• Hunting leases becoming more common

    Whether we like to admit it or not, times are changing. Technologies are constantly improving, populations across the globe are growing at an incredible rate, and the natural environment we as outdoorsman hold close to our hearts is slowly disappearing. The same can be said for the availability of prime hunting land throughout Southern Ontario. Everyday, urban sprawl creeps further and further into the rural regions of the province. Where there was once a dense forest land you may now find a parking lot for a mini mall. Working farmland is slowly disappearing, which in turn leads to less opportunity for hunters and outdoors enthusiasts alike. This became obvious to me last week when I looked into the availability of prime hunting land close to home, here in Grey and Bruce.


    Just last week I ran into an acquaintance of mine who is an avid waterfowl hunter. This Owen Sound resident has been involved in the past time for nearly two decades, becoming an experienced waterfowler who enjoys his time in the field. We discussed his success in the early goose season, which was overshadowed by the unfortunate events that take place when hunters turn against hunters in the fight for hunting rights to certain properties. He was quite annoyed that he had been pushed off one of his regular hunting fields by another hunter who was in fact “guiding” clients to some exciting goose shoots. My friend explained that this was not the first time this had happened, and when he spoke to the landowner about the situation, he found out that the field had been “leased” by the outfitter and he was no longer allowed to hunt the property. Tough luck for the local hunter, but this is a fact of life in our ever evolving sport.

    Hunting leases may be something new to the local hunter, but they are becoming more common throughout Grey and Bruce counties. Across the border to the south, our American friends are quite familiar with the practice. The fact is, land to hunt is becoming scarce, and in order to secure the right to hunt a parcel of land individual hunters, outfitters, and fish and game clubs lease property from rural property owners. Hunting leases ensure that the party leasing the property has exclusive rights to hunt that parcel of land. The problem is, this practice is not always seen as a positive situation by the hunting community.

    After my discussion with the local waterfowl hunter who believed he was done wrong, I started to research hunting leases, and how local hunters feel about the topic. This was not a hard task as plenty of online hunting forums include discussion on the topic. I also made some phone calls and sent emails to hunters and outfitters I know across the province to generate some feedback. Just as I expected, the atmosphere among those I questioned was quite divided. Hunters who did not lease property to hunt were generally adamant against the practice, especially when discussing hunting leases which were taken out by outfitters. Those against the practice on a large scale suggested they could not compete in monetary terms with an outfitter who guides clients on a hunt. There comes a point when the outfitter accumulates enough money to “out bid” the local hunter for rights to a property, and this was a common concern among those I spoke with. Consider how much land a profitable outfitting business employing a number of guides could be, and then consider how much hunting property would be required to run such an enterprise.

    At the same time, the outfitters I spoke with suggested that in order to provide a successful hunt, they need to ensure that they are the only group hunting certain properties. This is true, and when hunting becomes a business in terms of guiding, a successful hunt is money in the bank. Numerous hunters who do lease land, and a number of outfitters I spoke with suggested that hunting leases are a common trend in North American hunting and, in time, will be common place in Grey/Bruce. The advocates of hunting leases note that by leasing a property to hunt, they ensure the landowner that only permitted activities will be undertaken on the property, and in the case of an outfitter, liability insurance may be included through the business that is taking place on the land.

    When it comes down to it, paying to hunt a piece of property is a monetary gain for the landowner. No one can fault a cash crop farmer who offsets some of his costs through the payment of a hunting lease. At the same time, not every hunter can afford to pay someone to hunt a piece of property. I can imagine how upset I would feel if I were to head off to hunt my favourite goose field only to find it taken someone who has leased the field, whether or not they are making money off the hunt.

    In a perfect world, there would be no need to pay to play in terms of securing land to hunt. I still enjoy sharing my harvest with the land owners who allow me to take wild game on their property. No money exchanges hands in order to pursue my outdoor passions. However for better or for worse the times are surely changing and it is becoming clear that for landowners, hunters and outfitters alike, what we love the most can become what divides us.
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