The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' (ADCNR) State Lands Division plans to auction off public land leases with 140 potential tracts across 32 counties in an upcoming five-year lease cycle.
The lands available for lease are spread across the state, with tract sizes ranging from 34 acres in Walker County to 1,400 acres in Tuscaloosa County. The public auction will take place on Saturday, May 31, during which members of the public can bid to purchase the leases from the state, thereby gaining exclusive rights to public hunting land.
The topography of the properties encompasses uplands, bottomlands, and the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Some of the tracts are bow hunting only. So, out of the 140 tracts, hunters have a variety of options as to location, size and annual rental rate.
"My staff spends a lot of time looking at available tracts to determine if they are a good fit for this type of a hunting lease opportunity, and we utilize an appraiser to help provide information we need to set minimum bid amounts," said State Lands Director Patti Powell McCurdy. "The process involves a lot of work but is certainly worth it as the resulting leases are truly a win-win for the state and hunters. They generate revenue for state agencies and at the same time allow State Lands to offer a unique hunting opportunity to anybody willing to participate in the bid process. So, if you didn't get the tract you wanted during bidding back in 2020, we hope you will try again as part of our 2025 Cycle."
She continued, "Like any business that manages real estate as an asset, State Lands is charged with trying to find ways to make these tracts a revenue-generating asset for certain state agency beneficiaries such as the Department of Education and the Department of Mental Health. To some, this might sound like an unexpected role for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, but really, it's not. Employing proven conservation principles and implementing best management practices has always been directly linked to the resulting productivity of land. While you might see a one-time generation of revenue, you will never achieve the goal of perpetually generating revenue unless you take proper care of the land over the long term."
ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship, echoing McCurdy, said the hunting lease program expands the many excellent public hunting opportunities currently offered by the ADCNR on state land.
"The leasing program gives individuals the opportunity for a totally different hunting experience – a very personal one," Blankenship said. "Not everybody has access to family land or a hunting club. This gives the public an opportunity to lease a tract and enjoy it with family and friends. Our bidders range from hunting clubs to grandparents looking for a place to take their grandkids hunting. I suspect we might also have a few bidders who just want a place to get away and enjoy all by themselves. It's just a different experience we are offering the public."
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