Do you hunt your own land?

[JMart76]

I’ve always been envious of those who are blessed to hunt your own dirt! I know some have inherited property and some have purchased it. Just curious for those who have purchased your land how ya went about it? I’m more interested in hearing from those who are average Joe’s like myself who don’t make 6 figures and are raising a family. No offense to those who have jobs that pay more, just want some perspective and ideas on how to achieve this goal.

For now I lease and am planning on using our first home’s sale in the future to finance part of a land purchase. I’m a dreamer and am trying to find a way to get into 50-100+ acres in my hill country triangle Uvalde-Junction-San Antonio. Something just outside could work as well but I’d like to stay relatively close as my parents are in Seguin and my pops is getting older so I don’t need them to far. Plus I’d like to have some exotics to hunt throughout the year.

The post asking about land owners got me back on this subject so, thanks to that OP for that thread.

[Acameron52]

Following!

[panhandlehunter]

I bought my land, don’t have a bunch, but it used to be a lot cheaper. Lol. I couldn’t afford to buy what I have today. I don’t really hunt it. I plant food plots for deer, and keep a feeder going. I’ve only killed one deer here in 8 years. We don’t have a high density and I just like to watch them. I shoot a bunch of pugs though, mainly to just try and keep them out of here.

[Dakota7493]

I bought my land, don’t have a bunch, but it used to be a lot cheaper. Lol. I couldn’t afford to buy what I have today. I don’t really hunt it. I plant food plots for deer, and keep a feeder going. I’ve only killed one deer here in 8 years. We don’t have a high density and I just like to watch them. I shoot a bunch of pugs though, mainly to just try and keep them out of here.

pugs!?? Oh man, that's just dirty and cruel!!

[sharpstick35]

one of my places is in that triangle. if you buy make sure you stay away from the owner financing developement company sub divisions,

[MadHatter]

Have 300 acres and rarely touch it.
I get bored easy, and don't do stands, blinds, or feeders.
Walking the same area over and over, kills it for me.
I've taken 3 deer off it in the last 8 yrs if my memory serves me right.

[mcbZX225]

I think you are on the right track. We don't own a bunch just 40 acres but it is pure greatness and wouldn't change it for the world. Do a lot of research about any prospective property (satellite pics, walk entire perimeter etc) good neighbors make all the difference.

[glen]

I’ve owned land big enough to hunt several times and have always just raised wild pets.

[frios]

I just bought 20 acres of raw land in Medina county for $100k, its exactly 1.5 hour door to gate from my house in SA. I wanted something near home, I just couldn't do the 3 to 4 drive to Rocksprings area - especially for just the weekend.

I know prices have gone out the roof now especially closer to SA. Medina county, bandera county, kerr county.

Buy "raw" land - don't buy something with electricity or water already - as you paying for that improvement. With raw land you can put your own footprint...not somebody else. Plus you can put the water well, fencing, electric on the loan if you want - I went with capital farm and credit.

btw - I'll be hunting my property. My land. My rules.

good luck on your search.

[White Falcon]

No, I just like poaching on someone else's land.

[salth2o]

My parents own around 100 acres. We hunt 60 of it. My dad and mom are teachers. They have lived well beneath their means and still live in the house my dad built in 1970 (that house cost them $19000). My dad drives a 1978 F250 on the farm and a 2000 F250 as his daily driver.

He and my mom have bought and sold cattle through the years to help pay for most everything including college tuition for me, my sister, and my brother.

