Thoughts on purchasing hunting land in CO

[camelcluch]

Something else to think about. In Colorado you “may” qualify for landowner tags at 160 acres. However, 160 acres doesn’t guarantee tags. Basically the animal counts, objective number and tags available are taken into consideration. It’s not automatic but I go back to what is really happening here in the state. If I could, I would leave as fast as possible. I’m stuck for now but there is a lot of truth to the “cynical” stuff. You should look through the Conservation Threads.

 

[Marble]

I've thought of doing the same thing. I already have one house an hour away on the river, and I don't use it enough. My fault, really.

It would have to be a unique piece of land that goes up against national forest or BLM. It would need to have cover for animals and be at the base of the mountains. It may not hold animals year long, but in the winter, it would. So, 4th season CO would be great.

But really, what I would rather have is a modernish small home within a few miles of multiple trail systems. If I didn't have stock, I would rent them for a few months during season and turn them back when I'm done.

At that point of my life, and even now, I don't want to spend a bunch of time working on my yard, fence blah blah blah. I want it to be simple.

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[Fireflyfishing]

No land left in MT. Buy in CO with confidence…

 

[LongWayAround]

If it were my money... $300k buys a lot of vacations with your family.

 

[Tahoe1305]

I did this 18 months ago in CO. Feel free to reach out.

$300k likely won’t get you what you want. But I spent a bit less and bought small acreage that backs to a massive amount of NF. Others could access that land, but because of layout I haven’t seen many yet. It isn’t mine but sure feels like it sometimes. I don’t get LPP tags but I can draw every year currently still and most importantly I saw animals I like back there.

To your other point it’s great having the kids out experiencing the outdoors. Different strokes for different folks I guess. My experience has been awesome thus far.

To the below point. I have a 3 and 5 year old. We are out there at least a weekend a month and sometimes two. At least 45 days in last year (especially hunting season). It’s an hour and 45 from our house. Enjoyable drive that we don’t mind. Kids will get tougher to sell because they like staying close to friends, but we bring them along sometimes and you just need to shape their experiences out there so they enjoy it. (Mine like fishing, riding atv, shooting bows, so it works).

I’ve been fortunate enough to own some fun things in life. Our cabin I’m fairly confident tops them all. It makes us happy. Only regret is there isn’t a private airstrip in the yard.

 

[Maverick1]

Long time stalker of this forum, first post.

I'm fortunate enough to have a little extra money laying around and I've been thinking about purchasing some land primarily for the purposes of hunting. I have a young family, so I like the idea of keeping it in the family for years to come.

I've been browsing across Colorado and Nebraska. I've only hunted public land.

I've been a bit torn on assessing the pros/cons of this purchase and was hoping to get some insight from land owners out there (or folks who decided against it). This would be something around 160 - 250 acres.

Pros:

• Few/no other hunters. The obvious benefit.
• LPP program is nice.
• Opportunity to "shape" the land.
• Recreational use outside of hunting
• Option for small income stream (ranching lease, maybe hunting leases)
• Possibility of land appreciation.

Cons:

• Taxes, fence upkeep.
• Land improvements (which is a bit elusive to me - I'm guessing this amounts to a few watering holes at a minimum?)
• Possibility of land depreciation.
• Ending up with land that proves to not be productive for hunting.

I like the idea of building a small cabin/structure. However, I've found it challenging to find land across CO/NE (in MY price range) that looks to be in a productive GMU and containing a good amount of rich landscape for recreation outside of hunting (e.g., forest and waterways). A lot of what I've found (in my price range) is ranch-like open grass spaces or sagebrush. Could be alright for hunting deer/antelope, but a bit limited on the general family recreation front.

Anyway - just curious if anyone has mulled over similar thoughts.

With a young family, you likely will not get to use it as often as you think, plan, or would like to. I've heard a rule of thumb that anything further than a 45-60 minute drive does not get used very often.

