Thoughts on this property as a hunter
 

http://www.cohomefinder.com/p/81303/...o-CO-81303.htm

I'm new to Laplata County. The above link represents the top of my budget.

I don't know a lot about buying land in colorado. I know it's more complicated than buying out east via water shortage, and a number of issues.

What do you guys think of that property for the price? I know you can only say so much based on the limited information provided, but if you could give me some 101 that would be great.

Thanks...

I'm thinking that if you're coming on this website to ask us peons if that property is worth 2 1/2 million smackers that there is something rotten in Denmark, LOL! Might you be a real estate agent sneaking an illegal ad in here, rather than just an interested buyer of property that any ten of us probably couldn't go together and buy?!!!

No question it is spam. They are getting sneakier. The first time I saw that kind of "ad" I actually answered the guys question. Silly me!

Not spam. i'm new to land out here. I've lurked this site for a while, noticed several members have in-depth knowledge of elk ranch operations/land requirements and took a shot in the dark.

Yea, right! A 2 1/2 million dollar shot in the dark!!!

I know mountain ranches are getting very expensive and 2.5 is not crazy anymore, but from strictly the viewpoint as a hunter I would pass on this one. The property looks good with the water and road access. It is a nice ranch, but for the same price there are better hunting properties.

You're either a real estate agent trying to drum up business or you're another displaced transplant from CA that is hellbent on destroying my native CO. No matter which one of the 2 you are, my reply is the same: GO AWAY!

Here's why I think you're a realtor: Nobody comes to a forum who really wants to be part of the forum and makes their very first post along these lines! No introduction. No "Hi, how are you". No "I'm mostly a deer hunter". Anyone that leads off with a business type post has an agenda and that agenda isn't hunting!

Prob is an ad. I know where that ranch is, been by it a lot yrs ago. Nice place if you have the $kins for it.

If you buy land in Colo you better make sure you have WATER FIRST, before you go gaga over the place and the price. SW COlo land near Dgo is pricey. Other places are cheaper. But darn sure if you go for the 40ac for 39,000.00 deal somewhere you ask about water FIRST. All water in COlo is privately owned once God turns it loose. Even collection barrels off your spouting( a common thing back east) are illegal if you don't have water rights. You don't want to end up in water court. Good luck.

You are not really a hunter if you are willing to spend that much money on 455 acres. Could buy a LOT more land for that kind of money so NO, this is not a hunting property. As stated, just stop listing your ads here.

No. Did I say I was settling on this property this wednesday? No. Clearly implicit in my post is that I'm in the 101 stages of researching. I posted the aforementioned property because it's the top of my price range in the area I want to buy. That's all. I'm more just trying to get a feel for what to look for..general region-specific advice from people not employed in real estate.
Thanks. Could you tell me why you think it's over-priced? I've looked elsewhere in the general area and I think it's about average based on my 101-level knowledge/interpretation of various water codes, etc.

Any info would be helpful.
:bash:

Who do you think you are?

"My" Colorado?

Are you Native American? Part of a tribe that called Colorado home before the white man? No? Then simmer down with the aggressive "my Colorado" stuff. It's not yours. Never was, never will be. Ugh. I despise people with your delusionally smug attitude. Land belongs to the highest bidder and the winner of wars...just like all lands since the beginning of time. Your not special because you've been here a while and lack the ambition to move around.

I'm not from California I'm from Kentucky. I'm a normal guy who came into some money through hard work, spent some time in Colorado and loved it. I want to buy land in La Plata County because it's beautiful and amazing and probably my favorite place on Earth.

I came into this thread w/ the best of intentions but clearly a few of you guys have issues w/ money and took your own personal issues as a chance to rip on the new guy. I issue no apologies for my posts...I asked an honest question w/ the best intentions nothin' more. I appreciate this resource, have enjoyed reading various threads by members talking about their elk hunts, so I thought what the hell I'll ask these fella's, only to get hit with sh** like this? With every intention of letting personal friends and future friends via this forum hunt their hearts out on my land for free?

Piss off. Truly.
Thanks sir. I've contacted the realtor and the water rights for this particular property are outstanding. City based. I'm struggling to figure out what my next resource should be. I've contacted a few local farmers, nice guys, but very shy..tough to get info on the local area on all fronts..
Not listing ads. Just doing research.

I know I can do better in the northwest corner of Colorado. But for elk-heavy land, I don't know where I can a lot better all things considered. I'd love it if you could tell me where you think you'd buy in that price range if Colorado elk hunting was your priority.

