Network Uses Web Site To Pair Hunters With Landowners

A company that acts as matchmaker between hunter and landowner is adding franchises, the first going to a South Dakota man who had his own visions of finding a way to put the two together.

The Hunting Lease Network offers a Web site that lets landowners advertise property that can be leased under their terms for hunting, fishing or other uses. Sportsmen use the same site to review the listings and submit competitive bids, starting at a minimum set by the landowner, in the hope of leasing the property for their exclusive use.

The company said it has more than 7,100 registered bidders from all 50 states and more than 140 properties listed in 14 states.

Jeff Larson of Yankton is the company's first independent franchise holder, a sideline venture that he hopes will build on his interest in bird hunting, the contacts he's made as a district salesman for an agricultural seed company, and the same kind of idea that went through his head several years ago.

"As I traveled around in the seed business ... I'd drive by a place and think, 'Wow, that'd be a great place to hunt.' Then I'd think how could I find out who owns that. It's difficult to do," said Larson, 41.

He said the system is suited for people who hunt frequently and want something within driving distance.

"We're trying to find spots where they're not paying for a guide, they have their own equipment and dogs, and they know how to hunt," said Larson.

Fitting that category is Rob Ahlers, who joined with five others to lease 240 acres just a few miles from where he lives at Eagle, Neb., east of Lincoln.

"We originally leased it just for goose and duck hunting," he said of the property, which includes a 55-acre lake. "Then we found out there is some pretty good fishing in the pond, so now we lease it year-round for hunting and fishing." Ahlers said he's never met the absentee landowner and, until now, has not paid to hunt.

"I didn't like the idea of it (lease) at first, but when we got all the guys together it was cheap enough for us to do it," he said.

"I was glad we could do it year-to-year, especially when we started out. Now I wouldn't mind locking it up for two, three years." Offering hunting land through the Hunting Lease Network was a natural progression for Jim Mount, who lives in Arizona and uses Farmers National Co. to manage 1,000 acres of cropland, pasture and hay land he owns in southeast Nebraska.

HLN is a subsidiary of Farmers National Co., a farm management firm based in Omaha, Neb.

Of his three parcels, two that have lakes for waterfowl hunting are most popular, Mount said.

"I'm not there to know what's going on as far as people hunting, and they're probably on the property without my permission. Maybe this way I can get a little revenue and keep the majority of people off. And the people on there are required to have insurance." Mount said he keeps half of whatever hunters bid for the property.

"It's not real lucrative ... but it's money I wouldn't ordinarily be getting. And these people will monitor the property as far as other hunters who shouldn't be out there." HLN said leases provide an average annual income of $2,350 per landowner in the Midwest, and slightly more in the south, southeast and mountain states.

Added to the minimum bid set by the landowner is the cost of a $1 million liability insurance policy covering the landowner, anyone named on the lease and their guests, said David Nelson, a company vice president and founder of the HLN.

Demand is greatest for waterfowl and deer hunting areas; about 65 percent of all listed properties are leased out and 83 percent of the leases are renewed, Nelson said.

"The remaining percentage of those that don't lease are either because the landowner set the minimum bid above the market, or we just don't have a large concentration of prospective bidders for that property or location." The property listing on the Web includes a color aerial image; a map to the property; photos of the terrain, hunting blinds or buildings; the type of game available and details of the proposed lease. The landowner pays a $100 fee per property that's listed on the Web site.

The company expects demand for land uses beyond hunting and fishing to include wildlife photography and what Nelson sees as a growing interest in eco-tourism.

"The property is leased by an individual who just wants to experience nature ... and wants a place to go in the country that's not a public park but a private exclusive area where they can hike and look at nature." HLN has created 88 franchise territories, breaking some states into multiple territories because of population and size, the amount of private land available, and how much money is spent on hunting and fishing.

The $15,0000 franchise fee and associated startup costs require an initial investment of $23,500 to $39,000, the company said.

The local franchisee will visit and evaluate the landowner's property, help determine a lease rate and collect information for the Web listing. The home office writes the lease, handles the accounting, coordinates the bidding and compiles wildlife harvest reports to measure hunter satisfaction and help determine market value for the property.

"The reason we're moving in that direction is we're based in Omaha and it's tough for us to keep up on all the different state rules and regulations and just the market that's out there," Nelson said.

On the Net: Hunting Lease Network: http://www.nationalhuntingleases.com

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