Written by HLRBO Staff|
Last updated
HLRBO closed out 2025 with more than 6,200 active hunting leases covering over 1.5 million acres across the U.S. and Canada. It marked a record year for the Minnesota-based land leasing platform.
The platform now serves a community of more than 165,000 users, and the company entered 2026 after securing a new round of venture funding and adding key hires to support continued growth.
Founded in 2015, HLRBO operates a mobile app and digital marketplace that connects private landowners with vetted hunters seeking legal access to hunt. The platform formalizes what were once informal, handshake-based arrangements by offering transparent listings, insurance, and built-in payment tools.
Landowners set pricing, control access and timing, and generate income from land that might otherwise sit unused. Hunters gain reliable access and an alternative to sometimes crowded public land.
The rise of recreational leasing is reshaping how landowners think about their property. According to the company, hunting leases typically generate between 15 and 50 dollars per acre annually, with premium properties earning more.
Unlike farming, timber, or solar leases, recreational access requires minimal equipment, low overhead, and limited time commitment. Landowners may also benefit from improved property oversight, shared responsibility for upkeep, and additional security from having trusted users on-site.
On the hunter side, demand has grown as competition for public land increases. HLRBO’s app includes tools designed to streamline the leasing process, including LandKey, which manages contracts, payments, and insurance in one place.
Users can set saved searches for new listings, explore properties using terrain maps, and communicate directly with landowners through in-app messaging.
“New leases are being added daily across the country,” said Heath Schubert, CEO and cofounder. “Now is the time to browse properties, reach out to landowners, and get verified so you’re ready when the right lease pops up.”