How to Lease Deer Hunting Land in Alabama

Deer hunting culls deer by removing the older population, allowing the younger deer to grow.

Leasing deer hunting land in Alabama helps landowners by culling the deer population and hunters by providing them a place to track and kill deer. Leased land is not open to the general public for hunting and requires an agreement between the landowner and lessee. Alabama law requires that a hunter have written permission form the landowner before he can hunt, trap, kill, injure or destroy any deer on another person’s property unless the landowner is with him.

Instructions

1. Search local newspaper listings or the Alabama Forest Owners' Association website, afoa.org, for deer hunting land for lease in Alabama. Word of mouth from other hunters may also yield some leads.

2. Contact the landowner. Request the information you'll need, such as the price and size of the deer hunting land available. Get the directions and ask the owner for permission to scout, or view, the land for signs of deer.

3. Compose an agreement stating the terms of the lease, including payment, use of property, liability and indemnification. Make sure both parties sign and date the lease to make it a legal document. This protects both the lessors and lessees from claims that may arise in the future. See Resources for a sample lease agreement provided by the Alabama Cooperative Extension.

4. Visit the Alabama Department of Conservation website at outdooralabama.com and click on the link to “Download a Courtesy Card.” Print this card and have the landowner complete and sign the permission side of the card. The hunter signs the side accepting permission.

5. Give the landowner his copy and keep the other copy in case you are checked by a game warden. The state of Alabama requires that you have written permission to hunt on land that you do not own, and you may be checked for evidence of this permission at any time.

References

• The Alabama Hunting and Fishing Trail: Alabama Hunting Laws and Regulations
• Alabama Cooperative Extension: Hunting Leases and Permits
• Alabama Forest Owners’ Association: Hunting Land for Lease
• Alabama Department of Conservation: Hunting

Resources

• Alabama Cooperative Extension: Sample Season Hunting Lease