"Private Lands" Exclusivity?

[DurtenTyler]

I'm a newbie here, but why is hunting on private land so exclusive? Hunters pay $400+ to sleep on the ground and help get rid of pests (hogs)... So why is the price so high, and why aren't more private ranches in this business?

I studied economics in college but I'm baffled.

 

[map]

Well, some hunters feel they are a cut above the rest. Others could afford to buy the ranch, but wouldn't spend a dime to hunt. To each his own!


Sent from my iPhone/Tapatalk

 

[easymoney]

Most ranchers I know have had to adapt to the times. Many inherited their families working ranch which grew dry crops and raised cattle. As taxes, feed went up and cattle prices went down many started putting wine grapes and leasing out hunting rights to guides, in order to stay afloat. These days they do what they have to, even zipline adventures and ranch tours...
The price of $400 for a 200lb pig is really not that bad when you compare it to store bought pork at twice that price. There are some ranches(not many) that charge a fee for unguided/tresspass hunting at around $200.
And like map says many newbie ranch families do not hunt (or even allow hunting)but bought a working wine vineyard or hobby farm. A sign of the times...

 

[DurtenTyler]

Most ranchers I know have had to adapt to the times. Many inherited their families working ranch which grew dry crops and raised cattle. As taxes, feed went up and cattle prices went down many started putting wine grapes and leasing out hunting rights to guides, in order to stay afloat. These days they do what they have to, even zipline adventures and ranch tours...
The price of $400 for a 200lb pig is really not that bad when you compare it to store bought pork at twice that price. There are some ranches(not many) that charge a fee for unguided/tresspass hunting at around $200.
And like map says many newbie ranch families do not hunt (or even allow hunting)but bought a working wine vineyard or hobby farm. A sign of the times...

I have access to a private ranch that has been dry-farmed and cattle-ranched. Some of it will be an orchard soon because nut prices have gone up. We have hogs galore and no hunt club. The total ranch is 10,000 acres but the hogs stick near the thick brush and trees by the river which runs through about 4 miles of the ranch. How many hunters do you think I could bring through here? A group of 3-4 guys every weekend? More? Less? Is over hunting even possible?

 

[land4cat]

Did you get a Degree in Economics or are you just out to make money on this private ranch you say you have access too?

 

[DurtenTyler]

Did you get a Degree in Economics or are you just out to make money on this private ranch you say you have access too?

Both.

 

[wtpops]

Answer to question 1, because hunters will pay it. Question 2, because some land owners dont want people on there land no mater what the cost.

Yes you can over hunt the land, when hogs get to much pressure they leave or go nocternal. If you did 3-4 guys a weekend and archery only you might be ok. JMO

 

[land4cat]

Both.

Great. Well now you will have your work cut out for you. Guide work is Difficult Work.
There should be all the infor. to get started , with the help of many on this forum. Good Luck to You.

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

DurtenT, owning a huge ranch to maintian and doing outfit hunting is a lot of hard work for sure, one thing i have learnerd about the privlage and cost of hunting on privet land ranches, its constant hard work everyday for land owner to mantian a ranch with thousnds of acres, it takes heavy duty opperating equipment like tractors and bulldozer to keep the property roads and trails maintained (fuel cost which isnt cheap like dissel),then to maintian the property too u have work hands to pay. if u have cattle or horses on the ranch then u have feed cost. the average cost for a 2 day hunt in this state on the high end is $600-$700.00 with no gurantees and on top of that they sometimes want a trophy fee for a larger hog, thats a little over the top for me. if u can get a pig hunt for $400.00 for 2 days with no trophy fee's on an awesome ranch with hogs that would be a great deal for sure.

butt if u have a 10,000 acer ranch to hunt for wild pigs for almost nothing let me now i am in and probley about ten thousand other hunters would want in too.

anyways are u talking about gun or bowhunting this ranch for pigs?...tra

 

[easymoney]

DurtenT, owning a huge ranch to maintian and doing outfit hunting is a lot of hard work for sure, one thing i have learnerd about the privlage and cost of hunting on privet land ranches, its constant hard work everyday for land owner to mantian a ranch with thousnds of acres, it takes heavy duty opperating equipment like tractors and bulldozer to keep the property roads and trails maintained (fuel cost which isnt cheap like dissel),then to maintian the property too u have work hands to pay. if u have cattle or horses on the ranch then u have feed cost. the average cost for a 2 day hunt in this state on the high end is $600-$700.00 with no gurantees and on top of that they sometimes want a trophy fee for a larger hog, thats a little over the top for me. if u can get a pig hunt for $400.00 for 2 days with no trophy fee's on an awesome ranch with hogs that would be a great deal for sure.

butt if u have a 10,000 acer ranch to hunt for wild pigs for almost nothing let me now i am in and probley about ten thousand other hunters would want in too.

