Private Land nightmares...

[May-39]

I was fortunate enough to spend my developmental deer hunting years on a fine piece of deer estate.
Beginning in the late 90s the neighboring farms sold off in 40s and 60s, the deer hunting got worse. Perhaps more frustrating so did the line sitting and blatant trespassing. Yet every couple years a decent buck is sleeping near one of my trees.

The breaking moment for me was three years ago...Now despite this stand being 300 yards and a 20 minute walk from the cabin, The kill route is 1/2 mile that takes me just over an hour of crossing two small but bottomless feeder creeks to get in a canoe, paddle 300 yards then to within 15 yards of my sets along a stream. I had glassed a nice 10 point in there a couple days prior, the wind was right one weekday, took a day off work, out drive at 3a out of truck at 4a, in stand at 5:20...sunrise comes, Things were dead quiet, something was wrong. Daylight came and nothing, not even the doe group that always beds the next bend over..The same doe group the buck that beds there always checks on sometime before dark...An hour after sunrise, I realize what I thought were cattail tops were toilet paper, that went right into the bedding area. I text neighboring landowner..Yeah brother shot a nice 10 last night, hit it high, the three of us tracked it across creek and lost blood somewhere in a point of tags. We searched until about 3 a.m. and "I'm dragging at work, what are you doing?" WTF, that was 400 yards of trespassing without even a text or call.

At a family event this afternoon, I spoke with some affluent relatives with virtual deer utopias parcels, one a 40 acre parcel literally worth millions abutting a nature preserve in a sprawling township of executive parcels. Yes he gets some great deer but the crap he puts up with theft, trespassing, poaching, an anti hunting neighbor blaring music and firecrackers when he is trying to hunt.

Another pal bought 200 acres in much lower deer density area in the big woods. I'm talking the middle of NOWHERE. He just found his neighbor who owns 1200 acres put a shed on the line facing his property, there are two bait pile scars, a tree stand and trail camera on pal's side of the wire the neighbor (or someone) laid down. The bush bogged trail heading towards neighbors cabin is a strong hint it's him.

I passed on an 80 I really liked a couple years back...A big part of it was fear of one neighbor. The older I get the happier I am about that.

Is anyone else glad they don't or didn't own a private piece?

[Hawthorne]

It goes on everywhere I've ever hunted private in Michigan and I own 23 acres and part owner of a 60 acre farm.You take the good with the bad. We have killed some nice bucks off both places. Finding the beast was like a breath of fresh air all these guys getting it done on public. I've got 3 different public areas scouted im gonna hunt along with my private this year. Can't wait

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[Stanley]

Land has been a pretty good investment for those that bought 15 20 years ago.

[oldrank]

I cant say I regret buying my property but even on my small 8 acres i have trespassing issues with the neighbors. My neighbor to the north has a stand on the border n a shooting lane cut into my property. Someone also hung a hang on stand on my property. Its in my basement now. The south neighbor dumps all his yard trimmings leaves on my property. The west neighbor rides his horse through it occasionally. Ive never said anything to any of them n Im not overly concerned, but I have had the thoughts of how much of a pain it would be if I owned a large chunk exclusively for hunting. My friend owns a 100 acre farm n has constant issues with neighbors sneaking on n hunting, kids tearing it up with trucks n atvs, sneaking in and partying n so on. It can be an issue for sure if you have a piece in the wrong area.

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[May-39]

Rank,

That's exactly why I bought a smaller piece like you have..It's located in an area I like a lot with a lot of public nearby. No it will never be as consistent as "good" private sans problems but I have thousands of acres to roam for buck beds and grouse and once I get a good half mile in it starts seeming pretty private, especially the water access required spots. I'm newer to that neck of the woods for deer so it will take a couple springs and winters but I found a couple spots last year I'm pretty confident about.

And APRS will make these larger state land pieces horn gold mines for the skilled beast.

Stanley, not arguing the investment side but that has been the "selling argument" for recreational land. If I was buying investment land, that would change what I was looking for dramatically.

So many guys sacrifice so much, then spend what little vacation time they have to hunt picking up the pieces of trespassers and poachers...Just sucks.

Maybe this is more pronounced in high pressure states or little land access states.

[mibowhunter]

I am looking to buy a small chunk of private land, and while I will check with the neighbors before buying I've already come to the conclusion that there will probably be issues with trespassing - it just seems like a way of life here in heavy pressured MI. That said I hope to buy mainly as a place to take my young kids, plant a food plot or two, and get them involved... and set my expectations accordingly.

[purebowhunting]

I feel like the minority here, I purchased 80 acres that's been in the family for 50+ years, in the past 10 years I ran into a neighbor shed hunting one spring other than that zero issues. I run cameras almost year round, now live on the property, it's been a positive experience so far for myself.

[Rich M]

I had purchased 10 acres that butted up to a WMA. Couldn't keep the neighborhood folks off of it. Ultimately had to sell before I did something I would have regretted. Folks carry around some brass ones that's for sure.

Looking to buy another piece under the guise of retirement. The neighbors are getting very close scrutiny...

[tim]

no regrets here at all. I bought in 02 .yes ive had talks with neighbors when I purchased because previous owner let everyone hunt or didn't care. I had a dog issue I had to clear up also. big deal you handle it and move on from it. as far as investment id say its my best ever but I will never sell so my kid can reap the rewards I guess my rewards are the hours of hunting enjoyment and deer killing Ive done on it. but to give you an idea I purchased for 1475 an acre. and most decent parcels ive been looking at lately have been going for 5000 an acre. (ridiculous if you ask me) ive seen a couple deals but few and far between , 1 was next to public and that's why . I hadn't looked at land for a few years until one of the landowners I hunt his farm told me the crazy neighbor thinks he is going to get 5k an acre for his property so I went on some sites and to my amazement that wasn't out of line like I thought it was it was the norm.....

[Hawthorne]

In 97 we bought our 60acre with a house and pole barn for $100k. It has 40 acres tillable. Now tillable ground is going for 5k an acre in our area. Woods or hunting land is selling between 2500 and 3000 an acre. We made a good investment

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[MN_DeerHunter]

My Grandpa used to tell me stories of how cheap the land was in Pepin and Buffalo county WI way back in the day....Grandma never let him buy land though...

Man that would have been nice.

[cedarsavage]

When I was a kid I hunted my dads 20 acres. The neighbor had beef cows and was the type who owned his land and all the land touching his land. Anyway opening day of gun season he would always drive the property lines and beat on fences with a hammer. Kinda soured me a bit for hunting small parcels and drove me to hunt big woods and large tracts of public where I could get away from the yahoos a bit

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