2014 - Volume #BFS, Issue #14, Page #23
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Service Offers Stress-Free Leasing Of Hunting Land
Grain and cattle farmers have found another source of income for their land: renting to hunters through Base Camp Leasing.
“Hunters are desperate for good places to hunt, while landowners are looking for additional income,” said Steve Meng, owner of Base Camp Leasing. Base Camp has agents in 25 states who will meet with landowners and inspect the land to access the value of the land to hunters. “Most properties are a minimum of 40 acres, ideally 80 percent woods and 20 percent tillable, but each one is different,” said Meng. “We are always looking for new properties. Eighty-five percent (of available land) is leased out, and we are happy with that. A lot of them get leased the day they come out.”
Base Camp’s Leasing Agents are hunters and have become expert at determining what hunters are willing to pay to lease a property. Some properties get leased within 5 minutes of being released and others can take a few weeks or longer. Hunters are encouraged to introduce themselves and go over guidelines with the landowner before embarking on a hunting trip.
“A lot of our landowners are farmers. Some are absentee landowners as farms are handed down to kids who don’t work the land. The landowners want to know who’s on their land and don’t want people knocking on their door during harvest,” Meng said. “The majority of landowners stick with us. Hunters move around more, which is expected as they look for different opportunities. Some prefer to manage a property over time.” Meng reported that his website BaseCampLeasing.com attracts 30,000 visitors per month and his email list is 27,000 hunters looking for opportunities – and willing to pay for them. Leases in the Midwest usually go for $10 to $30 per acre.
One of the advantages that Base Camp Leasing hears about from landowners is that they don’t have to deal with friends and neighbors who want to hunt the land and they don’t have to deal with the paperwork. Base Camp makes it easy for the landowner. “We have built a strong demand base through our website so we can get it leased for a premium price and we require payment up front. Because we deal with a lot of absentee landowners who have inherited the property and live out of state, knowing who is hunting the property can make a landowner feel more secure. Plus our hunters can help keep an eye on the place during hunting season,” said Meng.
Landowners like Base Camp Leasing’s service because it saves the hassle of paperwork, includes liability insurance, and the income helps pay taxes. The business provides insurance for landowners and hunters with a $3 million liability certificate.
Base Camp Leasing does business in 25 states. The map can be viewed on the website: www.BaseCampLeasing.com. Landowners are invited to call for a free information packet that lays out the process.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup,
Base Camp Leasing
10412 Allisonville Road Suite 101
Fishers, IN 46038
Call: 866-309-1507
www.BaseCampLeasing.com
info@basecampleasing.com


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2014 - Volume #BFS, Issue #14