Anyone want to help me look for a hunting/recreational/investment property?

[npaden]

Okay. So I got too good of an offer on my 160 acre place that I bought 18 years ago for a hunting/recreational/investment property and have a contract to sell it. I had a replacement lined up that was nearly perfect, but that fell through so now I am scrambling.

I'm mainly looking for a place to hunt whitetails, pigs and maybe turkey and quail. I can hunt whitetail, mule deer and quail on the 120 acres that I live on, but not super consistently. I had my current 160 acres turning into a pretty good whitetail place but it is what it is and I'm selling it.

Plan is to do a 1031 exchange to save about $100k of taxes so I need to be able to identify the replacement property within 45 days from closing which is currently set for September 30th.

Ideally I would like to find a place within an hour and a half drive - that's the distance to my current property. I'm getting $594k for my current place but I have closing costs of just over $20k so I need to spend $575kish or I will need to pay tax. I can identify up to 3 properties to exchange the current property for.

I can borrow some money to step up a bit for the right property if it comes down to that as well. Would like to keep it under $1 million, after that the interest really starts to not make sense.

Here's the top contenders:

name	county	acres	price	per acre	distance	time	hunting	comments
Fishers Peak Ranch	Las Animas	40​	99,000	2,475		6 hrs	mule deer, elk	adjoining place in Trinidad
Dumont	Motley	161.75​	388,200	2,400	95​	1 hr 36 min	mule deer, whitetail, pigs	Big bucks on camera - little shack - about 100 acres of old cultivated land
Paducah - Corner	Cottle	51.9​	155,790	3,002	121​	1 hr 51 min	whitetail, pigs	One big buck on camera - old pond - all looks huntable
Paducah - 320	Scurry	320​	752,000	2,350	124​	1 hr 54 min	mule deer, whitetail, pigs	Right next to WMA - includes duplex in town - mineral rights
Memphis - 603	hall	603​	1,115,550	1,850	135​	2 hr 8 min	whitetail, pigs	Neat topography - somewhat open - nothing special on camera
Hidden Lake	Stonewall	363	749,500	2,065	127​	2 hrs 10 min	whitetail, elk, pigs auodad	hard to get to - almost 15 miles off pavement
Mesa Ridge	Stonewall	658	1,316,000	2,000	111​	1 hr 41 min	whitetail, pigs	neat topography
O'Donnell	Lynn	640	999,000	1,561	49​	50 min	whitetail, pigs, pond	Very close - flat - not that great of wildlife
Colorado City	Scurry	382	549,900	1,441	90​	1 hr 27	whitetail, pigs	No trail camera pictures - decent topography
Tri County Canyon	3 counties	320	720,000	2,250	91	1 hr 21 min	whitetail, pigs	high fence to the west

​

Links to each place in order:

detail - Spanish Peaks Land Co. Escape to your private oasis located just outside of Trinidad, Colorado. Nestled at the end of the road, this expansive 40-acre parcel offers unparalleled snow-capped spanishpeakslandco.com

https://www.land.com/property/161.75-acres-motley-co-matador-texas-79256/24278448/

https://www.land.com/property/51.93-acres-in-cottle-county-texas/24394415/

https://www.land.com/property/320-acres-in-cottle-county-texas/22452036/

https://www.land.com/property/603-acres-in-hall-county-texas/21817564/

https://www.land.com/property/363-acres-in-stonewall-county-texas/22056380/

https://www.land.com/property/658-acres-in-stonewall-county-texas/24639920/

https://www.land.com/property/640-acres-in-lynn-county-texas/23457370/

https://www.land.com/property/381.5-acres-in-scurry-county-texas/22521278/

https://www.land.com/property/320-acres-in-fisher-county-texas/21828307/

I'll post that and see what it looks like and if the links work.

I'm going to try to line up several of these to go look at this weekend. I would like to have a contract in place on one or more before I close on my current place.

Right now I'm kind of leaning toward buying the 40 acres next to my current property in Trinidad, buying the 162 acre place in Dumont with the really big bucks on camera and also buying the 52 acre place with the one big buck on camera. I think I could get all that bought for pretty close to what I'm selling for. The 2 places in Texas would be in 2 different counties so I would be able to shoot one buck in each of them if it worked out that way. Those 2 properties are only about 30 minutes apart from each other.

