How Much Can I Lease My Land for Hunting? Price-per-Acre Ranges by Region

What landowners are actually getting for hunting rights, and how to price your own ground.

Most published surveys put the typical hunting lease price per acre for deer and general hunting between about $10 and $30 per year, with poor small-game ground earning under $1 an acre and top big-game or waterfowl property earning more. Where your land falls in that range depends far more on habitat, game quality, location and what you include in the lease than on the state line alone.

Key takeaways

• A 2024 University of Missouri Extension survey found average lease rates of about $21 to $23 per acre per year in Missouri.
• University of Georgia Extension reports Georgia deer leases averaged about $16 per acre in 2022, ranging from $10 to $30 or more.
• Habitat quality, game species, access, amenities and exclusivity move your price more than acreage alone.
• Local comparable leases are the most common starting point, but cost-plus, amenity-based and sealed-bid pricing all work.
• Budget for property taxes, insurance requirements and your own time before you settle on a number.

What Hunting Leases Pay: Published Ranges by Region

There is no national price list for hunting leases. The best numbers come from university extension surveys and landowner groups that track local deals. These figures are averages and ranges, not quotes for your land, and they shift year to year with demand, deer herd health and the local economy.

A quick way to sanity-check any rate: multiply it by your huntable acres. At $15 to $25 per acre, for example, a 200-acre tract would bring in roughly $3,000 to $5,000 a year before expenses.

Midwest: Missouri as a Benchmark

The University of Missouri Extension’s Landowners’ Guide to Lease Hunting in Missouri (revised 2024) reports these average annual lease rates from its landowner survey:

• Any wildlife: $21.45 per acre in 2024 (up from $19.70 in 2023), with most responses between $15 and $30.
• Deer and turkey: $23.33 per acre in 2024, mostly $20 to $25.
• Deer only: $23.33 per acre in 2024, with responses from $15 to $40.

The guide notes the survey sample is small and that the wide range reflects habitat and other factors the survey didn’t capture. Neighboring states can differ, so check local comparables before assuming your area matches.

Southeast: Georgia and Mississippi

According to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, deer hunting leases in Georgia averaged about $16 per acre in 2022, with prices running from $10 to $30 or more per acre.

Mississippi State University Extension (2023) offers a broader ballpark: small-game leases can bring as little as 50 cents per acre, while high-quality big-game leases can bring $25 per acre or more in some areas. Both Missouri and Mississippi extension guides note that waterfowl leases generally earn the highest returns per acre, especially on flooded fields and good blind locations.

Texas and the West

Texas has a long-established private-land lease market, and prices vary widely from one region of the state to another. Rather than rely on a single statewide average, look at the annual Rural Land Value Trends report from the Texas Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, which includes information on hunting lease values by region. In western states, elk, mule deer and pronghorn leases may be priced per hunter or per hunt rather than per acre, so compare like with like.

What Drives Your Price Per Acre

Two tracts in the same county can lease for very different amounts. The biggest factors are:

• Habitat and game quality. Missouri Extension notes that land with poor-quality habitat tends to earn the least. A mix of cover, water and food sources, plus a record of mature deer or good turkey numbers, supports a higher rate.
• Species and season. Deer and turkey typically lease for more than small game. Waterfowl rights on the right ground can command the most.
• Location and access. Land within a reasonable drive of a city has more potential hunters competing for it. Good roads, parking and all-weather access add value.
• Exclusivity. Mississippi State Extension notes that exclusive access can command a premium over shared or non-exclusive arrangements.
• Amenities and services. Camp sites, cabins, electricity, ponds, food plots, existing stands and help with game processing can all justify a higher price.
• Tract size and shape. Larger blocks hunt better, but the price per acre often comes down on very large leases because the total check gets bigger.

