something I've been thinking on for 5 years. What would you prefer for your hunting option?
I voted for other because where I live it's possible to own and live on my own hunting land. I am not in this situation yet but fortunatly I was always able to walk right out the door to 2500 acres of hunting land that was mostly public but noone knew about it. Then, unfortunatly the paper company reclaimed the land and began to lease it.(not to us). Luckily though the people that own the 120 acre farm between us and the lease have always allowed us to hunt so we still have access to hunting land right outside the back door.
I would rather live on 30 to 50 acres so i can walk out the door and start hunting right away.
My problem is, I hate being in debt.. so I'm not! I would rather hunt state land and save my money and take a hunt in another state or buy more hunting goodies. HA! There are literaly thousand's of acres of state land for the roaming and not many people hunt during bow season. I drove through the the state ground close to home around the middle of bow season and counted like 3 or 4 camp's on probably a 25 mile round trip. That's purdy much nobody and alot of ground to cover!! Jason
I chose other because I also walk out my back door to 26 acres.
I'm very very lucky. I know many local land owners that give me the honor to hunt their land at no cost. They all know my commitment to hunt with honor and care for their land as if it were my own. My favorite place is several hundered acres within 3 miles of my home.
I can walk out my back door and hunt 30 acres. Also drive less than 2 miles for more or 15 miles for some very "limited access" private ground and 40 miles to my owned by my brother "honeyhole"... Having private ground to bowhunt is a blessing.
I would like to own my own section and manage for quality deer. Food, limited access, herd balance and TIME are needed for trophy deer...
Own land and live on it would be a good option.
I would like to have my own that I could invite whoever I want and put a little hunting lodge there to take my family and friends just to get away sometimes...
Other.
It depends on what I am hunting. I live on 10 acres but I'm surrounded by a few hundred acres of neighbors ag and wood land. So if it is whitetails(here in MN) I walk out the back door but I love elk hunting and travel almost every year to a western state to hunt in the mountains. If it wasn't for all my family here in MN I would retire to someplace in the Rockies.
I voted other.
Nearly 100% of the land I hunt is within 30 minutes - so I am spoiled in that regards and wouldn't get out as much for "quick" hunts if the land was over an hour away.
Tim
I've been very lucky....I bought 11 acres around 10 years ago and live on it and hunt it. The best part is none of my neighbors hunt so I have sole access to an additional 75 acres that border my property. This has been one of the best investments I've ever made and the deer hunting is excellent.
I also have a house in the Pocono Mountains with access out the back door to a 15K acre State Game Land but the deer hunting there is not so hot so why drive 2 hours. I'm fortunate enough to have access to all of it but, if I could only have one, it would be hunting out of the back door where I reside because I could spend my time hunting instead of driving.
If I had to pay to hunt I would stop hunting. I have always lived on land I could hunt or that I could hunt because it was mine.
I could not afford to lease for hunting or pay for hunting rights.
Reparrow man
If you own you own land,it's like being married to it. There's a lot of self satisfaction in it and a lot of responsibility. I just sold a tract[2007] I had owned for 20 years to secure my retirement and be able to take the hunts I have dreamed about. We have just [in the last 3 years] come out of the Golden Age of Real Estate and the best investment may be " Cash and Canned Goods" Also, if you you can drive less than 1 hour you will go more often. My farm was 40 minutes from my office and I would often go morning and afternoon and still get in a good days work. If you are young and can hold the land for 10-15 years until the political climate changes, which it must before the the economic climate changes, go for it! Good Luck! Dang, I may need a disclaimer on this! Charles
I chose other as well. Own and live on 20 acres surrounded by hundreds of acres of oak hammock, swamp and agriculture. Front door to any one stand is about 4 minutes :-)
I should give some more rationale for the choices. Due to work and family obligations I need to live in the city. It is a drive to just to clear the urban sprawl. I live on a 3/4 acre lot but subburbanites would call the police even if I shot my bow let alone hunt (not that I would that small of a piece). State land in Southern Michigan is pounded even during bow season. I can afford to lease closer but not buy the prices are still inflated with owners hoping to sell for city development. There are more farms down here so the hunting is better. I can afford to own further away but the hunting wont be as good less agriculture and rougher winters. Hunt state land (heavy pressure and lots of people who think they own it and dont respect anything) but go on hunts to great areas every few years. I have around 18 more years until I can leave the city and retire to a place I can live on and hunt on. Thanks for your thoughts.
I am living on the very spot I want to be. My cabin needs to be my 'old cabin'. But I have shot deer on my property; and I can walk to state land and federal lands. I can drive or walk to within a couple of miles of the divide ( into Montana) after the snow melts.
I have killed elk here; and bears; and muledeer and whitetail deer... and although the wolves are hammering our 'game animals' - there is a wolf season.
I like it right here- as is.
I'm in a good position. Walk out my back door and hunt the 170 acres my family has. I also have private land 3 hrs away that is lots better hunting. About 800 acres. Thought about buying some more but thought I would rather have the money to hunt out of state.
