Hunting Leases 101

Volume 10 • Issue 2
Fall/Winter 2014
Hunting Leases 101
Ken McCool, Recreational Lease Manager, MS/AL Timberlands (photos by K. McCool)
Ryan Giddens, LAP/Land Use Forester, AR/OK Timberlands
Leasing property for hunting began in Texas in
the 1930s and today has reached practically
every state. The practice of leasing hunting
lands has become a win-win for landowners and
hunters. Landowners receive additional income
and vigilance from having a group of people on
their property. Hunters receive exclusive
hunting privileges on private land. In many
situations, lasting relationships have formed that
span generations. When considering a lease, it
is important to understand what influences
leasing prices and attractiveness to potential
lessees. Here, we highlight some of these
considerations.
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Lease Types
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Fall/Winter 2014
Day leases - offers the landowner a
chance to get to know the hunter before
going into a longer agreement.
Seasonal or annual leases- these offer
the hunter the opportunity to use the
property for the entire season for a
particular species or multiple species,
along with getting to know the
landowner and his/her property
objectives.
Multi- year leases - these may be the
most desirable, as they generally
provide more stability for both parties
and allow the lessee to implement
improvements with prior approval
from the landowner.
 Lease provisions – generally
components of one of 3 models:
exclusive rights-lessee has exclusive
rights to the property (no other person
is permitted to hunt, fish or enjoy
recreational activity on the land);
recreational lease-lessee is granted
year round access to the property and
may use it for multiple activities, not
limited to hunting; and speciesspecific leases which allow hunting of
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a specific species, such as turkeys, deer,
or waterfowl.
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Leased Property Attributes
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Location- as with any real estate, three
things that most effect the price is
location, location, location.
Aesthetics of the property- a managed
appearance of the property is important.
Access – this includes both the presence
of good roads and “easy to get to”
properties and the ability to reasonably
control access with gates and
“POSTED” signage.
Wildlife diversity –availability of
multiple species on the property
Habitat diversity - multiple stand ages,
forest types, and other habitat types on
the property promote habitat quality for
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Fall/Winter 2014
many species and are generally related
to wildlife species diversity.
Hardwood areas- mast producing areas
are always seen to be desirable.
Wildlife openings- areas that can be used
as food plots such as utility ROWs,
roads, logging decks, and natural
openings.
Quantity and quality - obviously,
abundant, healthy wildlife populations
are highly desired.
Demand - greater demand leads to
increased price; proximity to major
population centers plays a large role in
demand.
Public lands nearby - nearby, large
tracts of public land can decrease lease
prices (land available to hunt) or
increase lease prices (hunters can choose
to hunt on a leased property or public
land).
Known trophy area - property in some
states and or counties in those states
have historically been in high demand
because of perceived trophy potential.
Campsite availability- both temporary
and long term lodging adds value to the
property.
Water bodies- presence of lakes, ponds
and streams have an appeal to most
outdoor enthusiasts.
Season length - Some states have liberal
seasons that run for several months,
whereby others have only short seasons.
Services – Some landowners provide
services additional to access.
Adjoining property- if the surrounding
or adjoining property is under a quality
management program, particularly for
deer, the property is generally in higher
demand.
Size of property -number of acres in the
property also plays a large part in
market price.
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Aging Bucks “On the Hoof” – The Next Level of Deer
Management
Dr. Bronson Strickland, Assoc. Extension Prof., Certified Wildlife Biologist®, Mississippi State Univ.
Photos by Paul Brown and Steve Gulledge
Throughout the southeastern U.S., most hunting
clubs understand the impact of nutrition on a
deer herd. Having a herd that exceeds carrying
capacity of habitat conditions (i.e., too many
deer) will always result in lower quality deer in
general (body weights, reproduction), and bucks
specifically (antler size). Improvements in deer
quality can be achieved by reducing deer herd
numbers, by habitat management, or preferably,
both! Once you have addressed deer numbers
and deer habitat conditions, supplemental forage
plantings (food plots) are another way to
improve deer nutrition, and ultimately, deer
quality.
