Need some advice (landowner problems)

[OmenHonkey]

Ok, Maybe some of you gentlemen and ladies can help me out with a little advice. Last year myself and 2 friends went to Kansas for a hunt. We met a landowner I had set up with a friend and gained permission for the week. 1 of us was lucky enough to take a great buck so at the end of our trip we stopped by their house to thank them. We had not talked about any compensation at this point with the landowner but between myself and my fellow hunters we had agreed on an amount to give the landowner. She was in tears and overjoyed with what we gave her. When I got home I sent them shelled pecans and at Christmas a ham. Here is the twist. I called them last week to discuss this years trip as I am trying to start planning it. They verbally gave me permission and we were very happy. Last night I received a call from them stating they had talked to a friend of theirs that does "Hunting Trips" and his advice was to Charge X amount per day and only allow 1 buck to be killed between the three of us. The other 2 could kill a doe. I was floored to say the least and asked her to please contact the friend again as I felt there was confusion between what he does and what we want done. I asked her to think about a flat price and get back with me and told her I was planning on offering her more this year since we would have an extra day or two hunting this year. Any words of advice on how to handle this or just smile and walk away? Have any of you had this happen? If so what was the outcome? Thanks Guys.

 

[oops1]

I've had it happen to me on an Illinois lease. We were paying $100 a day to a nice lil old lady. Paid as we went ..no issues. Her son got involved and she started wanting $175 a day paid up front for however man days we planned to hunt. I think an outfitter has her property now. People see those greenbacks and get greedy. I'd offer her x amount a day for a set number of days. I would not agree to the offer she last suggested.

 

[godogs57]

Start looking for another spot...her friend is meddling in her business and he will make life miserable for you. sounds like he will eventually rent her farm out from under you....I have friends in KS and MO and this stuff happens all the time.

 

[Gadestroyer74]

^^ exactly

 

[elfiii]

Offer what you are willing to offer. If she accepts, great. If she doesn't, walk away.

 

[Core Lokt]

Once people are aware of what they can get for hunting property or what someone else is getting or what someone tells them what they should get it usually goes down hill from there and it's not just out west. It happens in Ga and Fl as well.

Figure out a $ amount that you are willing to pay and if she won't except it then move on.

mama told me many years ago that all good things WILL come to an end sooner or later. I still have a few good things going and i wounder each season if they will end.

 

[7Mag Hunter]

offer what you are willing to offer. If she accepts, great. If she doesn't, walk away.

x-2.....

 

[The Longhunter]

Offer what you are willing to offer. If she accepts, great. If she doesn't, walk away.

Her land, her rules.

No sense getting twisted up about it.

You can bet her "friend" has told her that he will pay (or see that she gets) what she is offering it to you.

 

[Luckybuck]

I would call her and make an offer if she hesitates to accept tell her to think about it and call you if she changes her mind but you cannot wait till time you want to hunt to find out her answer. Unfortunately some money hounds have gotten on this and more than likely you will be left out.

 

[OmenHonkey]

I'm not twisted up at all about it. I already have other property to hunt. I plan on making an offer to her and stopping by while i'm out there to give here some more pecans. It never hurts to be kind. It's great property and I honestly think when she counter offers and I turn it down she will be left with nothing as far as extra cash goes and she will call back and except my offer. It's a beautiful farm that's never hunted. But, like one of ya'll said the friend is stirring the pot. However she's not going to lease it out, I tried that already and it was a stern NO, I will not lease it to anyone for any reason. But we will see and I appreciate the input.

 

[bobman]

people keep paying for hunting rights so people naturally keep bidding up the prices and now most kids are finding something else to do....where is it going to end? Answer look at the European system if you lease you are doing this to the future of hunting

I will quit hunting before I ever pay for a lease. The game animals in the US are owned by the public and should never be fore sale

Flame away

 

[DAVE]

I think you should move on. The next landowner you find you should talk fair compensation for the right to hunt and not offering a gift at the end of the hunt. Some landowners are not aware of the value of their land to hunters and when they find out what the market would have brought, they feel used and took advantage of and loses trust in the hunter they have allowed to use their land. At this point it seems your landowner has lost trust, turned adversary and your future hunts with her are doomed.

 

[OmenHonkey]

Dave I disagree and you must have miss read my first post. She Cried when I gave her the amount of cash I did. And sent me a hand written thank you card at Christmas for the Ham. How could she have lost trust in me ??? That's obscured. But thanks for your input sir.

 

[Kentuckykeith]

The land owners just want to get a fair price for what they can offer hunters . It's extra income for them just like leasing their tilable ground to a farmer. The one buck rule is not giving you a fair shake. I'd tell them you will Obey All the State Hunting Laws & legal Limits, I'd offer to pay one amount to kill Bucks & does, and a lesser amount to match their one buck rule offer. They want more money so you'll probably get to take more bucks.

 

[sleepr71]

Ask her what she feels would be fair to her,if she were in your shoes...and all of you were allowed to shoot a buck(the goal..I assume)?? Sadly,my gut feeling is that a friend or neighbor of hers is after that farm you've been hunting

 

[Doubletrouble]

Dave I disagree and you must have miss read my first post. She Cried when I gave her the amount of cash I did. And sent me a hand written thank you card at Christmas for the Ham. How could she have lost trust in me ??? That's obscured. But thanks for your input sir.

I think Dave may have a point. If what you gave her didn't come up to an amount she found other people might be getting it might have bothered her. A ham was nice & that's why she wrote a nice letter but if she found out she can get more money for the property the gifts won't matter. Jmo

 

[OmenHonkey]

Doubletrouble and Dave I understand what ya'll are saying and I agree. However I explained to them last year we had no intention of finding a farm to hunt on. We just knocked on a door and they said "Yes Have fun and be safe" and please be out of here before pheasant season starts. Her sons pheasant hunt. We left Friday at lunch (pheasant season started Saturday morning). I explained to her we didn't bring a lot of loose cash and if she felt the amount wasn't enough i'd gladly write a check or find an ATM. But that wasn't necessary per our conversation. I'm a man of my word and being told last week we were clear to come out and she was looking forward to seeing her ( Ga. Boys) this November, then I get that call. It's odd and frustrating is all.

 

[TurkeyDreamer]

Perhaps a fair solution for both of you would be to pay "X" per day and a have trophy fee for bucks and a trophy fee for does. If she's not willing to accept that then you will need to walk away. I don't see how you could agree to the one buck rule if you have more than one hunter. Just would not be fair to the hunters. Good luck to you I hope it works out!

 

[elfiii]

How could she have lost trust in me ???

It's not a matter of trust. It's a matter of $.

 

[OmenHonkey]

Elfie you are spot on I think!! I guess I do things differently. I and my family own several hundred acres and I allow friends to hunt with me and only charge them labor, seed, and fertilizer/lime. We have a ball hunting and everyone is happy!!