What to look for in a family hunting property

My extended family has collective been fortunate enough to be in a position where we'd like a piece of hunting property within 3-4 hours of Houston. I'm just looking for any and all suggestions. Right now, for round numbers sake, I thihnk we are looking for around 100 acres.

What do you guys looks for when trying to purchase hunting property?
Is there something I should avoid.

thanks in advance.

Location is key with any property for hunting. Also easements into and across the property. Future easements if any. O&G current surface activity. Will you get any or all minerals? Electricity on property. Water well or windmill or how deep water is. Is that water good for human consumption. What shape are the fences in? Does it have ag or wildlife taxes currently? What is the habitat like on the place and around it on neighbors? Wildlife densities for amount of hunters that will use the land.

I agree with, stxranchman, on several items.
1. Electric and drinkable water on property. NOT nearby or available. Lots of money to bring those to you.
2. Only buy property that has road frontage, not those with easements.
3. Only buy property that currently has Ag or Wildlife exempt taxes. Otherwise, It's 5 years to get that.
4. Habitat, that park-like setting may not be the best to hunt deer in.
5. How close neighbors? If there is a house on all four sides of you. Maybe not the best choice.
6. Very important: only buy what you can afford. Those payments go on for a long time.
6. Have additional money for equipment, sheds, etc that you will be needing.
7. Get it as close to you as you can. Spend your time enjoying the property, not driving to and from it.
8. Be sure you are happy with it. Not like a lease where you can change every year.
9. Once you do everything above, you will never regret working/hunting on your own land.

I'll help narrow down some of these (btw, keep'em coming. makes me think about things I didn't consider).

1. definitely want some water more for attracting animals than using it as potable water.
2. this will primarily be for hunting and recreational long distance shooting. So game activity/presence is primary objective.
3. no payments here. we have allocated a specific fund for this so it will NOT exceed that nor will we be making payments.
4. need to look more into the tax exemption status.

All good points. I do disagree on the road frontage requirement. If everything else is what you want then a deeded right of way will take care of that gives you access forever.

Can't top that...
Good Luck Sir!!

Since you are wanting this for hunting, think about it this way. If you are going to have 3 hunters using the property with each wanting to kill a buck, you will need a high deer population. Hill Country type numbers of deer and game. If you buy a place that has a deer to 10 acres then you will only have 10 deer on 100 acres. If you have a 2.5 doe to 1 buck ratio, you will only have 3 bucks on the property. What is around you and how they hunt is going to greatly effect what you have on the place as far as game.
Another key point will be Antler Restrictions-AR's. They can be of benefit to deer numbers in some areas and in other be a detriment.
I will also say I am not a fan of road or highway frontage on a hunting place. I prefer just a gate on the highway or road at most if at all possible. Poaching is something I would ask the local Game Warden about in any county I was looking to buy in. Ask about theft issues also. Nothing worse than buying or leasing a place only to have someone steal your cameras, feeders, or break in to your camp repeatedly.

I agree with every thing said so far. Would emphasize:

Hunting with 'extended family' sounds like more than 100 acres can handle.
4 hours could be a long way and limit the use, Less then two hours could make it more fun.
Some form of shelter for stuff you want to leave (target stands, water barrels, shovel, fork, hand saw, Lawn chairs etc.).

This is correct if you have a deeded easement you'll always have access. I second the importance of the property having a current ag/wildlife tax exemption. It will make a HUGE difference in how much you pay in taxes.

just because a property already has an ag/wildlife exemption for taxes does not mean that it will automatically convey to a new owner.

Neighbors. About 10 years ago, I looked at a place as an investment. Then, while driving around I found a couple of trailer houses with people that looked like a scene out of the movie Deliverance. I passed and it stayed on the market for years.

Sent you a pm.

make double sure there are no liens/judgements
against the property you look at. there were
some on mine that weren't known of ahead of time,
and if it hadn't been for the title insurance
I purchased, the debts would have passed to me
as the owner. don't get stuck! !
good luck

This is true but if it doesn't currently have one or the other it will take you five years to get it and it is relatively easy to get it reassigned to you. Both my places had AG exemptions and I converted them to Wildlife very easily.

^^^ Exactly that.

If it doesn't have the exemption, it's a pain in the arss to get it.

If it's already in place, it's not difficult to keep it.

Always try to get a place with the exemption already in place.

Lots of good advice above.

Even deeded easements can result in conflict...who maintains roads and gates? Driving through someone else's hunting property about sunrise, on the first day of rifle season, does not make for good neighbors. If you drive your 4X4 in when its wet, will you be fixing ruts when it dries out. I've seen easements where the property owner tightly controlled keys and changed the locks often, sometimes without notice. If you want extended family/friends to have access, this can get to be a pain.

Rule of thumb...everything else equal about a property, the price per acre will drop about 50% with every 30 minutes of commute time you move way from the nearest city/metro area.

A two hour drive seems like nothing at first...but it gets longer. Four hours is outside of what most people will make very often for a two-day weekend. Think about making that drive after you get home from work on Friday and load the truck...what time will that put you at your new place.

While power, paved roads, and inside plumbing may not mean much to you, the women folks will feel otherwise. Unless the idea is a place to hide from the wife, consider something she will want to go out to...that means you get to do it more often.