Owning Your Own Place

There's something about it...privacy, freedom, a desire for what's best for the land and the animals that share it with you, a place to unwind - uninterrupted by phone or tv or visitors, a place where you can watch weather happen and discover stars that have always been there, a place to build a fire, plant food plots, setup a feeder, thin brush, work on a fence, setup a blind, etc.  A place where you stop aging as long as you're there and where you can watch nature as it happens, as you become part of the landscape.

In Texas, leases are very expensive and even when available, are often filled on the basis of who you know.  Land leases generally from $10-30/acre but I have a friend that pays $50/acre.  It all depends on location, animals available, if it is year-round, etc.  There are usually lots of rules and you never know when the price will go up or the lease will be withdrawn.

 Owning recreational land can be a great investment, beyond the financial perspective.  There is something very gratifying about hunting your property.  You become so familiar with it that little details are noticed, like which trees produce the most acorns, patterns of the local animals, and the instantaneous recognition of an animal from a bush in the dark....because you know where every bush is. I am not fortunate enough to own a big property, and so like many others here, I have to bring the animals to me as I cannot pursue them too long before I am off my property.  The most effective deer/hog/turkey/exotic attractor is a corn feeder.  I totally understand those that dismiss this as a crutch, unfair, etc and I say "when in Rome..."

To be fair, I do stretch my legs on National Forests outside of Texas, usually every year, pursuing game animals and I enjoy the chase, but I am relegated to bringing animals to me in Texas.  Most corn feeders take a little loving care and maintenance and, of course, expensive corn and batteries, to keep running.  But having an idea of the animals available in a setting that produces highly accurate shots ensures quick kills of select animals.  I spend a whole lot more time watching than shooting, sometime watching an animal or group of animals throughout an entire year as they live their lives undisturbed, for the most part. 

I've seen a fox's coat shimmering in the sun as it chases a grasshopper across a pasture, as the grasshopper's wings make the distinctive clicking noise zigzagging from spot to spot, until the fox finally catches it and chews it like a small child might chew beef jerky.  I've been entertained with two whitetail bucks pushing each other around while the does feed complacently nearby, almost ignoring the buck's battle.  I've laughed, watching does stand on their hind legs and box with each other for dominance.  I've learned that an axis doe can run off several whitetails, all by herself - thank you very much, for a few kernels of corn.  Around a feeder, I've seen a fallow buck deer run off pigs and pigs run off all other animals in their dominance.  I've watched a horned owl, almost too big for belief, drop out of a tree nearby and fly away with in complete silence - leaving me wondering if I was hallucinating when it disappeared.  I've watched Norther's blow in, in a lightning parade, from a hilltop that made me glad I was alive and feeling awful insignificant in the overall scheme of life.  I've been in winds so strong I wondered if I may leave my feet.  I've watched a fawn touch noses with a rabbit as it explored its world. 

Hunting Texas brings opportunity to be outside year-round - to see what the trees and grass look like for all seasons - not just the fall hunting season.  If selective, you can buy a small piece of property that produces opportunities at lots of animals at a price that will likely increase over time.  It will take making this a priority, as it it not inexpensive, but can be a great financial investment as well as a great place to build memories.  My advice if you choose to buy your own place is to look at many, many places and be patient - there will always be another place available on the market soon - don't compromise what you want.