I guess Im pretty fortunate. I grew up in the city of Richmond, VA and when my wife and I decided to get married and buy a house I was totally against any neighborhood setting. I searched and searched rural areas surrounding our choices. Finally a place jumped off the page and I just had to see it.

Had to take the interstate to get there 22 miles outside of Richmond, and took an exit called Goochland/Oilville. Drove 3 miles down a rural route, saw farms, equestrian ranches...and right in the middle was a 5 acre tract with a home, pond, and borders a major powrline. I had to have it! After meeting my neighbor(s) one turned out to be my age with a child similar to my daughters. He was a custome home builder who just happened to own several hundred acres of land he had hoped to develop. Turns out that each piece had been sitting still for 10 plus years and nobody given permission to hunt it.

I had a party at my house, welcomed him and his family, did a few shots of Makers mark bourbon, and by the time the party was over he had given mea 5 year leaseto hunt it all. After a year of hunting, and seeing tons of wildlife and the potential to start food plots, etc. I had him sign a lease which gave me ultimate hunting rights. The previous owner grew straw there, so all of the overgrown stuff is a product of just unmowed, overgrown weeds, briars, etc.

This land is in a county with very low property assessment, and with his other projects he has going...will be 10 plus years before he ever decided to do anything with it. I also have a 200 acre dairy farm across the street where the farmer splits his crops between oats, alfalfa, and corn. I happened to see him drive in his driveway one day and asked if there was anything I could do to help out with his farms.

A smile as big as Texas came over his face and he denied, but thanked me and asked if there was anything he could do to help out our new family. I did not hesitate and told him I was a bow hunter and asked if he minded I walk his 1000 plus acres of ag and cows to find a tree for my climber and he gladly accepted.

I dint see any growth other than a few more head of cattle and battling the decades old hunt club lands surrounding me. Hell, if all else I can sit in a stand in my yard over a pond and shoot a nice 6 pointer Ive been watching.

As far as as changing, its just getting better! If a developer does put up a house around here its rediculously priced and seems to sit on the market for years. Nothing is happening in this hick town...at least not this one!

Here is the area Im gonna clear to maybe 5 acres of just field!