How many acres per hunter?

[Gonzo]

When my dad and uncles had property they had 4-5 gun hunters on a 60 acre track. I didn't know much as a kid or teen but I always thought it was too many.

My question is, what is the ideal distribution of acres per hunter in a open range property? Bow or gun hunting?

[Geezy Rider]

I like no less than 100 per hunter.

[Daniel75]

I think that would depend on the makeup of the property. If it was real thick, I think you would have people closer together and have more people on less acreage. I'd say a round about number of 30-40 acres each with a gun. I'm not saying that's ideal, I'm saying it's possible.

[PondPopper]

250-300 per hunter minimum. 5-6 hunters on 60 acres would fall into the dangerous category.

[Lonebowyer]

100-200 acres per hunter

[zztex]

1 per 200 acres

[JONES45LC]

our lease has 7 hunters on 7.5 sections

[M16]

Depends on the area. South Texas would be 1000 acres per hunter.

[32drawlength]

Agree with the 100 ac recommendations...

[dustoffer]

I hunted 620 ac in S. Tx and we had either 3 or 4 hunters, with 4 stands, plus one "mud blind" that you could walk to from the camp on bad days. All the stands were well elevated and I never felt unsafe as I knew all the guys on the place. That didn't mean I liked 'em all, but I knew them well enough to be comfortable with them in the other blind in the pasture. However, one thing in my favor--I was the only one retired, so my hunting days were Mon afternoons through Fri mornings and I left the rest of the time to them.

[Acts 10:13]

We have 2 on 235 that is heavily wooded. We are just bow hunters and could stand one more without problem.

[Mex. Bowhunter]

Depends on the area. South Texas would be 1000 acres per hunter.

I agree but, around home you could hunt 3 to 4 hunters on a 100ac and be fine. It pretty much comes down to what area and the lay of the land. The longer and more laid out it is the more hunters you can get away spreading out.

[Russ79]

I think it depends on why or what your reasons are for limiting hunters- safety or deer population. Thicker parts of the state, such as east Texas, can hunt fewer acres/hunter safely if you have the deer population. More open parts of the state, such as the hill country or west Texas, need more acres per hunter especially if it is a gun lease.

[iamntxhunter]

Lots of variables to take into account. I would say it really depends on amount of pressure that you are putting on the place as to the layout and the amount of cover depending on the weapon. We have a 300 ac pasture that can hunt 2-3 rifle hunters because it is narrow and long however if you tried to put 4-5 bowhunters you are probably putting to much human pressure on the place. We stay at 1 per 200 ac as a rule becasue it just lays out well for us. As you hunt the place you will begin to understand what works for you.

[Phorizt]

You can't really just throw out a number without factoring in things like deer density of the area, terrain, surrounding hunting pressure, how often you'll actually be hunting etc. Different areas might range anywhere from 10 to over 50 deer per square mile across the state..

For my personal preference I would not do less than 100-150 acres just because I'd want some space.