Considering a new property, need help

[chummer]

I am going to look at a 67 acre property that is only 5 minutes from my camp. It sounds to good to be true from a habitat stand point. It has three streams and a 1-2 acre pond. It is all hard woods, various ridges and plateaus. It was last logged 10 years ago. The selling point to me is it is surrounded by 9k acres of state land on three sides. On paper this looks like a huge bonus but I could be wrong. Does anyone have land that borders public land and is this a pro or con. My thought is the back side of the 67 acres would be far enough from the road it would see very little pressure. The property has a network of trails so I could acess the public land easily where others couldn't. The broker estimates the timber value at 1/3 the asking price if you took trees 14" and up. That brings the price under 1k per acre. What say you?

 

[bat man]

Public land boundaries would queer the deal in MN.

 

[bwoods11]

Depends on the state. I would not like the public land issue. Maybe its not a big deal out there?

 

[chummer]

My area has tens of thousands of acres of state land that is basically all the same terrain. What I drive by on a regular basis I see very little use. A car here and there on the weekend is about it. I am sure if I do the improvements and deer show up so will the trespassers. I was thinking large sanctuary thick enough a wandering hunter won't walk through.

 

[wiscwhip]

We bordered 600 acres of county forest. Shot my 2 best bucks just over the line(my stand was 30yards to the south) while being chased by hunters on the public land. That said, I wouldn't do it again, too many issues, especially given that the county snowmobile trail was our north border. Everyone and their cousin had an opportunity to trespass if they so desired.

 

[West Branch]

Bordering the north side of our farm we have public land that goes for miles, within a mile it is probably 1,000 acres of public and connected to a couple thousand more as you go north. Us and the neighbors block off access near us, so its a plus for us. If someone showed up on our land from the north they would have to be pretty darn lost.

 

[j-bird]

The only way I would consider it would be if I felt the nearest access was far enough away that virtually nobody would venture that far, and sooner or later someone will. Also consider if there is that much ground and little pressure you may still have a hard time holding deer on your property. 1 hunter on your 67 acres could be a higher hunter density than the state ground. Especially depending on how this property sits and the access you have based on wind directions and the like. I would look at the state land as a PITA neighbor and look at the property from that perspective - if the state ground isn't an issue then it's all upside! You can only control what is yours. I also tend to expect the worst and when it doesn't happen I am surprised.

 

[Steve Bartylla]

Chummer, you most likely have a better feel for if it will be an issue up there than we do, as every area is different. I know I've had a handful of clients in situations similar to what you describe. In a couple situations, it was a constant battle for them. In a couple others, all that extra ground was a huge bonus and they had virtually no negative issues at all. Based on what you described the area pressure and the size of the public ground (9K), I'd bet that ground falls closer to being a bonus than a battle, but I don't know the mindset of local hunters anywhere as well as you do. So, take that with a huge grain of salt.

 

[chummer]

Chummer, you most likely have a better feel for if it will be an issue up there than we do, as every area is different. I know I've had a handful of clients in situations similar to what you describe. In a couple situations, it was a constant battle for them. In a couple others, all that extra ground was a huge bonus and they had virtually no negative issues at all. Based on what you described the area pressure and the size of the public ground (9K), I'd bet that ground falls closer to being a bonus than a battle, but I don't know the mindset of local hunters anywhere as well as you do. So, take that with a huge grain of salt.

The hunters that border me are cross tagging, brown is down. A part of me is looking forward to getting away from them. I don't think I could find a worse bunch. Probably wishful thinking but at least I would have control. My FIL allows anyone that asks (or doesn't) to hunt on us. I am taking a tour of the property Friday so I will see how it lays out. It is off the main road so that hurts a little.

 

[sandbur]

You would be hunting different bucks. Timber values are usually overstated. You can expect trespass issues imo.

