Buying a small chunk of private land to hunt

[Mudman]

Sweet, you can always dig a well on the down low!   Wa is a Dem. run state so don't hold your breath on water laws.  Dems want regulation and to save the endangered periwinkle...

[dmv9]

All those places seems to be close to a highway or in a place near other houses. Can you even shoot a rifle in those areas? Seems pretty close to other houses or a road.

Sorry but keep dreaming.

Just a few examples that seem like they could fit what we're looking for:

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Castle-Rock/0-Tara-Ln-98611/home/44584752

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Ashford/31404-558th-Street-Ct-E-98304/home/22758247

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Cathlamet/8-Elochoman-Valley-Rd-98612/home/75110205

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Rosburg/161-Barr-Rd-98643/home/56815623


Again, I'm not expecting to buy a trophy hunting ranch. Just a place in the woods that might have a deer pass through every now and then--or at least is nearby somewhere that they do.

[jamesfromseattle]

All those places seems to be close to a highway or in a place near other houses. Can you even shoot a rifle in those areas? Seems pretty close to other houses or a road.

Sorry but keep dreaming.

Just a few examples that seem like they could fit what we're looking for:

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Castle-Rock/0-Tara-Ln-98611/home/44584752

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Ashford/31404-558th-Street-Ct-E-98304/home/22758247

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Cathlamet/8-Elochoman-Valley-Rd-98612/home/75110205

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Rosburg/161-Barr-Rd-98643/home/56815623


Again, I'm not expecting to buy a trophy hunting ranch. Just a place in the woods that might have a deer pass through every now and then--or at least is nearby somewhere that they do.

Probably not.  Unfortunately I have pretty much crossed target shooting off my list.  In a lot of these places I think I'd be fine firing one or two rounds a year at a deer (assuming it was not in a restricted zone, proper backstop, etc.), but will be close enough to other houses that I wouldn't want to shoot every day for the sake of maintaining good relations with the neighbors. 

[police women of America]

Here's a tip: Don't buy in Thurston county!
Especially if it's in a gopher zone, then you'll need tons of permits to even build a cabin. But if you do find some you like there you can check out Geodata.org to see if its worth buying.

[meridahair]

My advice is to be very picky and don't be afraid to wait a bit. It feels like we are in a pretty active real estate bubble right now. We are hoping to pick up some property in the San Juans - they are only just recovering from the last bubble pop in 2009, but I think time is on our side for affordability. Assuming we still have jobs and cashola, that is.

The thing about wildlife underpasses are that if there is any human housing nearby, people will walk their dogs in the wildlife area, scaring away potential animals. Video studies of wildlife movement in the corridors mostly catch dog walkers. Arg.

[bearpaw]

Can you get water there?

Sounds like probably no water. Previous buyers backed out for that reason.

That is driving down values all over the state on properties without wells.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Sorry but keep dreaming.

Just a few examples that seem like they could fit what we're looking for:

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Castle-Rock/0-Tara-Ln-98611/home/44584752

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Ashford/31404-558th-Street-Ct-E-98304/home/22758247

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Cathlamet/8-Elochoman-Valley-Rd-98612/home/75110205

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Rosburg/161-Barr-Rd-98643/home/56815623


Again, I'm not expecting to buy a trophy hunting ranch. Just a place in the woods that might have a deer pass through every now and then--or at least is nearby somewhere that they do.

I used to live just down Barr Rd from the Rosburg Property. The only problem with that area along the river is flooding. We survived several big floods, but a few times were flooded in. That bridge in photo 23 was impassable. The only way out was on logging roads that are now all gated. Lots of elk and pretty good deer hunting in the area tho.

[fishnfur]

Watch for a PM.

[jamesfromseattle]

Thanks all for the suggestions.  Got some really helpful PMs as well.  We just had an offer accepted on a parcel of land.  Until we've closed on it I am going to ambiguously describe it as "somewhere in the North Cascades".

Smaller parcel that I'd imagined, but it is on a river, way under our budget, feels bigger than it is because of the lack of neighbors and bordering timberland.  Easy access to a big network of logging roads for hunting access and just around the corner from a designated wilderness area with a ton of great hiking.

We were really surprised at how many properties we were able to find that had what we wanted.  Definitely took a bit of looking, but we've seen a handful that are well within our budget that we'd be happy with.  If anyone else is curious about whether you can get a nice chunk of land in the <100k range, I'd encourage you too look and see what's out there.  We're totally psyched about what we're getting.

[jamesfromseattle]

And yeah, the Hirst decision definitely seems to have driven down land off-grid land values quite a bit.  In my anecdotal observations, it looks like there are a lot of undeveloped parcels selling for less than they would have a couple years ago.

Maybe not the best thing in the long run, but politics aside, I think it works in favor for anyone looking for off-grid property right now. 

[OutHouse]

Thanks all for the suggestions.  Got some really helpful PMs as well.  We just had an offer accepted on a parcel of land.  Until we've closed on it I am going to ambiguously describe it as "somewhere in the North Cascades".

Smaller parcel that I'd imagined, but it is on a river, way under our budget, feels bigger than it is because of the lack of neighbors and bordering timberland.  Easy access to a big network of logging roads for hunting access and just around the corner from a designated wilderness area with a ton of great hiking.

We were really surprised at how many properties we were able to find that had what we wanted.  Definitely took a bit of looking, but we've seen a handful that are well within our budget that we'd be happy with.  If anyone else is curious about whether you can get a nice chunk of land in the <100k range, I'd encourage you too look and see what's out there.  We're totally psyched about what we're getting.

Send some pics of the land! Don't have to say where it is, just pics.

[Buckmark]

Congrats
I must apologize for my post that said keep dreaming, it was out of line

[MNguy33]

Have you thought about areas near HWY 2? Skykomish? Plain? Coles Corner, etc?