Well, with a recent passing in my family the inevitable has arrived. I was notified this morning that there would be no more hunting on the farm as they prepare to sell. I've spent the last 20 years hunting turkeys on this farm and it sure sucks knowing I will no longer be hunting turkeys on the same farm I called in my first one and killed it on. A lot of first and certainly an emotional day for me. I'm sure you've all delt with this situation before. Sure does suck and I hope nobody here has to go through it! Especially a month and a half prior to the season.
I hope your next spot you find is just as good or better!
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
i hate losing spots, i have lost a few the last year or so. hopefully you will find another good spot and have some good hunts this spring.
I have lost spots before too. Few years ago I went back to the place where I killed my first longbeard many many years ago. I killed a longbeard in those woods last year too and now it's a 70 acre clear cut! Made me sick to my stomach when I found out my Aunt was clear cutting that spot. There are pretty woods all around it but I will not see the roost tree or the tree I sat by ever again. I remember what it looked like but it's sad....
Hopefully you will find another spot to make more memories.
That sucks! I went through it last year two weeks into the season and havent found a replacement close to home yet. Finding spots in South Florida is almost impossible.
Sorry to hear you have lost the family hunting place ...good luck with finding new place ...
Man that definitely stinks!!! I lost the place I grew up hunting a couple yrs ago and it was a hard pill to swallow ... 30 yrs hunting a place and lots of 1st was enough to cause a tear or 2 to fall! Hope it works out for you and you find a place with lots of gobbling!!
Sorry to hear. I received similar news this year, although I still get to hunt this spring. It is getting harder and harder to find good land as time goes on.
I hate to hear that. Any chance of buying it yourself, or splitting it with another family member or friend? Or possibly leasing it?
Quote from: guesswho on February 26, 2020, 03:37:24 PM
I hate to hear that. Any chance of buying it yourself, or splitting it with another family member or friend? Or possibly leasing it?
Man, that's exactly what I was thinking.
Depending on the family and how high y'all are maybe there is an option for them to carry it? Get creative.
Old and true saying..."If you don't own it, you will lose it." We've all been there.
It stinks to lose a good spot, mostly because it's getting harder and harder to replace it with another good spot
Quote from: spaightlabs on February 26, 2020, 03:58:28 PM
Quote from: guesswho on February 26, 2020, 03:37:24 PM
I hate to hear that. Any chance of buying it yourself, or splitting it with another family member or friend? Or possibly leasing it?
Man, that's exactly what I was thinking.
Depending on the family and how high y'all are maybe there is an option for them to carry it? Get creative.
I have tried every way possible to try to talk myself into it. The farm it's self is 3 hours from where I live with and only use itd be to me is hunting. My family that farms are mostly getting out of it and leading their farm rights. The farm is hard to get to so you can't get much equipment back there easily. It sucks all the way around
[/quote]
I have tried every way possible to try to talk myself into it. The farm it's self is 3 hours from where I live with and only use itd be to me is hunting. My family that farms are mostly getting out of it and leading their farm rights. The farm is hard to get to so you can't get much equipment back there easily. It sucks all the way around
[/quote]
I really think you should buy it if there is any way you can do it financially. Buy it your self if possible and with other if no other way. If you do buy it with someone else get land use agreements and every thing settled right at the start. I own land with my two other brothers and we did not have anything in writting from the start. If I don't die before my older brouther dose, and his son becomes my partner, there may be problems. Things to think about but buy the land, if you can.
Sweet talk the new owner for permission to hunt there. Pull on the old heart strings, every time you lose a spot it will never come back. I bring my 12 year old daughter with me when I ask for permission on new properties. It works , people find it harder to refuse a smiling kid. I always bring an info card with me giving the landowner every piece of info I can to put them at ease. I take ownership of the land in respect to the safety and cleanliness. I have hauled many bags of trash out of the woods, mostly along the road, to show my commitment to keeping the land as natural as possible. I did lose a big chunk of my best spot due to clear cutting. It happens and does suck. Try the new owners, if it isn't sold by the opener, I don't see why you cant hunt there one more year. Al Baker
Start an outfitting/guide business but talk to your attorney and accountant first.
Buy the land under the business and write that off as an expense going forward. Improve the hunting - write it off on the company.
Sell a few deer and/or hunts (guided or self-guided) if the land will tolerate it.
There's a house there, yes? Charge extra for lodging.
Put it on VRBO when you aren't there or hunters aren't there.
Lease out the farming.
All of your hunts and related expenses are written off on the business.
NWTF trip? write off.
Florida for Osceola? write off.
Yucatan for Occelated? write off.
get creative.
Dad told me at a young age and I've never forgotten it...they ain't making no more land, get it while ya can, and when it's gone, it's gone.
Yeah it's too bad that hunting is becoming a rich mans sport. I am losing some private that is becoming public now I will be over run with people. Better than not being able to step foot on it though for that I am grateful!!!! Good luck this season
If they are just preparing to sell it, why can't you continue to hunt until until closing? Financing, surveying and title searches will take 60 to 90 days easy, and that's if they have a buyer ready to go.
That is a shame, but there is a silver lining. Look at it as an opportunity to expand your turkey hunting horizons elsewhere.
