A couple concerns this old hunter has about how it's going.

[ddd-shooter]

Land access has always been tough.

I say this all the time, but to me relationships trump everything. I know timber company land can be fairly easy to find across the Internet but to me I would look toward private farmers for the hunting rights. That is extra work, that’s for sure. Once you find the land, however, if done right, you can keep it just about indefinitely.

This is not an option for everybody but buying land is a way to insure rights. Our place is small but if I lost ALL of my leases, I know I can still hunt without going to public land.

And hey, Georgia has some awesome public ground !!!

I think we all have up and down years where the bucks are concerned. However, when you view an area or a state as a whole such as Georgia there seems to be a good many big ones around.

We had an off 2020 but hey, hope springs eternal.
Best of luck to all.

To your first point. I don’t think there’s any arguing access has never been harder than it is currently.

 

[ddd-shooter]

Things cycle. It will change again. The rich boys just do whatever is popular. Hunting is popular right now. They’ll get tired of it and it will be just the people that grew up with it again.

Meanwhile we’re losing habitat at an alarming rate. That will not be fixed when the fad eases-if it ever does

 

[ddd-shooter]

Spot on. Recently clearcut 73 acres and thinned another 105 acres of planted pine. Did aerial spraying of clear cut that has gone up 50% in cost over 5 years ago. I expect to spend around $300 an acre to replant. Taxes keep going up.

To your point - the cost of a bag of Ruffles is now outrageous. Lease prices will continue to rise until the input costs abate.

Or, get this-we could have fewer hunter numbers.
Reduce demand.

 

[Danuwoa]

Meanwhile we’re losing habitat at an alarming rate. That will not be fixed when the fad eases-if it ever does

You could always give up I guess.

 

[slow motion]

Got to do a better job with them cameras. I’ve put them in some odd places. Best one was a shot out bow target at the camp. Tucked inside. Had a arrow in the target also. It covered the camp and did a fine job.
All kind of areas with brush. Glued bark on some.

You're pretty creative. Just 1 question. Was this at your place to catch trespassers or the neighbors place so you'd know when it was safe to "go huntin"?

 

[bfriendly]

I seldom am a lack of words, but when I read this one, I seem to fall short. Been a big fan of you Son for a long time. It saddens me when I hear you talk of the issues you are going through……kinda pees me off too and makes me wish I could come hang for a day. I must’ve missed some things along the way cause I always thought you were a landowner…..it’s not unlike me to get cornfused sometimes though. The longer one has been in a lease, the tougher it’s gotta be when it goes away or is harder to maintain. Man I wish you the best but I know you are a warrior and will keep on keeping on!
Dutch done the dream thing similar to my own dreams. I’m so stoked for you Dutch and I hope you live a long time and enjoy it ever day!

 

[across the river]

I try to advise any young person to buy themselves ever how much acreage $70,000 will buy them before they go and buy a brand new truck for the same price. I fought the urge all my life and still do sometimes. Even $40,000. I see so many young people driving the super expensive truck, just to pull up to a red-light and try to impress someone beside them that they'll never meet when they could have bought them a small piece of their own heaven.

Everything is skyrocketing right now. I've owned other acreage before, but I bought 20 acres in Hancock County last year that I paid $70,000. It is mainly pasture and has a four acre pond that is absolutely loaded with big largemouth. I drive my ancient paid for 2007 Tundra to get me there. In ten years we'll be saying that we should have bought more acreage because of how much it's gone up.

I realize the audience on this forum under 40 something years of age is pretty small at this point, but if you are reading this and are in your twenties, or even thirties, listen to the man's advice. Learn the difference between depreciable assets and appreciable assets and learn to use compound interest to make money verses paying interest to buy stuff that goes down in value. You loose money twice doing that. I get at 20 your aren't worried about much of anything next week, much less 40 years from now, but a young man has the biggest advantage you can have in terms of building wealth, and that is time. If you start saving up, even a little bit of money at 18 or 20 years old to put in some land, your 401k at work, other real estate, etc... you can build up to seven figures over your lifetime, you just have to start early.

 

[ChidJ]

This one might get me some flack but here is what may be an unpopular position. For the record, even having land, I still go hunt the public side. Here we go.

