About Hunter-Land Ownership
I’ve been a hunter most of my life and sold real estate for over thirty years. You don’t have to be a hunter to sell land for hunting, but it sure makes sense to buy from people who have first-hand experience with the subject matter and there are not many around who have the experience I have.
Thirty years ago, my brother Rob and I answered an ad to purchase an interest in 140 acres of a San Joaquin Delta Island. We checked it out and ended up being one of the first to purchase an interest in what was to become the False River Farms Duck Club.
Our dream of owning our personal hunting paradise was answered. Two years after our purchase, a levy surrounding the duck club broke, inundating the property. Although the ensuing reclaimation impacted our use of the property and cost us significantly, we never regretted our decision to purchase.
A few years after the island was returned to a normal and after several more years of enjoyable hunting, we sold our interest for a reasonable profit, and maintained our right to hunt on it. We enjoy excellent hunting on this property to this day.
Talk about having your cake and eating it, too.
Why become a hunter-landowner?
Owning recreational property that you use frequently is a sound financial investment. Because you enjoy the land you own, you won’t be motivated to sell; you can wait for the best opportunity. Often, buyers will want to purchase land for non-recreactional uses, which generates a higher sales price. And, you might be able to negotiate a deal where you maintain hunting rights.
The intangible benefit of hunter-land ownership is the hunting you enjoy and the satisfaction you receive from manage resources to maximize opportunity wildlife conservation while maintaining control over access and activities on your land. Although financial benefits are often difficult to compute (in the short term), when the time comes to sell, liquidation typically produces a profit. So, why not put your money into something that produces immediate enjoyment and also long term financial gain.
How affordable is land ownership?
One of the biggest issues in purchasing real estate of any kind is the cost. It can be expensive, and the cash flow from hunting is minimal. Hunting properties are often low intensity farms or grazing ground. Cash flow often limits the owner’s ability to leverage this type of property with large debt service. Many times initial investors are unable to purchase this type of land without taking on like-minded partners.
Partnerships
One of the common avenues of purchasing hunting property is through partnership agreements where a group of individuals ban together to own property that provides enough hunting opportunity to satisfy several individuals.
Buying hunting land with partners can make hunter land ownership affordable and a good partnership agreement can create rules about both the financial arrangements and the shared hunting opportunity.
The arrangement should be set up so there is enough hunting opportunity so each partner can experience a quality hunting opportunity. By combining assets, you divide the cost and sometimes installment debt, thus putting the purchase within the budget of the individual partners.
For some, the partnership arrangement can provide all the hunting opportunity they ever need, while others will go on to larger investments and maybe even individual ownership.
How can I find out more?
Give me a call at 925 373-6601 or email me at richfletcher@hunterlandowner.com and I’ll be happy to answer any questions I can and help get you started on your search for your ideal property.
Also, check out my blog. You’ll find information on many aspects of hunter landownership and also stories about my latest hunting trips.