Field leasing

[brian lancaster]

Me and a couple church buddies are looking into a rice or bean field that they flood in Mississippi or Arkansas that has a blind on it and we’ve seen several options but we have no experience at all and was just looking for a little guidance. And thanks a bunch for any help Ben

 

[across the river]

Like anything else, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I would be pretty hesitant to do it unless I know someone else who leased through them and had a blind in the same area. Just because it is in Arkansas or Mississippi doesn't mean you are going to kill ducks on it. If you do decide to do it, make sure they guarantee water and have it written in the contract. I have had buddies pay good money to lease blinds to kill way less birds than they could have just staying Georgia and shooting wood ducks, because they either had no water in the field, or if they did had water, there was no food and no birds. There are a bunch of crooks leasing blinds, so be very careful and do plenty of research before you fork over any money. I would also stay away from those partial leases, because they hunt people every day and the weeks that you show up they put you on a catfish pond or somewhere terrible because the overbook. I've never do it, but a guy a know tried through a group like that and said it was terrible.

The big problem with leasing out of state is you really need to be able to spend a bunch of time out there, and be able to go whenever the birds show up. If you have a bunch of time like that, then you can hunt public elsewhere the days there. aren't birds on your place. If you can only go a set number of weekends that you take off from work, it can be pretty miserable, because the birds are there the week before you get there and the week after. If the guy leasing it is sketchy, he may hunt people on it while you aren't there. There are a lot of people just looking to make a dime, so do your research.

 

[flatsmaster]

Like stated above do ur research ... I'd take rice over beans everyday of the wk ...if ur going to go for 3 days in a row I wouldn't plan on hunting it everyday so research some public to go with ur lease ... after slow year last year a place came open that we've been trying to get for awhile so some good things can come available but they don't last long enough to get on CL bc locals or surrounding landowners or leasee's no about it first ... can't kill them if there not there but you can't kill them at home either... road trip is always fun with friends and family ... good luck

 

[kevbo3333]

Not all fields are created equal! I would be very hesitant to lease a field Unless you know it’s produced birds. The amount of flooded fields that are leased out These days are crazy. Went to SEMO this past season and there were more flooded fields than dry. I would rather lease some Timber off a river, I saw a great looking oxbow with another 20 or so Acres of floodable timber off the river in des arc for 10k. I know where a field is in the Welch area in Louisiana. These fields have produced and the early teal Hunting in that area is second to none. If you want info on it send me a private msg.

 

[brian lancaster]

thank yall so much for the advice, I have no experience whatsoever in doing this and I greatly appreciate all this advise

 

[mguthrie]

Membership in a club out there may be a better option. I've done both. First field we leased was hit or miss. Got in a club that is managed by the land owner. He quarter shares the crops to a local farmer. His property is managed for ducks. Leased another pit near Jonesboro that had ducks nearly every trip. As said before. To be successful you need to plan trips around the weather. If you plan trips weeks in advance it will be hit or miss. The best hunting I've experienced is a couple days after a hard freeze. The ducks will move south with the freeze then migrate back north with the thaw

 

[mattuga]

Membership in a club out there may be a better option. I've done both. First field we leased was hit or miss. Got in a club that is managed by the land owner. He quarter shares the crops to a local farmer. His property is managed for ducks. Leased another pit near Jonesboro that had ducks nearly every trip. As said before. To be successful you need to plan trips around the weather. If you plan trips weeks in advance it will be hit or miss. The best hunting I've experienced is a couple days after a hard freeze. The ducks will move south with the freeze then migrate back north with the thaw

Also with a membership you generally have a few different areas to hunt. I'm in a "new to me" club this year that is small and ran by a farmer, it took a lot of combing info and time to find this club. Most good value clubs (not $5k/season for a bunch of average to below average pits) clubs aren't going to blast ads on FB. I wouldn't lease a pit unless I'd hunted in it, they are too much $$. You didn't ask for this advice but I wanted to add: I love Jesus but a lot of clubs are rough around the edges, finding that family friendly place where you won't hear the F bomb or general shenanigans would difficult.

At the end of the day no matter what you do, I suggest going to wherever you plan to lease during duck season before paying anything. I dropped by this new club on the way home from my last club, I was invited to hunt and stay the night for the morning hunt, it was a great fit. Rushing into a lease or club only increases the chance of you getting shafted or being disappointed. Go on a guided hunt next year in an area you are interested and save 2 days to go see new places and pits, you are essentially scouting a spot for an entire season so make the time count. Most good smaller clubs are pretty picky and want to meet you first anyways, they don't just want the first guy with an open checkbook. On the flip side, the guys leasing pits are looking for the first guy with an open checkbook.

 

[brian lancaster]

Thanks mattuga and I know it’s very rare to find folks that don’t drink and cuss anymore but I’m searching?

 

[Long Cut]

Generally speaking local guides will lease out the best fields and the leftovers are put on Facebook...
We lost a jam-up leased field to a guide paying more and ended up in some janky, half flooded field that produced 4 snow geese and a Drake woodduck.

 

[mattuga]

Thanks mattuga and I know it’s very rare to find folks that don’t drink and cuss anymore but I’m searching?

I do both but working towards less of each, duck hunting lately will cause you to more of both for some, including me haha. I but just wanted to paint the picture with a club atmosphere since I wrote so much about it and wanted to make that point. If you have ear plugs and go to bed early you can ignore most of it, most shenanigans are good guys having too much fun.

Check out the group "Waterfowlers for Christ" on FB. I just follow them and know nothing about them other than the obvious in their name. They may be a good connection point to find an option to fit your wants.

 

[brian lancaster]

thanks mattuga hope you have a great season

 

[Gaducker]

If you are looking for a good group of guys check out team slickbottom on fb.

 

[Nitram4891]

Even if you lease a field some years there just wont be any birds no matter how good it could be, like last year.

 

[brian lancaster]

Thanks everyone for all the great advice