In Texas, hunting opportunities
come in many forms. Landown- ers can: • lease their land to an outfi tter, placing responsibility for all hunting-related activities on the outfi tter
• lease their land to an individual or group for the length of a sea- son or for the year
• act as their own outfi tters, offer- ing hunting packages directly to hunters
• offer day hunting Each requires a different level of
involvement from the landowner. “Any way you look at it, hunt-
ing operations are the hospitality business,” says Homeyer. “The fi rst questions landowners must ask themselves are ‘How involved do I want to be in the hunting enterprise on my ranch?’ and ‘Do I have the time, energy and temperament to entertain hunting guests?’” Some people enjoy the challenge
of marketing hunts and entertain- ing an ever-changing pool of hunt- ers. For them, the opportunity to enjoy higher income is worth the additional work. In these cases, landowners are prepared to deliver a complete “experience,” including, in most cases, lodging and food. The accommodations range from
rustic to plush. The experience be- comes important because landown- ers can’t guarantee that hunting guests will go home with an animal, so some ranches have added extras like shooting ranges or access to fi shing ponds. Some ranches provide processing facilities. “Generally, the more amenities
a ranch offers, the higher the price that can be charged for access,” Ho- meyer says. “Of course, the more a ranch invests in infrastructure, the higher the risk.” Some people prefer to receive a
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single check from an outfi tter who handles every aspect of the hunting operation. In these scenarios, the outfi tter and the landowner enter into a lease that clearly spells out the expectations for the business relationship. Depending on what is included, the outfi tter may be responsible for all wildlife manage- ment activities, including popula- tion surveys and feeding programs, as well as all hunting activities, fi nding hunters and hiring guides and cooks. Providing annual leases to indi-
viduals or groups is another popular option. In this scenario, landown- ers, once they have found a compat- ible group, play a small role in the actual hunting season. “For an annual lease to be suc-
cessful, landowners have to spend the time and effort fi nding people who they believe are responsible and trustworthy,” Homeyer says. In this case, the lease and the ranch rules are very important because they form the basis of the working relationship and the shared under- standing of what management goals are important. “When the lessees and the land-
owners mesh, it can be a great thing,” Homeyer says. “There are ranches in Texas where hunting leases have passed through multiple generations of both the hunting and the land-owning families.” Day leases offer another option,
but they can be variable. First, the landowner has minimal control over who comes on the property and limited knowledge of their skill level or personality. Second, because this model more closely resembles public hunting, the prices paid per day may be lower than with other options. Third, because this model relies on “drive-by” traffi c, it works better if the property is within easy
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
• What is the primary goal of my wildlife enterprise? Revenue? Wildlife population management/ habitat improvement? Control of nuisance species like feral hogs?
• Will my wildlife enterprise be my primary enterprise, or will it be a complementary enterprise to my livestock operation?
• How much time, energy and pa- tience do I have for fi nding and entertaining hunting guests?
• Do I want to maintain a land- owner liability insurance policy?
• How much time do I have to spend on wildlife management activities?
• Do I want to manage the wildlife intensively or not?
• If I choose to manage intensively, do I want to invest in a high fence or maintain a low fence and free- ranging deer?
• How much time and energy can I spend on managing hunting per- sonnel like guides and cooks?
• How much am I willing/able to invest in infrastructure like lodg- ing?
• Does my ranch offer a single species or multiple species? If I have multiple species, do I prefer to maximize revenue or ease of operation?
• Do I want guests on the ranch year-round or for a limited period of time?
• Does my family hunt? If so, how do I balance our use with that of paying guest hunters?
• What activities will I allow on the ranch and what activities will be prohibited?
August 2013 The Cattleman 45
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