Buy Land - Then what?

[BizCT]

At camp we did not want people to know we lived over an hour away, so we posted with the address of the property. Make nice with the closest neighbor, take care of him/her if they would keep you informed of any mishaps there. Give them your phone number. Here at home I have 3 neighbors that live out of state, they all have fish camps and I keep an eye on them. The properties all join and they gave me sole access to hunt the land that totals over 60 acres. They take good care of me, I offered to have hunting rights if I kept an eye out and plowed there driveway in the winter if they come out. Works perfect for me and means the world to them.

Yup we plan to get to know the 1 neighbor more once the property is ours. Being under 20min away makes it nice for my dad who is retired. He can stop there whenever he wants.

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[ATbuckhunter]

At camp we did not want people to know we lived over an hour away, so we posted with the address of the property.  Make nice with the closest neighbor, take care of him/her if they would keep you informed of any mishaps there.  Give them your phone number.  Here at home I have 3 neighbors that live out of state, they all have fish camps and I keep an eye on them.  The properties all join and they gave me sole access to hunt the land that totals over 60 acres.  They take good care of me, I offered to have hunting rights if I kept an eye out and plowed there driveway in the winter if they come out.  Works perfect for me and means the world to them.

This is one of the best things you can do. Keeping good relations with neighbors is a huge thing. Since they live there, they can be your eyes and ears. A good neighbor can make your life much easier but a bad neighbor can also make it hell. 

[jrm]

I saw a few website to buy posted signs. Some have the name/address some don't. Address wise my dad lives under 10 miles away so it wouldn't look bad but I'm not sure he would want random people knowing his address etc that's why I think he was going to use the signs with no personal information on them.

I've wondered about that myself. Especially since I am not local to the land I post.

I don't like the idea of having my address on the signs. Many people in my area post their land, and I have never seen an address. Most have no information at all, some have a company name (also without address).

On the other side, there are two things to consider:

1. rules state a name and address on the posted sign is required. Does not having that information limit the legal effectiveness of the signs? No sense in putting up signs if they have no more legal clout than no sign at all.

2. At least in my area, anyone can go online and see the name and address of the property owner. The county lists it on their tax map. Real easy to find. Probably easier to look it up online than to find a pen and paper to copy off the posted sign.

Interesting thing about #2... some property posted in my area has a company name (no address) on the sign which doesn't match the name of the company which owns the land. I also wonder if this impedes the legal effectiveness of the sign.

[jjb4900]

I have a copy of the ECL, I'll research the posting law and get back to you as to the posting requirements.

[nyslowhand]

Oh yeah, issues with neighbors can definitely turn any dreams you might have about your new property into a reoccurring nightmare!!!!

 

To make the posting legal for your situation, I'd put your dad's address on the signs w/o a phone #. Last name only & a PO box # would work too. Not all vacant properties have official address #s. But..to a trespasser it may look legit, a lawyer may look at it in a different view legally, if it were to go that far. Unfortunately, that's the world we live in.  

[raymerlo]

I have used Voss for our posted and restricted signs good service and fast turn around,we put a club name and just the name of the town on ours,no phone congrats on the new land purchase

  Voss Signs Llc in Manlius, NY 13104 - syracuse.com

  

[BizCT]

Thx all

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[Jaeger]

I'd post and then more importantly, be present.  Locals find out about property sold and quickly move in until you show them it's private.

 

But that's the fun part, being present, using you new hunting place.  Don't worry about disturbing the deer or changing patterns,  you're probably going to be hunting it differently than it was in the past so your first season there will be a change for them no matter what you do.

 

Just let your dad and yourself enjoy it, and Post!!

 

Good luck and Congratulations!!

[BizCT]

I forgot to mention that two of the four sides of the property are marked DEC Watershed no trespassing signs. So we should just use the same trees but post ours on the opposite side?

The other 2 side border woods that aren't marked so we will follow the maps/surveys the best we can I guess.