Thanks.

link doesn't work

I used to live in the area. LaPlata and Archuleta counties WERE one of my favorite places on Earth. I still have some land there, but I'm doubtful I'll ever return to it.

We have "ranches" for sale here in WY as well. We also have "ranches" that used to be open for hunting, but were bought by a well-heeled hunter. We're becoming Texas and Wisconsin slowly but almost surely. I'm a public land hunter, so it matters not to me what people do with their money or THEIR land, but when they use it to lock the public out of public lands, I tend to become one of those who thinks that it's time to tax the bejeezus out of their "ranch" as "commercial" or "recreational" property rather than as "agricultural" property.

That particular property is South of Durango, which I remember as significantly more arid than what you'll find to the north. Water should be a concern anywhere you buy property anymore. I also recall that area as influenced by a reservation (Southern Ute?). You may want to do some checking in that regard as well. Consider that your neighbors there may still be real "ranchers" - that they might be a little reluctant to talk to you unless you have experience and plan to run some cows and commit to and cooperate with the ranching lifestyle. Otherwise, they may identify you as just another city slicker with money. On the other hand, they may already be anti-hunting transplants who are going to call the Sheriff/Tribal Police every time they hear a rifle shot from your side of the fence. Deer might stick around, but elk aren't going to stay put on 455 acres, particularly if they're shot at. How's the access in the winter? Can you stand being shut in until the county plow makes it out to you? Lastly, Durango is becoming a liberal bastion in SW Colorado. I'd start reading the Durango Herald online, particularly their letters to the editor.

It's an area in transition, and I'm certainly for any hunter moving back in over the anti-hunters who seem to be flocking to the area with all kinds of money. But, if your plan is a private hunting preserve and "No Trespassing" signs to keep people out of any BLM land it borders, what's the difference?

(Edit) As a community, we should be happy when we see that one of our own has funds enough to consider a purchase such as this, particularly when more and more land like this is being sold to the crowd who votes against us when it comes to firearms and hunting issues.

OP stated: "With every intention of letting personal friends and future friends via this forum hunt their hearts out on my land for free
Piss off. Truly."


***Yea, right, LOL! You go buy that with your 2 1/2 million inheritance or however you came into it and then come back on this thread and invite all of us out for a good old elk hunt on your land. What a bunch of BS!!! I was in the Durango area a year ago and, although it's gorgeous country, it's full of a bunch of nonhunting Liberal Dicks that I wouldn't be caught in the same county with. Sounds like you'd fit right in around there though, so have at it, LOL!

Actually, I am a member of the Arapaho Tribe which has been in the land that became CO for thousands of years.The bones of my ancestors have been entombed in the soil of CO since before the first "white man" ever crossed the Atlantic.

The connection to the tribe comes from my father's side of the family. On my mother's side, they crossed the prairies just before the Civil War and homesteaded in northeast CO near Wray. So, even if I only stress my mother's side my family has been in CO for more than 150 years. So, yes, IT IS MY COLORADO!

Just wanted to clear that up. Assumptions can be a bummer can't they? :fighting0007:

We also should thank flags for protecting our right to say, "my West Virginia" or "my michigan" .......in English, thank you for your service flags
RR

"Thanks. Could you tell me why you think it's over-priced? I've looked elsewhere in the general area and I think it's about average based on my 101-level knowledge/interpretation of various water codes, etc.

Any info would be helpful."

I did not think the property was far overpriced at all. I realize that this type of property has become much more expensive in recent years.

My point was only that it would may not be great strictly as hunting land. There may be game on the land quite a bit in winter, but during the hunting seasons it may be a much more rare event. It looks like a good place to live, and a nice ranch property.

For the same price some properties in more remote areas will probably be better hunting properties, but not quite a nice for a home due to winter access and distance to shops, restaurants, etc.

Ok Brianinco, you got your feedback, don't go anywhere, keep it coming. Let's talk about some other properties. The area south of Mancos has some good deer and some locations have great elk too. The one near Bayfield would be a much better hunting property than the one you list.

Here you go. Can't beat this deal for an elk ranch!

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...70-43170?row=9

Here is another great one in great elk country.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...7-78698?row=24

What do you think???

maybe you can talk these guys down. I see elk in this country almost every time I drive through there. Great deer country
http://www.buydurango.com/webDurango/header.htm

Darn, won't take you to the link, you have to enter MLS data. 1326 acres south of Hesperus/Mancos

He must be getting ready for the super bowl. Doesn't seem to want to talk about any property but the one he posted??