I wish I could lease the properties around me just to keep others off of them. I've tried. Offered to pay 2x whatever their rate per acre is. Reason being, they litter, they drink in their stands, they shoot over the limit and brag about it. Not to mention, a year after buying my property, I'm still discovering old abandoned trash from old lessees. I'm not mad about it. I'm not here to tell someone how to enjoy land they pay for. Just stating the facts.

The county I live in collects about 0.75% of assessed property value annually in taxes unless you bend the knee and put it in conservation (no thank you). If 100 acres gets taxed at a 400k rate (a general price for the purpose of demonstration and easy math), just to cover taxes it'd be 30 bucks an acre.

Hunting has not become a rich man's sport. Lease hunting may be going that way. However, there are over 100 public hunting areas covering bigger and better managed areas than most "hunt clubs" all over the state that we have collectively "leased". A man who truly wants to hunt, rich or poor, will find a way.

 

[Son]

I seldom am a lack of words, but when I read this one, I seem to fall short. Been a big fan of you Son for a long time. It saddens me when I hear you talk of the issues you are going through……kinda pees me off too and makes me wish I could come hang for a day. I must’ve missed some things along the way cause I always thought you were a landowner…..it’s not unlike me to get cornfused sometimes though. The longer one has been in a lease, the tougher it’s gotta be when it goes away or is harder to maintain. Man I wish you the best but I know you are a warrior and will keep on keeping on!
Dutch done the dream thing similar to my own dreams. I’m so stoked for you Dutch and I hope you live a long time and enjoy it ever day!

Thank you very much, I will continue to hang on, not only for me, but also for those who depend on me.

 

[ddd-shooter]

Hunting has not become a rich man's sport. Lease hunting may be going that way. However, there are over 100 public hunting areas covering bigger and better managed areas than most "hunt clubs" all over the state that we have collectively "leased". A man who truly wants to hunt, rich or poor, will find a way.

So after 50% of the hunting population gets priced out or bought out of the leasing game, they all go to the same public areas? That’ll be some great hunting

 

[ChidJ]

Let me preface this by saying this ended up being a lot more text than I thought. Please don't misinterpret this as I have strong feelings one way or another. I just felt like typing out some thoughts.

You'll have to forgive me if I've misidentified sarcasm here but "great hunting" is a very subjective term. It's debated here ad nauseum. What I will say is that as it sits now, my observation is that public land is highly underutilized. I live next to a WMA and have been blessed to hunt a number of them all over the state, northeast to southwest. I drive past a big portion of WMA every day. On my drive from work, depending on the route, I can pass a military base with hunting opportunities, 4 WMAs, and a state park that sometimes hosts quota hunts. People don't use them. I'm happy about that and I wouldn't be happy about tons of people using the area near my home, tearing up roads, littering, shooting errantly, etc. Just saying that the opportunity is there. Additionally, I hunt public land and I never see anyone. Maybe I'm just oblivious but I only ever see cars occasionally in parking areas. Not to say there aren't people there. I see names on the sign up sheets (albeit not many).

If my googling serves me right, there are over 1.2 million huntable acres of public land in the state. The day they are packed all season long (because it isn't now), I'd wager the state starts caring more about finding some more of it for us.

The funny thing is where I live is sandwiched between 2 of what I would consider large hunt clubs and the WMA. The hunt clubs are just pine plantations that they lease. By far, there is more hunting going on at the clubs. Is it better hunting? I doubt it. I'd wager, if they were objective, they'd say they pay to hunt there despite there being better habitat generally on the WMA that they've also paid for because they get to ride their 4 wheelers to the stand, sleep in their campers that are permanently there, and use their corn and cameras.

If your position is that is what "great hunting" looks like; campers, corn, and cameras, that's fine. But its gonna get more expensive. Just calling it like I see it

 

[bfriendly]

I realize the audience on this forum under 40 something years of age is pretty small at this point, but if you are reading this and are in your twenties, or even thirties, listen to the man's advice. Learn the difference between depreciable assets and appreciable assets and learn to use compound interest to make money verses paying interest to buy stuff that goes down in value. You loose money twice doing that. I get at 20 your aren't worried about much of anything next week, much less 40 years from now, but a young man has the biggest advantage you can have in terms of building wealth, and that is time. If you start saving up, even a little bit of money at 18 or 20 years old to put in some land, your 401k at work, other real estate, etc... you can build up to seven figures over your lifetime, you just have to start early.

