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Owning small property vs. Leasing #5516031 01/03/15 12:16 AM
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bigjoe8565 Online Content OP
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My wife asked me why I didn't buy 25 to 50 acres for hunting/weekend place vs. leasing. The lease payment wouldn't come close to covering my monthly payment, but it would go towards something I would eventually own. Anyone else make this move and if so, how is it hunting such a small piece of property? I currently hunt on roughly 200 acres that's part of an 1,200 acre lease.

Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5516057 01/03/15 12:30 AM
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Typically from what I have seen the small acreage subdivisions have been a terrible buy after the first year or two. There are friends of mine that bought the small acreages and cant even sell and get their money back now.

Normally leases you get more access to acreage and game than buying a small 25 to 50 acre place.

Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5516134 01/03/15 01:09 AM
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I agree with txbobcat about buying in those subdivisions of large ranches. We hunt a very small place, (54 acres) that we bought October 31, 2012. It is located 6 miles by road south of the Lake Whitney dam on Hwy 2490. The first year we saw a total...total of one spotted fawn. the next year I moved the feeder from where the previous owner had it set up farther away from the hwy and in the opposite corner of the property. I had two 4 acre food plots cleared of cedar trees but only planted one as the soil is to rocky for the oats to grow. We had bought a tractor to plant but I decided to hire it done the first year as I still did not have a plow or seed spreader and those cost another $2,500. I got it plowed and planted for $500, not counting the cost of seed. The second year we saw a couple of spikes and 4 does and one barely shooter buck that Barbara took. We also bought a travel trailer to stay in. It's much better staying on the place than in a Motel in Waco. We don't have any water on the place for wildlife so I bought a water tank and trough set up. It holds 200 gallons and I have been surprised at how much it gets used by the deer. I got it 20yds from the feeder. This year we bought the equipment that I needed to plant the oats and we did it ourselves. I planted 3 acres of oats and one acre of Australian winter peas. The deer have really hit the oats this year, but really really hit the winter peas. They should be a foot tall but look like a putting green. On December 27 we had our best morning as far as number of deer seen. We had 6 bucks, 2 does, 2 yearlings, 2 fawns under the feeder at the same time. However only one buck was a shooter, but Barbara was holding out for a wide one that we had seen on camera almost every other day. She wanted a wide deer. But then that afternoon this 7 pt. stepped out. We had seen it on camera for 3 years but never while hunting. I told her to take it. It dropped about 20 feet from where it was hit. I was surprised as it was a little bigger than I thought it was. 19&1/2 inches wide. That beat my best one. So, we had a great great year with both Barbara and I getting our biggest bucks of our lives and doing it on a very small piece of land that we owned. We have on camera this year 19 different bucks coming to the feeder and 6 of them are legal. And Barbara said today, if we never kill another buck off of "our land," all the hard work and sweat will still have been worth it.....so you decide.


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Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5516326 01/03/15 02:37 AM
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One of the places I own is in southern Erath county. 65 total acres. To the east is 400 + that is not hunted, the west is 600 acres not hunted, north is 500 acres not hunted. I do not know how much acreage is south, but have never seen anyone hunting it. Did I get lucky, partially, but was ready to buy with $$$ in my pocket. The stock tank had bass and catfish in it, and since 2004 when I bought it has always held water. All weather road that I can drive my Buick on has one tricky spot, but the school bus driver warned me about it.


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it is the illusion of knowledge.--Stephen Hawking
Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5516384 01/03/15 03:02 AM
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I am in the same boat and currently working toward buying my own place after tiring of leasing after 25 years of doing so. We'd lose one, move on to another, then again and again..... Plus leases have gone through the roof in the last couple of decades. Then since I was always the ramrod, there was the whole pleasing everyone all the time....fellow hunters who always had complaints/arguments about rules, overbearing landowners, etc. And it's not like I wasn't part of some good groups. I absolutely was. But I want my own place.

I love Mr. T and blackcoal's posts about their own places and agree with txbobcat that the subdivided ranches are a loser. I'd try to find something freestanding that's not part of a 2000 acre place that gets broken up into parcels or lots where every single owner is looking for a place to hunt. Find something off the beaten track, part of a larger ranch that the owner will sell you a small patch, or something that has some big neighbors. I think owning my own (whatever I end up shooting) will be more rewarding. The long-term financial aspect of owning or eventually owning real estate versus throwing thousands away on leasing every year is just icing on the cake. Just my take anyway.

Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5517253 01/03/15 06:40 PM
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I've been in your position for a few years now. Definitely wouldn't consider a subdivision. Just try to get lucky and locate the size acreage you're in the market for surrounded by larger places. Not an easy find but it can be done.

Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5520437 01/05/15 03:18 AM
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I'm leaning toward buying myself, after hearing all the lease horror stories. I figure I'll spend another couple years paying for weekend hunts, looking for good areas that are reasonable driving distance, and saving money. It seems like a small parcel can work well if you take care of it and know what's going on around your property.


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Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5520508 01/05/15 03:42 AM
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Make sure of your purchase. I've always said you can have the right 10 acres or the wrong 1,000....

Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5520629 01/05/15 04:31 AM
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There is something about hunting and taking a deer on your own property that I don't think could be felt with leasing a place. I can see advantages to both.

Main advantage to leasing to me is having access to much more land than I can afford. I have been on the same place for 20 years, it is 10k acres and I can go year around whenever I want and stay as long as I want. My lease fee wouldn't buy me an acre in many places, much less enough to hunt on.


