[Moosey78]

I just got 300 acres of private surrounded by public and was thinking of starting a lease with maybe 4 or 5 members what kinda questions should I ask before letting them in and what rules have worked for you and what rules don’t

 

[luckless]

I’d stipulate who could and could not hunt on a membership. Also how many deer can a membership kill. 4 or 5 members and their spouses and their kids could wear out 300 acres overnight.

“Camp stands” vs “private stands”

300 acres in the middle of public Is not a recipe for any kind of big buck management. Just make sure everyone is on the same page so no hard feelings when a deer gets killed.

 

[CoyoteControlInc]

The fewer members the more likely it is to work. For me personally I grew up in a club 40 years ago with a bunch of old men who really didn’t care about much but the other members and having a good camp life. No one cared who hunted which stand or who killed which deer. Big buck fever has pretty much ruined most camps I know of nowadays because there is always one or two guys who are all about number one. My opinion only is that if the group is mostly happy just being there and are good close friends who just have a good time it will work. If one person shows to be all about big deer and hangs 20 stands and pouts about anyone else getting too close or trying to hunt his stands you got problems.

 

[CoyoteControlInc]

This is of course across most of the state where there are only one or two nice deer per year. Big camps inside the levee where there are many large deer don’t seem to have as many issues. Maybe the opportunity to kill a nice one even when a nice one was taken can nullify this some.

 

[Useyourbow]

First you must define the goal and long term plan. Managing whitetails on 300 acres is a lost cause but then again open slaughter isn’t a viable option either. Will it be a drive in club or will there be a primative camp? Is camp life a goal or just have members to spread the cost? How does the 300 acres hunt? Meaning does it have enough diversity of habit to hunt 3 or 4 people at a time. 300 acres would make a sweet archery only club. Archery hunting generally requires less elbow room than gun. 8 corn piles on 300 acres would create some serious nocturnal deer so having member buy in has a cooperative would be essential. Just a few thoughts.

 

[Badbassn]

I’d only let close friends be members. For several years we were always members of 20+ member leases. Those types of leases (at least in our experience) were owned and operated by a family that felt that we should just be glad we were members and even allowed to be there. After probably 7 years of that crap, myself and several close friends went in on 1000 acres and couldn’t be happier. We agreed shoot what your happy with and that’s basically our only rule.

 

[outdoorjunkiebj]

Just keep it to yourself.

 

[outdoorjunkiebj]

Sounds like a lot of land til you get a couple food plots, figure out what the deer are doing, where they are bedding, then set a few stands for different wind directions. Not to mention everyone that hunts the fence, or on purple paint line, if it's surrounded by public.

 

[KemperCamper]

I just got 300 acres of private surrounded by public and was thinking of starting a lease with maybe 4 or 5 members what kinda questions should I ask before letting them in and what rules have worked for you and what rules don’t

Just my opinion but the minimum of acres per Hunter is 100.
300 acres surrounded by public is not near enough land for 5 or 6 folks. You could possibly have several people hunting the public right next to your leased land.
Might work for one or two people max in my experience and humble opinion.

 

[QuarterBore]

Just keep it to yourself.

This.

If you must include others, max of 3 unless you’re gonna make it archery only. Then 5 max.

Those people better be people you trust and enjoy being around that share your values.

 

[Ghost1]

Where is it at? Me and you should probably just keep it to ourselves.

 

[Punkinseed]

Is the public gun hunted?

 

[Moosey78]

The fewer members the more likely it is to work. For me personally I grew up in a club 40 years ago with a bunch of old men who really didn’t care about much but the other members and having a good camp life. No one cared who hunted which stand or who killed which deer. Big buck fever has pretty much ruined most camps I know of nowadays because there is always one or two guys who are all about number one. My opinion only is that if the group is mostly happy just being there and are good close friends who just have a good time it will work. If one person shows to be all about big deer and hangs 20 stands and pouts about anyone else getting too close or trying to hunt his stands you got problems.

That is how I remember it also may just keep it family I miss opening week when everyone got together wanted my grandkids to experience that

 

[Moosey78]

Where is it at? Me and you should probably just keep it to ourselves.

Lol ya we could I squirrel and coon hunted this land a lot when I was young

 

[Arkie_3_fan]

I hunt with family and on my own land but I’ve got a couple of buddies that I wouldn’t mind getting in a small lease with.
There are a lot of people that it wouldn’t work with and very few that it would.
Just make sure if you let others join, that they are folks you can have fun with and the hunting be secondary.

 

[tomhunter]

I'd keep it to myself and invite a close friend or two for a "deer camp" experience. The best way to ruin 99.9% of things in life is add people to the equation.

 

[Kinglake]

I'd keep it to myself and invite a close friend or two for a "deer camp" experience. The best way to ruin 99.9% of things in life is add people to the equation.

OP didn't specifically state whether he owned the 300 or leased it. Either way, you are 100% correct. The last thing I'd ever consider in that situation is bringing in other people other than close friends. I wouldn't ask the close friends to "lease with me" either.

 

[Capt Cavey]

Who hunts as a member (member only, family, kids, ...)
deer per membership, each member gets limit or each hunter if family and friends included
number of stands per member, public or private
size restrictions, any legal deer, antler restrictions, age restrictions
What happens to the box blinds when they leave,

Sorry to say, this all needs to be understood before you bring other in, written and signed
Only problems down the road

 

[varmit_master]

I just joined my first club. Where i started working the company owns 5,000 acres. Only employees only. A kid under 15 or younger can go. Cant take my wife in winter time. Sbe can go in the summer fishing or riding tbe trail. I think there is 21 guys in it. And some dont hunt. I paid 20.00 for a yr membership. Have to work 2 day around the area. I thought when they was telling me about it would be big $$$$$ . I almost fell over when they said 20.00 dollars. Most of it is all woods. I joined it to trap and squirrel hunting.

 

[QuarterBore]

I just joined my first club. Where i started working the company owns 5,000 acres. Only employees only. A kid under 15 or younger can go. Cant take my wife in winter time. Sbe can go in the summer fishing or riding tbe trail. I think there is 21 guys in it. And some dont hunt. I paid 20.00 for a yr membership. Have to work 2 day around the area. I thought when they was telling me about it would be big $$$$$ . I almost fell over when they said 20.00 dollars. Most of it is all woods. I joined it to trap and squirrel hunting.

I’m going to be retiring in a couple years. I’m only 43. What company is this? I need a retirement gig and the benefits package you’re talking about is one I’m interested in…