I think that close to the going rate for most. Me and a buddy are on the search for one, but we're not having any luck. We would love to pay 10-15 and acre. I've talked to three different guys and they've wanted anywhere from $30-80 and acre. Absolutely rediculous. The sad part is they'll probably get someone to pay it.

 

.

I have a 2.5 year old son that I want to take hunting in the future. I want him to experience the great hunting you guys have in Illinois, but the way things are going only the wealthy will have that kind of money by the time he is old enough to bowhunt. I will never be able to afford to pay for the two of us to hunt together unless we have an affordable private lease.

 

It varies greatly depending on where your at in the state. I've heard of ground going for over $100 an acre in Pike County. Yet locally I know of 1 lease that I missed out on in Fayette county for $6 an acre. I would definately expect to continue seeing these prices escalate though. Many hunters will pay a lot of money for big bucks! I don't see that changing anytime soon.

 

Just a suggestion but have you thought about offering some help to one of those farmers that you want to hunt on. Sometimes a helping hand can go even further then that $ that seems to be the trend set of non-resident and some resident hunters.

Also if 5 out of 7 guys took "Good Deer" with a bow and you took one with a gun am I understanding you correctly to say you took 6 bucks off 450 acres?

 

Also if 5 out of 7 guys took "Good Deer" with a bow and you took one with a gun am I understanding you correctly to say you took 6 bucks off 450 acres?

I would be curious as to how many does were shot as well. I own 1200 acres here in Iowa and only shoot a buck every 2-3 years, but shoot maybe 6-7 does every year. Anything less than a 150 on my property gets a free pass.

On the leasing thing, I have had offers up $25 per acre to lease up the whole thing, but noone would still allow me to hunt it. I told them they dont have enough money to keep me from hunting my own land.

 

I would be curious as to how many does were shot as well. I own 1200 acres here in Iowa and only shoot a buck every 2-3 years, but shoot maybe 6-7 does every year. Anything less than a 150 on my property gets a free pass.

On the leasing thing, I have had offers up $25 per acre to lease up the whole thing, but noone would still allow me to hunt it. I told them they dont have enough money to keep me from hunting my own land.

so your passing up $30,000 a year? thats hard to turn down

 

Just a suggestion but have you thought about offering some help to one of those farmers that you want to hunt on. Sometimes a helping hand can go even further then that $ that seems to be the trend set of non-resident and some resident hunters.

Helping hand doesn't cut it anymore. The mighty $$$ speaks louder than any helping hand. Sad but true. I've lost almost all my hunting grounds to outfitters with the big $$s. I helped with cutting wood, planting crops, harvesting them, and general upkeep of the land in return for hunting. (since I was a kid, I'm now 48). The owner told me there was no way he would lease his ground out to any outfitter. 2 months later signs were being put up for an outfitter. The owner said he couldn't pass up the $$$$$.

 

I am on one lease that is about 65 acres of woods and 150 acres of corn. I pay $300, three other guys pay $1,000. They bowhunt and shotgun, I only bowhunt.

To me it seems like alot for the $1,000 but it's pretty much what you need to do around here now.

 

Me and some buddies are paying about $20 per acre in Adams County, which is a great deal in my mind.

 

$20 in adams does seem like a deal. I have family land in both Adams and Pike, but in Pike people are paying over $50 an acre....most of the land is least up to outfitters. People who have hunted for years are being pushed off their land.

 

Here in Fulton Co, land wil go anwhere from $20-$35/acre. In the process of getting some ground myself and it appears to be closer to the $30/acre.

It just keeps getting expensive. My family (and this includes myself) have hunted a farm for quite a long time. Helped the farmer out w/ $$, work, etc...it's now being leased out for about $3000. I guess a life-long friendship (w/ my Uncles anyway) and all the past work that we've done for him meant nothing.

Not mad at the farmer for doing it, but I think it's another example of how $$$ is your "Trump Card" in almost anything you do.

 

so your passing up $30,000 a year? thats hard to turn down

hey they don't make anymore ground and i admire him for turning it down!

 

so your passing up $30,000 a year? thats hard to turn down

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

 

Was paying $25/acre in Calhoun county but an outfitter came in this spring and offered $40/acre. Obviously I'm out of a place to hunt.

Used to hunt in Greene county along Apple Creek...paid about $12/acre there but that was almost 10years ago.

This buck came from Greene.

 

Can anyone

All this talk about leases..................so.........does anybody have any place I can hunt (bow only) in Illinois next year?????????????????? Reasonably?

Ron

PM me please

ronald.biel@uscellular.com

 

I'm reading through all these lease prices and I have to admit that I am astonished. I guess I understand now why the hunter numbers continue to decline annually. Understand that I am looking at this from the perspective of a New Yorker who has never paid a cent for hunting and probably never will. I don't even know anyone who pays to have land to hunt on. I will tell you right now that if I had to pay some of these prices just to have land to hunt on, I would have been priced out of deer hunting a long time ago, and my disposable income is not really all that shabby compared to a lot of guys I know that hunt. And this is from someone who has always been as dedicated a bowhunter as anyone. We keep talking about hunting becoming a rich man's sport. It sounds to me like it already has in some places. Some of those prices are rivaling guided hunts. I had no idea just what some of you guys are paying just to have land to hunt on. I don't care if the deer are bigger or more plentiful, there is no way I could ever justify some of those prices. I guess I won't be shocked anymore when I hear that there has been another drop in license sales in the U.S.

