When to pull the plug.

[NWWI]

I was curious how many of you have sold a property to get away from bad neighbors?
I have neighbors that are both intentionally and unintentionally disruptive. When they are around the deer shut down. We have decent numbers with decent size but you can't get them on a weekend. It's funny how my success sky rockets when they are gone. We get deer but it's always a crap shoot as to what is going on next door.
How many would pull the plug on a property like this to pursue greener grass?

 

[MoBuckChaser]

In a heartbeat!

Gone!

 

[Jameson]

Haven't sold a property, but did give up managing a small private farm. Neighbors sucked. Finding the public hunting better then the crap private property I was hunting.

 

[wklman]

I had a new neighbor move in last year on me that let his dogs run all over creation. Ruined my hunting last fall with the dogs constantly running in my woods. Talked to him and he basically told me to F-off. Well between my other neighbors and myself the dogs got taken care of but the idiot just went out and got more and let them loose. Well a great piece came up last spring and I jumped on it and didn't look back. I still own the old piece but only use it for pheasant/turkey hunting and allow my cousins to deer hunt it. The new place is thick with deer and the neighbors are great so without a doubt I'd upgrade if you can.

 

[Tree Spud]

I was curious how many of you have sold a property to get away from bad neighbors?
I have neighbors that are both intentionally and unintentionally disruptive. When they are around the deer shut down. We have decent numbers with decent size but you can't get them on a weekend. It's funny how my success sky rockets when they are gone. We get deer but it's always a crap shoot as to what is going on next door.
How many would pull the plug on a property like this to pursue greener grass?

You can't change your neighbors you can only change your location, expectations, or response to the situation you are in .... I have sold and relocated 3 times.

As the great JB said ... changes in latitude, changes in attitude ... you would be amazed what a change of scenery can do for you ... ;)

 

[Bill]

Depends on acreage. If it's small and the neighbors aren't leaving soon. Pull the plug if you're young enough to start over.

As a youngster I worked for a guy (rest his soul) that had great saying. When the pain out weighs the pleasure...amputate. (He was talking about my women) but I've found it pretty much works on everything.

If your ground is large enough to work around them and use them, great. If not, go greener. I lease my neighbors ground, when I loose that (and I will eventually). I'm gone.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

Depends on acreage. If it's small and the neighbors aren't leaving soon. Pull the plug if you're young enough to start over.

As a youngster I worked for a guy (rest his soul) that had great saying. When the pain out weighs the pleasure...amputate. (He was talking about my women) but I've found it pretty much works on everything.

If your ground is large enough to work around them and use them, great. If not, go greener. I lease my neighbors ground, when I loose that (and I will eventually). I'm gone.

You could not have said it better Bill! I have owned lots of smaller properties to hunt, mainly 40 to 200 acres. Does not give a guy enough buffer zone. I am now working to end up with one large chunk, for better control. But it ain't to easy to just dump land when you need too, and buy land when you have too. I did it wrong is what I am saying, should have just saved all my cash and bought 1,000 acres in one shot. But that would not have been as much fun, so oh well!

 

[NWWI]

You guys make a lot of sense. I bought it in my early 20's and have a lot of sweat equity into it. That makes it hard to part with. Lots of good memories but like Bill says sometimes you have to amputate.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Good luck with your decision. That's a tough one.
What they do that's so disruptive?
Logged out ground behind me has been for sale for a couple yrs. The owner is getting ready to list it. I worry about what I might winde up with as a neighbor. Been trying to get a friend or fellow habitat manager to buy it so we can manage a large block! Let me know if your interested its 300 acres. Last place on dead end gravel road. 166 acre tract and 140somthing acres. Split by gravel road

 

[bwoods11]

Pulled the plug on a great Iowa farm...for two reasons.

Wanted a bigger farm, but the neighbors were the main reason. One neighbor let everyone hunt. One guy didn't seem to work the entire fall, and sat on my property line daily and picked off a buck or two every year.

It was a great farm, but that got annoying. Now my new farm the neighbors are all cattle (100% pasture surround me). Much better situation.

 

[Satchmo]

Well said Stu. Sometimes the evil you know is better than the evil you don't. I only have one neighbor on my south line. He's a tool, and so are his boys. They have tried to push their will on people around them, but we have let it be known that if they want to play games, WE'LL PLAY! They have semi fallen in to line, but are being watched closely. I also realize that if they sell, we could get worse neighbors. It's a balance really.

 

[Bszweda]

If the property isn't making you happy, because of the neighbors pull the plug. How large is the property? What are you trying to get out of your property and is it meeting your expectations? ( even with crappy neighbors?)

