Going To The Lease This Coming Weekend!

Dearhunter61 · August 25, 2008, 06:52 PM

I am going to my deer lease this coming weekend out around Brady! I am going to top off my feeder, put a new pane of glass in, install a gun rack for my rifles and just make sure everything is A-OK for the start of deer season. I am also looking forward to getting in the stand and seeing what is coming around.

The owner sent us an email last night and said he saw 7 bucks at one of the protein feeders yesterday morning! The smallest one was an 8 pointer with one of them a 12! It might be the one I saw last year when I went to check the place out...this is my first year on the lease. Last year I saw an 11 point while sitting out by the owners stand. I asked him this year if he got it and he said he did not shoot one last year so it is still out there!!! I will attach a photo of it so you all can see it. The photo is not a good one because it was done with my Camcorder in which I just did a screenshot.

Hope you all enjoy!

jhgreasemonkey · August 25, 2008, 10:34 PM

That sounds like a lot of fun. Good for you.

I'm not real familiar with leases. I live in Washington state and havent ever heard of a hunting lease around here. How does it work? Do you have a designated slot each year which you can hunt it like a timeshare? Do you share with other people?

hoghunting · August 26, 2008, 12:13 AM

I've seen quite a few large deer around Brady, and many ranchers that feed year-round. Good luck on your scouting.

Dearhunter61 · August 26, 2008, 06:43 AM

Because most of the land around here is private...the public land is somewhat dangerous to hunt and you also have to have a lot of time to hunt it if you are going to be successful, it is just easier to hunt on private land. The reasons I am hunting on a lease is because one it is much safer and then second the chances of getting a good buck is a lot greater.

The way the leases work here...a landowner leases out x number of acres to x number of hunters. Each hunter picks out a place to hunt and it is usually first come first served. So one the place I am hunting I did not get the BEST place as far as the number of deer this year but I do have a place close to where I saw the eleven point last year and it is the one I am going to be hunting for this year. Usually the hunters get access during the year to prepare their area for hunting and then during hunting season they can come and go as they please to hunt it.

Hope this helps.

Capp35 · August 26, 2008, 12:04 PM

I hunt in Menard, a few miles away. Some nice deer out there.

I believe Dove season is open this weekend. Alot of birds fly through there.

RckyMtnHigh · August 26, 2008, 05:09 PM

Originally from the Northwest and blessed with a large extended family that are ranchers and also an abundance of public land. Always wondered about the hunting leases I've heard of. I know people do it here in MI too. How many acres do you lease?

Dearhunter61 · August 26, 2008, 10:22 PM

I am on a lease of 700 acres with 5 other guys. I guess the thing I am happiest about is the fact that every time I have went to this lease I have seen deer and quite frankly a lot of deer.

The last 3 years I have hunted public land here in TX and the main frustration over that time is simply not seeing very many deer especially bucks. Which where I was hunting that was all you could shoot and TX has instituted a point and width limit so that actually reduced the chance of people getting a deer as well. I will say that I completely support this though. Too often I have gone by the deer processor and what did I see? A LOT of year old bucks or a lot of forks. They just were not getting a chance to grow up. The other thing that happens a lot where I used to hunt was folks hunting year around so that really impacted the deer population.

So I decided last year to get on a lease and this one has not only a lot of deer but some nice bucks as well. I know a lot of people talk about being meat hunters and I eat the deer I hunt but I want the opportunity to get a mature deer with a nice rack. Do I want a TROPHY rack? Sure...but really what I have found out over the course of 23 years of hunting is the trophy is not just the size of the rack but the hunt that landed the deer no matter what the size.

jhgreasemonkey · August 27, 2008, 02:07 AM

Quote:

The last 3 years I have hunted public land here in TX and the main frustration over that time is simply not seeing very many deer especially bucks.

That's a bummer. That is how Washington has been lately for me and other hunters I know. It can be very disapointing to run into that year after year.
Thanks for explaining your hunting lease. What does a hunting lease like that cost a guy or gal?

