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Anyone leasing land ?

Greetings fellow bowhunters !

I grew up in Whitesboro, NY and hunted the area during my youth. I now live in VT but I still travel back over to NY to bowhunt every year because bowhunting in VT stinks (short season/no deer). In NY I rent a house for a week and hunt state land. Its fine, but the season is over when gun season starts (for the most part) as I do not want to be out there when slugs are flying - case in point being the guy that shot his friend. I have been thinking about leasing some acreage in the hopes that I could still bowhunt during the gun season and not have to worry about the orange army. Am I being naïve to think that simply because I put up some posted signs out that the property would not be overrun ? Does any one own/lease land that they bow hunt on during gun season ?

Yeah, you have to keep an eye on it. Its too bad, but that's the breed that we have these days… well, in my area its always been bad.

My family used to own property, thats gone so now I lease a small piece. From experience I can tell you this:

1) Signs mean very little to lawbreakers (think "gun laws"). They do however stimulate them to think that you are at least "level 1" serious, and remove any excuse of "I didn't know", that a trespasser may plead when jurisprudence is required (item 2, below).

2) Any unwelcome individuals MUST be confronted on the property, and instructed (not "warned") that if they are witnessed on the property again, that the appropriate legal authority will be contacted and that you will press the charge of trespass.. and you have to absolutely mean it, you MUST follow up and do it.

3) It won't take long for word to get out.

If you put real tooth behind this (DO step 1 and 2) you will have little trouble. but if you fail,you might as well swing the door wide open, and hang a sign on it that says "free hunting here". Ask me how I know, lol!!

Thanks, Bow shot.

Thanks, Bow shot.

Just a question but can you as a paying lease holder really kick someone off the land you lease? It is after all not technically your land.

Good point 'Tom..

Yes, but it has to be the property owners directive (ie., part of the agreement). Otherwise, you are in a bad situation…i.e., you are leasing land that everyone else can hunt for free.

I am on a lease, we have clear permission to boot anyone off. Bow shot is correct, posting is like 'level 1'. Year one we ran into or met many of the neighbor's, mostly all good people looking to not bother or be bothered. We still get a few people trespassing each year, we confront everytime and 100% no recurring problems so far. We have some local farmhouses which are rented, seems like each year that there are new tenants we have to teach them...they rent from our landowner, so has not been a big deal. I think its important not to let the threat of a trespasser overwhelm your hunt-I have friends who seem more interesting patrolling their land then just hunting.

Used to have a lease in NJ, was really bad during gun season, usually opening day. I actually walked in on two guys standing in our field in the dark with a step ladder, saying this was their land and they were waiting for light to find a spot. I booted them out too-in the dark. In NJ, we ended up carrying disposable cameras (no cell phones back then!) and told people we needed to take their picture. They didn't like it. I think only one picture was actually ever taken, but they did not return so mission accomplished. I think that today photos are a very realistic deterrent, everyone has a smart phone. We take a picture of any and all parked cars we dont know, one time a four wheeler, and would take pictures of actual people too.

I like every point Yasla made.. yup, yup!

Speaking of leasing land, what is the going price in NY? And what are you folks thoughts on how many hunters/acreage?

$25 per acre is what the leasing companies get. That's not what the landowner gets obviously so… if you can find someone that is NOT connected with a middle man, you may save a few dollars.

I leased 50, that's about right for one hunter IMHO. 100 would be better because neighbors tend to set their stands all along the property edges,usually facing into "your" property (which is a scummy, small, inconsiderate, selfish, annoying thing to do). 'but 50 is all I can afford.

When I get priced out, I'll just have to quit hunting, or accept the fact that public land is the only option. It gets hammered in my area, that's why I gave up and leased.

While I'm ticked off I'll mention this: a lot of the public land guys boas about how they "beat it up first" and then go to their private land. Sure, they have the "right" to do that, but again, its just uncharitable, which seems to be the creed of the typical American since our grandfathers have died off.

Ok, I'm done with that, sorry...

Leases I have been looking at are around $25 per acre

If your paying 25 and acre to hunt deer in NY you need to have your head examined.

You can lease out of state for the same money or even less and have much better hunting.

Well, the advantage is 15 min from the house...

And yes, you are right, the hunting is so-so at best, lol!!

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