***You're wasting your time man! He wants to rub elbows with all the Liberal Dicks in Durango!

I am wasting my time, because most likely he is trying to sell the property he listed first. It certainly isn't an elk property. But I enjoy an occasional search for an elk ranch, so I called his bluff.

Yep, a poster comes on, asks a simple question and gets attacked. No wonder this site is dying.

Falcon, it is a spam ad. They are just getting sneakier

He is welcome to PM me and prove he is genuine. If he does I will publically come on here and apologize and start a legitimate discussion. However, I have already put links to several prime elk properties much better than the one he listed and he hasn't responded.

By the way, every site I am on gets the "this site is dying" moniker from time to time.

***Yep to that TX! Anyone should have been able to see the guy was trying to sneak in under the radar with that first post. He didn't want to know our opinion of that as hunting property any more than we wanted to know the score of the ballgame yesterday before it was played! Who in their right mind is going to come on a hunting website and ask complete stangers if they would drop 2 1/2 million on a place we've never seen other than in a couple pictures. He did come back a couple times to try to cover his butt, but that was also a pretty feeble attempt and then to say we missed out on getting to hunt it when he buys it was really lame!

I agree completely. Whether this fellow was genuine or not there was no reason for this type of greeting. There is no point to this but it continues endlessly. I understand if he does not respond and chooses to not visit this site again

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. And yes, the first couple of times guys did this, I took the bait. He is transparently trying to promote this property. Sorry if you can't see that.

I have many times helped someone search for such a property, and enjoy doing so, but I don't like being taken. I wish he was real.

***TX---Some people on here just can't see the forest for the trees! If the OP was for real and interested in buying hunting property, he would have been back and conversing with you when he asked you for help and you gave him some good properties. This site is not dying and eliminating spam and those that don't follow the rules is one way to keep it alive.

Thanks. I know where that property is. That's a good price. The water issues on the original property are superior by a good stretch, the land is more aesthetic with good elk pattern history and of course, the home(s). Overall I think the two properties are fairly close together in terms of value.

Thanks again. I've reached out to that realtor via email to talk some more.
Thank you very much. Yeah, talking to locals they reiterate this. Durango is another world to them, akin to a smaller Boulder. From what I gather though a few miles in every direction is still Old Colorado to some degree. Not what it used to be, I certainly here you. But it's close.

I know surrounding states offer cheaper land with more hunter-friendly folks. I particularly enjoy hunting and living in Colorado though. We'll see..

Thanks for 'edit' addition as well. Some of these guys are just unbelievable.
A) It wasn't an inheritance, I earned every penny
B) you and a few others clearly have issues with money; your mean-spirited jealousy seeps through your words like a vile fart from a fat guy.
C) I absolutely do have every intention of making new E-friends and hunting with them on my land. Sorry you're so cynical that you find that impossible to believe
D) What about my posts indicates I'm a liberal? You're coming off like a walking, breathing angry stereotype of how actual liberals marginalize hunters and conservatives; angry for no reason, posturing, attacking people for its' own sake bc it's anonymous and easy, etc.

Thanks for clarifying. I have (an admittedly) weird dream of being able to hunt where I live. For a decade I have fantasized of walking out of the house with my rifle, going for a hike and hunting there on the spot. Obviously picking some land an hour away and driving there would expand my options. As you state, this limits me considering my budget unless I'm willing to expand outside of La Plata County. For now I'm going to keep plugging away at land within 30 miles of Durango.

For some reason I actually prefer the land slightly East of Durango. I know most folks enjoy Mancos and I do too, but I really like Bayfield, that stretch between Bayfield and Pagosa area..

I also worry about it being only 500 acres land. As you know (and I think you stated, or somebody did) a few rifle kills and the patterns change. It might be a one-and-done situation. Some locals tell me no, 500 acres in regular pattern is sufficient, others say I need double to triple that for consistent kills.

What do you guys think about this issue in particular?
Thanks again. One of those is sold. I've reach out to real estate agents to learn more about water rights and neighboring lands.

Like I said I'd love to stay within 30 miles or so of Durango but if that looks less and less realistic I'll expand. Particularly if it's over 1500 acres of good elk in high country...

Thanks. I'll bump this thread when I hear back from the realtor (s).

What? Where do you get this? You have issues guy.
The attitude here is pretty unfortunate. I've been very busy in the past few days but I'll certainly expand my hunting forum horizons..

Some good guys with helpful posts mixed in as well, though.


I'm in the 101 stages of research. Implicit in your dumb, rage-filled rambling is upon digesting one or two messages from strangers, I'll throw my hands up and say "thanks brothers," then show up w/ 2.5 million in cash at the bank and say "sign it over I've got cash money yeeehawww!"

