And 10 reasons why landowners are leasing their land to hunters through Base Camp Leasing.
Hunting leases started in the early 1900s. It originated in the South — notably Texas — and spread from there. Today, it’s commonplace throughout most of the nation.
Hunting leases are not decreasing but increasing. They are gaining in popularity because of the needs of landowners and hunters. Landowners benefit from the revenue. Hunters benefit from quality hunting land access.
It’s clear, the future of hunting leases in America is bright. Here are reasons you, the American landowner, should lease land to hunters, with reasons why those like you are choosing Base Camp Leasing (BCL) to accomplish that.
Editor’s Note: This is not legal, investment, or real estate advice. Consult with a lawyer, financial planner, and investment expert before making decisions about real estate.
- Elevated Hunting Lease Concept Awareness
In some parts of the country, a hunting lease is a relatively new concept. While leases have existed nearly 100 years in the South, it’s much newer to the Northeast. It’s very new to the Midwest, and even novel, in the West.
Things are changing, though. A general elevated awareness of the hunting lease concept is spreading. Landowners are poised to capitalize on this movement. Those located in unsaturated markets stand to benefit, as they’ll be the first to offer leases in their area.
Even where it’s common, you’re providing supply in areas of high demand. Either way, it’s a win for you. BCL can help bring that reality to fruition.
- Improved Landowner Liability Awareness and Coverage
In the past, and even for some current landowners unaware of key protections, perceived liability has been a significant barrier to leasing. Simply, landowners didn’t want to risk a lawsuit after allowing someone to hunt. Fortunately, BCL offers excellent liability insurance coverage.
“I think, the biggest peace is having the best and biggest liability coverage in the industry,” said Nathan Mrnak, chief operating officer of BCL. “It’s $5 million. A lot of landowners shop around for that, specifically corporate or institutional landowners. When they see what we have, there’s no comparison for insuring it themselves or through independent insurance hunting liability companies. This is built into our process.”
- Surges in Non-Hunting Landowners
As more landowners opt out of hunting their own land, this is freeing up additional ground for hunting leases.
“It’s gaining popularity with landowners because we’re seeing a lot of land change hands to new owners,” said Mrnak. “Sometimes, it’s another generation, which might or might not hunt. A lot of them don’t. Therefore, it’s becoming more popular with new landowners.”
These new landowners are seeing the benefits of leasing their land to hunters. Within the next two decades, projections show an even greater interest in leasing. BCL ensures that process is smooth.
“In the next 15 years, one-third to nearly 70% of farmland, which is largely surrounded by recreational ground — because that’s where animals are — is expected to change hands,” said Mrnak.
- Escalations in Crop Depredation
Crops comprise a significant part of America’s economy. As deer populations increase, so does crop depredation. These escalation in crop damage create surging interests to lease land to hunters.
“We have folks with 30 to 40 properties, and their main goals are to ensure crop damage is held to a minimum,” said Mrnak. “They want as many does harvested as legally can be without bringing populations too low. They’re like, yes, I want people to come out here and hunt, but they have to shoot their two does while hunting for their buck.”
- Increases in Property Damage
Damage to crops isn’t the only concern. Property damage is a common issue, too. When deer densities get too high, habitat and other wildlife suffer.
“I’m aware of a multitude of landowners who understand the importance of game management,” said Mrnak. “They understand the impacts on their crops and/or habitat can be substantial when a population gets out of control. I see a lot of these larger landowners realize the benefits of having hunters out there and working with hunters to keep populations on their farms at a manageable level.”
- Offsetting Farming Operation Costs
Those with a farming operation deal with extensive costs. Oftentimes, farming operations experience losses, and not profits. Leasing hunting land is another way to increase the asset column and boost the bottom line.
“If it’s a farming property, but they have extra acreage they can monetize, they can offset some of their costs of owning the farm,” said Mrnak.
- Continuous Increases in Interest Rates and Property Taxes
With historically low interest rates, it’s made sense to finance land purchases. In cases where the year-over-year increase in land values is higher than interest rates, it’s easily justifiable to make the purchase. However, it’s more difficult to outpace higher interest rates. Benefitting from alternative funds, such as hunting leases, lessens this burden.
- Increased Confidence in the Land Market
The land market has been strong for a long time, and it has gotten stronger in recent years. As confidence increases, and more people invest in it, landowners are turning to hunting leases to increase profits.
“You think about the folks who are investing in properties because the stock market wasn’t as good,” said Mrnak. “That’s what’s happened the past few years. People pulled out from other investments and moved it into land. Why? What was land doing? It was going up. Land values skyrocketed.
“Once the stock market starts to even out again, you’ll have this next generation of new landowners coming in,” Mrnak continued. “It’s only going to get more prevalent. It’ll be more of a necessity for hunters to lease in order to get out and hunt. That’s the future.”
- A Need for Passive Income
In an economy where belts are tightening, all means of passive income matter. Revenue from hunting leases provides that. It’s another option for landowners to make some easy cash.
Of course, the next generation of landowners are highly likely to look into passive income options. This is for numerous reasons, but especially to derive income from the land and avoid having to sell the farm. This allows the property to continue appreciating in value (for them) and helps delay a capital gains tax bill until later on.
- Growing Acceptance by Hunters
Hunters once grimaced at the thought of paying to access hunting land. Today, some still do. But most are growing to accept it. Most don’t like it, but they understand the practicality and reasoning for it.
“It’s purely out of necessity,” said Mrnak. “These are popular because they have to be. As a hunter, knowing I have to go pay a premium isn’t necessarily popular. But at the same time, I want private access, a relationship with the landowner that I can continue to cultivate, and have a place to go and feel safe.”
Leasing Is Good
Hunting leases are good. Landowners and hunters alike can benefit from mutual agreements to trade cash for hunting land access. It’s simple supply and demand. Hunters want good hunting and landowners can offer it.
Additionally, hunting leases can be used to help recruit hunters. Those who control the lease can share it with others and bring guests along. This management-minded access helps create new hunters, maintain established ones, and benefits wildlife.
Plus, having quality hunting land access can retain hunters who’d otherwise fall away from hunting. A reliable and consistent hunting lease keeps them engaged, which benefits all parties involved.
Because hunters who lease control the hunting decisions, this elevates hunting quality for the surrounding area. Those on the lease, and other hunters around it, stand to benefit from the good land management efforts hunters exhibit.
If ran correctly, a hunting lease enhances wildlife resources as well. This can correct deer densities, improve buck age structures, balance buck-to-doe ratios, and more.
Simply, hunters who want the best hunting experience must completely control the hunting decisions made on the property. To accomplish this with complete certainty, it requires owning or leasing the land.
“I want a place I know that I can grow a good deer,” Mrnak concluded. “I have to do that on private land.”
Without question, the popularity of leasing hunting land is increasing for landowners and hunters. Make the call, contact Base Camp Leasing, and be on the leading edge of the future of hunting leases in America.
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