What do you mean b y---You would be hunting different bucks?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Chummer - My camp in Pa. doesn't border state land, but state land is just across the mtn. The private land is well posted bordering state land and for the most part, the state land doesn't get pounded like it used to. In our area, I don't see many people parked along the state land or in the parking areas for public hunting. I think each region has it's own circumstances. Ask around the new area - see if many hunt it.

If I wanted to keep others out, I'd not only post it, but cut and plant lots of blackberry & raspberry and hawthorn trees to make crossing the line literally painful. Maybe some wild rose - they hurt !! Double rows of staggered spruce to keep eyes out of where you don't want them. It keeps road shooters at bay here. Many camps are using spruce here for that purpose - it works !! Best of luck with your decision.

Edit: I just looked at what I believe is the prop. you're looking at buying. Redfield? It looks really open woods-wise and could have some timber value. Timbering would def. help from the pix on the web-site. But boy could you create a deer haven after the cutting !!!

 

[BuckSutherland]

BUY IT!!! If you can swing it buy it for sure. It's an asset and will always be worth something. We let the 40 next to us go when it was for sale and its is gonna be a huge regret for the foreseeable future. Good luck.

 

[huthut]

Public land adjacent can work - we have seen it first hand. The public land needs to be hard to access then you can have a gold mine in the right situation.

Good luck

 

[shawnv]

I would try to find someone that knows the seller and find the real reason as to why they are selling. Maybe if you have friend of a friend of the current owner then you can find out what their past experience has been like.

 

[tooln]

I would try to find someone that knows the seller and find the real reason as to why they are selling. Maybe if you have friend of a friend of the current owner then you can find out what their past experience has been like.

I agree with this statement. 3 sides by state land would be a real big turn off for me in my area, maybe your area is different.

 

[wiscwhip]

I agree with this statement. 3 sides by state land would be a real big turn off for me in my area, maybe your area is different.

Agreed tooln! Around our area, it would make every possible orifice pucker to no end!:eek: No way would I do it where we hunt, it was bad enough bordering on one side.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Public land adjacent can work - we have seen it first hand. The public land needs to be hard to access then you can have a gold mine in the right situation.

Good luck

Yep, i agree. and this is coming from someone who lives and hunts in a state with the highest hunter density in the nation. We also have a TON of state land. Most of the state land in my area tends to be large, heavily forested, mountainous country. The elmer fudd's of the orange army only go a maximum of 200 yds from a road....and if there is steep ground to get there...forget it they ain't humping it in. I have also noticed that in my area the state land really only sees pressure during rifle season....archery season is nothing but crickets. Penn State conducted an aerial survey of state game lands through out our gun season over several years and found that deer were most plentiful 1) further from roads and access points, 2)in steep terrain. The reason was because those are the two places where there was little to no hunting pressure. I agree that it all depends on the access. 9K acres is plenty big depending on the over all shape of the land. If public access to the state land is far enough away from your property you will most likely not have an issue with trespassing let alone line sitting. Also any pressure on the state land could serve to benefit you....if you provide good habitat and low pressure, you will most likely collect deer that you would otherwise not have utilizing your property.

But....i do agree that if you have the wrong chunk of state land then its game over and you will hate it. If there is public access near your property you will at the very least have trouble with line sitters....and potentially worse.

Overall, public land shouldnt cause you to outright rule it out, but you need to do some home work to make sure it is the right type of public land. My friend has a property that borders a small piece of state game lands, however there isnt any real public access to it. it is completely bordered by private land. the game commission does have a right away to it from the opposite side from where his property is. That right away is there for public access, but there is no sign or even a place to park a truck to get to it. The ROW comes in from a private unimproved and unmaintained road. Out on the main road there is no signage either. We use this little chunk of public land as a way to take pressure off his little chunk....while still being able to possibly hunt the same deer. If that state land fits the bill, you can also use it to take pressure off your honey hole by hunting the state land when conditions are quite right for your place....or start the season hunting the state land and slowly work your way into your place.