I have an opportunity to lease this property for bow hunting deer, but I have some apprehension. I would like some feedback. The landowner does not live there. There is a house and seven or eight cottages. Two of the cottages are lived in year-round while the others are rented out on Airbnb, mostly on the weekends (some weekly). The landowner allows people, including the Airbnb rentals, to walk the property. There are trails and limited markers. Denying them the ability to walk the property is nonnegotiable. The landowner could not give me feedback on the game there. When I asked the two people that live there they said they barely saw deer. They did say there are a lot of bear. The property is approximately 150 acres, with changes in elevation, 10+ springs, three ponds, hayfields, a road traveled often on two sides, a highway and railroad on one side, a chicken farm bordering one spot, and a growing development/resort on the right side. The property is highlighted in red. The living area with all of the cottages and the house is inside the yellow. The landowner drove me around the property on a UTV for an hour. I saw absolutely zero signs of deer. The only trails I saw into the woods were man-made. I did not see a single old rub, scrape, or deer. There were a few six spots and I saw zero trails coming out of them, even from small game. While I know there has to be some deer there I am hesitant to pay 12-13 an acre. Property is in Virginia. Here are my thoughts. Without knowledge or photos I do not think the property is worth the cost. I think I am going to propose a pass on the property this year with a contingency that I put up some trail cameras to see if it is worth it for next year. The landowner has never let anyone hunt the property in the four years he has owned the land. What do you think?
I think you've already made up your mind. If you wanna hunt deer, I'd say no. If you wanna hunt bear, I'd probably say yes. As for the travelers, I'd ask the owner if you were to decide to hunt to post some signs on trails stating may be hunter present on property or something like that. I would say liability wise he's gotta do something to let them know. This could help keep the casual walker away. Or could hurt his business who knows. I like the idea if he lets you of setting cameras up to scout. Share the info with him and maybe he decides to advertise it a little differently and has info for potential customers.
Even though it is a place to hunt, I would not lease it. Not knowing what happens there daily, poeple wandering around whenever they want, nothing worse than someone going for a walk through the woods at prime time...
It doesn’t even sound like a place to hunt for free if you ask me unless you have absolutely no other options. You are talking about $1500 for what is probably poor hunting and almost certainly a lot of frustration.
As stated by others, I would not pay to hunt that property. If it were free then might be worth a sit or two. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Looks basically like urban hunting. I don't think I'd pay for it but I'd run cameras if allowed to. Might be surprised what's in there.