Five Common Ways to Set Your Price

Missouri Extension lists five pricing methods landowners use. Many combine two or more:

1. Local going rate. Find out what comparable properties nearby are leasing for. It's the most common method, but it can leave money on the table if your habitat is better than average.
2. Break-even plus a margin. Add up your costs (property taxes on the hunted acreage, insurance, road and gate upkeep, food plot seed, your time) and add a 10% to 30% margin.
3. Habitat valuation. Price based on the quality and quantity of habitat and the game it supports.
4. Base price plus amenities. Set a per-acre base and charge extra for a cabin, campsite, food plots or other improvements.
5. Sealed bids. Much like a timber sale, invite interested hunters or clubs to submit bids. This works well when demand is strong and you aren't sure what the market will bear.

How the Lease Type Changes the Math

The structure of your lease affects both the income and the work involved. Mississippi State Extension describes the main options:

• Annual or multi-year leases to one hunter or club are the most common and need the least oversight. Multi-year terms trade a little price flexibility for steady income and lessees who care for the land.
• Short-term leases such as day hunts, weekly hunts or a special bow or muzzleloader season can return more per acre, but they take more marketing and management.
• Species-specific leases (for example, separate deer and turkey or waterfowl leases) can produce the most total income, but they require the most coordination.

If you farm or graze the land, build your operation into the lease: which fields are off limits, when hunters can drive on wet ground, and how gates and livestock are handled. Our strategic guide to hunting leases covers these trade-offs in more depth.

Costs and Responsibilities to Factor In

A hunting lease is a business arrangement, so the price should cover more than profit. Before you settle on a number, account for:

• Property taxes on the leased acreage, and whether lease income affects any agricultural valuation in your state. Check with your county assessor or tax professional.
• Liability insurance. Paid access usually removes the protection of your state's recreational use statute. Most landowners require lessees to carry hunting lease liability insurance naming the landowner as an additional insured; Mississippi State Extension's sample lease calls for a $1,000,000 policy, and many landowners now ask for $2,000,000 per occurrence.
• Income taxes. Lease income is generally taxable. Ask your tax advisor how to report it and which expenses you can deduct.
• Your time. Showing the property, answering calls, checking on lessees and handling disputes all take time, especially with short-term leases.

Where to Find Comparable Rates and Good Lessees

Good comparables and good hunters often come from the same places:

• Your county extension office and state wildlife agency, which may know of local surveys or landowner access programs.
• Neighbors, farm managers and rural appraisers who handle leases in your area.
• Local hunting clubs and conservation groups looking for ground.
• Online lease marketplaces and lease management services. Several companies list properties and connect landowners with hunters. Base Camp Leasing is one option that handles marketing, lessee screening and lease paperwork for landowners; compare its terms and fees with other services and with leasing the land yourself.

Whatever route you take, screen lessees carefully. A reliable, respectful hunter or club paying a fair rate year after year is often worth more than a slightly higher bid from someone you don't know.

Put the Price and Terms in Writing

Once you agree on a price, a written lease protects both sides. At minimum it should spell out the rent and payment dates, the lease term, the property boundaries, permitted game and methods, the number of hunters and guests, rules on stands, vehicles and food plots, insurance requirements, and how either side can end the agreement. Collecting payment in full before the season, or in two installments, avoids collection problems later. University of Georgia Extension's lease publication walks through common clauses landowners can adapt.

The Bottom Line

Published surveys put most deer and general hunting leases in the $10 to $30 per acre range, with Missouri averaging about $21 to $23 in 2024 and Georgia about $16 in 2022. Your land may earn less or considerably more depending on habitat, game, access and the services you provide. Start with local comparables, check your numbers against your costs, choose a lease structure that fits how much time you want to spend, and put everything in writing.

This article is for general education and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Sources: University of Missouri Extension, G9420 Landowners' Guide to Lease Hunting in Missouri (rev. 2024); University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, C 971 Tips for Creating a Hunting Lease (rev. 2024); Mississippi State University Extension, P2310 Hunting Leases: Considerations and Alternatives for Landowners (2023); Texas A&M AgriLife, 2025 Rural Land Value Trends Report Released (2026).

Related reading: The Strategic Guide to Hunting Leases: What Every Rural Landowner Should Know | Qualities That Exemplary Landowners Provide as Lessors

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