drive the regular Jo out. I'm crossing my fingers that it doesn't come to that. Although you couldn't blame the man for trying to make more money. It's just messed up the way all the companies down here are buying everything up for write-offs and it screws us!!

[2ndamendment]

Does that "new" farmer accept your tax money from the federal government for being a farmer? Might be putting it to you twice.

[SULPHITE]

yep sucks and its happening everywhere.

[Ray]

Miami Corp. started doing that in the mid 80's.
I was on a lease between the Go Devil people and Regan Equip.
One year a full section, next year Go Devil took half the section.
Next year, they told us half of our blinds were on Regan's section.
So we ended up going to have to pay for half a section and only have 1 blind.
We dropped out and Miami said we still had to pay. We said F YOU.
Not long after that, most of my friends who's families have had leases for decades were losing them to the hunting clubs. Who ever has the most money...

[Spunt Drag]

And just think, after corporate America takes it over, DU can come in and dump $100,000 in it makin it prime hunting estate. In all seriousness I'm sorry. I wish we could be like Canada. Where hunting is a right and land can not be leased for hunting purposes.

[wetaline]

Really glad you get to keep your lease, Lane. It definitely is bad when the "little guy" can't afford to hunt anymore. It's a sad time when you can't pass the tradition on to the future generations. We're still looking for a place to do some duck and deer hunting.

[Duck Butter]

Sorry to hear that, but playing Devils Advocate here:

If you were the landowner and you can get $18k or $36k for doing the exact same thing, whatcha gonna do?

I can not believe some of the prices some of these leases go for. A fella could go on 30 guided hunts in Stuttgart for what they pay and have more luck as well.

What is good is that in Louisiana we are fortunate enough to have over 1 million acres of state owned land not including federal land that we can hunt. All you have to pay is for the WMA stamp for access to 1 million acres. May have to walk a little further but its much better than other states have

[all star rod]

$ talks......our lease went up by 2k....you got to pay to play.

[jchief]

There comes a time when it is cheaper to book several hunts with a guide over paying the money for a lease.

[all star rod]

Originally Posted by jchief

There comes a time when it is cheaper to book several hunts with a guide over paying the money for a lease.

True but i you have one blind and even if the price is 8k...3 ways is not bad. Plus if you hunt 20-30 times counting teal season and you have a son (now paying a guide for 2 hunters) you will be paying a hell of a lot of $......most guides are at least 200 bucks pwer person for a drive up hunt.

[Tete Dur]

Originally Posted by Duck Butter

Sorry to hear that, but playing Devils Advocate here:

If you were the landowner and you can get $18k or $36k for doing the exact same thing, whatcha gonna do?

I can not believe some of the prices some of these leases go for. A fella could go on 30 guided hunts in Stuttgart for what they pay and have more luck as well.

What is good is that in Louisiana we are fortunate enough to have over 1 million acres of state owned land not including federal land that we can hunt. All you have to pay is for the WMA stamp for access to 1 million acres. May have to walk a little further but its much better than other states have

Yeah. I couldn't blame someone for wanting to making more money. I just wish the big businesses wouldn't come in and offer so much money. My little check book can't compete with big money.

[j.e.hagen]

I'm with the guy who said its unbelievable what people pay to hunt. I love duck and goose huntin more than any hobby I've had. been doing it since I was 7 just recently started guiding for a specklebelly hunting club so I could have a place to hunt. That's beside the point when I was a kid I hunted with my uncle for a farmer in beaugard parish when the huntin was good. Our lease consisted of us trading him hay for a place to hunt. Once the rice farming slowed down in reeves he let us hunt a blind on the Calcasieau line for no extra charge he just wanted to honor his word and not screw people over. It's sad to say but hunting is being regeared for the rich not poor folks like myself.

[all star rod]

Originally Posted by Tete Dur

Yeah. I couldn't blame someone for wanting to making more money. I just wish the big businesses wouldn't come in and offer so much money. My little check book can't compete with big money.

It is nothing but a write off expense for them....

[Tete Dur]

Originally Posted by all star rod

It is nothing but a write off expense for them....

Yep. I wish I could write it off too! Ha

[j.e.hagen]

Originally Posted by Tete Dur

Yep. I wish I could write it off too! Ha

No kidding. I'm jealous of that name tete dur that's what all my people at work call me bc I never listen to what them older guys tell me until I get covered in something or break something

[jchief]

Originally Posted by all star rod

True but i you have one blind and even if the price is 8k...3 ways is not bad. Plus if you hunt 20-30 times counting teal season and you have a son (now paying a guide for 2 hunters) you will be paying a hell of a lot of $......most guides are at least 200 bucks pwer person for a drive up hunt.

Didn't mean it is not worth the price of a lease. Some things, like hunting with the family, is priceless. There just my be a time when it comes out better/cheaper for some people.

Even looking at the app 2700 you pay, at $200 a hunt for an individual you can have 19 hunts. If you hunt every weekend, it would almost be a wash price wise.