Written by Justin Park|
Last updated
When most people think of New Jersey, they picture the Jersey Shore, the Turnpike, and crowded suburbs, not prime hunting country. Greg Henderson knows better. As HLRBO’s Field Rep for the Mid-Atlantic, he works a region of sprawling farmland, pine and deciduous forests, cedar swamps, and saltwater bays and marshes that produces trophy whitetail deer and some of the best waterfowl hunting on the East Coast.
We spoke with Greg to learn more about the area, his role with HLRBO, and why he thinks there's so much untapped potential on the East Coast when it comes to private hunting leases.
Tell us about your role with HLRBO. What does a Field Rep do?
As a Field Rep, my primary duty is going out to walk a property for landowners that are advertising their Land for lease on HLRBO. Usually before I go there, I’ll use an app to get a general idea of the property & terrain and mark certain areas that I might want to spend extra time scouting. I scout for wildlife activity, capturing photos and videos to enhance the listing with detailed descriptions that help hunters understand what they’re getting. I also install trail cameras on some properties that feed live imagery directly to the listing, and I work to recruit new landowners by explaining the benefits of listing with HLRBO and helping them set up their properties.
For someone who’s never been there, what’s your area like?
I’m on the East coast in the Mid-Atlantic region, which is mostly flat land. We have a good variety of terrain though. Farmlands that grow mostly corn & soybean, forest of pine & deciduous trees, cedar swamps, and of course saltwater bays & marshes. Whitetail deer are the stars of the show here, but there’s also excellent small game, turkey, and predator hunting here, as well as opportunities for black bear in certain areas. Also, we’re right in the Atlantic Flyway, so we have some of the best waterfowl hunting around!
Is land leasing for hunting common in your area? Give us a sense of the type and size of the leases most people are looking at in your area?
Leasing has grown significantly more common since I started hunting—it was almost nonexistent when I was younger. People have really caught on to the value of their land. Most of the time, Hunters are looking for large farms at a reasonable price. Realistically, a 300-500 acre lease is a dream, and most hunters can’t afford it alone. But when you get 4-5 hunters together on a lease that size, the cost per person becomes very manageable and surprisingly affordable. In South Jersey specifically, the typical lease runs 25-50 acres for one or two hunters. In the future, I’d like to see more lease opportunities for waterfowl hunting come up, there’s thousands of acres of marshes near the coast here. For anyone who owns some of that Marshland, there’s no better way to earn a little extra cash from it!
How about you personally? What’s your hunting background?
Yes, I’ve been hunting 40+ years, (I’m giving away my age!), although I tagged along with my dad long before I was old enough to get my license. I was really into bowhunting when I started out, using an old compound bow with open sights, and even managed to get lucky a few times! Since then, I’ve spent countless hours hunting waterfowl, turkeys, small game, and chasing whitetails. These days I mainly focus on bowhunting, and I enjoy exploring different states. Honestly, finding and scouting new territory and locating mature bucks is just as rewarding as the actual hunt.
Outside of hunting and HLRBO, what’s your life like? Do you have a job outside HLRBO?
Outside of hunting and my work with HLRBO, I’m a full-time CAD Designer in a machine shop. I design complex parts for CNC and milling machines—there’s something special about seeing a design actually come to life. I’m also involved in promotional work with Spypoint trail cameras beyond my Field Rep role. Beyond that, I’m married with a daughter in college pursuing a degree in physician assistant studies, which I’m incredibly proud of. The promotional work and Field Rep positions both keep me outdoors doing what I love, which is really the common thread through everything I do.
To get in touch with Greg or another Field Rep, send an email to [email protected].
Justin Park is a Colorado-based writer, editor, and avid hunter with a passion for the outdoors. He contributes to leading publications such as GearJunkie, Popular Mechanics, Powder, and Men’s Journal, and serves as Editor of Wild Snow. Park is deeply involved in conservation and recreation advocacy, serving as Chapter Chair of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) in Summit County. He also represents RMEF on the state recreation committee focused on proactively addressing land use conflicts.