I'm doing research. Advice from seasoned elk hunters is as good a place to start as anywhere, it seems to me. Certainly better than asking realtors.

You keep reiterating the dollar amount over and over...again if you have issues w/ money I sympathize but it's off-putting to take that out on strangers.

I'm in touch w/ locals and I'm in touch with you all.

You really owe me an apology. I won't hold my breathe.

Ok, although not totally convinced, you are sounding much more legit. If you are, then I apologize profoundly. How long have you lived in Durango and what do you do? I know a guy who owns 15 acres on the river on the outskirts of Durango's north side that has Boone and Crocket bucks in his fields almost year round. He hunts with a bow there to keep the neighbors happy. So obtaining a property to live on and hunt deer is very doable.

But an elk property is a whole nother animal. The properties to the south of Durango/Mancos are great deer areas, but elk, not so much. And consistent elk country needs more acreage. Scare a deer and he will run over the hill. Scare an elk and he will run to the next county. I would be surprised if the pictures of the elk shown are actually on the property you mentioned.

I also tried to say close to Durango when I bought property but ended up buying out near Groundhog reservoir north of Dolores just because you get twice the bang for your buck.

Accepted, and thanks.
I've lived in Durango off and on for two years. I work from home. IT.

Thank you, this is the kind of info I was after. Like I said I'm not an experienced elk hunter. Now that I've established that 500 acres is not nearly enough, is it fair to say that in the state of CO one cannot acquire a truly consistent elk habitat for 2-3 million? All the full-fledged "elk ranches" I see are 10 million or more.
Thanks. Yeah I'd like to live in/around Durango, and hunt elk on my land. I'm gathering that just isn't in the cards for a couple mill. Is that an accurate conclusion from your end as well?

I know it's hard to give definitive numbers but can you guys chime in on what you'd like to see as a minimum acreage for a consistent elk hunting habitat? Or is very much region-specific?

This last post sounds good as well, but as stated, I am still skeptical on this being legitimate due to being burned in the past. After all, this is the intenet and scammers have become very adept at sounding legitmate. One thing that would go a long way to proving your legitmacy would be links to other posts you have made on other hunting websites. Someone who wants to buy a property such as this to hunt on doesn't just materialize out of thin are. They have done some posting on hunting/fishing/shooting forums. Can you provide such links to your postings?

No, if you are for real, you don't have to prove anything to us, but due to the way of the internet, you won't be taken seriously unless you can provide more than a few posts seeming to be promoting a certain property.

brianinco---I'll also offer a humble apology if you are legit and just doing what you say, but the reason I came on this thread like I did was because there have been too many that did just like you did on your first post and were just trying to get around website rules that you can only put ads like you did in the Classified Section. Sorry if I was wrong and if you stay on here and show you're truly a hunter and just came on for some help I could could give a rip whether you have money or not to buy those expensive properties. Durango is, however, a Lib stronghold for the well-healed and it's too bad they've taken over that beauiful area of CO. I have more than what I need to do my thing and actually was on the road for three solid months in five states last year helping a buddy on a sheep hunt and doing DIY hunts for elk, deer, antelope, and capped it all off with a week of pheasant hunting with my pointer. FYI, as TX stated, elk require lots of acreage and we're talking thousands, not hundreds. I've watched herds of elk that were spooked in WY where I hunt and they went 3-4 miles up and down over several drainages in a small time frame like we would walk on the sidewalk for a stroll.

I think an elk ranch is just like real estate of any kind: location, location, location.

So in some areas, 400-500 acres might be enough. However in most, I would think 1000 acres would be a minimum.

Smaller ranches, even just a couple of hundred acres, might be enough if they backed up to public land that was hard to access except through the private. A smaller ranch surrounded by private, especially in the lower country south of Durango, would not be ideal for year round elk. Elk just are too moble Deer, yes, but not elk

Elevation is another factor. I don't think you are in to elky country until you get up above 7500-8000 feet. Sure there are year round elk below that, but not the numbers of higher country, unless you only want to hunt the later/winter range type seasons.

It seems odd to ask advice about property here...Anyway, there is no harm to answer his post. Tell him what he should do if you guys get something in mind.:arms:

***Well as far as I'm concerned TX and I were correct in our analysis because the OP hasn't even logged back onto the site since the time of his final post on this thead on 2/04/14 to see if anyone answered his last questions! However, he succeeded in getting well over 1100 views, so it looks like he accomplished whatever he was attempting, LOL!