Potential hunting property to buy question

[LeeRay]

My husband and I just looked at a property for sale in Mason county around the Tahuya-Blacksmith Road area which is not too far from Pope Resources land where my husband shot a black tail buck this season. It has everything we want in a hunting property: trails, open areas, shelter, and it backs up to logging company land which we would have access to.

The problem is that we don't know if there are deer there. We walked some of the trails and saw no deer scat. We think we recognized three rubs, but not 100% certain of them. We don't know if this is normal at this time of year and the deer will be there come summer and fall, or if this is a bad spot. We went back to our favorite hunting area (on Pope land about 10 minutes away) and saw fresh scat there, so it concerns us that we saw no scat on the for sale property.

The whole area, in general, seems to have deer, so we don't know if the fact we saw no scat is important or not. We'd be able to bait if we owned the land...would that bring deer in?

We will also be contacting the neighbors at some point if we decide to seriously consider buying it.

We were told by the realtor that the prior owner's children had hunted deer on the property, but she didn't say if they had success or not. She will be asking them more questions about this.

In your opinion or experience, do people have success with deer hunting when they can bait on their own land?

The land would be a fun project for us, but seeing as the purpose is to hunt deer, we don't know if it is worth it.

[Yelper Guy]

From your description it sounds like it's got potential.
Set-up a game cam if you can.
It would be a good candidate to put in a food plot - if deer are in the area they will come.

[duckmen1]

The talk on this website is that Pope resources is selling there land to Rayonier. If that's the case it could require a permit or lease to access those timberlands. Something to look into or keep an eye on.

[birdshooter1189]

I have property near the Bremerton airport in Kitsap county.  I see deer on my property about 10 times a year.  Usually about 7 of those 10 times are when the apples are ripe on my apple trees.

I think if you plant some apple trees, the deer will come.  "Liberty" apples do well in this area.  Disease resistant and heavy producers.  Not the greatest taste for human consumption.

[fishngamereaper]

If your buying the property to hunt on I wouldn't waste the money honestly.  That area is a shadow of what it once was. Predators, poor land management, rampant poaching by brush pickers...and yes Rayonier is buying Pope so access will be limited and require the purchase of a pass..

Even if you plant the appropriate food sources the amount of deer you draw in will be limited. 

[buckfvr]

Look for DNR or NF as neighbors rather than always changing names and policies of timber companies.

[MADMAX]

If your buying the property to hunt on I wouldn't waste the money honestly.  That area is a shadow of what it once was. Predators, poor land management, rampant poaching by brush pickers...and yes Rayonier is buying Pope so access will be limited and require the purchase of a pass..

Even if you plant the appropriate food sources the amount of deer you draw in will be limited. 

Agree
Sad to say it’s not where I would Invest in any kind of hunting property
Used to see 10-20 a day 15 years ago
Anymore maybe 1-2 usually none
Head East on I 90 and drive for at least 10 hours would be a better choice

[Mudman]

Uh, NO! 

[LeeRay]

Wow, thank you all for the input. Had no idea that Pope was selling  . That is something that we will definitely take into consideration.

[jackson7]

might also consider the population increase in Kitsap which will eventually spread out to mason county.
Kitsap is fastest growing county in the state. good luck.

[lokidog]

Buy land on Decatur Island, lots of deer!

[LeeRay]

Any idea if Manke intends on selling it's land as well? The property in question actually backs up to Manke (not Pope, even though it's Pope we hunted on this past fall).

[Boss .300 winmag]

Buy land on Decatur Island, lots of deer!

I can vouch for that.

I know someone who is going to put up there property for sale on Decatur soon too.

[Alan K]

I wouldn't purachase a property banking on any private party holding their land, timber company or otherwise. 

[OutHouse]

I wouldn't purachase a property banking on any private party holding their land, timber company or otherwise. 
[/quote

He’s got a good point but assuming the land next to it stays timberland, if you bait aggressively they will come. Not sure about black tail, but deer-chow and apples put down at the same will bring in whitetail sometimes in a matter of hours.