I've been hunting for several years and have begun looking into buying some property for hunting (deer, turkey, hogs) and some timber investment. My buddy and I have been looking at different properties in different areas around where I live. We've found that the further away from our homes we go, the cheaper the land is. I'm most likely looking at 20 - 60 acres of just raw land without any building structures, electricity, etc in order to get the most acreage for my money. However, I realize that the further away I have to drive, the less I will be able to find time to get to the property, and the less I will likely be able to enjoy it. I'm married with kids so it isn't like I can get in the woods every weekend. My question is, in your opinion how far is too far from you home to own property? I'd like to be able to purchase as many quality acres as possible but also be able to have the time to get to it and enjoy it. In addition to my question, if anyone else has any advice on what to look for or what not to do when looking/buying a first piece of hunting property I would appreciate the insight. Thanks!
I drive 4.5 hrs to my uncles property and it's about the limit. Hard to make it after work and sleep enough to be peppy when the alarm goes off at 4:30am the next morning. Plus we don't get out there as much as we'd like for regular maintenance and so on.
I would say no more then a hours drive from the house, that way you are close enough for a spur of the moment hunt and close enough to go do work at the land for your hunting. And also if you get in trouble while in the woods you know your no more then a hours drive from freinds and family that know the land that can come to help you. As far as what to look for in some land first thing I would do is look at the land around it and find out who owns it and if it's hunted, talk with them and it will give you better info on the hunting pressure around you and you will find out if the area is bad for theft as well.
Train the wife so she wants to head to the woods with you. Anything over an hour, would probably be weekend only and I would want an area setup to camp. I'd look for land that didn't have much good buildable acreage. Should be better priced, and also probably be pretty good for wildlife.
i go to a friends camp all the time and its an hr & half away. thats my limit. its close enough that we can go every weekend if we want to and its also close enough for one day maintenance trips in the summer. they have owned the camp a long time so there is a trailer with well water and electricity so it makes it nice
Thanks for all the feedback and advice. One of the places I'm looking at is about 3 hours from my place and about 2 and half hours from my buddy's place. I'm still not sure if that is my limit or if it is too far. It doesn't have electricity so we'd probably put a trailer on it and figure out a way to run solar and/or a quiet generator for any electrical needs. It would almost certainly have to be weekends for me. Where I live, you get only a couple of acres within 45 mins drive and the cost of the land is expensive for that. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
For me it would be 4 hours. That means that basically one full day is spent driving. In other words, if I leave straight from work at 5ish Friday evening, I'd be at camp by 9ish. Plenty of time to get unpacked, chow on some food, have a nightcap and still be ready to hunt all day Saturday and Sunday. Leave Sunday just after dark and be home early enough to unpack and ready for work Monday AM.
