Find Your Ground.
A free hunting lease agreement template, customized for South Dakota, written by the people who lease 1.5 million acres a season.
Hunting Land Lease Agreement
State of South Dakota · HLRBO Template v4.2
1. Parties
This Hunting Land Lease Agreement ("Lease") is entered into on ______, 2026 by and between ________________ ("Lessor") and ________________ ("Lessee"), each 18 years of age or older, who agree as follows.
2. Premises
Lessor leases to Lessee approximately ______ acres located in South Dakota, more particularly described in Exhibit A ("Premises"), for the sole purpose of hunting ________________.
3. Term
The term of this Lease shall commence on ________ at __ a.m./p.m. and shall end on ________ at __ a.m./p.m. Early arrival or late departure is not allowed without prior written approval.
4. Lease Fee & Payment
Lessee shall pay a total lease fee of $______, due in full prior to occupancy and processed through HLRBO. Payments are non-refundable except as provided in Section 9.
5. Permitted Use & Game Species
Lessee is permitted to hunt only the species and seasons authorized by South Dakota Department of Fish & Wildlife. All applicable licenses, tags, and stamps must be carried on Premises at all times.
6. Rules of Conduct
Lessee will not allow any nuisance to occur. Good housekeeping practices will be exercised to prevent insect, rodent, or fire hazards. No accumulation of garbage on Premises is permitted; all trash, including carcass matter, must be removed at departure.
Select your
jurisdiction.
Hunting lease law varies state by state. Recreational-use statutes, indemnification language, and the very list of legal game species all change at the border.
We've localized all 50.
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and the land.
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Why
on paper.
"First year I used the HLRBO template I had a hunter try to bring four extra guns up on opening weekend. Pointed at the guest clause. Conversation was over in thirty seconds."
Protect your liability.
A written lease is the difference between a handshake and a defense. Every clause is reviewed against current case law for your state.
Lock in the rent.
Set the price, the term, and the payment schedule in writing. No "I thought it was per gun" conversations halfway through the season.
Set the rules of the property.
Stand placement, food plots, ATVs, guests — spell out what's allowed before the season opens, not when something goes wrong.
Look professional.
Serious hunters want a real lease. Showing up with a real document is the fastest way to filter for the right tenants.
Stay compliant.
State-customized language for game laws, indemnification, and governing-law clauses — so it actually holds up where you are.
Renew without rework.
Your template lives in your HLRBO landowner account. Renew next season with one click — no re-typing dates or names.
Hunting Land Lease Agreement
State of South Dakota · HLRBO Template v4.2
1. Parties
This Hunting Land Lease Agreement ("Lease") is entered into on ______, 2026 by and between ________________ ("Lessor") and ________________ ("Lessee"), each 18 years of age or older, who agree as follows.
2. Premises
Lessor leases to Lessee approximately ______ acres located in South Dakota, more particularly described in Exhibit A ("Premises"), for the sole purpose of hunting ________________.
3. Term
The term of this Lease shall commence on ________ at __ a.m./p.m. and shall end on ________ at __ a.m./p.m. Early arrival or late departure is not allowed without prior written approval.
4. Lease Fee & Payment
Lessee shall pay a total lease fee of $______, due in full prior to occupancy and processed through HLRBO. Payments are non-refundable except as provided in Section 9.
5. Permitted Use & Game Species
Lessee is permitted to hunt only the species and seasons authorized by South Dakota Department of Fish & Wildlife. All applicable licenses, tags, and stamps must be carried on Premises at all times.
6. Rules of Conduct
Lessee will not allow any nuisance to occur. Good housekeeping practices will be exercised to prevent insect, rodent, or fire hazards. No accumulation of garbage on Premises is permitted; all trash, including carcass matter, must be removed at departure.
The
contents.
Every state template is built from the same nine-section frame, then customized for your state's hunting regulations and governing law.
-
01
Parties & Premises Lessor, Lessee, acreage, county, and a property description that ties to your survey or plat.p. 1
-
02
Term & Dates Start and end of the lease, arrival and departure times, and a clear handoff window.p. 2
-
03
Lease Fee & Payment Total fee, payment schedule, late-fee policy, and how funds move through HLRBO.p. 3
-
04
Permitted Game & Methods Which species, which weapons, which seasons — pulled from your state's regulations.p. 4
-
05
Rules of Conduct Stands, blinds, ATVs, alcohol, firearms safety, guest policy, food plot maintenance.p. 5
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06
Liability & Insurance Indemnification language, recreational use statutes, and required hunter coverage.p. 6
-
07
Damages & Trash Who pays for ruts, gates, and the trail-cam someone walked off with. Trash and carcass disposal.p. 7
-
08
Cancellation & Default Refund schedule, no-show policy, and what happens if either side breaches the lease.p. 8
-
09
Governing Law & Signatures Customized for the state you select — venue, choice of law, and signature blocks for all parties.p. 9
From the
landowners.
First year I used the HLRBO template, I had a hunter try to bring four extra guns up on opening weekend. Pointed at the guest clause and the conversation was over in 30 seconds.
I'd been leasing on a handshake for nine years. Switched to a written lease the season my neighbor got sued. Took 20 minutes to fill out, sleep better every night since.
My hunters take the property more seriously now. A real lease tells them this is a real operation — not just somebody's deer woods.
What landowners ask before signing.
Going deeper on .
Legal Disclaimer
HLRBO's lease templates are provided as a starting point for landowners and are not a substitute for legal advice. Hunting lease law varies by state and by property. We strongly recommend reviewing your final lease with a licensed attorney in your state before signing. HLRBO, LLC makes no warranty as to the enforceability of any specific clause in any specific jurisdiction.
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