What is a hunting lease agreement?
A hunting lease gives a hunter, group or hunting club the right to hunt on private land for a season or a year in return for a fee. Landowners use it to earn income from land they farm or manage while keeping control of who is on the property, where they can shoot and what they can build; hunters use it to secure access to good ground.
The template grants hunting rights only — the landowner keeps farming, forestry and all other uses. It covers the land, acreage and no-hunting areas, the game and methods allowed, the lease period (hunting only in legal open seasons), the maximum and named hunters, whether guests are allowed, the fee and a damage deposit, game laws and licences, safety rules including a minimum shooting distance you set, care of the land, stands and blinds, vehicles, camping and fires, food plots and feeders, assumption of risk and indemnity, optional liability insurance, and ending the lease for violations.
- Best for
- Seasonal or annual deer, turkey, waterfowl and small-game leases
- Signed by
- The landowner and the lessee (the hunter, or a club or group representative)
- Licences
- Not included — every hunter holds their own licences and tags
- Length
- 3 pages, initialled on every page
When to Use a hunting lease agreement
- A farmer leasing deer hunting rights on woodland and field edges
- A landowner leasing waterfowl hunting on flooded fields or a pond
- A hunting club taking a multi-hunter annual lease
- A family renewing a long-standing informal arrangement in writing
- A timber company leasing hunting rights on managed forest
What You Fill In
26 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: landowner, lessee.
1 The parties
- Landowner*
- Landowner phone*
- Lessee (hunter, club or group)*
- Lessee address*
2 The land
- Location and description of the land*
- Area*
- No-hunting areas*
- Safe shooting distance from buildings, roads and livestock*
3 The hunting
- Game that may be hunted*
- Methods allowed*
- Lease starts*
- Lease ends*
4 Hunters
- Maximum number of hunters*
- Names of the hunters
- Guests* No guests · Guests allowed with notice
5 Fees
- Currency*
- Lease fee for the whole term*
- Fee is due*
- Damage deposit
6 Land rules
- Stands and blinds* Portable only · Permanent with approval
- Vehicles*
- Camping and fires* Not allowed · Allowed at approved sites
- Food plots and feeders* Not allowed without written approval · Allowed where the law permits, at approved locations
- Other rules
7 Other terms
- Minimum liability insurance
- Governing law*
8 Who signs
- Landowner signature and date, initials on every page · The owner of the land, or someone authorised to lease its hunting rights.
- Lessee signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The hunter, or the representative of the hunting club or group.
What the hunting lease agreement Covers
- What is leased
- Term and seasons
- Hunters
- Fees
- Game laws and licences
- Safety
- Care of the land
- Risk, liability and insurance
- Ending the lease
- General
Using the hunting lease agreement, step by step
1 Describe the land and no-hunting areas
Give the location, acreage and a map. List the areas where no one may hunt or shoot — the house, farm buildings, yards, livestock fields — and set a safe shooting distance, at least any legal minimum.
2 Set the game, dates and hunters
Enter the game and methods allowed, the lease dates, the maximum number of hunters and their names, and choose whether guests may come along.
3 Set fees and land rules
Enter the lease fee and when it's due, and an optional damage deposit. Choose portable or approved permanent stands, the vehicle rules, camping and fires, food plots and feeders, and add any other rules such as a sign-in board.
4 Insurance, then send
Set a minimum hunting lease liability insurance amount if you require one, then send it for signature. Ask for the certificate of insurance and every hunter's details before the season opens.
Tips Before You Send It
- A hunting lease never replaces hunting licences, tags, stamps or hunter education — each hunter must hold their own.
- Mark boundaries and no-hunting zones on a map and on the ground before the season.
- Many places have recreational-use laws that limit a landowner's liability, but they vary and may not apply when a fee is charged — insurance is the more reliable protection.
- Keep a sign-in board or text check-in so you always know who is on the land.
Sign It Online In Minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. VergeHR builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in Files and emailed to everyone.
Hunting lease agreement: frequently asked questions
Do hunters still need a licence if they have a lease?
Yes. The lease only gives permission to hunt on the land. Each hunter must hold every licence, tag, stamp and permit the law requires and follow seasons, bag limits and weapons rules.
Is the landowner liable if a hunter gets hurt?
The template has the lessee accept the risks of hunting and natural land, and cover the landowner against claims arising from the hunters' activities, except the landowner's gross negligence or deliberate acts, to the extent the law allows. Local law decides how far such terms are enforceable, so many landowners also require liability insurance.
Can the landowner end the lease early?
Yes, straight away and without refund, if any hunter or guest breaks a game or firearms law on the land, acts unsafely or seriously breaks the lease. If the land is sold or becomes unavailable through no fault of the lessee, a fair share of the fee is refunded.
Can a hunting lease be signed online?
In most countries, including the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the UK, the EU (eIDAS) and Canada, an electronic signature is generally valid for an ordinary contract like this one. VergeHR keeps an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion with the signed PDF.
Is this template free?
Yes. The template is free to use with the eSignature app in VergeHR, and the lessee doesn't need a VergeHR login to sign.