If it's a really good one, you should invite me out to help thin the animal population!
Seriously, you need to find out:
1. Is it year-round or just for a specific season?
2. Are there cattle or will people be working in the area (e.g., rounding up cattle, maintaining a right-of-way, oil/gas workers)?
3. Is water available? (Electricity or sewer might be nice, but you always find a need for water.)
4. What are the exact boundaries? (I was on a lease once that had a poorly laid out boundary and the guys on the lease next door built stands on our lease.)
5. Make sure there's a written contract.
6. What are the access points in and out? (gates, locks)
7. Is there a building to sleep in or a place to camp?
8. Nearest residences? (i.e., Don't shoot near there!)
9. Can we cut paths or trim trees?
10. Can we put up permanent stands or do we need to take them down at the end of the season?
11. Are there areas that can't be reached during bad weather? (e.g., creek floods and you can't get out)
12. Is the lease managed? (In theory, they're all supposed to be, but not all are.) Sign-in book, list for all game taken, limits on does, etc.
13. Anything odd on the property we need to know about? (Hunted a place that had live ordinance left over from WWII. THAT was interesting!)
14. Dogs allowed? (Was on a place once that had great quail hunting, but didn't allow dogs. The owner hated dogs. Really.)
15. Any exotics? (e.g. Axis deer) If so, how much to hunt them?
I'm sure others will add to the list.
Probably wasn't a good person.14. Dogs allowed? (Was on a place once that had great quail hunting, but didn't allow dogs. The owner hated dogs. Really.)