What is the True Cost of a Year-Round Hunting Lease?

[bloodtrail]

Quick delete this thread before our wives see it. J/K
Its all what you want and what your willing to put in it. I would start off with finding a lease, get my feeders and stands set up and go from there it does not all have to be done at once.
When you find a lease make sure it is what you want, ask what the rules are?
I like a year-round lease its nice to have a place to go and get away(stress relief).

[huntinag96]

the way I look at it is that it is a bargain for the amount of enjoyment I get out of it every year. It cost me at least double what my lease fee is ($1500), but I just can't relax anymore like I can when I'm out there. The first year is by far the most expensive if you don't have all the gear. I still roll on the floor every time I see that Foxworthy skit..."you think I enjoy this?!!"

[Chunky]

Like you have probably already figured out, it goes from just a little to more than you can imagine.

On my first lease, I had no feeder. After the lease fee, my buddy and I bought 3 tri-pods, for the two of us to use. We camped primitive. We did not even put out corn, we just hunted trails. We each killed deer. Total cost for that season (minus gas) was under 1000.00 total, lease fee included.

I would think that if you went out to get on a lease for next year, at a minimum you would want, 1 feeder, one stand or blind, corn to keep your feeder running.

Every lease I have been on, the guys always help the new people, loan them extra stuff, help them set up, etc. Especially if you are willing to do a little more than your share of the common work....like filling feeders, mowing, cutting brush, repairs at the camp, helping track, carry, and clean animals, etc...

[bobo27]

Don't forget:
Hunting Liscense and Archery Stamp
Deer Processing Fees and or stuff to process your own.
Electricity if the lease requires payment.
Extra's that may come (Hog Traps, Feeders, Food Plots, Stands)
Camo Clothes for both Summer Time and Winter Time.
Scent Soaps, Scent Covers, Scent Sprays this can add up if used.
Ice can get very expensive.
Propane a bottle last's us about 6 months maybe.
The cost of Weaponry (Guns, Bows, Bullets, Arrows)

Lord knows what can happen if you get addicted...It seems half my salary goes to hunting.

[Gunther]

I have never really kept track of the $ I spend.....as long as I get to escape work and the city and have a chance to un-plug....you can't put a price on that! This probably doesn't help you any.....

[Mike D]

You can almost count on at least double what you pay for your lease fees. You don't realize just how much all the little things add up. We fill feeders on average of 6 weeks. 300# per feeder at roughly $30 per feeder so that's about $250 per feeder per year if you feed year round like we do. We each have 2 feeders so that alone is $500 per season just for corn. That figure doesn't even include protein. You can plan on more than that because you may find new hot areas that you may want to set up and hand corn or whatever. With fuel prices like they are right now, it costs me $100 for fuel round trip. We try to carpool and split the cost when we can but sometimes our schedules don't work out. Then you have to throw in food and other misc items that come up.

Outside of the lease costs there are usually incidental costs as well.

[bobo27]

Mike from Texas Speaks of incidental cost. Oh boy, blown tires on the trailer, ATV repair costs, Feeder Batteries and Timers, How about this one a friend fell on my scent box and broke the lid that was $25.00. Broken Coffee Pot, these types of things creep up year after year.

["DOC"]

Gavin, The cost is pretty high, but taking your kids is worth every penny!! We really need to get this thread off here, cause like I told my wife, $250 a year for the lease, $119 for my new Bowtech, $10 a doz for arrows, $1 a pc for broadheads, $50 a ton for corn it just all adds up

[McPatrickClan]

Yes it does! I am excited- looking into it now.

[bobo27]

My deerlease was free and corn gets picked up by the lease manager just gas and food is all I pay

[Birddog]

bobo27, you are one lucky person...Years ago I figured what I had spent on the last 10 years hunting before that. It scared me.and I have never been on what you would call a high priced lease.I personally think it cost just as much to hunt on public land as it does a lease. I have put the pencil to it these last few years. If youi hunt much it will cost you all most just as much $ ..

With a lease I think you will most assureadly get more pleasure out of it. You will have a hole lot less frustration factor....And if someone walks up while your hunting. You know he's not supposed to be there or you can chew one of your lease mate's *** out for it...

[texag93]

I spent almost as much on gas to the lease as I did the lease. If you can find a year round lease you like with people you like for under $3000 total, consider yourself lucky. JMHO Good luck.

[Rusty Fork]

My guess is about $3000 per year.

I need to find a way to right this off. Yea right!!!!

Add the processing bill o top of that and that does not include the taxi bill if I am lucky enough to see a mountable buck!!!

Don't think about...this ain't for boys!!!!

[Hawk77]

once you start, you accumulate the things you need yearly. Once you have the blinds, the feeders, the tripods, the four wheeler(if needed), etc...you have it and have to maintain it. The gas is a major player in the cost, and then the groceries, and the beer and corn add up too. Anyone who thinks hunting is cheap is crazy. It is well worth it to see the sun come up and hear nature at its finest...

[Rsatt]

I don't want to talk/think about it....