Unguided Hog Hunts: What's an appropriate price?

[easymoney]

Deedy at Bryson had $200 unguided pigs hunts on private land and she had some good ranches. Tresspass fees have all gone up like everything else...

 

[QEU]

for this size (and if i have the mullah to toss away) i would buy it and just hunt it myself. offering it for a fee, not sure if you can make enough to justify an on-going operation. acorn dropping, weather, water source, bedding, neighbor hunting pressure, etc all play into your operation. rolling hills, you can bet the hunted pigs next door will most likely run through your property instead. unless you have 50 acres of thick bedding chemise like the "cherry patch" at FHL and deep canyons, don't count on pigs staying in our area when pressured. if next door is not hunted, you might have a nice ground for at most 2 hunters.

 

[sammyguy193]

Ditto to what rich said. While I'll be the first to admit that there's a conflict of interest in this post as we will be charging for access, I can truly say that this is a premier piece of land. Rich has a ton of Ranching experience and I took a ton of ecology classes in college. So between the two of us, we'll be managing the property as a resort for wildlife. With a few improvements to the land we can increase the carrying capacity and retention of game. First, we'll be sustainably managing the number of hunts per month and the number of hogs/deer/turkey taken each season so the place doesnt get hunted out. Resource-wise, as it stands, it really doesnt need any improvements besides a water source. there are tons of acorns and bedding spots. We'll be turning 3-5% of the property into food plots for hog, turkey, deer and dove plus 3-4 watering holes. We are still considering putting in a larger pond in the front of the property, but that will be a little down the road (rich wants some bass and catfish at some point, and I've always wanted to drive a bobcat...). But for now, our goal is to provide the best DIY experience for those that come to hunt our land (including ourselves!). This property is a stepping stone for us and we're looking forward to future larger acquisitions once we get some experience and save up some more dough. Once everything is up an running we'll let everyone know and will post some full-length video tours of the property as well as footage of successful hunts.

 

[tntent]

best of luck to you guys i am lucky to have a family property of 260 acres with year round water and good cover and meadow ground. While it might sound small if managed right can provide alot of fun for a family thing. I dunno about letting strangers in though... Ya u gotta make money but im betting u will have to rest that property more than u think.

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

Look into the liability of allowing guys to set foot on the ranch. Just having someone sign a consent form is not always enough. I am lucky enough to have access to 5,000 prime acres just out of Red Bluff. Many years ago the owner opened it up to a few groups over the years. Some people got hurt and attempted to sue the owner. It was a huge mess and not something that I enjoyed watching. If you open it up to outside guys hunting it, just makes sure you are "insured" to the max. Just my two cents....

 

[Dust feeder]

While a little on the small side I'd definitely give it a try for a reasonable trespass fee then additional charge for a harvest like others have suggested. Don't know if I'd spend much up front based on the size but I'd gladly spend about $100 just to camp there and take my chances. Maybe even $200 if I was optimistic.

Edit - Just saw the poll was per person. I was thinking more along the lines of myself and one buddy, but still might spend that by myself. As far as the harvest fee - maybe an additional $200-$300

 

[spectr17]

Just my 2 centavos from seeing clubs like this and letting others hunt our farm years back. Renters/Guests are not going to respect the land like the owner. Shot up signs and trees from target practice, badly rutted up roads when it's muddy, trespassing on the neighbors when the guests can't find anything to shoot in the first hour (impatience). Cut fences and gates left open. Trampled crops and livestock let loose. Damage to the lodging with no report to the owner so they can repair it. Theft of anything not welded down. Water left running. To me it isn't worth it, sort of like renting a house/apt. My neighbor is cleaning up his latest mess from his renters he just tossed out. And for the kicker, toss in the the lawsuits. There's always a dumbazz who will injure themselves and come looking for a payday.

 

[leftyhunter]

Hi Rich,
I like your enterprising spirit! Good luck and keep in mind what Jesse just said.
Leftyhunter

 

[1withthewoods]

I hunt a two hundred acre ranch that is used as a travel route between bedding and watering on other properties. I have done well and get into pigs every time I go. Maybe there is something to be said that it is a travel path and the pigs dont get pushed out as easy. But i think if done right it could be a very good investment. If it is a daily fee i wouldnt think they would charge too much for trespass maybe 50-100 bucks.

