hunting leases

[mikefinchmp]

So we moved from Texas and I finally bought a truck so now I can go hunting again- in Texas we have hunting leases- do you have that in washington? Thanks!

[elkchaser54]

We have wastelands called public land

[Mfowl]

Welcome to Wa! By the time you pay for all your licenses, tags and apps you'll feel like you have a lease! What are you looking for? Big game, birds?

[Skyvalhunter]

Public land here hunt it, there s a ton of it out there. Good luck on your endeavor.

[mikefinchmp]

Welcome to Wa! By the time you pay for all your licenses, tags and apps you'll feel like you have a lease! What are you looking for? Big game, birds?

looking for deer, elk.. In Texas they have more Private land then public so you could lease 500 acres for like 2k a year.. but up here it sounds like you have more public land?

[h2ofowlr]

Welcome to Wa! By the time you pay for all your licenses, tags and apps you'll feel like you have a lease! What are you looking for? Big game, birds?

looking for deer, elk.. In Texas they have more Private land then public so you could lease 500 acres for like 2k a year.. but up here it sounds like you have more public land?

Your more likely to pay $2,500 to $5k to shoot a deer on private land vs. leasing it to just hunt. 

[Stein]

Landowners are much more likely to lease to an outfitter although you may find some if you try hard.  I don't think it is all that popular, more of a cultural thing probably.  As stated, there is a ton of public land compared to TX, so not as many people looking to lease.

[h2ofowlr]

Actually the west side does offer leases through Weyerhaeuser.  You can lease blocks of land for various amounts.  A very sore subject with most, as less than 8 years ago, almost everyone could hunt those spots free of charge.  Weyerhaeuser decided to go into the pay to play game.

[rainshadow1]

Welcome to Wa! By the time you pay for all your licenses, tags and apps you'll feel like you have a lease! What are you looking for? Big game, birds?

looking for deer, elk.. In Texas they have more Private land then public so you could lease 500 acres for like 2k a year.. but up here it sounds like you have more public land?

Your more likely to pay $2,500 to $5k to shoot a deer on private land vs. leasing it to just hunt.

Was looking into leases in Texas... made me more interested in joining up with relatives and buying land there! 2-2500$ for ONE GUY to shoot two deer and some pigs... per year!

Was going to open that conversation on the hunting land buying thread.

There's TONS of public land here compared to TX, Mike. Huge opportunity compared to the leases and doorknocking down there.

[JimmyHoffa]

Actually the west side does offer leases through Weyerhaeuser.  You can lease blocks of land for various amounts.  A very sore subject with most, as less than 8 years ago, almost everyone could hunt those spots free of charge.  Weyerhaeuser decided to go into the pay to play game.

:yeah:Rayonier offers leases too.  I think they are pretty expensive and usually go to hunting clubs.  The tree farm permits are kind of the in between---logged areas, controlled access, not paying lease price/expectations.

[theleo]

looking for deer, elk.. In Texas they have more Private land then public so you could lease 500 acres for like 2k a year.. but up here it sounds like you have more public land?

We've got more public land, but more importantly the hunting is just different. 500 acres might seem like a lot of ground given what your use to but there's no way I'd ever stake my elk hunting on that little of a chunk of ground. You're dealing with animals that migrate here and they don't always go back to the same spot. Better to explore tons of country and learn how animals behave throughout the seasons and respond to pressure, than gamble with throwing a couple thousand dollars on a small chunk of ground that MIGHT have game on it come hunting season.   

[Boss .300 winmag]

So we moved from Texas and I finally bought a truck so now I can go hunting again- in Texas we have hunting leases- do you have that in washington? Thanks!

Mike, I've hunted both TX and WA. There are some major differences:

Texas- As you know, you either have land, know someone with land, or you fork over money for a deer lease. Something like 4.2% of the land in TX is public land. The likelihood of harvesting a deer is statistically much better in Texas. More deer there and you can use feeders (hunting over bait in WA is legal). Resident tags in TX are much cheaper. As you know, it is $40 or $50 for a license and that included multiple deer tags and turkeys.

Washington- Individual land-owner hunting leases are much less common. 42% of the land is public in WA so many are hunting on public land. Logging companies own huge swathes of land, some of which require you buy an access permit to either walk in or drive in (Weyerhaueser, some others). Other logging companies have restrictions but allow you to access for free (Sierra Pacific, some others). Tags are more expensive in WA. Terrain is more difficult to get around in WA. But, you have critters up here you can't readily hunt in TX (black bear, cougar, roosevelt or RM elk, grouse, other small game, etc).

Hunting over bait for deer and elk IS NOT ILLEGAL IN WASHINGTON.


Modified the quote to be correct and say that hunting over bait is legal, don't want to have misinformation out there.

[JimmyHoffa]

(hunting over bait in WA is illegal)

When did that change?

[chiwawadan]

REMOVED the post. Sorry about that.

[Boss .300 winmag]

(hunting over bait in WA is illegal)

When did that change?

It didn’t.