Dearhunter61 · August 27, 2008, 06:49 AM

This one is costing me $1500 a year. For the area I am hunting this will be considered a pretty good price but for most folks this is high. If I had not seen the big deer in the photo there last year I probably would not have joined it. My father-in-law and I have been burned a couple of times in the past. Went to check out the lease and tracks were everywhere...we did not see any deer but the owners said all the right things. Then we find out after we paid the money the place had been hunted out. So that is the reason I have hunted on public land the last few years. I was just waiting to find a good lease and I think I have now.

Capp35 · August 27, 2008, 08:15 AM

Dearhunter,
I am paying about the same as you for 1200 acres, just a few miles south of you.. That is for four of us. (My two brothers and my Dad)

Alot of times, it is who you know when finding a lease. The best and usually cheapest are the ones that are not advertised and are by word of mouth. My Dad knew some one, that knew the rancher.
So we got first dibs!

We have big deer in the area and get some of the South Texas genes there. We have a buck contest at Kothmans feed store every year. Lots of nice pictures there, if you care too look.

Good luck this year!

Dearhunter61 · September 2, 2008, 07:08 AM

Well I got back from the lease yesterday. While there I fixed the window in my stand, added three shelves, and put up a couple of gun rests. Then I filled my feeder and reset the time and timer so it would already be set for hunting season.

I arrived on Saturday evening and went directly to my stand. When I got there the only thing around my stand was a lot of cattle. I did not see anything that evening. The next morning I got up headed on down to my stand and I saw 4 does but no sooner did they get to the feader then the cattle ran them off. I was a little frustrated but the owner moves them into an area not hunted during season. Then Sunday evening the cattle had moved off and I saw 5 does crossing the pipeline moving away from my stand when I was walking to my stand...once I got to my stand I saw 5 more deer at my feeder. Only one was a buck and it was a young one but I figure when the rut starts the bucks will be where the does are...Also found out that just east of my stand is where the deer are bedding down.

In addition to the above I went down there this weekend to participate in counting the deer for the local Deer hunting organization. So off we went Sunday night at around 9pm and for the next 4 hours we counted deer. We counted over 200 perhaps 300 deer...I have never seen so many deer. Unfortunately with it being so dark, no moon, they were not moving as much as normal I was told so we did not get to identify what all of them were. We did see quite a few incredibly good bucks. We estimated one to be at least a 12 point main frame with a 22-24 inch spread...It was needless to say a very interesting evening.

I also got to meet the guys I will be hunting with on the lease for the first time and they are some good guys...a relief!

August 26, 2008, 06:43 AM	#4
Dearhunter61 Senior Member Join Date: May 5, 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 518	jhgreasemonkey Because most of the land around here is private...the public land is somewhat dangerous to hunt and you also have to have a lot of time to hunt it if you are going to be successful, it is just easier to hunt on private land. The reasons I am hunting on a lease is because one it is much safer and then second the chances of getting a good buck is a lot greater. The way the leases work here...a landowner leases out x number of acres to x number of hunters. Each hunter picks out a place to hunt and it is usually first come first served. So one the place I am hunting I did not get the BEST place as far as the number of deer this year but I do have a place close to where I saw the eleven point last year and it is the one I am going to be hunting for this year. Usually the hunters get access during the year to prepare their area for hunting and then during hunting season they can come and go as they please to hunt it. Hope this helps.

September 2, 2008, 07:08 AM	#11
Dearhunter61 Senior Member Join Date: May 5, 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 518	Well I'm Baaaack Well I got back from the lease yesterday. While there I fixed the window in my stand, added three shelves, and put up a couple of gun rests. Then I filled my feeder and reset the time and timer so it would already be set for hunting season. I arrived on Saturday evening and went directly to my stand. When I got there the only thing around my stand was a lot of cattle. I did not see anything that evening. The next morning I got up headed on down to my stand and I saw 4 does but no sooner did they get to the feader then the cattle ran them off. I was a little frustrated but the owner moves them into an area not hunted during season. Then Sunday evening the cattle had moved off and I saw 5 does crossing the pipeline moving away from my stand when I was walking to my stand...once I got to my stand I saw 5 more deer at my feeder. Only one was a buck and it was a young one but I figure when the rut starts the bucks will be where the does are...Also found out that just east of my stand is where the deer are bedding down. In addition to the above I went down there this weekend to participate in counting the deer for the local Deer hunting organization. So off we went Sunday night at around 9pm and for the next 4 hours we counted deer. We counted over 200 perhaps 300 deer...I have never seen so many deer. Unfortunately with it being so dark, no moon, they were not moving as much as normal I was told so we did not get to identify what all of them were. We did see quite a few incredibly good bucks. We estimated one to be at least a 12 point main frame with a 22-24 inch spread...It was needless to say a very interesting evening. I also got to meet the guys I will be hunting with on the lease for the first time and they are some good guys...a relief!