The next step to improve buck antler size in the
population is managing buck age structure.
Many clubs choose to use antler regulations
(e.g., a point limit, or minimum beam length),
and this is certainly an effective way to increase
the average age of bucks on a property. Recall
that age and nutrition are the 2 factors you can
manage in a deer hunt (genetics being the third
factor). However, as the old saying goes… “you
can’t get something for nothin’.” What I mean
is the unfortunate harvest of the best younger
bucks. For example, let’s say you have a 16”
minimum inside spread criterion for bucks to be
eligible for harvest. This criterion is very
effective at protecting most of the 1.5 and 2.5year-old bucks. However, a small proportion of
the very best (in terms of antler quality) younger
bucks will have an inside spread that exceeds the
16” minimum. Subsequently, these higherquality young bucks get harvested while the
lower-quality younger bucks are protected.
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Alternatively, some bucks will never make the
minimum antler size to make them eligible for
harvest. Thus, after several years of an antler
regulation, you will have some mature bucks
that are not eligible for harvest. Make no
mistake, antler regulations are an effective first
step because they will improve buck age
structure, but there will be casualties along the
way. At the end of this article, is a web link to
an in-depth publication that explains the pros
and cons of antler regulations.
The most effective way to improve buck age
structure is learning how to age bucks “on-thehoof.” This is not an exact science, but after
some careful study and practice most hunters
can become very proficient at this aging
technique. Below I have provided some
examples and at the end of the article I have
provided additional information for you and
your hunting club members to use for
educational purposes.
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The Yearling Buck (photo above) – This is
easiest buck to age. I tell hunters that a yearling
(1.5-years-old) simply looks like a doe with
antlers. This buck has a very thin neck,
underdeveloped shoulder muscles, and relatively
learn how to identify a mature buck, they are
very easy to pick out while hunting. The neck
and shoulder area is fully developed, the chest
area is broad and some even have a “pot belly”
(like many of us mature hunters have). The
developed chest area gives the appearance of
short legs. If you are developing a trophy buck
management plan, you must work to harvest
only mature bucks. It can be difficult, but with
enough acreage, and cooperation among
adjacent hunting clubs, this is certainly
attainable.
In conclusion, antler regulations are an
important first step, but if you want to take your
deer management to “the next level”, hunters
must learn to age bucks on the hoof and use that
information to make harvest decisions consistent
with your objectives.
long legs.
The Middle-Aged Buck (photo above) – I call
3.5-year-old bucks “middle-aged” because they
are half-grown. They are demonstrating some of
the characteristics of a mature buck like more
developed neck and shoulder muscles and they
also appear to have shorter legs because their
chest and stomach area is getting larger. In many
hunting clubs starting with a buck management
plan, this is where you start. Always protect
younger bucks and begin harvesting only bucks
3.5-years of age and older.
The Mature Buck (photo right) – I call mature
bucks at least 5.5 years of age. This is age most
bucks have attained full antler size. Once you
For information on all deer management topics, please visit http://www.msudeerlab.com.
Publications include “Using Antler Restrictions to Manage for Older-Aged
Bucks”(http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2427.pdf) and “A Hunter’s Guide to Aging and
Judging Live Deer in the Southeast”(http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2206.pdf).
If you are an iPhone user, you can download our app “Deer Aging” which can be found in the
Apple App Store by searching for “MSUES” or “MSUES Deer Aging”. This can be an important
tool for hunters while on the deer stand.
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Fall/Winter 2014
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Species of the South
Dr. Jessica A. Homyack, Certified Wildlife Biologist ®, Southern Timberlands Technology
Oaks have always been one of my favorite
groups of trees. I’ve appreciated them for their
broad, wide stance silhouetted against a pink
sunrise, for the crunch of their thick leaves under
my feet in the fall, for their beautiful wood
sought after by fine furniture makers, for the
warmth they provide to me as winter firewood,
and for providing homes and food to so many
wildlife species. Most hunters are tuned into
oaks and make hunting decisions around where
the mast trees are and whether it is a good acorn
year. Find a plentiful crop of acorns and you are
likely to find deer, turkey, squirrels and other
game species. Many animals shift their
Regenerating oaks, like this red oak, can
benefit by reducing competition and
opening up the canopy. Photo credit:
Jessica Homyack
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movements and activity patterns around
abundant acorn crops. Turkeys are even known
to reduce the size of their home range in high
mast years.
