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If you own land you're not hunting yourself, leasing the hunting rights is one of the simplest ways to make that land pay for itself — often enough to cover the property taxes and then some. Here's how it works, what it pays, and how to do it without the usual headaches of chasing payment or worrying about who's on your place.
Lease prices vary by region, game, and how the property is managed, but across the South most hunting land leases run roughly $10–$20 per acre per year, with prime, well-managed tracts going higher. You can lease two ways: a season lease, where one hunter or a group leases the hunting rights for the whole season (predictable income, less day-to-day involvement), or day access, where you sell individual days or weekends (more flexible, and a great way to test demand before committing to a full season). Many landowners do both — a season lease on part of the property and day hunts on the rest.
Four things set your price and attract the right hunter. First, what's huntable on your land — deer, hogs, dove, ducks, turkey? Be honest; it sets the price. Second, acreage and fencing — total acres and whether it's low or high fence. Third, access and rules — gate access, camping, ATVs, number of hunters, and anything that's off-limits. Fourth, your price and dates — what you want and for how long.
The two things that worry landowners most are getting paid and liability. A few basics cover most of it: use a written lease agreement, confirm your liability coverage, and take payment in a way that doesn't leave you chasing a check. Most states have a Recreational Use Statute that limits landowner liability for recreational visitors when you meet certain conditions; Texas additionally requires landowners to hold a hunting lease license, while most other states don't. Know your state's rules before your first hunter shows up.
On payment, a marketplace helps: when hunters pay through a platform with the money held in escrow and released to you, there's no cash-in-an-envelope and no "the check's in the mail."
The Hunting Exchange lets you list your land for free, set your own price and rules, and get paid safely through the site. List in about five minutes — add photos, acreage, game, and your price, with no listing fee or membership. Talk to hunters through the site before you agree to anything; you decide who's on your property. The hunter pays through the platform, funds are held in Stripe escrow until they confirm the property, then released to you. And you only pay when you get paid — we take a 5% fee only when a booking is actually paid. If your land never books, you never owe a cent.
It's the lowest-risk way to find out what your land can earn: free to list, no commitment, and you're protected on the payment.
Browse hunting leases with Stripe escrow protection. Free to search.