Maybe take that $300k, put it in an interest-bearing account and use that to rent a nice place for a week at a time, which your money appreciates in value. ($300k, @3.5% = $10,500 per year, which is a couple of nice really long weeks in a B&B, VRBO, etc.) and you can rotate locations every year, or keep going back to the same place.

Or, spend the money, take out a loan, drive back and forth all the time, put all your time, effort, and money into maintaining two places, for the couple of weekends per year you might be able to use it.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[30338]

I'd probably invest that $300,000 wisely or pay off any existing home loans. I bought a place out of state that has a ton of game per acre and am leasing ground around it so I get what you are thinking. As Maverick mentioned, its pretty hard to get there as often as you want and more so with young kids.

If you live in Colorado, there are so many places to take kids for different experiences on public land that I couldn't see a reason to buy here. And if you don't have access to thousands of acres, I find you don't really have a productive hunting property. 160 acres in the midwest and you're good a lot of times, 160 acres in the west is nothing. I'd pass on buying in Colorado.

 

[OKHunter84]

I don't own large chunks of land but I've been leasing hunting land for fifteen years. I keep a whitetail and turkey lease, couple leases had hogs as well. Then I can go out west every year to chase whatever I draw a tag for. It's easier to cut kids teeth on deer hunts, squirrel hunts and turkey. Probably not as smart of an investment as buying but I've always used them as a write off and it's much cheaper then buying. You don't have to maintain fences, pay taxes on it, etc.

Maybe try leasing a property where you could have OTC deer tags with your kids a year or two and see how much you use it and it could give you an idea if you want to own a property. I would say I enjoy leasing by myself or only with one other buddy compared to leasing with multiple folks. Too many people or guys you don't know ends up being a PIA.

 

[TMA805]

On a property that size, understanding the neighboring properties and parcel sizes is important with respect to hunting opportunities and competing hunting pressure. Might alter how much you do (or don't) want to invest in the property with a cabin and upgrades. I've been through this with my 140 acres in North Texas. It has been a better investment versus hunting property. I echo others comments on it not being too far away. Mine is 1hr45 min. Far enough to be "away" but close enough to go up and back in a day for chores, upkeep, etc.

 

[jm5]

To the OP

Last year I bought a chunk of land in Wyo and built a small cabin on it. (I actually bought it and built it for my granddaughter, and now soon to be grandson)

It doesn’t border public land but there are 1000s of acres of public land nearby and 100s of miles of trails to ride atvs.

There are deer (WT & MD), turkey, antelope and elk to be hunted.

It’s my dream come true.

Go get one




View attachment 695349

Exactly! So cool, good for you.

 

[jm5]

I've thought of doing the same thing. I already have one house an hour away on the river, and I don't use it enough. My fault, really.

It would have to be a unique piece of land that goes up against national forest or BLM. It would need to have cover for animals and be at the base of the mountains. It may not hold animals year long, but in the winter, it would. So, 4th season CO would be great.

But really, what I would rather have is a modernish small home within a few miles of multiple trail systems. If I didn't have stock, I would rent them for a few months during season and turn them back when I'm done.

At that point of my life, and even now, I don't want to spend a bunch of time working on my yard, fence blah blah blah. I want it to be simple.

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I appreciate the candid feedback. Really good thoughts to consider.

I did this 18 months ago in CO. Feel free to reach out.

$300k likely won’t get you what you want. But I spent a bit less and bought small acreage that backs to a massive amount of NF. Others could access that land, but because of layout I haven’t seen many yet. It isn’t mine but sure feels like it sometimes. I don’t get LPP tags but I can draw every year currently still and most importantly I saw animals I like back there.

To your other point it’s great having the kids out experiencing the outdoors. Different strokes for different folks I guess. My experience has been awesome thus far.

To the below point. I have a 3 and 5 year old. We are out there at least a weekend a month and sometimes two. At least 45 days in last year (especially hunting season). It’s an hour and 45 from our house. Enjoyable drive that we don’t mind. Kids will get tougher to sell because they like staying close to friends, but we bring them along sometimes and you just need to shape their experiences out there so they enjoy it. (Mine like fishing, riding atv, shooting bows, so it works).

