Ohio hunters forced "to pay to play (hunt)"

I sure as heck hope it don't come to this either

I could go on for days and days about this, I really don't see Western Ohio (especially NW) ever leasing, not enough wood line or deer. But anything basically east or south east of Seneca or Huron county will eventually be leased and only the people that can afford will be allowed to hunt. I blame this on several factors- liberal outfitter regs, Southern Hunters (NC especially, I lived there and heard the stories), liberal nonresident fees. I think as a state we may see the emergence of a lot more hunting clubs (the south is loaded with them). I don't see this new trend as a good thing for hunting in Ohio, southern hunting is very cut throat and purely money driven. I witnessed clubs basically become monopolies, controlled by nepotism and peoples' inner circle. Problem with leases is that if a hunter gets hurt on the farmers property, that farmer become liable (thats what I have been told by several people hunters atleast, but I am sure there is lawyers and paper work for that as well).

"Problem with leases is that if a hunter gets hurt on the farmers property, that farmer become liable (thats what I have been told by several people hunters at least, but I am sure there is lawyers and paper work for that as well). " Yes, the absolute truth, sue the dumb farmer.
Yes I read the article last week and the part time auctioneer who wrote the article should keep his mouth shut.

Yes, give permission to hunters who ask, sign the form and the farmer is exempt from 99% of the hunter getting hurt. It would take a deliberate act by the landowner to make him liable. Like running somebody over with a tractor. Now if your the guy who leased, and you fall in a old well and drown, your wife can sue the cr*p out of the farmer.

I would guess most leasers do not issue 1099's for the amount they paid the farmer so the Farmer includes the money on his IRS 1040. Yes all these leasers, there is a ton of money NOT being reported to the IRS and the Ohio Dept of TAxation.

The biggest problems are two. these lease hunters do not carry liablity insurance in case the damage the farmers house or put a 45/70 thru the gas tank on a $500000 John Deere. If I was leasing I would demand proof of $2mm liability insurance from each of the hunters.

The next big time problem is the sub leasing, when some phony outfitter cons a lease from a farmer then charges some ungodly price to out state bozos. The unlicensed outfitter, gets rich, the farmer loses.

Why does OHio require guide licenses for fishing and NOTHING for hunting guides and phoney outfitters?

There is another option hunters can form a corporation an llc and sell shares to pay for land. The more shares you buy the more of the land you can hunt or each share is equal and each partner has a given area to hunt or however the group wants to do it. If you happen to buy a farm with a house there is the possibility of rental income from the house, rented would not have access to the land. Also
There is the possibility of renting tillable land and putting some in CRP. These things can greatly reduce costs to members and grow some big deer and turkeys! Just something to think about instead of watching your ability to get a place to hunt go away[emoji2]

You will be lucky to get $2 an acre for tillable land and realize the weedkillers and or manure that might be applied to that land.

You never know with tenants who poach out of season.

antiqucycle said:

You will be lucky to get $2 an acre for tillable land and realize the weedkillers and or manure that might be applied to that land.

You never know with tenants who poach out of season.

Click to expand...

Depending on where and the condition of the land, renting tillable is more than that in Ashland county.

I almost bought a good chunk near the in laws farm that had tillable on it. I was estimating 3-5000 per year to rent approx 50 acres based on what my in laws pay to rent similar tracts for farming.

Unfortunately the financing and timing wasn't there, and the landowner wanted almost 2x the appraised value for the land. Oh well, there's always next time.

It makes no difference liability wise if money exchanges hands or not - landowners who grant hunting permission in Ohio are NOT liable. I am not a fan of leasing, it's an expense to those that want to hunt that did not exist. It does now. Fact. I leased a property for the first time ever this year for a mighty high price. The way I saw it, I had no choice. This ground was going to be leased by a group from MI. I did not want them to have it, so I paid what they had offered. Not a fan, but I'm going to do what I have to do to make sure my son and I have a place to hunt!