But, did you know that acorns also provide a
food resource for 96 species of birds and
mammals and that countless other animals rely
on oaks for den or roost sites, browse their
twigs, leaves, and young shoots, and or live in
the slowly decaying oak leaf litter on the forest
floor? In fact, oaks are so important
ecologically that scientists have termed them a
“foundation” group of species. This term
reflects their critical role in forest ecosystems, in
that oaks influence the local environment and
create a base for many other species and
ecological processes to take place. Take away
the oaks and the entire ecosystem will change
dramatically, just as what happened after the
demise of the American chestnut. No other
group of tree species can fill in behind oaks, but
unfortunately oaks are facing many threats to
their persistence including diseases, competition
from other species such as red maple, and a lack
of regeneration due to changes in forest practices
and a decrease in natural wildfires.
There are about 600 species of oaks, with about
90 in the United States, about 110 in Mexico,
and China also being a center of diversity with
about 100 oak species. American oaks are
broken into two groups: red and white oaks. In
general the two groups can be determined by
looking at the leaves: red oak leaves end in
points while white oaks have rounded leaves.
Red oaks include species such as water oak,
scarlet oak, cherrybark oak, willow oak, and
black oak, but there is variation among these
species in timber quality. Red oaks take two
years to produce an acorn crop, but it is a more
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consistent yield of acorns every year. White
oaks include white oak, chestnut oak, swamp
chestnut oak and post oak, among others. White
oaks can form nuts every year, but volumes are
variable with the occasional bumper crop, and
few acorns dropping in many other years.
Even leaf litter from oaks has important
ecological roles. Because the leaves decay
slowly, they provide excellent habitat
conditions for ground-dwelling wildlife,
like this northern dusky salamander.
Photo credit: Jessica Homyack
For landowners, increasing the quality or
proportion of oaks can be accomplished by
several methods. Maintaining a diverse suite of
oak species can help ensure that acorns will be
available within and across seasons. If adequate
oaks are present on a site, removing trees with
competing crowns can release them and increase
their growth and mast crop. Stump sprouts are
an important regeneration method for oaks, so
that clearcutting or using a heavy partial harvest
can assist with regeneration in some stands. For
understory regeneration, opening up the canopy
to increase sunlight and controlling competition
is also beneficial to oaks, but these species are
sensitive to many herbicides . Oaks can also do
well as a plantation species, though this will be a
more costly option. Site quality, aspect, and
competing species have a large effect on
regeneration success, so landowners can best
meet management objectives by receiving
professional advice from a local extension agent
or consulting forester. Next time you are afield,
be sure to notice the oaks in your favorite
hunting spot, and be thankful for all they
provide.
Oaks can be more valuable as
sawlogs than other hardwoods and
are used for everything from
furniture to flooring to making
barrels for aging wine and spirits.
Photo credit: Jessica Homyack
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Bears in the South
Eley Talley, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission – Wildlife Management Division
Todd Purvis, Recreational Lease Manager, North Carolina Timberlands
Darren Miller, Science Advisor, Weyerhaeuser Company, Columbus, MS
Editor’s Note: Across Weyerhaeuser’s southern
ownership, black bears vary from being very
abundant (North Carolina) to abundant
(Arkansas) to absent or rare (Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana). However, populations
of black bears are increasing across the south.
This article discusses bears from several
perspectives. Please also see past newsletters
(Springs 2013 and Fall 2013) for more
information on black bears.
Bear captured on a game camera in northern
Howard County, Arkansas. Photo credit:
Razorback Hunting Club.
KNOW YOUR TARGET!