anyways are u talking about gun or bowhunting this ranch for pigs?...tra​

Good points roman, most everyone I know leases out their land/hunting rights to professional guides who are licensed and bonded, mainly because they do not have the time nor experience to run around being a servant to paying guests who often do more damage than they pay for. Some do run the hunting by themselves because they are retired and have the time, but IMHO they are barely making any money, they make their money from wine and grapes.
That being said 10k acres should be plenty of land to run a few hunters on, all depending on the habitat, food and water. I have a friend who leases 18k acres but it is mostly dry unhospitable ground with no food, water or cover. The elk, deer and pigs are all on about 1200acres where the above three requirements are, and there are game animals despite the desert look of the place.
The place you describe sounds like it has a good mix and water and depending on how many and what type of weapon you could do just fine. The ranchers that allow only bow hunters can run more guys just because they are on foot and their success rate is not as high as rifle shooters. And if you limit the hunting to pigs it could be a real hot spot...
Goog luck

 

[feelinducky]

Economics 101 "Supply and Demand"

 

[Stonepointer]

I am not completely sure, but from what I understand some of these places might provide extra services like guiding you to where the pigs are, and maybe even cutting up the game into a cooler for you.

I really have no idea how much that might be, but for $400 (which I myself really can't afford to do), it does not seem like too bad a cost for that kind of thing. I get the idea that those kind of services probably cost more.

I have never gone on a paid hunt and not sure I will ever plan to do so. I hunt public land and hope for the best, but if the above services were provided at that cost, or an unguided hunt with good prospects for $200, I might consider taking some time to save up for one.

A fool and their money may soon be parted, but if something like that provides a lifetime memory of a good memorable and enjoyable hunt for someone, then the person paying for such a hunt might not be as foolish as others might think.

 

[easymoney]

I am not completely sure, but from what I understand some of these places might provide extra services like guiding you to where the pigs are, and maybe even cutting up the game into a cooler for you.

I really have no idea how much that might be, but for $400 (which I myself really can't afford to do), it does not seem like too bad a cost for that kind of thing. I get the idea that those kind of services probably cost more.

I have never gone on a paid hunt and not sure I will ever plan to do so. I hunt public land and hope for the best, but if the above services were provided at that cost, or an unguided hunt with good prospects for $200, I might consider taking some time to save up for one.

A fool and their money may soon be parted, but if something like that provides a lifetime memory of a good memorable and enjoyable hunt for someone, then the person paying for such a hunt might not be as foolish as others might think.​

Big difference between trespass fee hunts compared to a truly guided hunt. I have been on both and the former is much like my regular backpack hunting on public land, I do all the work. Guided hunts I have been on include driving around in their vehicle to find game, finding the game, putting me in the right place for the shot, giving tips and advice on how to better take the game, after the shot "they" haul the dead animal, "they" do all preliminary butchering, "they" provide a walkin cooler, "they" often provide complete butchering and wrapping, "they" sometimes include lodging and meals, as well as picking up at the airport.
One must determine how best to budget their money and how it is spent. Hunting public lands by myself is free up front, but there are many extra costs most do not figure in, not to mention the many hours I have spent driving to and from as well as around the areas looking for game. Most of the time I score because I have honed it down to a fine art, but most public land hunters waste considerable money and time that they do not admit to...
I love the challenge of public land hunting (in fact I hunt mostly public land for feer, pigs, waterfowl, and upland game) just as I do bowhunting, it ain't easy but the rewards are many and when I score it is so sweet. But, I can say for sure and for certain the guided hunts I have been on where I did not score are very few indeed...

 

[Stonepointer]

One must determine how best to budget their money and how it is spent. Hunting public lands by myself is free up front, but there are many extra costs most do not figure in, not to mention the many hours I have spent driving to and from as well as around the areas looking for game. Most of the time I score because I have honed it down to a fine art, but most public land hunters waste considerable money and time that they do not admit to...
I love the challenge of public land hunting (in fact I hunt mostly public land for feer, pigs, waterfowl, and upland game) just as I do bowhunting, it ain't easy but the rewards are many and when I score it is so sweet. But, I can say for sure and for certain the guided hunts I have been on where I did not score are very few indeed...

I just got back from what should have been a 3 day, but ended with 2 days of a combined public land hunt/fishing trip yesterday in Kern, and you are right about some costs not being figured in so that it is not entirely free.

I am still trying to hone things down myself, and find myself either carrying too much stuff, or forgetting necessary items.

I kept costs down as much as I could and still spent more than I would have liked to, but these were necessary costs that were supposed to provide me a little more comfort and security and at the same time pumping a little bit of cash into the local rural economies.

Kern County boasts a large percentage of Wild pig takes in California, I am curious how much of it is from private land hunts and how much from public lands. I think it might have the largest number of takes for wild pig of any county in California.

I thought of getting another pig tag for this year as I was driving up there, but things were complicated enough for me just trying to manage a combined small game/bird hunt/fishing trip and with the slim chance of bagging a public land pig it would have made things much more difficult for me than it already was.

I feel like I would have a better chance at bagging a decent public land muley buck there in Kern County, than I would a wild pig.

 

[DFG_Bear]

Then again, you could enroll in the DFG's SHARE Program and have the Department perform a drawing of public applicant hunters, develop a hunter management plan with you, provide financial assistance and a liability waiver...

More information and an application can be found at:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/share/index.html

-Marc