Hunters can find good leases online
As the media's hints of $4 per gallon unleaded and $5 for diesel inch closer to reality, it seems logical that many Texas hunters may be reevaluating their hunting plans and schedules for the coming fall seasons. My guess is quite a few already are talking among themselves and dreaming up ways to help squelch the cost of those long road trips to their hunting leases.
The idea of carpooling is sounding sweet these days. A few extra bodies in an SUV or a 4x4 pickup obviously can reduce the individual expense of topping off a 40-gallon tank.
The wife's new hybrid or your daughter's compact car might be looking pretty good, too. Never mind its low profile or wimpy appeal. There are times when it pays not to be so macho, and those times are now. Better gas mileage means more money in your pocket to spend on other essentials like deer corn, which has already reached nearly $10.50 per 40-pound bag at some outlets.
Another topic on the forefront of what will likely be the most expensive fall hunting season ever is how frequently hunters will unlock those front gates at the lease. If their jobs allow for it, thrifty hunters will probably opt for fewer-but-longer visits to the lease as opposed to shagging out of town every weekend. And there is a good chance more hunters will figure value packs of bologna and hotdogs into their meal menus this year as opposed to choice T-bones and ribeyes.
Just about everything costs more these days. In fact, about the only things that haven't increased are weekly pay checks.
It's sad to think about, but the rising cost of having fun could eventually make some hunters revamp their play books altogether. Some may have to drop back and punt. Others could be forced to bow out of those expensive, long-distance leases and look for something smaller or closer to home.
The latter seems more likely. People have a way of finding the means to pursue their passions, and no group is more passionate about their sport than hunters.
Looking for a lease?
There was a time when the only ways to find a hunting lease were by word of mouth, searching newspapers ads and contacting chamber of commerce offices. The evolution of the Internet has changed that.
Prospective hunters now can locate hundreds of possible leads with the simple click of a mouse, and there are a number of Web sites dedicated solely to hunting leases. Hunters can use them to find a place to hunt, while landowners and outfitters can use them to reach millions of potential customers.
Some sites are all about Texas. Others are more comprehensive. Some charge a fee to access. Others are free.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department recently joined the hunting lease registry mix with the creation of its Hunt Texas Online Connection at www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/planning/hunt_lease/.
The TPWD online registry provides users with a comprehensive list of contacts for landowners who have property available for lease. Access to the site is free to hunters and landowners. However, if you want to make contact with a landowner, you will need to register and log in to do so.
The listings are divided by county, with all sorts of pertinent information such as the name of the ranch or landowner, the game available, allowed means of hunting, number of guns allowed, acres available, the duration of the lease and, of course, the cost.
The directory currently contains a 13-page list of more than 150 leases that are available around the state. Some are year-round leases, others are seasonal or for day hunts. Clicking on a highlighted ranch or outfitter brings up all the details, including a general overview of the lease and available facilities.
"We want to make it easy for people looking for a place to hunt to connect with landowners offering hunts on their property," said Mike Berger, TPWD wildlife division director. "This is one way we're trying to better serve our license-buying public. It's important to keep the Texas hunting tradition strong, since hunting supports wholesome family recreation, pumps more than a billion dollars per year into Texas local economies and provides an economic incentive for private land stewards to protect wildlife habitat."
There are a number of other Web sites devoted to hunting leases, but the TPWD's directory is a good start.
• Matt Williams' e-mail address is mattwilliams@netdot.com.
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