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[vcbowhunter]

http://www.seriouspropertymarkers.com/

These are the best posted signs.  They are like $1.50 each, but you'll do it once and never do it again.  Posted mine 5 years ago, still in perfect condition.  You can even have your name inprinted on it.  They are out of Upstate NY too.  

River's Edge has a sick two-man stand 

http://www.huntriversedge.com/two-man-ladder-stands

I haven't  seen it or used it, but it looks awesome, large platform.  I do use their hang-ons, largest platform available and very reasonable.

[virgil]

i bought my land last summer and posted it immediately.  i was torn about putting my phone number on it because my number makes it obvious that i don't live in the area.  someone made a good point about the locals who've probably been using the property.  you need to do something to make them aware that there is a new owner and that you don't want any trespassers.  after posting my land, i did get a phone call from someone who had been hunting there and was requesting permission to continue using the land.  if you're worried about putting an out-of-the-area phone number on your posted signs, maybe you could put your email address.

[BizCT]

No worries on out of area phone number. My dad lives under 10 miles away. Same area code. Maybe we will just put last name and a phone number.

How are you guys attached the nice posted signs? Hammer and nail, or wood screws and a gun?

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[virgil]

 

 

Hammer and nail.  Use the metal signs- they're much better and harder to tear down.

[Uncle Nicky]

I will give you my experience.

 

I bought 60 acres in Allegany county near Arkport, 300 miles from my home, about 15 years ago, it's bordered on 2 sides by state forest. The idea being I might want to eventually build a house & retire there.

 

I went into it full steam ahead, posted it heavily (because I was told this was what you had to do), planted food plots. I had an agreement with the fellow I bought it from that we could hunt each other's land, and I got permission from the other neighbor to hunt his 50 acres also.

 

Then, reality set in. Managing land from 300 miles is a daunting task...plants sometimes don't grow, weed control is difficult, and if you do get a good plot, everyone and his brother will find out about it. Even though I had the land posted, locals would come hunt when I wasn't there, and I don't have the time & desire to spend every weekend policing the place, I'm happy just to have them stay clear while I am there and not steal/destroy anything, and in all honesty, I'm not that greedy to press the issue, I'd rather get along than fight over someone coming on my land to kill a deer. I didn't know NY real estate taxes were so high. And the guy I bought the place from sold the remainder of his land to a guy who isn't interested in "sharing" properties (not angry, it's his perogative). I had high hopes to turn a few dollars when the fracking vote came around, but that never materialized. As I get older, I'm leaning more & more to retiring where it's warmer, not into the snow belt. I'll probably sell the place in a few years, hopefully I can log it first and maximize my investment, if the real estate taxes don't choke me out first. At this stage in the game, I might make the drive up 3 or 4 times a year, and half the time I'm doing maintenance of some kind or another. I know this sounds a little negative, but I've had some great time & memories there, and I've killed a few NICE bucks on the property, as well as a handful of turkeys. No regrets.

 

As far as treestands, I don't think setting them up now is going to hurt anything. I have 6 ladder stands on my property, I keep them up all year long. Nobody has ever tried to steal or vandalize them (yet), I'd like to think this is because I've been friendly with the neighbors and not acted like a pushy out-of-stater.

Edited October 1, 2015 by Uncle Nicky

[moog5050]

Metal signs will last.  Worth the investment.  Voss are nice.  I would post some phone number is case someone needs to reach you about the property.  Last name and number should work.  Not too hard to find cell numbers of people nowadays anyways.

 

Congrats.  Sounds like a great find.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I forgot to mention that two of the four sides of the property are marked DEC Watershed no trespassing signs. So we should just use the same trees but post ours on the opposite side?

The other 2 side border woods that aren't marked so we will follow the maps/surveys the best we can I guess.

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We use the first available tree, or a post as close to the line as we can get without going over. On properties with lines that butt up against any public access type land, I put a second row 10 or 20 yards in from the first so there is no mistaking it. One spot I hunt butts up to some public land, and theres no mistaking that line lol. We put the name of the farm on them, no addresses.