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Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: txshntr] #5520953 01/05/15 02:38 PM
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Originally Posted By: txshntr
There is something about hunting and taking a deer on your own property that I don't think could be felt with leasing a place. I can see advantages to both.

Main advantage to leasing to me is having access to much more land than I can afford. I have been on the same place for 20 years, it is 10k acres and I can go year around whenever I want and stay as long as I want. My lease fee wouldn't buy me an acre in many places, much less enough to hunt on.


I agree. I personally don't care to hunt on 50 acres but to each their own. I have 240 acres at my house that I never hunt and drive to my lease 1hr and 15 minutes to hunt on 2500 acres. To each their own.

Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5523021 01/06/15 01:41 PM
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It's always going to be cheaper to lease a place, but the satisfaction of hunting on your own place is a feeling like no other. Once you've got your blinds and feeders set up and a cabin built no one but the tax man can take it away from you. Say goodbye to losing your lease.


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Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5523036 01/06/15 01:51 PM
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I own 54 acres that i live on and hunt the back part of it. It was a good year pulled one nice 10 point a spike and brothers got 3 nice 8 point. Still deer here. Surrounded by hundreds of acres. Nothing beats getting out of your warm bed and walking 5 min to hunt.

Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5531454 01/10/15 02:27 AM
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Having your own place is nice but it requires a lot of work. It is nice to see results from your hard work. I guess it depends on how much time you have to spare. Good luck

Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5568471 01/28/15 04:18 AM
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We've owned a 30 acres of Trinity river bottom for about 5 years. I shoot a lot of pigs and dear hunt, but its more about having a get-away that's ours, than it is hunting trophies. We have a small, but nice, cabin with water and power and we're trying to buy the adjoining 28 acres.

All of that said, after paying the property off, we spend close to $2,000/year on taxes, electric, and water...that's about what I was paying for the lease I used to have, which was 4 guns on 750 acres.

To me, owning that small track is clearly better...if I want to cut down trees, I can. If I want to tear up an area with my 4X4, no problem. The best is being free to bring anyone you want out to hunt or shoot. I have several friends that I've let bring their son's out to shoot their first pigs. That buys a lot of good will and invitations to other hunts.


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Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5568867 01/28/15 03:04 PM
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Nak, you need to look into getting your place wildlife exempt. will cut your taxes by 90% or more. And it's not that hard to do because most likely you are already doing everything that is required.


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Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: Mr. T.] #5568870 01/28/15 03:06 PM
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Originally Posted By: Mr. T.
Nak, you need to look into getting your place wildlife exempt. will cut your taxes by 90% or more. And it's not that hard to do because most likely you are already doing everything that is required.

You will need 5 yrs of previous Ag/Timber income to qualify.


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Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5568880 01/28/15 03:08 PM
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You are so right about that, a huge oversight on my part. Thanks for pointing that out.


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Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5569564 01/28/15 08:51 PM
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I was just thinking that if I had all my money back from over the last 13 years of leasing, I probably couldn't buy 10 acres where I hunt right now.....

Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: Leonardo] #5572862 01/30/15 02:41 PM
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Originally Posted By: Leonardo
Originally Posted By: txshntr
There is something about hunting and taking a deer on your own property that I don't think could be felt with leasing a place. I can see advantages to both.

Main advantage to leasing to me is having access to much more land than I can afford. I have been on the same place for 20 years, it is 10k acres and I can go year around whenever I want and stay as long as I want. My lease fee wouldn't buy me an acre in many places, much less enough to hunt on.


I agree. I personally don't care to hunt on 50 acres but to each their own. I have 240 acres at my house that I never hunt and drive to my lease 1hr and 15 minutes to hunt on 2500 acres. To each their own.


I drive 1 1/2 hours to hunt on 240 acres we bought. I have to live in town for work, but hope to retire some day. I have to work to pay for mine. If I had an extra 6-12K a year laying around I'd probably have a nice lease too. To each his own, or whatever they can afford to own................

Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: HWY72] #5572896 01/30/15 02:48 PM
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Where is your 240 acres?

Originally Posted By: HWY72
Originally Posted By: Leonardo
Originally Posted By: txshntr
There is something about hunting and taking a deer on your own property that I don't think could be felt with leasing a place. I can see advantages to both.

Main advantage to leasing to me is having access to much more land than I can afford. I have been on the same place for 20 years, it is 10k acres and I can go year around whenever I want and stay as long as I want. My lease fee wouldn't buy me an acre in many places, much less enough to hunt on.


I agree. I personally don't care to hunt on 50 acres but to each their own. I have 240 acres at my house that I never hunt and drive to my lease 1hr and 15 minutes to hunt on 2500 acres. To each their own.


I drive 1 1/2 hours to hunt on 240 acres we bought. I have to live in town for work, but hope to retire some day. I have to work to pay for mine. If I had an extra 6-12K a year laying around I'd probably have a nice lease too. To each his own, or whatever they can afford to own................


Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: KCH] #5573000 01/30/15 03:42 PM
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HWY72...................... confused2

Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: KCH] #5573044 01/30/15 03:58 PM
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[quote=KCH]Where is your 240 acres?

.........HWY72.............. between Cuero and Fowlerton..............

Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5573366 01/30/15 06:28 PM
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I have some family down Cuero way...pretty country and the AR's have helped a ton!!!

Re: Owning small property vs. Leasing [Re: bigjoe8565] #5573852 01/30/15 11:27 PM
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Too old to ever get any land paid off now but I can usually afford to be on a lease where I have 4 or 500 acres to myself to hunt.


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