W. M. Smathers, Jr.

Forest Industry Hunt-lease Programs in the Southern United States: 1989

Selected characteristics of forest industry hunt-lease programs were evaluated for 11 southern states in 1989. Mail questionnaires were returned by 62 (70%) of 89 landowners. The respondents reported owning 8.7 million ha of which 6.5 million ha (75%) were leased for hunting. The weighted average lease fee received was $5.31 per ha, a 60% increase from 1984 as reported by Busch and Guynn (1988). Additionally, respondents reported that public relations had a relative value equal to the lease fee and access control had a relative value of 1.45 times the lease fee. The total value of leasing...