 

Last year we were late in getting our signs checked and the ones by the road put up, and we actually drove up on a guy in a climber on our land. It was the first or second weekend of bow season. He was about 30 yards into the property, over the line from the state land. He said he thought the line was elsewhere. There was a posted sign, in the second row of signs, 3 feet away from the tree he was in. I was less than nice about it, since the posted sign was right there. He didnt see any deer that day, and extra posted signs went up in the area. We also know his truck now, and make sure to patrol the line whenever we see it. He hasnt been a problem since that day.

 

[BizCT]

Yea considering the land is so close to where we live and the land is only 20 acres in hoping trespassers won't be too much of an issue. The only neighbor who has a house said he never sees cars parked in front of the land my dad is buying. Between the watershed and development land bordering it, maybe people don't realize there is 20 acres in there.

From the road you just see a steep hill, potential trespassers might not have considered walking to the top of the hill or they would have realized there was 20 acres of most flat land

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[BizCT]

http://www.seriouspropertymarkers.com/

These are the best posted signs. They are like $1.50 each, but you'll do it once and never do it again. Posted mine 5 years ago, still in perfect condition. You can even have your name inprinted on it. They are out of Upstate NY too.

River's Edge has a sick two-man stand

http://www.huntriversedge.com/two-man-ladder-stands

I haven't seen it or used it, but it looks awesome, large platform. I do use their hang-ons, largest platform available and very reasonable.

I really like these signs, thx!

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[BizCT]

So here is an updated map. The 20 acres is pretty flat for the most, it is like the plateau of the surrounding land and 1 of the highest points in elevation of all of Putnam County.

 

The "T" is where the landowner said his Dad (the hunter) would get turkeys every year. Tons of acorns in this area and he showed us some big trees where the turkeys roost. Although tons of acorns in this section of the property he said mostly turkeys and coyotes seen in this area. He said the spot for deer is hunting is spot I marked "D". Owner said that the 115 acres down the hill is swampy and has overgrown fields etc. He said the deer are always walking up the hill towards spot "D", coming from the swamps. He said they are down in the 115 acres during the night and come up to the 20 acres in the mornings/mid-days.

[BizCT]

Map attached. The other 2 blue parcels are what we would own as well and park there. The red is a trail (paper road) that we are allowed to walk up to our property on.

Edited October 1, 2015 by Biz-R-OWorld

[moog5050]

Assuming N is top, looks like you found a great honey hole that is perfect for the predominate S and W winds.  Small parcels surrounded by non-hunting areas can be unbelievable producers. 

[BizCT]

Assuming N is top, looks like you found a great honey hole that is perfect for the predominate S and W winds. Small parcels surrounded by non-hunting areas can be unbelievable producers.

Yes N is top. Hope so!! I'm thinking although there are tons of acorns by T, maybe the deer just never make it that far if they are always going from the 115 spot up to the D spot? There are a few spots near D where I can sit in a rock crop and be looking 10-15 feet straight down into a valley. Like being in a treestand almost.

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Edited October 1, 2015 by Biz-R-OWorld

[moog5050]

Yes N is top. Hope so!! I'm thinking although there are tons of acorns by T, maybe the deer just never make it that far if they are always going from the 115 spot up to the D spot? There are a few spots near D where I can sit in a rock crop and be looking 10-15 feet straight down into a valley. Like being in a treestand almost.

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You'll know for sure after you hunt it a bit.

[BizCT]

What confuses me is why aren't the deer eating the acorns at night and bedding in swampy stuff on 115 during the day? Owner makes it sound like the opposite. Maybe whatever is in the overgrown fields is what they are eating at night?

It sounds great for me, just curious why....

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Edited October 1, 2015 by Biz-R-OWorld

[Culvercreek hunt club]

check out a site like Google earth. Depending on the time of year for the pics and since little has changed on the property or surrounding the last few years, it may be easy to do a little aerial scouting. The one year the deer trails to and from bedding were plain as day in the pictures.