The other tempting option is the 640 place that is only 50 minutes from my house. I'm not sure how good the hunting would be on it, there is a chance for sandhill crane there too, but it would be nice to have it so close and I could actually run some cows on it to help justify it.

I've got a couple realtors looking for me as well for things that aren't listed yet and I've sent letters and out to several property owners of places that I would like to buy that aren't listed for sale.

I'm having a hard time deciding. Any input would be great.

Thanks, Nathan

 

[Dan-06]

I have 20 acres of pinion pines in the wasatch mountains south of duchesne, Utah. Borders 5000 acres of state land. Road is good.

 

[mdhunter]

That’s a tough one Nathan. My simple rule is I don’t buy anything I can’t get to easily and use. Obviously on the east coast we just don’t have expansive public lands. Generally speaking, the best hunting is on private so when I buy a hunting property I consider proximity to home and quality of game.

I realize that not a ton of help…but that’s all I got. The best spot in the world is useless if you aren’t enjoying it.

 

[kansasdad]

If you plan on holding on to your Colorado spread, I'd get those adjoining acres in your name.

My eyes widened at the elk/aoudad possibilities! What is the option for hunting them? I'd guess rather long odds for Texas elk, but maybe landowner options??

 

[Letthemgrow]

I'd guess rather long odds for Texas elk, but maybe landowner options??

These are non-game animals in Texas, right?
Shoot as many as you want, 365 days a year, as long as you have landowner permission?

 

[npaden]

If you plan on holding on to your Colorado spread, I'd get those adjoining acres in your name.

My eyes widened at the elk/aoudad possibilities! What is the option for hunting them? I'd guess rather long odds for Texas elk, but maybe landowner options??

That’s kind of a unique place. There are some high fence places in the vicinity and at some point some elk got out. I have a friend with some land in that area and they get trail camera pictures of elk occasionally and aoudad.

Both are not considered wildlife in Texas. Same rules as hogs, you can shoot them 24/7/365. Most people don’t though because they want them to continue to proliferate. I haven’t seen anything great on his trail cameras as far as elk goes and he has yet to actually shoot one. Decent whitetails in the area but not exceptional.

If I’m buying it with hunting as the primary driver the 162 acre place seems to have the best deer. It is surrounded by a very big ranch that is very well managed for trophy quality deer. That’s probably what I should do but the land itself is pretty plain looking.

 

[mtmuley]

Nice 5000 acre place here in Montana but I see it just sold. mtmuley

 

[Caseknife]

I like the Hidden Lake piece, granted it is 15 miles off pavement, but if going there for a few days at least, don't think that would stop me. Neat looking piece of property. The Paducah 320 piece with the duplex in town, could sell the duplex and recover some cost.

A few real big ranches in Wyoming, but would need 60+ mil for any of them.

 

[mevertsen]

Here's what I would do.

Buy the place in CO, since that borders your current place.

Buy the 162, since you seem drawn to that, amd it seems close.

Take the hit on the taxes for what's left.

Buy your wife a new car.

Go to Africa.

 

[INMT]

Does the 40 acres adjoining your CO property add much more than you already have? Or could that money be invested better in TX?

If hunting is your primary driver, the property with the big bucks sounds nice, and as @kansasdad stated, the Hidden Lake place sounds awesome. Has pigs and whitetail and the possibility of elk and auodad. I know you said it’s rare, but if this is a long term investment and people are trying to grow the herd, could be worth the wait.

Also if the land is plain on the big bucks place, is there opportunity on others to improve the habitat and the quality of bucks?

Tough decision but a sweet place to be in!

 

[npaden]

If you plan on holding on to your Colorado spread, I'd get those adjoining acres in your name.

Here's what I would do.

Buy the place in CO, since that borders your current place.

Does the 40 acres adjoining your CO property add much more than you already have? Or could that money be invested better in TX?

The 40 acres in Colorado has been listed for probably a year or so. I offered $60k before they listed it but haven’t ever made another formal offer.

It’s not exceptionally nice but it would keep me from having a neighbor. Only wildlife that tends to use it much is turkey. Positive would be that I could move my gate up about 1/4 mile and only have 1 gate instead of the 2 gates I currently have. Negative is that it is part of a road association and I already have 7 tracts subject to the fee and it just went up to $500 per tract.These also are hard to get agriculture use on for property taxes so they are about $500 per year for property taxes.

