Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Land, Leases, and Hunting Clubs Hunting Trip vs Local Lease

Searching for a place my dad(70 yrs old) and I could go for a long weekend hunt next season.
Criteria: lodge/comfortable sleeping, good food/at least a restaurant nearby, realistic chance to kill 150"+ buck, see a lot of deer, in Alabama preferably but wouldn't mind a road trip, $2500-$4000 per...if I missed something let me know.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Or a hunting club or lease halfway between Pike and Shelby counties for $2500 per member! I really just have been thinking a lot about how little we get to hunt together these days and how I want every hunt to be super efficient but I'm only going to spend about $3k doing it. Just trying to figure out the best way dad and I can enjoy hunting together and have a darn good time doing it without stress and having a relaxing time telling each other about how many deer we saw!

*I originally posted this in the serious thread. Prob should be here.

White Oak Plantation in Jemison is the only place I know of in central Alabama that you can shoot 150" or above, there may be some more places that I don't know about..If I was going to spend that kind of money I would join a club that manages for trophy deer...just my 2cents

For starters, 150" deer aren't behind every tree even where there's a good chance at one.

If 150" is the number you want to go with, you'll have to leave the southeast to have a realistic chance at seeing one much less getting a shot.

Canada, Texas or the Midwest is where you need to go.

With Your budget of $2500-4000 each, there are plenty of options out there.

Give me a little more info on what you like out of an outfitted hunt and I'll give you some options.

I have a lease in Mexico that you would love to go to. You can kill 150 to 180 inch deer. Your dad would have a blast, my dad just got back from there with me and he said it was the best trip he had ever been on and he has hunted around the world several times. If you are interested let me know , and know it's not a high fence place

I'm interested.

HELL ME TOO!

No doubt. Give us some more info.

pm sent

With a $6-$8k budget I'd just lease a few hundred acres just for Yall,or join a really good club,by doing this you can enjoy the property year round instead of for only a few days

All good options. Thanks guys. Then the double edged sword is waiting it out. My existing club requires a security deposit soon after the season to save my spot for next season, but the best options of joining a new club or finding the right lease will be duringMay-June. Most of the reservations for decent outfitter type places are filled by summertime also. Ohhhh the stresses of trying to give my money away! Haha

Enon plantation in hurtsboro is as high class as it gets

The better outfitters are booking now, not during the summer.

Their better dates to first.

From October - February is my busiest time of the year to book hunts.

The reality of you shooting 150 plus deer in Al. is not that promising. Not to say you won't do it. I have taken a lot of bucks in Al. and some good ones. But never a 150 plus. And the numbers are down. Regardless of what you read or hear they are down. There are still areas with fairly high densities but they are not what they were. Lead poisoning and coyotes are major factors. And the real hunters can attest to this. I lease in Al. But here is what it boils down to for me. I wait for about a 2 week window in late Jan.-early Feb. ( My place is near Montgomery )and maybe get 5 or 6 days of decent weather and try and close the deal. Lot riding on a such a small window. You would be about as economical to go on pay hunt. And there are some reputable ones. But I personally feel anyone who is wanting to drop big money (4-6 grand) is making a mistake. That's a mighty high priced deer. If a person values one that much , okay. Just not for me. There will possibly be some upcoming leases . Our abundance of warm weather and rainy days will cause some turnover of leases.

I love the reward of putting in the work of my own place. Also having the opportunity to go get in the woods for a few hours if I have time on a random Tuesday morning before I start work.
But I've always wanted to scratch the itch of going on a pay hunt and getting the first class treatment etc.
Even if it's just this year. The issue will be the following year trying to get back involved with something locally.

If you can get you a lease that is a reasonably good area, there is a lot of enjoyment in having your own spot. There is a lot of competition for those nowadays. Lots of hunters are posting ads already for the next deer season. And there seems to be a lot of dissatisfied hunters out here. The people who run our hunting program say the hunters are a dying breed but I could post an ad for lease and show a guy some dirt and a few deer tracks and in 10 minutes he would pay me. Whatever is going on, competition for leases is still very stiff. I hope you find what you are looking for and occasionally I know of something in the Montgomery area. I will assist any way I can.