I am fortunate as I live on a farm and live in farm country. I can walk out my door and hunt anytime. I also have access to other farms very close so I don't usually travel more than a couple miles at the most to hunt. Ben
I would love to have about 50 acres within a couple hours of Houston, but I'm still looking. My family has a farm up in Kansas, about 300 acres, that I have hunted since I was a little guy. Lots of deer, quail, turkeys, etc, but it is a 9 1/2 hour drive for me. I usually get up there for a 3-4 day hunt every year, but it seems to put a lot of pressure on me to get a kill. Kind of takes the fun out of the experience, when you know that you have a very short time there- like every day is the last day of the hunt.
I chose other cause I got 100ish acres out the back door and you can see my blind from the dining room. Well nevermind it's not mine but it's grandpas I have nothing, but I can hunt that anytime.
As someone who owned 50+ acres that was approx. 2 hours from home I voted lease land less than 1 hour away.
Dont' always have time to go away with wife and two pre-teen kids. Having leased two farms within 20 minutes from home allows me to hunt before work / after work / weekends and still be home with family.
Having to travel nearly two hours didn't seem like a bad idea when we bought the land but over time it turned into a major issue. Sold the land this past year which turned out to be perfect timing.
Where we live there is no way to own land to hunt on or even buy a farm to live and hunt on. If it hasn't been in the family for 30 years forget about it! Being 45 miles outside of Washington DC makes the real estate prices WAY too high. Farms are being sold right and left to build houses.....progress????
QuoteOriginally posted by jcar315:
As someone who owned 50+ acres that was approx. 2 hours from home I voted lease land less than 1 hour away.
Dont' always have time to go away with wife and two pre-teen kids. Having leased two farms within 20 minutes from home allows me to hunt before work / after work / weekends and still be home with family.
Having to travel nearly two hours didn't seem like a bad idea when we bought the land but over time it turned into a major issue. Sold the land this past year which turned out to be perfect timing.
Where we live there is no way to own land to hunt on or even buy a farm to live and hunt on. If it hasn't been in the family for 30 years forget about it! Being 45 miles outside of Washington DC makes the real estate prices WAY too high. Farms are being sold right and left to build houses.....progress????
Sounds real simlar to my situation my kids are only 8 and 4 so just starting their numerous activities. I fly into Regan 2xs per year for business and looks like some nice landscape once you clear the miles of buildings! Thanks for the feedback.
I voted "other" as I am fortunate enough that my brother in law owns 60 acres within 6 miles of my home. Mike
I chose other. I have taught in this city in eastern NE, which is just 15-20 min. from where I grew up. People still know me and my family there, and we've always treated folks fairly and landowners generously. I am fortunate to still have pretty good places to hunt within 15-20 minutes of work; if I'd lose those, I'd be sorely tempted to pull up stakes and relocate further west.
I have some really good spots to hunt in NW Nebraska, but we're talking a 6-7 hour drive and on a teacher's schedule, it just doesn't work out much.
I would prefer to have 10 to 20 acres where I live. That way I don't have to drive to scout and hunt. It would be nice if it backed up to national forest or management area. I lived across the street from a 20,000 acre management area at one time. I could hunt it the whole bow season and get to places easy that it took others a couple mile walk to access. There was a government planted food plot a quarter mile from my house. Deer, Bear, Hog, Turkey, small game and trout. That's the heat.
I had to go with other also. To me, I think it has to do with what stage in life your at and where you live. 2 kids (under 7yrs) so getting away every weekend for the 2-3 hr drive would mean staying. I feel fortunate to have my 800 acres less than 5 miles from the house. I do feel once the get a little older, having somewhere to stay a little further away will happen and will offer the "getting away to deer camp" feel for the entire family.
Good luck in your search.
Rusty
I chose other for the fact that I'm surrounded by millions of acres of BLM and Forest Service. There are several square mile sections of State ground in this area also.
It would be nice to own my own ground, but I doubt I could afford the taxes on it.
I voted other as well.
I enjoy hunting public land.
We own some acreage but it is best for upland game, no longer great though, too many fox, skunk and others.
I have recently been introduced to the block system in Montana and appreciate the land owners sacrifices to open the land to the public. I also appreciate the opportunity to hunt "posted" private land.
Good luck with your choices and decision.
I voted other,I live on a rural area in the middle of millions of acres of public land. Bob
I voted other. Arkansas is loaded with public land and has plenty of game. Deer, bear, hogs, turkey and just about anything else. We even have elk and alligators but drawing a tag is like playing the lottery.
I live in a small town but within an hour's drive I have 14 wmas that I can think of. The smallest is 1300 acres and the largest are 14,000+ acres.
Most of these wma's are bowhunting only for large game. When gun season is open on private land some of these wma's are ignored by a lot of hunters.
I voted other because I live close to state land. Have tons of freinds that let me hunt on there land. And aint hungary for some horns so it really doesnt matter to me. I am to the point were I can find good horns on state land, but really I just want me some meat, lol