rockytop

I been hunting a couple of hundred acres behind my house for the last 6 years. I know all the bedding spots, food spots and when their going to be there. However, about two weeks before the bow season, the land was sold on the courthouse square because of default by the owner. I had no idea that was about to happen or I'd been there. A local contractor bought it for development (that in itself is enough to make me sick). But, I called the guy and he said I could hunt it for the remainder of this year. the only problem is, he told at least 10 other people they could hunt it. They have walked all over it, through the bedding areas, feeding areas, even through my yard. After two months of this one of them came to me the other day and said there wasn't any deer on the property and I just laughed. I said, your right, because you and your buddies have walked all over them, all the decent bucks are long gone and anything thats left is nocturnal by now.
It's really been great the last several years to go out my back door and hunt and I treasure the memories but that's all that's left of the place. I'm putting my house up for sale this spring and moving further into the backwoods. Hopefully, I can buy enough land to hunt and call my own but I doubt if I can afford a really decent sized plot of land and build a house too. Maybe it's time I retire from hunting and hang the old 7mm mag over the fire place. I been deer hunting 35 years and I'm out of places to hunt right now.

dog1

rockytop,

Sorry to hear about losing your place to hunt, been there. Don't hang up the gun though, get out and find you a new place to hunt. I think once you find a new place, and you will, you'll find a renewed interest in deer hunting because of what the new place presents.

dog1

onebullet

i know what ya mean,where i hunt at my buddys 10 years ago he and his dad had 400+ acres of clover pastures, woods,swamp everything you could want, bank pulled a shi- on em and now its 75 acres 1/2 and1/2 woods and pasture,----bordered by get this ---a motocross track with a covered dome track also -- but the funny part is it dont seem to bother the deer- like the ones in iowa that come right up to the tractors when they are doing field work[:-]- they must get used to it- 5 of em got a call from "ma bell"-(my buds gun) and came ta dinner

cardeer

Same old story all over the country. Good luck finding another spot

timbercruiser

A group I work for just bought a 7,000 acre tract that they are going to develope. The club that has been hunting it for over 40 years will lose it at the end of this season. Although I arranged the sale and made a nice commission, I feel for the hunting club.

smokyghost

Man thats a shame, I would be sick to. But people (contractors dont see it that way all they see is $$$). Ive seen a mess of prime woods leveled flat to the ground for these 300,000.00 homes. I wish ya luck in your search for a place deep in the woods because Im also on the prowl. maybe youll come across a decent hunting group that needs a few members or some decent state property. I wouldnt put the rifle up just yet. I lost my lease last yr ( 850 acres ) that has now turned to state which I can still hunt but its been walked on to much like you were saying. luckily I found a piece closer to my house and got permission to hunt on it. Knock on some doors worse thing they can say is NO.... wish ya luck

rockytop

I appreciate the encouragement, I been really down about it. The fact that the land sold on the courthouse square and for what I understand at a price that I could have bought it if I had known. I guess I got some resentment toward the former owner for not telling me, guess he was embarrassed. Our agreement had been for the last 6 years that I kept the place bushhogged and patrolled for trespassers and I got to hunt it. I'd told him that if he ever got ready to sell it to let me know. I think I'll advertise for some lease land, maybe advertise that I will bushhog and care for the land and even pay their land taxes for hunting rights. That might get somebodies attention.

marksmen

rockytop, I'm a fellow Tennessee, I live in Perry county. I know how you feel in some sense. Here's a little tip. If your going to sell you house and land, if you can wait until the subdivision or development of the ajoining property is completed. There's a great chance that the appraised value of your property will rise several thousand dollers and you might be able to invest in more land to hunt in a more remote or undeveloped location. Good Luck.
MB.

trophyhuntr

i feel for ya

Talondale

I have to say that is one thing that bugs me a lot. Out east it's just gotten impossible for someone to purchase a 100+ acres in order to have somewhere to hunt and live. I have been blessed in that my wife and I have inherited 30+ acres that back up to a mountain and we are building a house there now. But I don't think I could afford to add any land to it if it ever became available. Acreage around here is like $10,000 an acre or maybe as low as $3,000 if it's not prime (doesn't perk or is land locked). Who, besides a lawyer or doctor, can afford a large tract at those prices? I wish cities were more popular and more people moved back into high-rises.