In many places, black bears are on the increase,
often in areas where hunters are not thinking
“bear”. In many of these same areas, feral hogs
are also abundant and increasing. It is not
difficult to confuse hogs and bears especially in
low-light situations. They have similar
silhouettes and can even move very similarly.
Please be sure to identify your target before
shooting. See this article from Louisiana about
the possibility of accidentally shooting a bear.
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Bears return to the Arkansas Gulf Coastal
Plain
Bears were in Arkansas long before modern
times. Once nearly once wiped out by
unregulated hunting, the Arkansas Game and
Fish Commission (AGFC) made an effort in the
20th century to re-introduce them to the state
once known as The Bear State. “Over the course
of our bear restoration through the last 40 years
or so, we brought bear back into the Ozark and
Ouachita Mountains and the bear population has
flourished,” explained Myron Means, AGFC
statewide bear program coordinator. A hunting
season for bear was opened in the 1980s and
efforts have been made to extend the bear
population throughout the rest of the state.
At that time, the Gulf Coastal Plain, which
includes most of bear zones 3 and 4
(http://www.agfc.com/hunting/Pages/HuntingBe
arZones.aspx) , simply wasn’t “conducive to
having a bear population,” Means explained.
“There weren’t enough groceries on the
landscape to support a bear population,” he said
of the foods available to bears. “But over the
past two decades,” he admitted, “there’s been a
kind of a shift in the habitat [conditions]. The
forests are getting more mature, and the forestry
companies are allowing forests to grow and get
more mature.”
An effort is currently underway to gather
population data throughout bear zones 3 and 4.
Individuals and hunting clubs are being asked to
submit photos and locations of bear sightings
throughout the region. Biologists will use this
information to assess distribution and growth of
the population, information crucial to the future
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management of the region’s bear populations.
Photos and location information can be
submitted by emailing Myron Means at
[email protected].
Black bears in Mississippi
The history of black bears in Mississippi closely
mirrors that or Arkansas except bears are not yet
abundant in the state. However, there are more
and more bear sightings every year. The
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries,
and Parks established a Bear Program in 2002.
Sightings of bears in Mississippi should be
reported to (601) 432-2400. For more
information on Mississippi bears, go to
http://www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-hunting/blackbear-program.aspx.
bear population resided in the extreme eastern
portion of the state and in the mountains of
western NC. Since that time, the eastern range
has steadily expanded westward, into the
Piedmont region. Given this expansion, after
much debate and careful consideration, and as
part of North Carolina’s 10 year black bear
management plan, the state’s Wildlife Resources
Commission (NCWRC) recently approved new
hunting regulations that established, for the first
time, a bear season in the Piedmont.
With black bear numbers continuing to increase,
residents and hunters are encountering more and
more bears, including areas that have not had a
bear population in recent history. These,
coupled with North Carolina’s new regulations,
present more hunters an opportunity to harvest
not only a bear, but a trophy sized black
bear. Eastern North Carolina is known for
having trophy size black bear and holds the
North American record of 880 pounds, set
1998, in Craven County. There any many
bears taken over 500 pounds every year.
Growing bear populations, just like all
other thriving species, must be properly
managed to be sustained. Hunters have
played a key part in the management and
“success story” of the black bear here in
North Carolina. Whether you have hunted
with and around bears for years or their
Bear tracks found in the summer of 2014 in Kemper
expanding range has recently overlapped
County, MS. Photo credit: Wayne Culpepper.
your hunting area, we as hunters have a
responsibility to be good stewards of the
land and all the wildlife that resides there. If you
Black bears in North Carolina
find your hunting lands now have bears,
If you lease land from Weyerhaeuser in North
welcome that new opportunity, be a good
Carolina, odds are, you will have the opportunity
steward, and remember those people (bear
to harvest a black bear on your lease. The
hunters, state/private biologist, and the
current bear population in NC has been
NCWRC) whose contributions and efforts are to
estimated at 16,000 and is currently increasing at
thank for the black bear resource in the Tar Heel
an estimated rate of 6% per year. As the bear
State.
population has increased, so has their occupied
range in the state. In 1971, North Carolina’s
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Benefits of Being Safety Minded – Make it Home Safe!
