Gone Fishin
Senior Member
Here is what I see happening with leases over the next few years.
The timber compaines are going to continue to raise the rates. That is a given. What I see happening is hunters are going to go from 100acres/member, to 75, 50, etc. Then at some point the timber companies are going to catch on and say "We now have a minimum on the number of acres/hunter for safety reasons."
If they are smart they will say it is because the FL folks can't hunt safely. Then they could misplace the blame, just like they are currently doing with the jump in lease prices.
I think we drop to much lower number of acres per person. Draw names for hunting dates, and tough it out for one year. If all of the hunters got together for one year, the timber companies would stop sticking it to us. Hunting leases have gone from a side business to cover the taxes on the land to a significant part of a timber conpanies business. Just like everytime in the past we hunters allow them to divide and conquer us. It is so simple to use the "It's those guys fault", and everyone just jumps on the band wagon.
From what I hear there are less people hunting today than in the past, so why does the land cost more to hunt? Because we will pay it. You are either part of the problem or part of the solution. Which side of the fence are you on?
The timber compaines are going to continue to raise the rates. That is a given. What I see happening is hunters are going to go from 100acres/member, to 75, 50, etc. Then at some point the timber companies are going to catch on and say "We now have a minimum on the number of acres/hunter for safety reasons."
If they are smart they will say it is because the FL folks can't hunt safely. Then they could misplace the blame, just like they are currently doing with the jump in lease prices.
I think we drop to much lower number of acres per person. Draw names for hunting dates, and tough it out for one year. If all of the hunters got together for one year, the timber companies would stop sticking it to us. Hunting leases have gone from a side business to cover the taxes on the land to a significant part of a timber conpanies business. Just like everytime in the past we hunters allow them to divide and conquer us. It is so simple to use the "It's those guys fault", and everyone just jumps on the band wagon.
From what I hear there are less people hunting today than in the past, so why does the land cost more to hunt? Because we will pay it. You are either part of the problem or part of the solution. Which side of the fence are you on?
-there are 2 things that will never change --taxes going down and hunting leases going down in price ---not as long as the demand for hunting land increases ---You cant even find a place to lease in Morgan county . Its like finding a gold mine --and land owners know it too --so its ''TOP SHELF PRICE'' or sit on the porch and talk about good ol days when you hunted for free and COKE was still a drink . Thank God I got to grow up in small community where everybody knows each other on a first name basis and I still can hunt without taking out a second mortgage . Short Stop