I’ve been fortunate enough to own some fun things in life. Our cabin I’m fairly confident tops them all. It makes us happy. Only regret is there isn’t a private airstrip in the yard.

This is perfect - and yeah, you're probably right on the $300K front, I'm coming to realize. I was hoping to get the land and I fully realize that the cabin is another bear to save for. Great feedback to consider, thank you. My son is 1 and we are expecting at least one more in the next couple years (so "very young" you could say).

 

[mtnbiker208]

Being in a family business, don't assume the kids or grandkids will have the same vision as you.
Also, what you are describing, would take about $1,000,000 here in idaho.

 

[ColoradoV]

Here where I live 300k will get you one lot 75’ by 300’. Yea thats in feet.. May or may not have deer !! The multi generational ranches w enough acreage to hunt mulies seldom come up for sale and will have a price tag north of 10 million if they have water.

Wife and I bought 15 ac near where I live. The top is at 11,500’, pond you can sup on, 30 min from the house, moose, goats, 170 type deer, elk, jeep to in the summer, and 8 miles back on snow machines in the winter or perfect for what we do w the kidos. Silverton mining co is our only neighbor.. Local had it and she at 80 decided it was time to sell as her kids moved to cities. I had been bugging her awhile about it so she gave us a great deal! What I am saying is these places seldom hit the market and most are spoken for years or decades before they are sold.

Not an easy search but good luck. I waited over 10 years for our parcel to come up for sale and good chance it will leave our family..




We hopefully will get a garage and loft soon to backcountry ski out of and a cabin after that.

 

[justinspicher]

I always think about buying a bit of land here in Colorado, but then I realize the hassle that comes with it. I’m gone for half the year and my fam won’t do the upkeep so it’s wasted money for me. Besides, there’s so much National Forest here by me to enjoy as I please.

 

[Bluumoon]

My use case is slightly different, but I was able to pick up 105 acres next to our primary home (35 acres) in far SW CO for under 200k. Bit of a haul from the front range and I'm happy for it.

 

[Buschy]

jm5,

I sent you a PM.


Greg

 

[jm5]

... Bit of a haul from the front range and I'm happy for it.

I hear you, but jobs jobs jobs for me

 

[bz_711]

Depends what you want. I like the idea of LPP tags if possible.
But with a family I'd highly recommend having water on the property.
We have 2 small parcels of hunting ground - which has been great to get my kids their first deer on...but the majority of our memories are on the 8 acre lake we have frontage on...fishing, boating, swimming, rope swing...cook outs and camping!
If it was just timbered hunting land it wouldn't have the year round appeal.

Good Luck!

 

[6.5x284]

Personally I would look at smaller timbered acreage bordering or close to federal public land. I’d rather have 5 acres more suited to the recreation my family would like than 160 of sage. As others mentioned 160 is the baseline and may not always get you a tag. 5 acres that give that meadow or timber or mountain view feeling with quick access to public is much better to start family memories in my opinion. CO will always have tags you can draw every year or two.

We recently bought 5 acres in MT bordering my families 30 I grew up on with public a minute away and in a year of trail cams we have lots of September elk, year round whitetail, and the occasional bear and moose. Can’t wait to adventure there with my family and get my son into hunting. Plan to get him his first buck on there to make sure he loves it and won’t sell it once I keel over!

300k isn’t a lot but I bet you could find 10 acres close to access with a view your family begs to go back to! Get a cheap mill and DIY a dry cabin with the fam would be pretty damn cool!

I say go for it regardless. Only thing we aren’t making more of is land and time!


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[wyosam]

That amount of land in the west doesn’t sound very interesting to hunt big game on. At all. Upland birds or waterfowl? Maybe. Could you occasionally shoot something on it? Maybe, but it’s not going to feel like a hunt.


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