I’m for sure not paying $99,000 for it but I might move up some from my old offer of $60k.

 

[seeth07]

Have you given any thought to a NM property that could be in roughly that same range as your CO property?

 

[npaden]

Have you given any thought to a NM property that could be in roughly that same range as your CO property?

I’m always looking. Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico primarily but even Utah and Arizona some.

I’m pretty happy with my place in Colorado right now and not really trying to duplicate it. I actually have grown to enjoy the whitetail hunting and having someplace fairly close is nice. Running down for the weekend vs. a 6 hour drive makes a difference.

 

[JLDemo]

1. 363 acre plot. Love the seclusion.
2. 603 acre plot. Much larger plot, with some habitat improvement, could be a gem.

IMO, water is a must. I really like these two, especially since I don't have to pay for it. I Iove quail and hog hunting, so I'm naturally more interested in those properties that offer those.

Do none of the properties come with mineral rights?

I also present you this property, and if you chose this one, I require a lifetime permission slip to quail and hog hunt. Deal?!

https://www.landwatch.com/baylor-county-texas-farms-and-ranches-for-sale/pid/421528472

Comes with income producing acres and minerals.

 

[WildWill]

I really like Hall county some very cool country with good deer and pig hunting. Should be mule deer on it out there as well as whitetail?

 

[Irrelevant]

I vote Memphis or hidden lake. Both are cool right now with nothing else needed. Honestly the deer pics don't even play a factor, I way more interested in spending time in a cool location.

But if you want a hobby, that 640 an hour away could turn into something pretty cool with a plan and some sweat

 

[npaden]

The problem with the hidden lake one is that it was a several thousand acre place that they broke up into 300ish pieces. I’m not sure the wildlife is going to support a bunch of folks hunting 300 acre places with friends and family. It’s on my list to look at this weekend though.

The 381.5 acre place in Scurry county is moving up my list a bit. There is a chance the occasional aoudad would be moving through there. The 3,000+ acre place adjoining it to the north is for sale and they say in their listing that they have occasional aoudad on it.

 

[wolfpup]

Do something you don't have in your arsenal. Your just kicking the tax ball down the road with the 1031 exchange so just pick something and hold it a year. If you don't like it, you get to list it and turn the page again. Hidden Lake was my top choice. A little pond that might hold some fish seemed fun... maybe some waterfowl? I know nothing about Texas. The CO property next to yours you don't gain much from a hunting aspect you don't already have. I would identify it just to accommodate the identification rules. Don't forget if one falls through or is sold, you get another time slot to identify. Just need to close before 180 days.

 

[npaden]

Was just on the phone with a realtor today. He had a couple others he recommended.

Said this place was better than it looks in the pictures - https://www.land.com/property/320-acres-in-cottle-county-texas/23418654/

It is right across the street from this place that just sold - https://www.land.com/property/311-acres-in-cottle-county-texas/21391245/

Made it sound like I could get the 603 acre place for under $1m. (barely).

Said he just looked at this place yesterday and should have it listed by the end of the month. It is 388 acres and in my price range. It would have Mule deer, Whitetail and Aoudad. BIG ranches to the north of it. 640 acre place to the east.

 

[npaden]

Do something you don't have in your arsenal. Your just kicking the tax ball down the road with the 1031 exchange so just pick something and hold it a year. If you don't like it, you get to list it and turn the page again. Hidden Lake was my top choice. A little pond that might hold some fish seemed fun... maybe some waterfowl? I know nothing about Texas. The CO property next to yours you don't gain much from a hunting aspect you don't already have. I would identify it just to accommodate the identification rules. Don't forget if one falls through or is sold, you get another time slot to identify. Just need to close before 180 days.

Hopefully I will be kicking the tax bill down the road in perpetuity when my son will get the stepped up basis when I die. Morbid thinking but I'd just as soon never have to pay tax on it.

I have commented that I'm not marrying whatever property I end up with. Other than realtor and closing fees I should be able to move to something else if the dream property comes up for sale in a few years. I've thought about using this as a time to shoot a few Aoudad and see if it would be worth even having a property that has them on it. Might be something that seems cool but after you shoot a couple that might be enough.