Success Rate at typical day leases?

[BowBuck2]

Traveling down 57 then 64. Our season here ended on the 1rst of Jan, however my season ended on the 2nd of November. I can't wait to get back out. After 32 days of the season I was able to fill the freezer with 2 doe, 1 turkey, a nice 8 and a P&Y 9. Oh yeah, I also shot a coon because my boy (7) was sitting with me for the first time and thought it would make a nice mount (LOL). I need to make some room in the freeer!

[redsnapper101]

Hey Heath,

I think maybe because of the fact I have a small tract of land that I hunt in Robertson county of my own, I guess I would expect that after spending $1000 for a 5 day hunt, the time away from familly and all... I kind of do expect to get to draw back... Is that wrong?

I would like to thank you for your input... I think I am convenced of not paying to hunt Deer, and maybe going after some Axis, Fallow, Black buck... Or at least, If I am going to hunt whitetail, I am going to go to some moderate priced kill fee ranches.

BTW, Just kidding on the T-sip math thing! LOL

[P'duck]

Bowbuck,

I am located roughly 30 minutes south of I-57 and I-64. My bags are packed, although I have to take the doghouse with me..hehehe. She wants to go!

Guys have fun and enjoy the times.

[BowBuck2]

I plan on having a blast at Boazmans. My 1 and only other trip to a day lease I wanted only a chance at taking a ram as I figured my odds would be best at taking one of them, which I did. A beautiful Corsican (That was last April and I am still waiting on my mount). I guess I could say I am currently 100% at day lease properties. Anyway, I never saw any Fallow, the only Axis I saw with headgear seemed to travel only at night, and the Black Bucks that came to the feeder were all female or very young. The dark mature animals stayed out in the middle of an open field. From what I noticed of the antelope that did come in they were very wary, and fast. This time I am doing the 4 day safari and I am hopeful that I get the chance at a nice exotic, but I do realize from my trip last year that the green up occuring will keep some critters from coming in to feeders and feed lines. Perhaps I will be lucky and score. Maybe not. But what I remember most about the last trip was that I had the time of my life with my uncle and cousin. I went home stress free. I would expect the same this time and in my book that makes it a success.

[hcshooter]

success on a day lease depends on you the hunter and what your hunting and last how many days your hunting.
If your going on a 2 day day lease to try to kill a giant trophy white tail your odds will be low. Keep in mind these deer are still wild on a day lease, feeders or feed routes become caution areas for these deer. They will come to the feed but very aware of the surroundings, so what happens "YOU GET BUSTED".
The success rate would be higher if you take a 3 to 5 day hunt, this gives you time to see patterens to and from, where you see the most concentation of movement of bigger bucks. Now this then will give you the chance to ask the outfitter to relocate your stand.

Now the opinions of the outfitters only want a percentage killed, well this is a business but any good respectable outfitter will not direct you from oppertunity. He will get you in locations to see and then you need all other things to fall into place, weather, wind, movement, animal coperation, etc.
Stop and think, if your best buddy has a few monsters on his property and invites you to go hunting and he has been chasing and feeding them every day, is he going to out right give you the most dynamic spot to kill one of these or is he going to put you in the area where its possible?
I hunt day leases and I have alot fo kills on the wall from them, mainly all exotics. I havent killed on every trip at a day lease but not because I did not have an oppertunity but because of wind, getting busted, or just plain bad shot.
I would take a day lease over pot luck public property any day.
I think your odds are higher on drop in and hunt at a day lease than they are at a public land access. JMO

[Coondog]

Id say about 20 percent

[redsnapper101]

Hcshoter...

I think your odds are higher on drop in and hunt at a day lease than they are at a public land access. JMO

Hey thanks for that. Kind of confirmed what I was thinking.

[Ron]

I have only hunted day leases a couple of times, but had a good time every time I went. I have killed one turkey and saw game every time, they just didn't want to play.
Chances of sucess, small on the scale of 10 -100%, probaly around closer to the 10.

Ron

[jyoung]

I think we're on different pages, Lee.
When I think of day hunts, I automatically think of exotics.
You're thinking whitetail.
In that aspect, yes, I agree with what you're saying.

