Cougar Mag

Man, when news comes it comes in doubles. Two huge sack punches today and in all honesty it almost feels like it.

(1) I had just settled in my stand this afternoon when behind me another bowhunter was walking past. I didn't regonize him and said "hey". He stopped and looked up at me and informed me this land was leased! I say what? He said a hunt club from South Carolina just leased 320 acres ten days ago and just started hunting it yesterday. The farmers cousin who now owns the land didn't inform the farmer cousin, the guys who leased it did yesterday. In fact one of the two guys there this week sat in one of my stands yesterday! Anyway, he was gracious enough and I told him I would be taking my stands down tomorrow. I also informed him that if my truck is parked near the east farmlane not to worry because I would be hunting the neighbors land. Its not nearly as good. The guy shoots what he calls a 130 class buck this evening.......maybe a 120-125 at best. The other guy now sitting in my favorite tree claims a 150 class buck was near his stand, but couldn't get a shot. Big sack punch!!!![:-]

(2) Found out from returning home this evening that my wife's distant cousins who farm and own their own real estate company just leased all of their land out back in August.........good thing I hadn't hunted it yet, though much of it is just tillable land![:-]

All in all a crappy day as far as hunting goes[:@]. One tiny light at the end of the tunnel..........I am going to try to find out what the party of (1) is paying, and maybe in a year or two I can outbid them. I have unconfirmed info it was around $5 per acre and if things work out I may be able to outbid them within a year or two. This 320 acres was worth it.

MO_Bowhnter

Wow Coug, you must feel sick to your stomach after those sack punches. Getting land leased from beneath your feet must be a huge killer especially going into the best part of the year. Hopefully you can get back on track.

RIStrutStopper

I'm doubled over in pain for you. I lost some good land this year too, definitely not a good feeling.

kickin_buck

Are you over in Crawford Co Couger?

Dopler

Here's another one for you, I hope you take it as well as this guy did ;-)

AF Hunter

Just buy some land in Iowa and you never have to worry about leases again. Plus you get those expensive landowner tags @ $3.00 apiece.

Cougar Mag

Yep, how'd you know?

Talked to them again today after their morning hunt and then took out my last stand. I'll be honest and say these two guys who are members of a co-op seem to be nice enough, we talked awhile , told some short hunting stories, ended up shaking hands. Told them how I felt about it but that I understood what they were doing as hunters. One did get a nice buck.......probably 130-135 gross. I just have to move on and hunt what I can for now and search for better ground, but thats tough in this day and age.

AF Hunter, no offense but if I were to buy some ground it would be here where I live.

jackflap

That stinks. I am surprised that the new owner, the cousins farmer, didn't offer the lease to you first if that was what he decided he wanted to do. That would have been the proper thing for him to do, IMO.

Good luck in finding some other spots.

Cougar Mag

Farmer and his cousin do not get along. He may not even be farming it next year. She acquired it through a family death and passed down wills. Shame is the farmer and his elderly dad have farmed it all their lives, lots of blood and sweat put into it, but nothing put into it from a few of his relatives who got parts of the land. Another parcel is now owned by a relative in Cal., another piece by a guy from Texas. They have only seen these people 3 or 4 times in 30 years. Those parcels will probably get leased next.