Whitetail Hunting photo
SHARE

You can bemoan the trend. You can call it regrettable and pine for the days when a rump roast and a holiday card got you on to the farm of your choice. I do. But I don’t see how any capitalism-loving American can find blame in the fact that deer leases–at increasingly astronomical prices–are becoming more common. You can’t blame the farmers, obviously. And as I see it, you can’t really blame deer hunters who lease either–although some seem happy to point the finger at their fellow sports. To the finger-pointers, I ask: “What are you some kind of commies?”

httpswww.fieldandstream.comsitesfieldandstream.comfilesimport2014importBlogPostembedmoney_in_hand.jpg

What I find ponderous are those who tout free-market capitalism in one breath and in the next ask landowners to give away what the market has proven to be a highly valuable commodity while also expecting some sort of guarantee against competition from other interested parties. Does this not sound like a socialist plot?

Look, a good lease in Texas or the Midwest are just two of the great many things I can’t afford. And that kind of sucks. But no one is barring me. If I really want one, I’ll just have to work harder and make more money. That’s the world we live in.

I’m not saying the trend is a good one. And I’m not saying you have to like capitalism. But if you do, you can’t blame deer hunters for leasing ground.

Okay. Go ahead. Shoot me down. The one who does the best job of it will win the opportunity to spout off in the next installment as a guest blogger. -Dave Hurteau