Peyton Weeks, Recreational Manager, North Louisiana Timberlands
By the time you receive this newsletter, fall
hunting season will be open all across the
South. Unfortunately, there will have
already been reports of serious injuries
resulting from ATV and tree stand
accidents. The goal of this article is for you
not to be one of the annual statistics. Our
desire first and foremost is for you to “Make
it home safe”! This is a safety mindset that
we value greatly at Weyerhaeuser. All the
hunting success in the world is worthless if
you don’t get home.
I have read horror story after horror story
about folks who have fallen out of tree
stands. Here is a great example of one
hunter’s experience:
http://www.qdma.com/articles/thoughtswhile-falling-from-a-treestand. Broken legs,
backs, necks, arms, ribs, ankles, punctured
lungs, and death can easily result from a tree
stand fall. I don’t want to scare you, but you
do need to understand what can happen if
you fall. Statistically one out of three tree
stand hunters will fall during their life. I
went for years never knowing anyone who
had fallen. Then, within one year, two very
close friends fell. Both survived the fall, but
not without ramifications. One has become
the most safety OCD hunter I have ever
seen. The other has almost completely
stopped hunting from elevated tree stands.
Both are very experienced hunters that just
happened to slip up. They were fortunate.
You may not be.
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If this is what your stand looks like –
replace it! Photo credit: Peyton Weeks.
Most falls occur while you are entering or
exiting the stand. Not while you are just
sitting there, although falling asleep in your
stand is a real risk. So, you should
ALWAYS wear a safety harness. Here are
some other tips that just may save your life
or that of a loved one.
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Fall/Winter 2014
Use a lifeline so that you can attach
your safety belt while on the ground,
ensuring you are connected at all
times.
Always use three points of contact,
such as two hands and one foot or
two feet one hand.
Use a pull up rope to hoist all of your
belongs up into the stand.
Make sure your gun is unloaded
before climbing up or down; make
sure all broadheads are secure.
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Check all stands each year before
you plan to hunt them. Replace
anything that is questionable. Straps,
hardware, maybe even the entire
stand. If you don’t have the proper
equipment, don’t check stands.
Do not place stands in or next to
dead trees.
Make sure someone knows where
you are hunting. Yes, even the secret
spot you don’t want anyone to know
about. A check-in/check-out map for
the hunting club and a text or other
message to someone that knows the
property is good practice. Also be
sure someone knows when you
expect to return and keep him or her
updated with any changes.
If you are planning for some R&R in
the stand. Sleep in the truck. Stands
are for hunting not sleeping.
Clear any debris out from under your
stand. Especially pointed stobs and
rocks.
Carry a backpack with safety and
first aid supplies.
It’s crazy how we love our ATVs. I know
folks whose ATV’s are worth way more that
their vehicle. They can have radio’s, AC,
heaters, snorkel kits, and monster tires, not
to mention all of the aftermarket work done
to make them faster and stronger. All of this
is in good fun, right? Here is some
information you might want to consider.
Over the last 20 years, ATV deaths average
more than 600 per year. There are well over
100,000 emergency rooms visits each year
from ATV accidents.
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A few years ago, I ended what was a very
successful Arkansas bow hunt with a badly
scratched dominant eye. I had harvested a
nice 8-point and a doe that afternoon. It was
almost dark before I was able to get back to
load them up on my ATV. The buck had run
a short distance into some thick brush and,
like most of us would do, I drove up right
next to him to load him up. On the way out,
a stick ran up under my eye lid and badly
scratching my right eye. It was two weeks
before I could read a STOP sign with that
eye. I still suffer some effects. I could have
prevented that with a pair of safety glasses.
But, I was in a hurry.
Here are some tips for using your ATV’s:
 Take an ATV hands on training
course.
 Wear your personal protective
equipment (helmet, gloves, eye
protection).
 Don’t overload your ATV, including
one rider per vehicle for 4-wheelers.
 Tightly secure any objects you are
carrying.
