So you want to join or start a deer lease or club. You’re a reasonable person with many friends that are sportsmen. Shouldn’t be a problem, right?
Not so fast my friend. In my experience, no matter how casual you want the arrangement to be, there has to be some structure around it. Many folks don’t want an overly hard-core system of rules. I get it. 
But I would be remiss if I didn’t note that the best of friendships can be damaged over the smallest of details with regard to hunting arrangements. After all, hunting clubs and leases are expensive these days. Can you ride around the ranch at night? Is both rifle and bow hunting allowed on the property? The “we’re all adults” mindset doesn’t always work. Believe me.
Whether you’re a hunting fanatic or one that simply wants a few weekends out with the guys, here are just a few of the many things to consider.
Take Me to Your Leader
Think of your lease or club as a government – a system with structure. While democracy is typically viewed as a good thing, there’s something to be said for having one member “in charge”. Many old-timers will confirm that their leases from decades past typically had a ring leader of sorts. This doesn’t mean that you have no say, but having someone take the lead can be effective. For example, there is often one member that did all of the legwork arranging for the lease in the first place. This individual can propose a preliminary set of rules to the group allowing for prospective members to decide if it’s a good fit for them or not. This person moving forward can, within reason, make the lion’s share of the decisions and serve as an effective conduit to the landowner. This method often makes for clarity and fewer changes down the road. Having a leader or two can often be effective – just something to think about.
Can Billy Spend the Night?
Perhaps many of us can remember as youngsters asking our parents if a friend (or friends) could spend the night. Seemed harmless, huh? Hunting is no different and there’s often nothing better than sharing your time and hunting rights with good friends. What about bringing a young son or daughter? What could be wrong with that? After all, you’re introducing a kid to the outdoors. I mean, you’re promoting our outdoor heritage! Well, though well intended, this could prove to be an annoyance to some. Like anything else, agree on a guest and extended family policy – ahead of time. You might have a doe-only policy for guests or one that allows them to come but not hunt at all. You get the point.
Blind and Tree Stand Etiquette
While some leases have stands that are open for all members to hunt, many have a system whereby each hunter has their own stand (or stands). I prefer something in between. Either way, clear camp rules, upfront conversations, and common courtesy are the key here. Nobody wants to travel 3 hours to the lease only to find someone in their hunting blind or that a stand has been set up between their blind and a key feeding area.
Food for Thought
Though baiting continues to be a controversial issue in the hunting world, it’s absolutely legal in some places such as my home state of Texas. 
I’m not here to debate whether it’s right or wrong. However, if there is no agreement among members regarding feeding practices you’re just asking for problems. Feeding deer directly impacts movement patterns for a large area and your feeding practices can negatively impact the hunting areas of others. Make sure that your rules account for baiting. For example, you may want to stipulate that each member may only feed adjacent to their particular blind or stand. Either way, clearly establish rules early.
Men at Work
For many hunters, a deer lease largely serves as a means to hang out with friends (play cards, sit around the fire, etc.). Sure they like to hunt, but the socializing is just as valuable to them. Others are much more concerned with the management of the deer on the property and the hunt itself. 
In either case, most members have to carefully consider how much time they will spend away from work and family. So what about the time spent not hunting or socializing on the lease? What about handling the many tasks that have to be done to maintain the lease during and after the season? I’m referring to handling tasks such as clearing brush around the camp area, planting food plots and camp house repairs. This can truly be a bone of contention for some, but it doesn’t have to be.
Establishing simple expectations go a long way (starting to see a pattern?). If this is important to you, then create rules accordingly. Unless you make a point to set parameters around how much time each member spends working at the lease, don’t hold it against members that spend less time helping than others.
Camp To-Dos
“What’s for dinner?” “We’re out of coffee and bottled waters.” “Who’s going to get firewood?” These are just a few of the questions that regularly arise on a deer lease. The menial day-to-day chores during the hunting season are countless. One common way to handle them is to decide on a way to spread them among the members present on the hunt. You might consider assigning particular people to be responsible for dinner and cleanup for a given night. The key to maintaining harmony is to avoid keeping score and simply use common sense. At a minimum, each member should clean up their own messes. After that, do the obvious! Clean the house before leaving for home, cut off the water and drain the pipes, and lock up. It’s always a good idea to make a list of items that are in short supply and make it known to the group via text or email. In this way, no one finds a disheveled house or is stuck without basic items when they arrive next time.
It’s a Big Buck to Me
Perhaps the most crucial element to a successful deer club or lease is its restrictions regarding antlers. There is no perfect formula for antler restrictions. Especially in this age of quality deer management, such restrictions are pivotal to a lease’s long term success. If maximizing antler size, deer health, and habitat, then parameters around deer antlers and age will be important to the overall success of the lease. However, other members may not value such things and fall into the “I paid for this, so I can shoot what I want” camp. Depending on desired results, neither side is wrong, however, unlike some other areas of contention, there can be no gray areas here. Again, there is no one-size-fits-all system to lean on regarding deer size. Whatever the case, this is a volatile topic and will require adherence and accountability from the members.
Guns and Libations
They had already finished the morning hunt, had breakfast and a short nap. With several hours to go before the afternoon hunt, the 2 bored lease members decided to load the cooler with beer and take the ATV out in hopes of jumping some hogs and maybe even a wandering buck. 
After all, if the morning hunt was any indication, the rut was in full swing. If anything can trump rules regarding antlers, it’s how to address alcohol on the lease and in the camp. I’ll just say that you’ll want to navigate this one carefully. Call me crazy or a prude, but there is nothing really to gain from taking the chance of injuring or killing yourself or a fellow hunter. If you really want to play it safe, postpone any alcohol until all hunters are in for the evening and guns are unloaded and put away. Remember, there are people at home depending on your return.