August 25, 2008, 10:34 PM	#2
jhgreasemonkey Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 2,238	That sounds like a lot of fun. Good for you. I'm not real familiar with leases. I live in Washington state and havent ever heard of a hunting lease around here. How does it work? Do you have a designated slot each year which you can hunt it like a timeshare? Do you share with other people?

August 26, 2008, 12:13 AM	#3
hoghunting Senior Member Join Date: March 27, 2006 Posts: 1,559	I've seen quite a few large deer around Brady, and many ranchers that feed year-round. Good luck on your scouting.

August 26, 2008, 12:04 PM	#5
Capp35 Senior Member Join Date: May 2, 2006 Location: Lone Star State Posts: 198	I hunt in Menard, a few miles away. Some nice deer out there. I believe Dove season is open this weekend. Alot of birds fly through there.

August 26, 2008, 05:09 PM	#6
RckyMtnHigh Member Join Date: January 11, 2008 Location: MI Posts: 24	Originally from the Northwest and blessed with a large extended family that are ranchers and also an abundance of public land. Always wondered about the hunting leases I've heard of. I know people do it here in MI too. How many acres do you lease?

August 26, 2008, 10:22 PM	#7
Dearhunter61 Senior Member Join Date: May 5, 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 518	I am on a lease of 700 acres with 5 other guys. I guess the thing I am happiest about is the fact that every time I have went to this lease I have seen deer and quite frankly a lot of deer. The last 3 years I have hunted public land here in TX and the main frustration over that time is simply not seeing very many deer especially bucks. Which where I was hunting that was all you could shoot and TX has instituted a point and width limit so that actually reduced the chance of people getting a deer as well. I will say that I completely support this though. Too often I have gone by the deer processor and what did I see? A LOT of year old bucks or a lot of forks. They just were not getting a chance to grow up. The other thing that happens a lot where I used to hunt was folks hunting year around so that really impacted the deer population. So I decided last year to get on a lease and this one has not only a lot of deer but some nice bucks as well. I know a lot of people talk about being meat hunters and I eat the deer I hunt but I want the opportunity to get a mature deer with a nice rack. Do I want a TROPHY rack? Sure...but really what I have found out over the course of 23 years of hunting is the trophy is not just the size of the rack but the hunt that landed the deer no matter what the size.

August 27, 2008, 06:49 AM	#9
Dearhunter61 Senior Member Join Date: May 5, 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 518	This one is costing me $1500 a year. For the area I am hunting this will be considered a pretty good price but for most folks this is high. If I had not seen the big deer in the photo there last year I probably would not have joined it. My father-in-law and I have been burned a couple of times in the past. Went to check out the lease and tracks were everywhere...we did not see any deer but the owners said all the right things. Then we find out after we paid the money the place had been hunted out. So that is the reason I have hunted on public land the last few years. I was just waiting to find a good lease and I think I have now.

August 27, 2008, 08:15 AM	#10
Capp35 Senior Member Join Date: May 2, 2006 Location: Lone Star State Posts: 198	Dearhunter, I am paying about the same as you for 1200 acres, just a few miles south of you.. That is for four of us. (My two brothers and my Dad) Alot of times, it is who you know when finding a lease. The best and usually cheapest are the ones that are not advertised and are by word of mouth. My Dad knew some one, that knew the rancher. So we got first dibs! We have big deer in the area and get some of the South Texas genes there. We have a buck contest at Kothmans feed store every year. Lots of nice pictures there, if you care too look. Good luck this year!