 Be very familiar loading and
unloading the ATV. 5 a.m. is a bad
time to figure it out.
 If you have to ask yourself if you
should drive there, don’t!
 Make sure the lights work.
 Keep regular maintenance
 Use it for what it is intended for
 Slow down!
Many of us will be in a hurry during this
hunting season. We will have over slept,
taken the wrong trail, had to drop someone
off at another stand, forgotten something in
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the truck, spilled the coffee thermos, or just
had to deal with many of life’s hunting
curve balls. This is when accidents happen.
Slow down and be careful. Those few tenths
of a second can change the course for the
rest of our lives. Starting your season with
the goal of having a safe hunting season may
be the best game plan for having a
successful season. I have yet to see anyone
have much hunting success from a hospital
bed. Not only are you responsible for you,
but for anyone that is hunting with you.
Have a great season and “Make it home
safe”!
Use your rope for hoisting up deer. Not for retrieving your ATV. Get a boat if you want to
float! Photo provided by Clyde Knox.
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Property Available To Lease
The cool crisp mornings are already here and
fall is in the air. You’re not out of the game just
yet if you haven’t locked down a lease. We still
have thousands of acres available scattered from
Texas to North Carolina. Even if you don’t find
what you are looking for this year, please put
our web address in your favorites bar. We will
start back next April with more great recreation
leases available to lease. Happy hunting!
Visit our Trophy Room page to see some of the
opportunities that Weyerhaeuser Recreational
property can offer. Our goal is for you to have a
great recreational experience. That may range
from watching a gorgeous sunset to hearing a
thunderous gobble of an old Tom turkey.
Whatever your outdoor passion may be,
Weyerhaeuser would like to help facilitate that
for you.
Visit our website at www.recreationwy.com and
search your desired area to look for properties.
Please contact us with any questions.
We challenge you to
introduce someone to the
great outdoors this year. It
really is the memories from
successful outings that make
us love the outdoors. A
successful hunt is not defined
by harvest numbers, but the
experience. Photo credit:
Peyton Weeks
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Weyerhaeuser Recreational Team Contacts
Arkansas/Oklahoma Region
North Louisiana Region
Ryan Giddens 870-286-4363
13972 Hwy. 278 W
Dierks, AR 71833
[email protected]
Peyton Weeks 318-238-7228
5810 Hwy 1 Bypass
Natchitoches, LA 71457
[email protected]
Mississippi/Louisiana Region
North Carolina Region
Melissa Regan 601-731-7915
211 Armstrong Road
Columbia, MS 39429
[email protected]
Todd Purvis 252-229-9592
1785 Weyerhaeuser Road
Vanceboro, NC 28586
[email protected]
Mississippi/Alabama Region
Ken McCool 662-245-5217
29 Tom Rose Road
Columbus, MS 39701
[email protected]
Photo by Darren Miller
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WEYERHAEUSER OUTDOORS ON FACEBOOK
Have you found us on Facebook yet? Our page name is “Weyerhaeuser Outdoors”. Our goal is to
provide a quality experience for all outdoors enthusiasts. On the Weyerhaeuser Outdoors page, you can:
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Catch up on the latest outdoors news and information, both in Weyerhaeuser and in your local
community;
Interact with other enthusiasts;
View photos of nature and wildlife, and post your own photos;
Brag! Let’s see the results of your hunts and outdoor adventures!
Be sure to go to the Weyerhaeuser Outdoors PAGE and click the "like" icon at the top of the page. This is
where you'll find the latest news and info about Weyerhaeuser Outdoors. And, the best place to share your
stories & photos. If you aren’t sure about how to use Facebook, just ask your teenager or your grandchild;
they will have you social networking in no time!
We want to hear from you!
We are looking for hunt club members to submit questions (wildlife management, forestry, hunting, etc.), ideas for
articles, comments, and photos to include in future newsletters. We would also like to feature different
Weyerhaeuser hunting clubs in our newsletter. If you have something of interest for us or are interested in having
your club profiled, please send an email to [email protected] and we will work with you to get a
story on your club into a future newsletter - Editor
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