[Antlers86]

I’m blessed but have also worked my tail off to meet our family goals. Married in 2009 and built my own home which saved us a ton of money. Paid majority of materials cash what we could afford and the rest we took a 10 yr loan out. The next 5 years the wife and I worked hard sticking to a Dave Ramsey plan and paid off our home and cars. Carried no credit card debt so once the house and cars were paid it free’d up income to start looking at land. I didn’t make much at the time. I was bringing in $27k a year salary working for the city and the wife was a stay at home mom. I started looking hard for land in 2015. During that time I also was struggling at work with the City and took on a ranch managing job doubling my salary. Land was tough to find nearby but I was fortunate to have an inside contact to a buddy that mentioned the place next to me going up on the market before it ever reached the market. Paid way more than I ever thought I would but being next door it was worth more to me. 89 acres total and solid hunting property that is 600 yds to the gate from our home. We had saved a little prior to the closing and put down all we had to get it. We were back to paycheck to paycheck for the next year or so but slowly caught back up. 3 yrs went by and I had another ranch contact me that was next door for some work. That little work turned into more hours and now is my full time job. Almost doubled my salary again from the previous ranch managing job. To this day I am still there and also manage another one on the side less hours a week just for extra income. I take 100% of the income from the part time ranch and throw it to Principal on the land. Really helps lower the interest every month and seeing that is very motivating. We have a 2yr old, 8yr old and 9yr old. Wife is still a stay at home mom and we also homeschool. Can get hard at times but I’m thankful for everything.

I also did a side gig of antler art here on TBH which was a huge blessing. Really helped us get out of debt to be where we are today. Now I rarely have time to mess with antlers. I also built a house for my BIL and made a little extra side money from that to throw towards our land. Stay focused on your dreams and pray about it. Looking back it’s crazy to see how everything fell into place to be where we are today.

[JhuntsAlot]

I have been wanting to buy land for a while and looked at many different places based on price. It doesnt seem like it will ever be possible, especially with the intent of it not being my primary residence. It seems like hunting is becoming(if it hasnt already been) a rich mans sport. Especially if trying to do it from scratch after tough times. Down side is land rarely goes down and it will get tougher.

Sorry to be such a bummer. Just been trying to get my own piece of heaven, at least seriously, for the last 5 or 6 years and not been successful.

Good luck to you.


J

[Drycreek3189]

I bought this 80 acres where we live 25 years ago. Believe me, it has more than doubled in price around here. I paid some money down and borrowed the rest from a friend who was looking to invest some money. Win for me and him. I paid it off early when I sold a business, I figured I’d rather have the house and land free and clear than to invest that money. I didn’t hunt my place very much at all until about three years ago because my son hunted it. He has other places to hunt, as do I, but last year I killed my first buck on this place. For ten years I owned another place of 217 acres in the adjoining county, paid cash for it, just raw land that needed lots of improvements. I had my own dozer and backhoe, tractor and implements so it was just time and fuel for the most part. I killed a buck there almost every year but I spent too much time and money there so I sold it. I haven’t missed it because I also am on a lease in that county for much, much cheaper than I can own land. Bottom line is, if you have the desire and it’s your priority, (and your wife is on board), you can find a way. Good luck !

[No-Tox]

I own 65 acres of bottom land for 10 years now. The main purpose was for duck hunting but when it is dry on the North end I can deer hunt which I have started making improvements there within the last 3 years. It also coincides with a neighbor that had hog dogs that would run my property and keep any pigs or deer off the property, that has moved 4 years ago.
Now, the total acreage the gentleman wanted to sell me was 95 acres but at the time I couldn't afford or most importantly get my wife on board with the additional 30 acres as it wasn't hunting land, but would be nice for a cabin.
Well, now it is 10 years later I'm in the process of looking at purchasing that land but now it has improvements on it (electric, water, Large metal building) and is now much more expensive. But it is all in the timing. I was able to bite off what I could chew 10 years ago and now that my career and company has grown, I'm able to look at expansion.
Some people start with a smaller property, turn it into a better place then sell it and move up to a bigger property until they are on a property they want for a long time.
With all that said, it has been a true blessing to go from leasing out land and making huge improvements to it and then the landowners selling it, without getting any ROI other than a THANKS and good luck finding another lease. That was always the biggest kick in the nuts. Then there was also improvements you wanted to do that the landowner didn't want done. Now, I can do whatever, whenever and however I want without asking anyone (except maybe my wife...always have to remind myself of that).