Doc

 

I would be curious as to how many does were shot as well. I own 1200 acres here in Iowa and only shoot a buck every 2-3 years, but shoot maybe 6-7 does every year. Anything less than a 150 on my property gets a free pass.

On the leasing thing, I have had offers up $25 per acre to lease up the whole thing, but noone would still allow me to hunt it. I told them they dont have enough money to keep me from hunting my own land.

Good for you. I'd love to own half of what you do and there in no way I'd let somebody buy me out of hunting my own place. Good job.

 

I get a DEAL

I hope I never have to pay those prices.
I used to hunt in Calhoun County for no cash......just fencing.
Now it is outfitted, I lost a great place.
For 30 bucks an acre, I think I would try to buy something. Heck , that is 1250 a month for a 500 acre parcel.
That happens here and I will be shooting any deer I can on State land.
This is a sad trend...........will my 6 year old have to pay for his first deer??:sad: :sad: :sad:

 

When your kid is born you have to start saving for his college education and for his hunting lease.

 

I would be curious as to how many does were shot as well. I own 1200 acres here in Iowa and only shoot a buck every 2-3 years, but shoot maybe 6-7 does every year. Anything less than a 150 on my property gets a free pass.

On the leasing thing, I have had offers up $25 per acre to lease up the whole thing, but noone would still allow me to hunt it. I told them they dont have enough money to keep me from hunting my own land.

I admire your love for your land BUT, for $30,000 you can go on 10 fully outfitted whitetail hunts in Pike county or even more in some places EVERY YEAR. You can go on a WORLD class big game hunt EVERY year for that kind of jack. Grizzly and caribou this year, African safari next year, 400 inch elk + 60" moose the next year, stone sheep the next year. Lease that land out and have some REAL fun. These whitetail antler worshippers are crazy.

 

I admire your love for your land BUT, for $30,000 you can go on 10 fully outfitted whitetail hunts in Pike county or even more in some places EVERY YEAR. You can go on a WORLD class big game hunt EVERY year for that kind of jack. Grizzly and caribou this year, African safari next year, 400 inch elk + 60" moose the next year, stone sheep the next year. Lease that land out and have some REAL fun. These whitetail antler worshippers are crazy.

I'm kind of glad that fella doesn't have your attitude. Some things are more important then being able to do "stuff".

 

I admire your love for your land BUT, for $30,000 you can go on 10 fully outfitted whitetail hunts in Pike county or even more in some places EVERY YEAR. You can go on a WORLD class big game hunt EVERY year for that kind of jack. Grizzly and caribou this year, African safari next year, 400 inch elk + 60" moose the next year, stone sheep the next year. Lease that land out and have some REAL fun. These whitetail antler worshippers are crazy.

Why should he travel when he has some of the best hunting at his doorstep.

 

You guys just dont get it. There is much more to this world then just the deer running around in your back yard. For 30k you could take some of the most amazing hunts in amazing places every year. Experice new thing have fun and meet new people and then guess what. 5 years later you still own your land! Just cancel the lease you can hunt those bucks anytime. Life is to short not to experience it to the fullest.

 

These prices are outrageous! Add that to the fact that states are jacking up the nonresident tag prices and it is getting to be a rich man's sport. (unless you want to hunt public land and have 4 or 5 guys walk under your treestand every day). If a person lives in a big city, you have to drive at least a couple of hours to find a public area that isn't crowded on the weekend (when most people can hunt), and gun season is ridiculous.
There is not as much of a problem out west where there are millions of acres of public land to hunt, but this is becoming quite an issue in the eastern half of the US.
What is the answer?

 

I'm kind of glad that fella doesn't have your attitude. Some things are more important then being able to do "stuff".

You are right, there are more important things, but hanging on to land strictly for sentimental reasons is not one of them.

Whitetail religion is a cult, these people are sick. Take their money before they recover.

What could possibly be more important that experiencing ALL that the planet has to offer in bowhunting experiences.

I own 300 acres of prime whitetail land in Illinois, If I could lease it for enough to pay for a top notch big game trip for me and my son every year, I would jump all over it.

 

You are right, there are more important things, but hanging on to land strictly for sentimental reasons is not one of them.

Whitetail religion is a cult, these people are sick. Take their money before they recover.

What could possibly be more important that experiencing ALL that the planet has to offer in bowhunting experiences.

I own 300 acres of prime whitetail land in Illinois, If I could lease it for enough to pay for a top notch big game trip for me and my son every year, I would jump all over it.

I dont want their money, I have enough money of my own. I worked my arse off to be able to afford the things that I have. My land is my sanctuary, my escape, and that is worth way more than $30K to me. You really think that leasing $2 million worth of land for $30K per year is a good deal? Not me.