You just didn't hunt the right ranch with the right guide

Or maybe I have just been lucky.

[ByronF]

I look at it like going to Vegas. I don't go there to win money ie kill a trophy buck I go there to have a good time with friends and enjoy myself. As in Vegas if I hit it big or kill a big buck that is icing on the cake for me. It's not always about the kill.

[JTeLarkin08]

I cant say anything about a Trophy fee ranch.. I have never hunted one in texas. Also when i think of a Day lease i think of exotics. I have been to 2 day leases for exotics one of which i hunted and the other i just filmed my buddy.

Bow Safari- I visited bow safari 4 times in the first two years they were open. The first trip was the 2nd week they were open. I was very new to hunting out of my double bull and made 2 mistakes that caused me 2 really nice trophys. I did however take a pig and a ram. This was when the hunting was easy however. After they had been open for a year the animals got alot more spooky. The next trip i was just on a pig hunt and i shot a nice sow. The next hunt i was back after exotics and i shot a respectable fallow and a big ram. The last hunt is where i decided that hunting on a day lease is all about doing research and skill. The ranch owner told me that no one had taken a animal in the last 2 years out of a ground blind. I set my double bull up and shot an aoudad at 24 yards. I know when and where i can set my double bull up and be successful.

The second exotic ranch i went to was mesquite to film sky. We saw a ton of hogs and some decent exotics but they busted us before he could get a shot. But of course it was 2 of us in a ground blind.

I think that a day lease is all about doing your home work and common sense. If its dry set up near water, also if there are low fences inside the high fence set up on the gates. exotics dont like jumping fences.

[jwstrother]

Depends on what you are hunting in my experience with day leases. I wouldn't expect on harvesting a trophy unless you are willing to pay for it.

[Chunky]

This is a very interesting thread with a lot of good comments on it. I agree with most of the comments made above. Texastaxi is right about two different types of operations. Heath is right on about whitetail hunting, and so on.

Day hunt places vary so much, it is really hard to make any kind of comparison. Then when you talk about success are you talking a shot opportunity, a female animal, or only a trophy? Are you hunting for one particular species or just anything that gives a shot? Just seperating out whitetails and exotics makes a huge difference. Plus you add in the vast difference in experience and skill level of the hunters.....I can't see how you can put any meaningfull numbers to it.

I would guess that I have hunted about as many day hunt places and done it as often as anyone. If I am goint to First Point to hunt for a trophy whitetail, I have the chance to shoot a whopper, but I will feel lucky if I get that chance. If I am going to the Double L for exotics, I know I will have a shot opportunity at something every hunt. Four arrows use to ofter a WT buck hunt where you would get a shot at a P&Y buck on video or you did not pay. Of course this was on the King Ranch and it cost 6,000 bucks (or something like that).

If you do your homework you will not be dissapointed with day hunt operations. You just need to find out the story and have your expectations set accordingly. The fact that you are here reading this is a good start.

[JP Dorris]

I recently asked a guide on one of the day leases without a trophy fee the success rates. He told me it was 18% or so. This particular ranch is chocked full of animals which was hard to believe that success could be so low. This guide told me that I was the most successful hunter they have ever had. Example 2 day hunt I took a blackbuck, ram and hog hunting 3 sittings. Second trip 4 day hunt 4 hogs, Aoudad and a Blackbuck. My fiancee' 2 day hunt a whitetail doe and an Aoudad the first hunt she ever has been on. We both passed up quality animals over and over again, just enjoying the hunt.

I asked what made my a veteran hunter and her a pure beginner different than others? Simply put we sat still, did not smoke on stand, watched animals at a distance and readied ourselves before they got to us. We sat on stand late and got on stand early. Equally he said people would shoot too early (archery only), miss alot, get too excited and other reasons. I thought about what he said and reflected on the two trips I had taken there.

This year was my first time with a day lease. I agree with this comment. It realy depends on your skill and patience level. I think my outfitter was a little miffed that I shot a nice 8 pts with a bow during gun season (he charges $1500 for a 3 day gun hunt) and only $200 a day for bow. I beleive he saw an oppurtunity to make a quick $800 (I booked a four day trip) and I ended up taking the 8 pts and two does.

[Tensix]

you get what you pay for