HLRBO vs Base Camp Leasing: Which Is Better for Landowners?

How Do HLRBO and Base Camp Leasing Work Differently?

HLRBO and Base Camp Leasing both connect landowners who lease hunting rights with hunters who want private land, but they are built on different models. HLRBO is a listing marketplace. Base Camp Leasing is a hunting lease broker that manages the leasing process for the landowner.

As of October 2026, HLRBO describes itself as “completely free for landowners.” A landowner creates a listing, adds photos, sets a price and availability, and messages hunters directly. HLRBO reviews and approves each listing before it goes live. HLRBO’s terms state that it is not a party to any lease between users, so the agreement is between the landowner and the hunter.

Base Camp Leasing has worked as a broker since 1999. A local leasing agent evaluates the property, suggests the lease price, and Base Camp Leasing markets the lease to its exclusive hunter database, which the company describes as the largest in the industry. Over 27+ years, Base Camp Leasing has paid more than $80 million to landowners and opened more than 6.5 million acres to hunting.

What Does Each Option Cost a Landowner?

Neither HLRBO nor Base Camp Leasing charges a landowner an upfront fee. The difference is in how each company earns its revenue and what that revenue pays for.

As of October 2026, HLRBO’s listing page says it is “completely free to list” with “no fees or commissions.” HLRBO’s listing form also shows a 14% booking facilitation charge, which HLRBO says is paid by the hunter and does not reduce the landowner’s earnings. HLRBO also sells annual subscriptions to hunters.

Base Camp Leasing has no out-of-pocket cost to the landowner either. Base Camp Leasing is paid a commission once the property is leased, so it earns nothing from a listing that never leases. Hunters on a Base Camp Leasing lease also join the Base Camp Hunt Club for $195 per property per year, which is how they are covered by the $5 million liability policy.

The fair comparison is what each model includes. On a free marketplace, the landowner handles pricing, paperwork, insurance decisions and hunter contact. With a broker, more of that shifts to a leasing agent and a standard lease, in exchange for the commission.

Who Sets the Hunting Lease Price, and How?

On HLRBO, the landowner sets the price. On Base Camp Leasing, a local leasing agent suggests it based on local going rates.

As of October 2026, HLRBO offers a "Potential Earnings" pricing tool that estimates yearly earnings from state, county and acreage. HLRBO says its tool can recommend a competitive price, "but what you charge is always up to you." Landowners can price per year, per day, per week, per month or by hunting type or season, and mark the price as negotiable or not.

Base Camp Leasing takes a different approach to hunting lease pricing. A local leasing agent reviews the property through the county GIS mapping system, looking at water, timber percentage, topography and neighboring land, along with the landowner's description. Base Camp Leasing's position is that online lease calculators use a generic equation that isn't specific to a property, so its agents, who are experienced hunters themselves, price each property individually.

Price drivers include timber, food sources, water, terrain, game population, location and demand, size, amenities and lease terms. Base Camp Leasing has published examples: a smaller property in a high-demand area with excellent habitat might lease for $30 to $70 per acre, while a large tract in a lower-demand area might lease for $10 to $50 per acre. Those are examples, not quotes. Rates vary by location, habitat and demand, and there is no single national rate.

How Does Hunting Lease Insurance Compare Between HLRBO and Base Camp Leasing?

HLRBO offers optional hunting lease insurance through a partner. Base Camp Leasing includes a $5 million liability policy on every lease that covers the hunters.

A few terms help here. Liability insurance pays for legal defense and damages if someone claims you caused an injury or loss. An additional insured is a person or business added to someone else's policy so they share its coverage. A certificate of insurance is a document showing a policy exists; it does not by itself add you to that policy.

As of October 2026, HLRBO's insurance pages name Vertical Insure as its exclusive hunting lease insurance provider. HLRBO says each policy includes "$1M per occurrence ($2M aggregate)," that its policy protects both the landowner and the hunter, and that members of a hunting group can be added as additional insureds. HLRBO states that a policy costs "around $300," varying by hunting activity and lease, with prices as low as $200 for 500 acres for one year. Landowners can buy the policy and build it into the lease price or require hunters to buy it. HLRBO's terms also state that HLRBO itself does not provide liability insurance and that landowners should obtain appropriate coverage before the first hunter arrives.

Base Camp Leasing includes a $5 million liability policy on every lease. It covers the hunters, who are Base Camp Hunt Club members and most importantly the landowner. It does not replace your own homeowner's, farm or umbrella coverage, so have your insurance agent review it alongside your existing policies.

What about recreational use statutes?

A recreational use statute is a state law that limits a landowner's liability when people use the land for recreation. According to the National Agricultural Law Center's recreational use compilation, all 50 states have enacted one. The details differ by state, including what happens when a landowner charges a fee. For example, the University of Maryland's Agriculture Law Education Initiative explains that Maryland landowners who charge a fee, such as for a hunting lease, cannot rely on the statute's standard protections, and it describes a 2017 change for hunting leases.

Who Writes the Hunting Lease Agreement?

On HLRBO, the landowner prepares the lease, starting from HLRBO's free state templates. On Base Camp Leasing, the landowner receives a professional hunting lease agreement.

As of October 2026, HLRBO offers free state-specific lease templates built on a nine-section frame: parties and premises, term and dates, fee and payment, permitted game and methods, rules of conduct, liability and insurance, damages and trash, cancellation and default, and governing law and signatures. HLRBO says the templates are reviewed by licensed attorneys and are "a starting point," and it recommends that landowners review their final lease with a licensed attorney in their state. That is a useful resource, and the landowner is still the one who fills in, adapts and enforces the terms.