Sometimes you say things that I agree with so strongly, I have to read your posts so I don’t miss something! Well said brother!
I’m a late starting saver and still live check to check. But about 15 years ago I went to work for a company with excellent 401k opportunity and benefits. Through the company’s contributions They pay me to save money!
I know so many folks who have been here a little longer than me that we call “Millionaires” ….I plan on being one of them not long from now!
The one advice I give to youngsters I’m surrounded by is a reflection of what you just said. Think of where you want to be when you are my age!

 

[elfiii]

Got to do a better job with them cameras. I’ve put them in some odd places. Best one was a shot out bow target at the camp. Tucked inside. Had a arrow in the target also. It covered the camp and did a fine job.
All kind of areas with brush. Glued bark on some.

Either they don't see them or they don't pay 'em any nevermind. They walk right past them but I get their picture.

 

[kmckinnie]

Either they don't see them or they don't pay 'em any nevermind. They walk right past them but I get their picture.

@antharper told me he had permission!

 

[elfiii]

@antharper told me he had permission!

I told him it was OK to poach a little bit but not too much.

 

[kmckinnie]

I told him it was OK to poach a little bit but not too much.

He’s a ethical poacher. He wouldn’t let me shoot a little buck. Said it was not big enough!

 

[Throwback]

I'm concerned that hunting oaks will completely be a thing of the past in my lifetime. Almost all hunting clubs nowadays around here are a very large percentage clear-cut. Clear-cuts are tough hunting for kids

I don’t disagree with this. Amazing the change in the tree-scape since I was young—I’m in my 50’s.
There are several places on our farm I want to eventually plant in trees. I’m going to try and plant as many oaks and other hardwoods as possible. Native if possible.

 

[turkeykirk]

He’s an ethical poacher. He wouldn’t let me shoot a little buck. Said it was not big enough!

No wonder I didn’t see you while I was hunting your place. You were up at elfiii’s.

 

[Son]

I hunted Florida management areas for many years, mostly with a bow. It was rare to see a mature buck, much less get one. In all those years I only got two bucks that were 5.5, one with a bow, one with a rifle. Most were over hunted so that the state had to start quota hunting. All the rest of the deer killed were young bucks. Does were not legal.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Let me preface this by saying this ended up being a lot more text than I thought. Please don't misinterpret this as I have strong feelings one way or another. I just felt like typing out some thoughts.

You'll have to forgive me if I've misidentified sarcasm here but "great hunting" is a very subjective term. It's debated here ad nauseum. What I will say is that as it sits now, my observation is that public land is highly underutilized. I live next to a WMA and have been blessed to hunt a number of them all over the state, northeast to southwest. I drive past a big portion of WMA every day. On my drive from work, depending on the route, I can pass a military base with hunting opportunities, 4 WMAs, and a state park that sometimes hosts quota hunts. People don't use them. I'm happy about that and I wouldn't be happy about tons of people using the area near my home, tearing up roads, littering, shooting errantly, etc. Just saying that the opportunity is there. Additionally, I hunt public land and I never see anyone. Maybe I'm just oblivious but I only ever see cars occasionally in parking areas. Not to say there aren't people there. I see names on the sign up sheets (albeit not many).

If my googling serves me right, there are over 1.2 million huntable acres of public land in the state. The day they are packed all season long (because it isn't now), I'd wager the state starts caring more about finding some more of it for us.

The funny thing is where I live is sandwiched between 2 of what I would consider large hunt clubs and the WMA. The hunt clubs are just pine plantations that they lease. By far, there is more hunting going on at the clubs. Is it better hunting? I doubt it. I'd wager, if they were objective, they'd say they pay to hunt there despite there being better habitat generally on the WMA that they've also paid for because they get to ride their 4 wheelers to the stand, sleep in their campers that are permanently there, and use their corn and cameras.

If your position is that is what "great hunting" looks like; campers, corn, and cameras, that's fine. But its gonna get more expensive. Just calling it like I see it

Good post.

IMO:

If you look for something good, you can find it.

If you look for something bad, you can find that, too…

Always been so.