 

[Tree Spud]

You guys make a lot of sense. I bought it in my early 20's and have a lot of sweat equity into it. That makes it hard to part with. Lots of good memories but like Bill says sometimes you have to amputate.

NWWI ... My first property 22 years ago ... I tried to buy 2 other parcels around it to deal with neighbors. It had no effect on their behavior.

My 2nd property I spent 15 years improving ... bought sevral surrounding properties to try an create a buffer. We knew the time was right to start looking after several incidents. We had some great neighbors, but a few bad apples spoil the bunch. Over the years my wife and I began to looked at "my deer hunting, drinking shack with buddies property" as more of a place we could spend weekends at and maybe retire to ... that helped clarify our search efforts.

I don't know where you are located, but sometimes where we start is not where we want to end.

Spend some time with your wife (if you are married or kids) and drive around looking at other properties. Figure out where you want to end up at as opposed to just a horizontal move ... my wife and I would get 2-3 realtors working for us in an area and then go do drive bys on Sunday morning... check out properties and find a local diner to have breakfast in..

You get to check out other areas and meet some local folks ... at the end of the day it never hurts to keep your options open, the right change of property will present itself at some point ... you just have to be ready to make the change ... good luck!

 

[NWWI]

Good luck with your decision. That's a tough one.
What they do that's so disruptive?
Logged out ground behind me has been for sale for a couple yrs. The owner is getting ready to list it. I worry about what I might winde up with as a neighbor. Been trying to get a friend or fellow habitat manager to buy it so we can manage a large block! Let me know if your interested its 300 acres. Last place on dead end gravel road. 166 acre tract and 140somthing acres. Split by gravel road

They used to have access to hunt it and we're not happy to loose it. I heard some things that have been done were intentional right from them. I have tried to talk to them a couple times with no luck.
If Missouri were a little closer I would jump all over owning land down there. Especially if there was someone trustworthy to have as a neighbor. One can't imagine how much that makes or breaks a property.

 

[NWWI]

If the property isn't making you happy, because of the neighbors pull the plug. How large is the property? What are you trying to get out of your property and is it meeting your expectations? ( even with crappy neighbors?)

I don't have super high expectations. Every year there is a 130-140" deer in the neighborhood to try to hold out for. I enjoy habitat work in the spring and even just watching the deer in the fall. I really just want a place for the wife and kids to enjoy hunting and not play childish games on weekends. It's only 70 acres and I know that is not enough to be an effective buffer but I might be able to sell and bump into a 120 or 160 somewhere else.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I had 2 areas where I live that were great hunting. I didnt own the parcels, but I was the only one to have permission on one spot of 500 acres, the other area was 160 acres, and only myself, and a friend were the only ones to have permission to hunt it. Well after 10 years of kicking people off every hunting trip, calling the game warden, and just stressing myself out when I was hunting, I just gave up, and bought my own land a couple hundred miles away. Best thing I have ever done. I only own a small chunk of land, and while I have problems with one neighbor hunting 5 people on his 5 acres of land, I would still rather hunt my own land and have one neighbor hunting the line, then have several trespassers wandering around while I was hunting. I still get a random picture of a stray wandering through my land, but it isnt a regular occurrence like it was in the past. I have just made that property line a thick wall, so he cant see into my land very easily, and that has helped both of our hunting out. Win, win!

 

[kl9]

They used to have access to hunt it and we're not happy to loose it. I heard some things that have been done were intentional right from them. I have tried to talk to them a couple times with no luck.
If Missouri were a little closer I would jump all over owning land down there. Especially if there was someone trustworthy to have as a neighbor. One can't imagine how much that makes or breaks a property.

What intentional things have they done? I just booted a neighbor out that used to have access for hunting and he wasn't happy, but has been true to his word so far as I can tell. I get it that it sucks for them, but I'm paying the taxes!

 

[dsinwi]

That's a tough one. Sounds like your emotionally attached to it. I get that, I am too. I can't imagine having to deal with people like that on your own time, when you should be enjoying the fruits of your labor. I'd probably start looking but only you can make that decision in the end.
I got lucky. I have great neighbors that are good people. They don't take the same approach to harvesting deer as I do, or I would like, but it's their land, their tag, nothing I can really do about that. I've encouraged them to pass bucks and have lead by example but anything more would probably offend them. The one neighbor talks a good game but when push comes to shove he fills his tag, every year. Wife and kids won't eat it. The other just like to eat venison. Can't blame him, I love the stuff too.

I guess the only thing I would add is that you first meet the neighbors of any land you might be looking to buy. I didn't do that and wished I had. Dumb move on my part. It worked out but what an unnecessary risk. A casual conversation about the area and the deer hunting, etc. should give you good idea of what your dealing with.

Good luck on your decision!!