Next: Staking our Claim
Two years ago my wife and I decided to buy land for hunting and recreation. She wanted to learn how to hunt and I wanted a place of my own. I didn't have good experiences with leasing, hunting clubs, or public land. I will explain what we did and lessons learned during our journey. This is not a cheap hobby to do and will require large investments of time and money.
Location, Location
We found many listings online. Primarily, we used this site. We decided early on the land must be secluded with a minimum of 80 acres. It must also have good roads leading to the property knowing we would need to bring the
bigger trucks through to carry supplies and equipment. We also needed towns nearby for equipment and supplies.
Seclusion is an easy feature since the price per acre goes up quickly
the closer you are to a major city or tourist spots nears lakes or
parks. All the properties we looked at were undeveloped (no roads or
buildings) and several hours away from our home in the city.
Exploring
Never buy without seeing the property first. I know this sounds like common sense but we know of many people who paid a premium without visiting the area. Some of them hold onto the land for decades and never visit it. One such property had a steep hill on one side and deep creek on the other with no roads or utility access. The owners swore their retired kids would build a house there one day.
We found many properties that seemed good in pictures but while walking the property we found large parts were unusable or difficult to access. For example, one property we looked at was a valley between two large hills. The hills we steep and impossible to drive down and there was no place to even put a tent. These types of properties can be improved but at a huge cost.
I think most local agents are willing to take you on a tours. Our guy, Chuck, loved driving out to remote areas and willing to go down questionable roads. He was a little too eager as we got stuck in a pool of mud the consistency of peanut butter.
Be sure to visit the properties several times before signing a contract. It is best if you can visit the area during different seasons or several months apart. I know the thrill of finding a property only to have someone come in on a cash buy. We visited a property that seemed perfect at first. We went out for a second look and discovered the roads were being maintained by a logging company during the first visit. They had completed their work by our second trip and the roads were left to their natural state which meant they were subject to heavy flooding and erosion. The roads are only passable for the the toughest off-road vehicles most of the time.
Observe as much as you can. Keep note of equipment in the area which might indicate logging or other activities. The existence of permanent equipment for oil/gas production maybe a good thing since the company will maintain basic roads. We constantly looked for signs of humans in the areas. Trash, harvested animals, and camp sites could be signs someone has been in the area. The existence of people in the area could mean theft would be an issue if you leave supplies and equipment on the property. Pouching was a problem at one as indicated by deer skeletons all over which at least means trespassers could ruin your hunt.
Be Prepared
First, I would recommend learning basic survival and putting together supplies when you go out. You should also have a backup when things go wrong. This will not be news to experienced hikers or hunters. Things will always go wrong and you should have a backup plan for most scenarios by meeting your basic needs while you hike out or wait for rescue. Of course, let someone know where you will be and when you plan to be back. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and take a GPS since getting lost in the woods is easy. My basic kit is a backpack with water bottles, filter straw, rope, knife, first aid kit, machete, emergency blanket, flint stone, weather radio, duct tape, snacks, and GPS unit. I carry this even while hunting. If the location is remote then you probably won't have cell service and you need the minimum supplies to be able to survive a couple of days..
Secondly, you should have at least one change of clothes with several pairs of socks. This will be the best gear you have when caught in the rain or step in a puddle. Make sure you have a spare tire with tools and a few pieces of lumber. (The lumber is for placing the jack on in case you have to change a tire on soft ground. )
During one of our trips, loose rocks broke the bead on the front tire (it came off the rim) and I spent the next two hours trying to change a tire on ground as firm as a wet sponge. I recommend being prepared to spend the night as well.
On the trip I mentioned, the sudden rain storm flooded a bridge on the only access road. The water was over a foot high in the center and moving rapidly. We spent the night in the truck in wet clothes with no blanket till the next morning when the water receded. It only takes a random rainstorm or flat tire to spell trouble.
Ready to Buy
If you need a loan to buy the land then a big question will be legal easement. Banks will not loan on undeveloped land without easement. Easement is legal authority to use a portion of someone's land for a specific purposes. The easement can be for roads or utilities and is documented with the property deed. You can approach your neighbors to establish easement, but they may not be willing or hard to contact. Many of the surrounding properties we looked at are owned by a trust and attempts to contact someone was met with silence. Most of the contact information is available online through county property tax records. The court house also has a "plot book" with contact information of the land owners.
Without easement, the landowner could install a locked gate blocking access to your land even though the road maybe well traveled. Roads used by oil/gas companies have easement for their purpose and that doesn't transfer to you. In Oklahoma, landowners can go through the courts to force easement for access (Check your local laws). This is expensive and time consuming and it's best to keep good relations with your neighbors.
Roughing it
You should decide if things like electricity or water are important to you. Establishing electric service in an area can be cost prohibitive. You must obtain easement from every property you need to cross and the land must be cleared so the utility can install polls and wires. I got a quote from an electric company for $30,000 to install service over a mile that did not including establishing easement or clearing a 20 ft wide path. The alternative is to use a generator, solar, batteries, or wind.
Water is an important resource that is difficult to bring in large quantities. Water weight 8.3lbs per gallon which means a light duty truck (1/4 Ton) can only carry a maximum of 60 gallons. Realistically, you can't carry the max because you will need to bring other things and a heavy load may not be practical on poor road conditions. Your needs will depend on what you need while there: drinking, cooking, and showers.
Next: Staking our Claim
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