Family selling hunting rights(while I'm still hunting)

[MN_DeerHunter]

That really sucks...having to pay to play on family ground just seems incredibly wrong

[Edcyclopedia]

Someone's got to pay the taxes...
Upkeep...

I had a conversation with an old friend yesterday.
I asked if his Daughter, Husband and grand kids still lived in his other house.
He said he had a come to Jesus talk about them not being able to afford the price tag to buy it.
He is retired and on a fixed income and close to $200k of his retirement tied into the house...
Not a conversation I'd like to have.

Working your life for retirement and then not accessing some of your life savings to live a little...

[Kraftd]

I think things like this are a big part of why more people are going the public land route. Hard to deal with.

I hunt some family land that my dad's cousin owns. He's pretty steadfast we will always have a place there and has told his kids, who aren't really hunters, the same, but unless I find myself ready to pony up and buy it when that happens, I mentally prepared to lose it. Luckily my dad and have 60 acres and our cabin a few miles away.

I just keep scouting more public. Agree with EY on the european model, but at least we still have lots of public in America, for now...

That isn't any kind of advice. If you're not in the position to lease it or get a group together, tough call. Sure, it's not a lot of money per person, but if they aren't really using it, why wouldn't they from their perspective. Here's where having rich relatives that the money woudn't matter to is better! I get all of your feelings, but kind of have to understand their side too.

If you do end up figuring out how to lease it, I'd make sure to get that all worked out really well. Sure sounds like the part time hunters could end up assuming since you leased it they could still do their light hunting without paying, could create bad blood. Hate to pay to lease family land then have a cousin come in and hunt for free.

[MN_DeerHunter]

I think things like this are a big part of why more people are going the public land route. Hard to deal with.

I hunt some family land that my dad's cousin owns. He's pretty steadfast we will always have a place there and has told his kids, who aren't really hunters, the same, but unless I find myself ready to pony up and buy it when that happens, I mentally prepared to lose it. Luckily my dad and have 60 acres and our cabin a few miles away.

I just keep scouting more public. Agree with EY on the european model, but at least we still have lots of public in America, for now...

That isn't any kind of advice. If you're not in the position to lease it or get a group together, tough call. Sure, it's not a lot of money per person, but if they aren't really using it, why wouldn't they from their perspective. Here's where having rich relatives that the money woudn't matter to is better! I get all of your feelings, but kind of have to understand their side too.

If you do end up figuring out how to lease it, I'd make sure to get that all worked out really well. Sure sounds like the part time hunters could end up assuming since you leased it they could still do their light hunting without paying, could create bad blood. Hate to pay to lease family land then have a cousin come in and hunt for free.

I could see this being an issue...

[headgear]

Ya try and get the part timers to go in with you, give them a one and only chance to lease it with you, otherwise find others to take their place.

Man like you guys said, sometimes public aint so bad, even better when there is so much of it I don't have to worry about property lines. Of course the hunting is terrible by most standards and the wolves are everywhere these days but I enjoy the freedom and room to roam.

[hambone]

Pretty brutal this is what hunting is becoming. Converging toward European hunting at an alarming rate. Good luck working out a tough situation.

My thoughts EXACTLY!

[wiser blood]

Thanks for all of the replies, guys! I really appreciate it. I've been more of a lurker on this forum for the past two seasons so I'm grateful that you all have taken the time to reply.

-wiser blood

[<DK>]

6 members, my mother being one. I will inherit her shares. They get money from the farming and a CRP government program. I doubt my mother giving up her profit would satisfy the rest compared to what they will get from the extra 4k.

Just an idea, could they lease half and you hunt on the other half, maybe the good half? Even the right 100 acres might be better than dealing with a pile of other hunters.

This was my thoughts as well..

So lets be clearer here;

There are x6 members of the family who have ownership rights to the whole 400 acres?
Is the property split into seperate sections based on who owns it?
Will this possibly be happening for the 2019 season?

[wiser blood]

6 members, my mother being one. I will inherit her shares. They get money from the farming and a CRP government program. I doubt my mother giving up her profit would satisfy the rest compared to what they will get from the extra 4k.

Just an idea, could they lease half and you hunt on the other half, maybe the good half? Even the right 100 acres might be better than dealing with a pile of other hunters.

This was my thoughts as well..