The club I belong to is owned by a timber company. Hunt a spot a few years and come back to find everything gone but the rocks on the ground. I hadn't much bothered in recent years but looks like I'll have to return this spring/fall. Just lost my good hunting grounds here for the next 2 years due to owners wanting more money from the farmer. To get it, they had to sell the hunting rights. Not a huge deal though. Where there's will and determination, there's a way. Just like you, I'll figure something out. In more recent years it's become more about getting kids involved and enjoying the hunt than myself and the kill. So, life goes on. Good luck to ya brother.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: Gamblinman on February 27, 2020, 03:36:50 PM
If they are just preparing to sell it, why can't you continue to hunt until until closing? Financing, surveying and title searches will take 60 to 90 days easy, and that's if they have a buyer ready to go.
A cousin who is now one of 3 primary owners wants no hunting on the property until he is bought out or it is sold. He claims some sort of liability reasoning which is whatever. I am moving on and have since this post communicated with some land owners who were generous enough to sympathize with the situation and have granted me permission this season. Plan is to treat land with respect and offer money/labor and whatever I can to ensure I may be allowed to hunt it again. Everything always works out! As for buying the property to the others who have asked I genuinely just can't afford to buy a hunting farm 3 hours from my house as I generally work 50-55 hours a week and many weekends. I will make the best and enjoy my turkey season as usual! Thank you all for the nice words. Best of luck to you all
Been down the road before and like what has been said... if you don't own it you will lose it. (Knocking on some wood) Been pretty good over the past years, I have some great private land farms to hunt, was kind of worried on one piece I hunt a lot and the landowners son now runs the farm, I did lose a good piece of ground as the owner sold off all the timber and only kept the tillable. We get some of the big city folk buying up the timber and paying way more than land values are around here. They close it off to anyone else hunting it... I did pick up a 400 acre piece 2 years ago, only can hunt late seasons on it but it works out great for me. Farmer has some family that comes early on, I offered to take anyone who wants to go. I found a few "spots" and put them on them and they have been having luck and so have I.
MK M GOBL
Sounds like things are working out. I'd be bummed about the old place, but excited about the new property. I hope it turns out to be a long term deal for you. Good luck, and enjoy the new adventures.
Sorry for the loss of your family member ..
:TrainWreck1: I feel your pain, I have lost private spots but ironically have found better spots on public haha
Have had this happen in the past. Some has been ownership transfer and some has been other "hunters" being given permission and ruining everything by overpressuring.
My best place currently is owned by my older friend. He's at a place where likelihood is, he's nearing the end. I mean, none of us can live forever.
When that sad day comes, that'll be the end of that place. The farm is already divided and none of his children want to farm it. My special place will be a development and I'll drive by it every day and die a little inside.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hate to hear that... good luck for your future spot!
I hate you lost your hunting spot. lost land i had hunted for 21 years couple years ago. Its never good losing a hunting spot.
I lost a great farm in Kansas (160 acres; 240 acres; 160 acres) that I hunted from 1981 thru 2006. My farmer friend and I are still good friends and I taught him how to turkey hunt & called in several for him including his first. Also, I had bird dogs & he hunted quail with me but never got good at wing shooting. I miss hunting his farm but the inevitable occurred — both daughters grew up & married guys that hunt deer & turkey and the girls hunt as well.
I miss hunting there but fully understand it. I took maybe 50 gobblers, 10 bucks & many quail on his farm and I am grateful to have had free run there for so long.
I have lost more and more hunting spots, as that older generation passes or sells...
Sometimes the new owners are sympathetic to the situation and will continue to allow hunting... Generally not (especially when land is being sold to larger cooperate farms). It helps if you cry a little...
Whenever I approach someone for permission, I dress and carry myself appropriately.... I do NOT wear my camouflage hunting clothes, and I have a pre-printed sheet of paper with all of my information (i.e. Name, hunting license, address, phone number, etc.).
Also, if I can, I take my two little girls with me... It is a lot tougher to say "NO" with two cute little girls smiling and waving in the back seat (which they have trained to do). When they get too old to have the appropriate "cute effect" I will borrow someone else's child... I have been surprised at how much of a difference it makes having them in the back seat sometimes....
Quote from: Dermott on March 02, 2020, 05:27:05 PM
I taught him how to turkey hunt & called in several for him including his first.
Kindness kills, but the kind are soon swept away.
Around 8 years ago I lost access to my old lease when a guy with deeper pockets took it over. It was just a few weeks before the turkey season and I had no idea it was coming. Kinda like having the rug yanked out from under you when being blindfolded. Two of my backup spots had been clear cut and were useless. I feel your pain.
Since then, I found a few new smaller farms, explored a some big pieces of public, and have taken birds off all of them. It is tough having to give up familiar places that you learned the best way to hunt, but it is rewarding to learn new places and get back to hunting basics.
Good luck & have fun at your new spots. Nobody can take your memories.
Jim
We all pay taxes to fund millions of acres of public land plenty of opportunity for the willing.
Plus you can now prove the private land hunters motto " there's no difference between public land Turkeys and private land Turkeys"..... or maybe you'll find out they are not the same?
Quote from: LaLongbeard on March 03, 2020, 09:08:11 AM
We all pay taxes to fund millions of acres of public land plenty of opportunity for the willing.
Plus you can now prove the private land hunters motto " there's no difference between public land Turkeys and private land Turkeys"..... or maybe you'll find out they are not the same?
Oh trust me I'm well aware lol. Just more so will miss making memories on a family farm with my dad. Not so much the success rate there. All my spots where I live are public spots. And them turkeys ain't the same as the ones on that farm in my opinion lol far more humbling