If the price is right, buy the 20 acres. Close to home, has deer. No brainer. Land isn't getting any cheaper.

Will have to meet up sometimes Bird Dog ??

Luckily lease is within 2 hours so that is about my max for now to go on a regular basis. Been that way for 10 years. I still go on hunts all year 3+ hours every few months. When I had very little ones at home I would leave late night before or go early in morning but rather not drive at night now after getting hit by a deer. Now they are with me most of the time. One hour is nothing unless it was all traffic and lights the whole way.

As most said, I would get bored on 20 acres depending on the area. Where my lease is you need several hundred acres to enjoy it. What county is this?

I drive 9 hours ona regular basis to both my hunting areas. I hunt south Tx and Oklahoma. Thankfully the south Tx one i have a great land owner that is always filling feeders for me and taking care of the place. Just have to plan when im going to spend a few days verses one day hunts. The Oklahoma place i hunt is waterfowl and with a buddy there so luckily i dont have anything to keep up there either. Its getting harder and harder but the idea of monster bucks and 100+ days of waterfowl keep me going, Not to mention the friends ive made in both areas are some of the most world class people there is.

I drive just under 2 hours to get to where I hunt on my buddies land in Centerville Texas. I crash at his place so the ride is no problem for me. It's also infested with deer and hogs which makes it worth it.

Depends on what I am hunting:

Whitetail - up to 1 hour
Black Bear - up to 2 hours
Upland - up to 1 hour
Waterfowl - up to 1 hour
Moose - up to 5 hours
Elk - up to 5 hours

I've gone as far as 5 hours one direction, but I'm happiest with 3 or under.

Used to be about five hours. The older I get, the shorter my patience. I still make that drive, just not as often.

13 hour drive from Phoenix, AZ to my ranch in Montell, TX!

Family hunted a lease for 27 years a little west of Bracketville off HW 90. Usually took us 7-8 hours from Houston. We always had the old Ford Chateau Super Wagon loaded down with 8 to 10 of us inside pulling a trailer and usually a f150 following us. Being young back then, i wish it was 10 to 12 hours. Van topped out at 65mph, but the family time was what made the trip fly. Lulung was our Bermuda Triangle many of times.

Now, we own near Sonora. Its about a 6 hour drive, 400 miles. Wouldnt trade it for the world. October thru end of season anywhere from 5 to 7 trips, Spring Break and 1 or 2 times during summer.

My wife understood i was a hunter before we married. I go when i want. My 3 boys absolutely love it. Still get to hunt with great uncles, otherwise my boys wouldnt even know them.

SNABU

GAS/DIESEL prices are my limiting factor//not time or miles..Yea prices are great right now..BUT!!!!on average we make about 40 trips to lease a year...and that 3-6h drive thats over the last 30y...now its 80miles and if I can find lease closer it will be...

We do a lot of work in the off season on the place that requires a truck/trailer at times. During the season it is mostly hunting. Get all feed topped off before season and it will only need 1 more filling in late season. I try to drive our car as much as possible. we have everything we need down there and an ice chest fits in the trunk. Our main roads are easily passable in a car and once your to the camp you can use the tractor to get game etc. Most of our blinds you can drive our car too also.

I'd love to have a place within a 2 hour drive of home, make it easier on the wife with the little one.

my place is about 2 and 1/2 hours away 5000 acres although half is under water. I like the longer drive. Get to do some thinking and dreaming about what I'm going to see.

Closest ranch is 1 hour. Furthest is 11 hours. Its only time and $

My current lease is 2.5 hours. Previous lease was 4.5 hours. In fact most of my leases have been between 2 and 4 hours. It forces you to maximize your time at the lease. 3 and 4 day weekends when time allows and really focus on the rut, pre and post ruts and the weather. The downside is that you can't run to the lease for a few hours on a Saturday afternoon. Pretty much has to be an overnight trip. That's good thing IMHO.

The drive isnt a problem to me. Over the last 10 years I've had 4.5 hr to Mason, 2 hr to Dublin, 1 hr to Palo Pinto and now a 3 hr to Brownwood. Driving makes no difference when I get there