Extra Land? Consider Leasing To Hunters

Do you have land in a rural area that you’re not using? Consider leasing your land to hunters.

Leasing for recreational hunting has become a major source of revenue for many landowners, says Dwayne Elmore, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension wildlife specialist in the department of natural resource ecology and management.

In fact, Elmore says in some cases, revenue from hunting leases has surpassed lease rates for traditional agriculture production.

If you choose to lease your land, Elmore suggests keeping these four precautions in mind:

• Carefully screen and select good participants. Visit with potential lessees to ensure you select the right person. The ideal lessee will have liability insurance.
  
  
• The lease should contain conditions for termination, a legal description of the property, rights granted or withheld, terms of payment, effective dates, liability waivers and acknowledgements of risk.
  
  
• Consider leasing the land for reasons other than monetary. For example, access to private land in exchange for services or labor rendered.
  
  
• Consider the compatibility of a lease with current land management. Management for wildlife can work well with cattle and agriculture production with the focus on having abundant native habitat.
  

An example of a draft lease agreement, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service fact sheet NREM-5032, is available through all OSU Cooperative Extension county offices.