Firm Links Hunters, Land Owners

About a year ago, relatives in Southern Indiana bought some landlocked property near Mitchell.

They were excited about getting the land -- approximately 40 acres for $80,000 -- the majority of which is in timber. But they did not want it for logging. Nor did they have plans to clear the land for farming.

They wanted it for hunting deer, wild turkeys and other game. They said they were tired of asking landowners for permission to hunt on their farmland. Usually, they were rejected. Property owners didn't want to risk liability.

A few days later, a friend told me about property he and some associates had leased. They, too, wanted somewhere to hunt deer and other game. They had found prime habitat and were willing to pay the landowner's asking price.

That's what it has come down to in Indiana. You either buy the property or you lease it if you don't know a property owner who will give you permission to hunt.

Then there is the problem property owners face when they lease land: How do they monitor who is on their property and who is responsible for hunting accidents? There are other problems. Hunters who have permission to use the land often get confused about property lines and cross onto another person's property.

A hunter recently told me about the time he had permission to hunt some property. He wounded a deer that he tracked for several hundred yards.

When he finally found it, two men were field dressing it. They said the deer had crossed the property line, was in their territory and they were claiming it. So much for the ethics of hunting. The man who shot it knew it was best to walk away from the situation, mainly because he was unsure of the property line.

Indiana has public property open for hunting during various seasons; property lines are clearly marked.

But hunters in search of a trophy buck know their best bet is on private property that gets less hunting pressure.

So what's the answer for Hoosier hunters who are running out of places to hunt on private property? Maybe the answer is the same as for single or divorced people who are looking for companionship: online matchmakers.

This brainstorm comes from Hunting Lease Network, whose Web site matches hunters with landowners.

Simplified, here's how it works: Landowners advertise property on a Web site. Hunters use the same site to review properties and submit bids. But there has to be a middleman.

Hunting Lease Network sells franchises in all 50 states to represent their company. Franchise investments range from $23,500 to $39,000.

The company announced last week that Mark Lyon, Indianapolis, has purchased franchises that serve Southern Indiana and Southern Illinois.

Landowners pay Lyon a $100 enrollment fee to build a Web page for their property and to coordinate lease bids from hunters.

There is no charge for hunters to register to bid, view information on property or submit a bid on available property.

Hunting Lease Network representatives handle the lease writing, accounting, wildlife harvest reports, hunting liability insurance carried by hunters and lease renewals.

According to the leasing company, a 2001 survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that more than $624 million is spent nationally each year on hunting leases.

For now, Hunting Lease Network is concentrating on hunting. It claims to have opened 210,000 acres of private land to hunting in the last decade. The company plans to expand its services to include land leased for fishing and other recreation.

The company says its lease agreements range from $800 to $20,000, depending on property location, size and quality. The average annual lease is about $2,400.

For information on the company and lease agreements, log on to www.nationalhuntingleases.com.

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