I've always hunted on the land of friends/family, but I'm looking for a new place to call home for a long period. Is my only real option to either pay a crazy high fee or buy land outright?

More info: I'm looking for about 300-500 acres within 3 hours of H town.

Paper company land in East Texas will satisfy your requirements. Check Campbell's website.

I'm also assuming you are looking for 2014 and not a place for next month.

Your best bet is when you see a leaese come up (that's a fair price) on Texags or when you hear about it elsewhere...even if it's for 1 gun only you take it. Then when the other guys on that lease start dropping, you start adding your buddies. It's going to be rare that you find 3 spots open on a good lease that is worth a darn.

Herman- what's "Campbell's website"?

Stay on top of craigslist and other hunting fourms. If you're seriously looking. $1,500 is the going rate and there are plenty to be had that have 1-3 spots open if you expand to $1,750-$2000 your options are far greater

Thanks for all the replies. Getting on early through TA is a good idea, and yes I'm looking for 2014-2015. Also, "crazy high" to me is $3,000 per gun on land that doesn't have water/electricity.

Also, I'm VERY hesitant to use anything from Craigslist. I've had several friends lose thousands of dollars to various scams (not all related to hunting leases). I just wish there was some half decent, reputable website established that listed leases by price/location/etc.

For Finn: I think this is what he is reffering to

https://www.crownpinetimber.com/texas/texas1.asp?dsp=LNM

All of my experiences on Craigslist have been more than satisfactory....

That's it. Most of the timber companies in East Texas have something similiar. They all have different rules, but generally, they are year round leases that expire in June (best time to start looking). I'm willing to bet rates are $7 - $10 an acre plus insurance. These aren't South Texas leases, but usually allow campers and are not bad places if you are looking to start your own club with your buddies. Most importantly, most are 2 to 3 hours from Houston, so you can make multiple trips per season and off-season.

Anyone have experience joining an existing paper company lease? That's kind of the route I want to go, but not sure if just contacting the existing leases through the Campbell's website is the best option.

I was thinking about how that would work. I picture it turning out bad and ending up like an east texas version of Deliverance.

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Anyone have experience joining an existing paper company lease? That's kind of the route I want to go, but not sure if just contacting the existing leases through the Campbell's website is the best option.

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It will all depend on the group. Some of those guys are going to be guys that work together, go to chuch together, went to high school together, etc. Others are going to be outlaws. You'll probably just have to meet up with them and see if you mesh. If you are looking to join a lease in East Texas, there are several out there. Most of the complaints are that they are over-regulated. But sometimes it is better to have rules stated up front. You might check Renfro's, they are a big operation that usually have space.

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=286974



[This message has been edited by Harman Rabb Jr. (edited 10/3/2013 5:01p).]

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I picture it turning out bad and ending up like an east texas version of Deliverance.

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this exactly.

I've hunted a variety of Crown Pine Timber / Campbell (formerly Temple Inland) land my whole life. To put it simply, they can be on the "outlaw" side. If you are from south east Texas, you already know this and you kind of expect it and you deal with it. If the area is new to you, I'd stick with the more expensive leases.

There are a handful of well managed ones like Renfro or Arizona Creek, but you will also pay higher premiums for them.

Is it easiest to get on one of those leases by knowing someone already on it? Don't know how you learn about openings otherwise.

If you know of a lease by name or location, you can call Campbell and get contact info. They usually have waiting list for new members. The last one that I was on voted on new members from the waiting list when a spot opened.

There are leases with openings on the link that I posted above.