Buying hunting land

[Cob]

Keep in mind that Land is much more than just for hunting...Sure hunting can be a primary objective of the property, but if managed correctly, and purchased at the right price, it will be a heck of an investment, and will satisfy multiple objectives under your management. I work as a forester, and routinely work with landowners on several aspects of management, mostly forest management, but often the land is also manged for: Silviculure, Agriculture, Agro-forestry, Silvopasture, wildlife habitat, cattle grazing, etc...

You will realize many other benefits from the land than just hunting.... When hunting season closes, you will need to keep some sustainable practices in place to help it pay for itself in the long run. You almost have to develop a "farmer mentality", if you want to make the best of the investment.

Growing Trees and Hunting go together rather nicely...

 

[MCgunner]

Farmers and ranchers have to stay home and tend things when the rest of us are off somewhere on trips. I've been tossing around raising goats, but it'd stick me there when I might wanna be in New Mexico hunting mulies or something. I'm thinkin' I'll be happy with a wildlife exemption, same as an ag exemption except you manage it for wildlife and have no livestock on the land. About all the land where I wanna move is good for is goats and sheep, I mean, other than the fantastic hunting.

 

[alsaqr]

Watch the sheriffs auctions and get on the call lists of land brokers/real estate agents. You can still pick up property at good prices. It may not be suitable for timber raising or even farming; but it's out there. My wife and i have accumulated several pieces of property over the years. Many hunters look at property with farming in mind. i look at property with hunting in mind; nothing else. With the exception of 160 acres of one place; all our property is marginal farm land. There are very good ponds on our properties; most are stocked with fish.

We do have some very good grassland: Some of that grass is cut and baled on shares. Last year we sold much of our accumulated hay at a very good price. We do not own cattle and do not rent out the pasture: Cattle are not compatible with feeders and game plots and they tend to trash the ponds.

 

[Magwa45]

I passed through Junction Texas years ago, staying at a small motel off the interstate. It seemed like a nice little town. From what I understand, there is not a lot of public hunting land in Texas. Will the ranchers welcome a hunter who wants to shoot hogs on their property or is it all pay for play? There seem to be a lot of hunting ranches down there and you could spend a lot of money for hunting on trophy ranches. Maybe New Mexico would be better, sparse population and relatively low land prices as I understand it.

 

[Art Eatman]

The Junction area is a good place to live. Low-cost hunting around that kind of ranching country would depend on getting to know and be known by the locals. I'd likely start out by offering to trade labor for hunting.

Folks who live in areas like that tend to make monthly runs to a place where there is major shopping. For Junction, it could be Fredericksburg or Kerrville.

 

[MCgunner]

Will the ranchers welcome a hunter who wants to shoot hogs on their property or is it all pay for play?

Pay to play, unless, like Art says, you befriend folks. But, hog hunting is pretty affordable even if you have to pay. It's the exotics and big bucks that cost the big bucks. That's the one neat thing about hog hunting, affordable even in Texas.

There are public WMAs around the area, though. Deer and hogs are archery only, so I'm going to practice up with my bows. Eventually, I'll sell down here and get up to 4 times the acreage up there depending on access and such. The land prices are that much more affordable than on the coast with that bay front access where all the people are. Even if we don't move, I intend to buy land up there and sell down here. But, the wifle's all in for the move and I'm not griping. The traffic here, if nothing else, is worth getting rid of. I know Corpus ain't a big city, but many, the roads and traffic SUCK here.

Wife's been checking and Kerrville is the nearest Home Depot/Lowes type places. We're going to be redoing things if we get the house we want. I'm in for a lot of work, I'm afraid. Floors, wall paper, paint, kitchen, she's into redecorating. Me, I'd move in as is and be happy, but I ain't the boss.