Hunting Lease Liability: What Every Landowner Should Know

For many landowners, the biggest question about leasing hunting rights isn’t the income. It’s liability. What happens if a hunter gets hurt on your property? Could you be sued? This guide explains how hunting lease liability works, what protections exist, and the steps landowners can take to lease with confidence.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Liability laws vary by state, so talk with an attorney about your specific situation.

Why Landowners Worry About Hunting Liability

Hunting involves firearms, tree stands, vehicles, rough terrain and weather. Even careful hunters can get hurt, and an injured person may look to the landowner for compensation. Without the right protections, a single claim could be expensive to defend, even if the landowner did nothing wrong.

Recreational Use Statutes

Every state has some form of recreational use statute, a law that limits a landowner’s liability when people use their land for recreation such as hunting. These laws were written to encourage landowners to open their land to the public.

There’s an important catch. In many states, those protections are reduced or lost when the landowner charges a fee for access. Because a hunting lease involves payment, landowners who lease should not rely on recreational use statutes alone. That’s why liability insurance is a key part of any professionally managed lease.

How Base Camp Leasing Protects Landowners

When you lease your hunting rights through Base Camp Leasing, your property is covered by a $5 million liability insurance policy that names you, the landowner, as an additional insured. Every lease is backed by a written agreement that spells out the property rules you set, from where hunters can park to whether gates must stay locked. Learn more about how leasing with Base Camp works.

Hunting Lease Insurance: What Landowners Should Know

Liability coverage is the foundation of a safe lease. Whether you lease through a company or on your own, ask these questions:

• Who is insured? Make sure you, the landowner, are covered by name on the policy.
• How much coverage is there? Higher limits offer more protection against serious injury claims.
• What activities are covered? Confirm the policy covers hunting and related activities such as tree stand use, camping and ATV travel if they’re allowed.
• Do the hunters carry their own coverage? Many hunt clubs carry hunting lease liability insurance. If you lease directly to a club, ask for a certificate of insurance.

Hunters and hunt clubs that need their own coverage can get hunting lease insurance through the American Hunting Lease Association (AHLA), Base Camp Leasing’s sister organization.

Practical Steps to Reduce Liability

• Use a written lease agreement. Spell out who can hunt, what’s allowed and the property rules.
• Limit the number of hunters. Fewer hunters means less risk and more accountability. See why hunter limits are important for hunting leases.
• Disclose known hazards. Point out old wells, ponds, steep drop-offs, buildings or equipment areas.
• Set rules for stands and vehicles. Require safety harnesses in tree stands and set rules for ATVs and driving.
• Require valid licenses. Hunters should carry the proper state hunting license and hunter education certification.
• Keep good records. Keep copies of your lease agreement, insurance documents and any incident reports.

What About Trespassers?

A lease can actually reduce your risk from trespassers. Lessees are on the property regularly and have a strong interest in keeping unauthorized hunters out. Read more about the liability of trespassers on your property.

Lease With Confidence

Liability shouldn’t keep you from earning income from your land. With a written agreement, clear rules and the right insurance in place, leasing your hunting rights can be both safe and profitable. If you live away from your property, read Absentee Landowner? Protect Your Land Investment, or find out how much your land could earn.

Related Reading

• What Makes a Good Landowner for Their Lessees
• The Relationship Between the Landowner and Hunter in a Hunting Lease