So lets be clearer here;

There are x6 members of the family who have ownership rights to the whole 400 acres?
Is the property split into seperate sections based on who owns it?
Will this possibly be happening for the 2019 season?

6 members in a partnership. So the farm isn't divided. The best sections are to the north and south. I would have to choose one which is hard. Next meeting is in April to talk about it further in order to possibly put into place for next season.

[<DK>]

6 members, my mother being one. I will inherit her shares. They get money from the farming and a CRP government program. I doubt my mother giving up her profit would satisfy the rest compared to what they will get from the extra 4k.

Just an idea, could they lease half and you hunt on the other half, maybe the good half? Even the right 100 acres might be better than dealing with a pile of other hunters.

This was my thoughts as well..

So lets be clearer here;

There are x6 members of the family who have ownership rights to the whole 400 acres?
Is the property split into seperate sections based on who owns it?
Will this possibly be happening for the 2019 season?

6 members in a partnership. So the farm isn't divided. The best sections are to the north and south. I would have to choose one which is hard. Next meeting is in April to talk about it further in order to possibly put into place for next season.

Well, either way you have the exact amount of time needed to get a full off season of scouting in. I would start covering lots of ground both private and public. Possibly, start considering trying to get permission elsewhere if possible. If you put in the time on some quality public land you wont have to worry so much about where to hunt.

As far as the property goes I would evaluate it via maps and scouting. Get very intimate with the property and make a decision on which piece is the best. See if its possible to keep a good section for family only. You guys could always switch the sections around yearly too. Like, switching based on crop locations or best bedding areas. I would also see if they would go for some set rules like X amount of does per 100acres or 4pt rule for bucks. You guys could also just have a short permission time set. Not sure if they are talking a full season?

I would try and bring all these things to the table bc you do care about the property and want to hunt it. I have a place like that which I lost permission on it once and gained it back. In that time I was away I scouted a ton of public. I actually enjoy it alot more and there is bigger bucks! Keep me posted on this

[EdC]

Have they considered the liability they may incur by selling hunting rights?

In the two states I have hunted once you sell hunting rights you’re are now liable for injuries on the property. If you allow hunters to hunt your land for free you are specifically excluded from liability.

If they think that they can just gin up a release it won’t likely stand up in court against a good lawyer.

There is always liability insurance but I’m sure it isn’t cheap and at the end of the day it may not be worth it.

Bob

this may work in your favor, anytime someone is on your property you own the liability part so this maybe a way for the family to have second thoughts
it only takes one accident to lose the whole property over greed

[Bigb]

They don't assume liability. Many leases have Liability insurance the group leasing has to purchase so it's not on the owner. Most people who lease require it so they aren't liable for anything that happens.

[Pse]

Horrible situation to be in, if it was me id try and lease it with a friend or two . lease prices/trophies in the US have long overtaken anything I've come across in Europe, you guys living in states with lots of public land don't know how lucky you are

[Horizontal Hunter]

Horrible situation to be in, if it was me id try and lease it with a friend or two . lease prices/trophies in the US have long overtaken anything I've come across in Europe, you guys living in states with lots of public land don't know how lucky you are

There will always be an inherent conflict because private land owners can control access to a public resource (deer).

In Massachusetts there is a $5.00 land stamp program where each hunter pays for the stamp and that money can ONLY be used to purchase land that is open to all sporting purposes. Most hunters are happy to pay it as it gives them access to new properties. Every year they DFW reports the new acquisitions. IMO the land stamp program is great and more states should do it. It is an easy way to expand his noting opportunities.

In Massachusetts you can hunt any land that isn’t posted. All land owners are protected as long as they doesn’t receive any money for the hunting access. As soon as they do they are open to liability for injuries. New England is very litigious. Sad but true. It seems that no one rembembers what personal responsibility is these days.

That’s the way my state balances the competing interests of the private land owner and the public resource. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong. It’s just the way it is done here.

Maybe the OP can get a friend or two together and pay the taxes on the family land to help out and the family will be receptive to that. Land taxes add up

Bob

[ghoasthunter]

no matter the outcome its not the end of the world i lost a great chunk of private farm couple years back i was playing cat and mouse with a nice buck all season there well a week before gun season i got the boot. a month later i killed a even bigger buck on public land. now i hunt a section of public near that property that gets all the deer from over pressure every year. sure i miss the place but ive also made alot of good memories hunting the public and honestly i do just as good if not better on public for the simple fact i have more freedom too do what i want.