 

[lxtrail]

If you do plan on doing this and it sounds like you are. Once you get up and running please shoot me a PM. Id love to come bow hunt this . Im in Bakersfield and used to work in this general area. my name is Lonnie Terrell

 

[KTKT70]

I also think this sounds like a good idea. I have been looking at 137 acers with power and year round creek. Not sure if its worth having sumthing so small. In Tx my cuz hunts on like 2500 acers and its just 2 guns. My uncle has the 5000 plus that it backs up to and they only have 3 guns on that land. Most of the deer lease land out there is high fence. Not sure if u could do that with 137acers or if it would b worth it to try. i would like to have the 137 to have small hunts on or to start a for fun hunt club with sum buddys that may like the idea. PS. Tejon is close... so im sure pigs cant b far away...

 

[sammyguy193]

How would this change if it were a 500+ acre property? We've found another investor.

 

[KTKT70]

sweet...500 is cool... dose that mean if u get anothe guy with doe it can go from 500 to 1000 or sumthing. sounds good to me though.

 

[Fugaloo]

Why don't you hook up with Mel Carters next trip up behind lake sonoma. $400, 20,000 acres, more hogs than you could count. thanks again Mel, I had a great time, and we ate that boar till it was gone.

 

[Deleted member 33033]

Frankly anything under a few thousand acres will require a fence and stocking.

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

Frankly anything under a few thousand acres will require a fence and stocking.

I respectfully disagree. I have hunted numerous properties within the last 15 years that were under 1500 or so acres. I'm know professional by any means, but I think it's all about management and were that property sits. About 10 years ago, I hunted (Numerous Times) a 900 acre ranch in Parkfield that I paid to hunt (DIY Hunt). It was a small chunk of land (Compared to its neighbooring ranches), but it produced hogs! Hogs would cross this 900 acre ranch to get to the neighboors barley fields. Ambushing the hogs was the best way to put pork on the ground at this specific place. Guys who wanted to "bust brush" and push hogs out were lucky at times as well.

 

[dwikkles]

Keep me posted. Even if its small, if you could keep it under $200 I would bring some people there. But that size property you should seriously consider doing archery only.

 

[Richmellott]

Why don't you hook up with Mel Carters next trip up behind lake sonoma. $400, 20,000 acres, more hogs than you could count. thanks again Mel, I had a great time, and we ate that boar till it was gone.

I've been on that ground three times, and taken pigs twice, with George Mavrakis' dogs. When I went unguided, I saw pigs at 500-1000 yards, and never got a shot.
The land was great, but the hogs were not concentrated in any special area, and tracking them was difficult.
I've also taken a hog in the JHO Pigo-Rama, at 400 yards, after three days of hunting. That property holds a ton of pigs, and I did blow a couple shots before connecting with porky. All I can say, we've now hiked the land, and seen a lot of sign, beds, and rooting, so the hogs are there. There is plenty of chemise, scrub oak, and the bedding shows it is a regular haven. When we put in the water and food plots, it will compare favorably with either of the bigger ranches, including the already hunted properties down and across the road. This is located on a wildlife corridor that runs approximately 16 miles, from East to West. Our chunk of that corridor is one of several "pinch points" that the hogs have to traverse, every day they go to feed in the bottom lands below. Two hunts a month aren't going to stop these hogs, since they're coming across from an unfenced property that is approximately 40-50,000 acres, and have to pass through our canyon on their way to and fro the feeding ground.
Seeing the strategic placement of this small parcel, it is easily best for using archery, but rifles aren't gonna hurt, either.
Just my thoughts, after having boots on the ground this weekend pass.

 

[Caninelaw]

I don't know about archery on that small a piece of land. If the pig runs very far after it is hit it may run into an adjacent ranch and be (legally) unrecoverable. Just a speculation on my part but I would think you'd want to go for DRT so archery might be a risk.

 

[Richmellott]

Neighbors are ok with recovery, and often with hunting as well.
Also, if you hit a pig in the bottom of this canyon, he/she won't make it out going up the side, and like I said, the neighbors are fine with letting you get your hog.