No commercial trees can be cut to establish shooting lanes. Lessees will be allowed to cut brush, however, to open shooting lanes. If you are in doubt as to whether the plants in question are commercial trees or brush, do not cut them! Contact your lease manager for clarification.

No. Your club does need insurance, but you will not have to seek and secure insurance on your own. Westervelt Wildlife Services secures annual liability insurance for all hunting clubs under one insurance policy through the Outdoor Underwriters Agency. The insurance amount is added to the total lease price. That is, your total lease price is the lease amount ($/acre) plus the insurance amount.

Because growing and harvesting trees is the primary land use objective for The Westervelt Company’s land, it is necessary to harvest timber or conduct other forest management activities throughout the year. However, efforts will be made to inform hunting clubs of these activities prior to them occurring. Because we manage hundreds of hunting clubs and timber activities are constant across the Westervelt landscape, it may not always be possible to contact the club directly. Thus, planned silvicultural activity maps are updated regularly and listed on each club’s webpage.

Most Westervelt lands are already gated. Where needed, and only with Westervelt’s written permission, hunting clubs will be allowed to erect gates. However, gates must be built to Westervelt specifications. Under no circumstances are cables, chains, or ropes to be used to restrict access due to potential safety hazards. Use of cables, chains, ropes or other similar restrictions may be grounds for lease cancellation. We recommend relaying gate issues to your hunting lease manager. In many cases, we can help resolve these issues.

Metal ladder stands, tripods, climbing stands, and shooting houses are encouraged. Nailing stands to trees or driving metal spikes into trees for steps is not allowed.