Farmers hunting for profits open land

(Perry, Oklahoma-AP) -- Fee hunting has long been practiced in Texas and other Southern states. But now, the practice is expanding growing more widespread. <br><br>Farmers have turned outbuildings into

Monday, March 8th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Perry, Oklahoma-AP) -- Fee hunting has long been practiced in Texas and other Southern states. But now, the practice is expanding growing more widespread.

Farmers have turned outbuildings into lodges, become paid guides to people they once let hunt for free, and negotiated hunting leases that pay when the crops sometimes won't.

Steve Meng of Indiana-based Base Camp Leasing arranges leases between landowners and hunters in nine states. He says the practice is ``getting to be a big business'' as more farmers find it as a hedge against uncertain crop fortunes.

A 2001 survey by the US Fish and Wildlife Service found hunters spent almost $625-million on leases in 2001. That's almost double the proceeds from 1991.