Skip the lease and do day hunts??

[Brinkley]

Anyone out there ditched the lease route and find a place to take the whole family for maybe a long weekend or week?

With the busy schedules of six kids, both my wife and I having careers and just the responsibilities that come with a large family with no family within 6 hours!! it seems like having a local lease for the last few years (we have taken 3 deer and a few hogs) is a large drain on my capacity. I go on a day hunt (chambers ranch) each year myself, will probably do an out of state hunt next year and put in for a few TPWD draw hunts. My wife and I are talking about not getting on a lease next year and just spend that money and time and take the whole family (three of the six kids hunt) to a ranch somewhere that they odds of seeing critters is high, not worried about trophies necessarily just something that we could have some good family fun!

Anyone else out there do this? Maybe me going on probably 15-20 sits so far this year and not seeing a deer has me re-thinking everything but it sure seems like a better idea! haha

[Avezorak]

Skip the lease and do day hunts??

I am seriously considering doing this next year. Deer season is the busiest time of year for me. Im
sitting right now with my daughter and I make be able to hunt 3 more times this year.

I dont spend a ton on my lease but with what I do spend, I could go on 1 decent out of state or exotic hunt.

I would love to go as a family but my wife really isnt into it, so it would just be my daughter and I. If my Dad decides he wants my spot on this lease, that will probably be the decision maker for me.

[Texastaxi]

I've done this for the last 14 years (I hunted other white tails from about 1989 to 2000).
When I got back into hunting, I didn't have a lease, so I did some day hunts.
I did get on a lease, two times, since 2000, but realized both times that it didn't work well, with my schedule ... and that was before we had a kid.

For me, the costs of several day hunts came out way better than a lease. The only way it would work is if I could find a lease that had loads of exotics, with no extra fees on those, for $3000 or less, feed included, with a nice cabin to stay in.

[Brinkley]

I've done this for the last 14 years (I hunted other white tails from about 1989 to 2000).
When I got back into hunting, I didn't have a lease, so I did some day hunts.
I did get on a lease, two times, since 2000, but realized both times that it didn't work well, with my schedule ... and that was before we had a kid.

For me, the costs of several day hunts came out way better than a lease. The only way it would work is if I could find a lease that had loads of exotics, with no extra fees on those, for $3000 or less, feed included, with a nice cabin to stay in.

This is exactly where I am at with everything. I just need to find a few ranches that I can take the kids that won't break the bank. I know there are a few for bow hunts just looking for something that they can use a rifle as well. Not all the kids bow hunt. haha

Anyone have any good leads on such ranch??? haha

[DaveS903]

We do day leases. You can pick and choose places that match your interests, hunting style, and budget and, if you are after exotics, you can hunt year round.

[bowhuntntxn]

Michael based on your situation, my first reccomendation would be to call Buff(Marty) and see what he has to accommodate you. From what I see he is all about getting the youth involved and goes out of the way to make hunts at his place a great experience.

If his place won't work, he might be able to refer you to someone else who can take care of you.

[Buff]

I have a very unusual set up in that I share a lease with a close friend that keeps the blinds up and keeps the feeders running.
If not for that I would surely be hunting every year with JJ or Kirvoman.
When you look at the costs
lease fee
protein
corn
fuel to drive to the lease ( it is 9 hours each way)
one weekend a month of your time to be sure everything is running

You can go stay at a nice ranch and kill a dandy buck for what you have invested


If I was retired and had lots of time on my hands it would be a different goal as I would have lots of free time to kill

[Coup de Grace]

I have a very unusual set up in that I share a lease with a close friend that keeps the blinds up and keeps the feeders running.
If not for that I would surely be hunting every year with JJ or Kirvoman.
When you look at the costs
lease fee
protein
corn
fuel to drive to the lease ( it is 9 hours each way)
one weekend a month of your time to be sure everything is running

You can go stay at a nice ranch and kill a dandy buck for what you have invested


If I was retired and had lots of time on my hands it would be a different goal as I would have lots of free time to kill

This. I just don't have the genetics where I hunt, bunch of old deer just can't them over 130 range what I pay for 2 spots I could hunt some big boys on some nice ranches.

[SoTXAg06]

Was on a opening weekend deer lease for the last two years. Dropped it this year to hunt family and public land.

My thought is to save money from a lease and go out of state hunting as well. I may not kill a monster every year on family land, but it's hard to complain about a free spot.

[Brinkley]

Michael based on your situation, my first reccomendation would be to call Buff(Marty) and see what he has to accommodate you. From what I see he is all about getting the youth involved and goes out of the way to make hunts at his place a great experience.

If his place won't work, he might be able to refer you to someone else who can take care of you.

Thanks Glenn I sent him a PM.

[Brinkley]

Michael based on your situation, my first reccomendation would be to call Buff(Marty) and see what he has to accommodate you. From what I see he is all about getting the youth involved and goes out of the way to make hunts at his place a great experience.

If his place won't work, he might be able to refer you to someone else who can take care of you.

Thanks Glenn I sent him a PM.

[jerp]

If I was still in the super busy, raising a family phase of my life like you are, I would spend my money on a hunt or two each season that gave me a good chance of success. I now have more time, so I'm more interested in having a place within two hours so I can go more often. I've become willing to accept hunting a lease with a marginal deer herd just to have a place to go stomp around in the country whenever I feel like it.

[Brinkley]

If I was still in the super busy, raising a family phase of my life like you are, I would spend my money on a hunt or two each season that gave me a good chance of success. I now have more time, so I'm more interested in having a place within two hours so I can go more often. I've become willing to accept hunting a lease with a marginal deer herd just to have a place to go stomp around in the country whenever I feel like it.

This is exactly what I am looking at. Now that we moved down here (Beaumont area) we do not have any family and the kids are extremely active.

[BigThicketBoy]

Don't do it . I need my teaker/ tow truck.

[Brinkley]

Don't do it . I need my teaker/ tow truck.

haha, I will always be around!! haha