Base Camp Leasing's professional lease agreement sets boundaries and expectations for both sides. These terms come from Base Camp Leasing's published policies:

Whichever path you choose, no lease removes every risk. University of Georgia Extension Circular 971, revised October 24, 2024, notes that a liability clause "is not a guarantee that the lessor cannot be sued" and points to adequate insurance as key protection. Base Camp Leasing's guide to hunting lease agreement information every rural landowner should know covers more of the basics.

How Do Landowners Get Paid Under Each Model?

On HLRBO, lease payments for payment-enabled listings run through HLRBO's online system. On Base Camp Leasing, the landowner is paid upfront and Base Camp Leasing handles the financial logistics.

As of October 2026, HLRBO's terms say bookings and payments for digital payment-enabled listings "must be completed on the HLRBO platform," with processing by Stripe, and they prohibit arranging those leases off-platform. HLRBO's site describes this as "a state of the art payment platform." The landowner sets the price, and HLRBO's terms prohibit members from wrongfully withholding a lease deposit.

With Base Camp Leasing, the landowner is paid upfront and receives the hunters' contact information once the property is leased. The landowner does not set up a payment account or invoice hunters.

What Work Does the Landowner Still Handle Under Each Model?

Under HLRBO, the landowner manages most of the leasing process with HLRBO's tools. Under Base Camp Leasing, more of the process runs through a leasing agent and a standard lease, but the landowner is still part of it.

That last row matters to landowners with neighbor problems. If neighboring hunters keep crossing your line, Base Camp Leasing's tips on what you can do to deter trespassers are a good starting point under either model.

Day Leases or Annual Leases: Which Fits Your Land?

HLRBO lets landowners offer day, weekly, monthly, seasonal or yearly leases. Base Camp Leasing offers annual leases, not day leases.

HLRBO's flexibility suits landowners who want to lease a few weekends or a single season. The trade-off is turnover: each short lease means another group, another set of terms and more people on the property.

Base Camp Leasing places one group on an annual lease, with a set number of named hunters. Base Camp Leasing's blog argues that annual leases are better for conservation and for landowners; you can read that case in the oxymoron of day leasing.

Scenario: An Absentee Owner Weighing Both Options

Consider an absentee owner who lives several hours from the property and can't meet hunters in person. Here is how each model plays out for that owner.

On HLRBO, the owner can build the listing, price it and message hunters online. The owner still arranges property visits, chooses hunters, finalizes a template lease and decides on insurance, all from a distance.

With Base Camp Leasing, the owner submits the property online. A local leasing agent evaluates it through county GIS mapping and inspects it when it is first listed. Hunters can get driving directions and permission to walk the property before leasing, and the owner is paid upfront once it leases. For more on managing land from afar, see Base Camp Leasing's absentee landowner guide.

Which Landowners Are a Better Fit for Each Model?

HLRBO tends to fit landowners who want to be hands-on. If you live near the property, enjoy talking with hunters constantly, want to set your own price and rules, and like the option of short-term rentals, a free self-listing marketplace gives you that control.

Base Camp Leasing tends to fit landowners who want a standard process. If you'd rather have a local agent price the land, a professional lease agreement, a liability policy covering the hunters, named hunters with no guests, and payment upfront, a hunting lease broker may be the better fit. That includes many absentee owners, family LLCs and timber owners.

Questions to Ask Before You List With Any Hunting Lease Company

Before you list on HLRBO, Base Camp Leasing or anywhere else, get clear answers to these questions:

1. Who sets the lease price, and what is it based on?
2. What does it cost me, and when is any fee or commission charged?
3. Who writes the lease agreement, and has my attorney reviewed it?
4. Is liability insurance included or optional, who does it cover, and what are its limits?
5. How and when am I paid?
6. How many people can be on my land, and are guests allowed?
7. Who posts the property and deals with trespassers?
8. What happens to the lease if I sell the land?

The HLRBO review for landowners goes deeper on the marketplace side.

Can I still use my land during a Base Camp Leasing lease?

Yes. Landowners keep 100% control and full access to their land during a Base Camp Leasing lease. Base Camp Leasing asks landowners to be mindful of when hunters are on the property.

What happens to my hunting lease if I sell the property?

With Base Camp Leasing, hunters receive a prorated refund for the hunting season lost, decided case by case. As of October 2026, HLRBO's terms say listings can't be transferred and no refund is owed for removing a listing when a property is sold. Any lease you signed directly with a hunter depends on its own terms, so review it with your attorney.

Can I control how many hunters are on my land?

Yes, under either model. On HLRBO, you set the limits in your own lease. On Base Camp Leasing, each lease has a maximum number of people, everyone must be named on the lease, and guests aren't allowed.

Do I have to be there when hunters look at my property?

Not with Base Camp Leasing. Hunters can get driving directions and permission to walk the property before leasing, and leasing agents don't accompany those visits. On HLRBO, the landowner schedules property visits with interested hunters and decides how to handle them.

Making the Call: Marketplace or Hunting Lease Broker?

HLRBO vs Base Camp Leasing is a choice between two reasonable models. HLRBO is free, flexible and landowner-run, with tools like a pricing estimator, state lease templates, an online payment platform and optional insurance. Base Camp Leasing has no out-of-pocket cost, prices each property through a local leasing agent, and includes a professional lease agreement, a $5 million liability policy covering the hunters, named hunters and upfront payment, backed by 27+ years and more than 6.5 million acres opened to hunting.

If you want to see what a broker would recommend for your property, get a free lease quote from Base Camp Leasing. You can also read how to lease your hunting land with Base Camp Leasing before you decide