Purchasing ONLY hunting rights to land?

Traxion

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So looking for some reasonable input here. We have family land, not a lot, that was split between two siblings (each has their own kids, I am one of them) with equal acreage. The half of land is essentially flat cropland offering no cover but has some opportunity depending on crop type and what type of hunting you want to do. I am the only one of the kids that have any interest in the land or the hunting. I'd love to be able to buy the other half but given the amount of money it's probably unlikely in the short to mid term at best.

My desire is just to be able to hunt there as I have growing up, and have my kids be able to walk the same dirt I have. Given that a purchase isn't likely soon, would it be reasonable to ask to purchase just the hunting rights? I don't really ever hear of purchasing rights, obviously most folks just lease the hunting rights out. I have a rough idea of what I'd offer in price. I understand the impact of them losing those rights when it comes time to sell, though I don't believe it would affect the price much if at all given the limited opportunities on the land (without a bunch of extra work). I would propose a lease but that timeline is shaky compared to a purchase of the rights.

Hopefully nobody gets too worked up about this. Just curious as to your thoughts! Thanks!
 


BrokenBackJack

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I definitely could be wrong on this but i thought a friend of mine asked a lawyer this years back when he sold his land and wanted to keep the hunting rights. He was in NoDak. The lawyer told him at that time it was a no go. Don't remember why since my stroke and he has since passed away.
Maybe try buying all the land and see if cash rent would make the payments for it.
When i was about 5 years old my Grandpa told me, "John if you don't remember anything else, remember that the Good Lord doesn't make any more land"! That being said land is always a good investment but you have to pay a reasonable price for it too.
Good luck and hope it works out for you.
 

fireone

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I could be wrong but I think the legislature passed a law prohibiting the sale of hunting rights. ??? It had to do with NRs & outfitters buying up all the hot spots.
 

Traxion

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This is in SD FYI. I have not looked into the laws at all here, but interesting in ND. A few miles and it could be ND though. Would love for cash rent to be able to cover the sale price but the numbers do not pencil. Land value is driven more by who wants what, how it ties into their place, etc. than production value. If it sold for production value cash rent MIGHT cover. But the production value price and what the going rate is are too far apart at this time, even in a poor farm economy. But you're right, land is only made once!
 


KDM

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Since it's a family thing, maybe a contract for deed arrangement could be worked out that would include hunting rights with the payment plan.
 

Retired Educator

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Remember some of the discussion but not the fine points. If I remember correctly there was discussion of the future. If you own the rights how many ways can you split those rights in the future. It may not be a bad idea now but 30-50 years from now it might be. I agree that the outright purchase might be the best. If you already own half would the rent of the total help pay for the half you need to buy?

I remember when I bought land close to 40 years ago there were years where it wasn't easy to make the payments but eventually got it all paid off. Your grandfather was correct about land. Right now it's seems expensive but in my lifetime I don't ever remember the price going down, at least permanently. Another consideration, when I bought land my initial interest rate was 12%, todays rates are much lower. I was also in what sounds like your situation, didn't farm it but rented the land out. Would I do it again? Absolutely. Today I own the land and it adds to my retirement income.
 

Traxion

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Won't they just let u post the stuff and control it for free if they dont hunt?

That is how it is now. However, when the land changes hands to their kids, who knows if they will keep it. Then I have no guarentee of being able to hunt it. Worst thing is I have a corner with the land that I use to cross onto our's, if that portion goes away I drive around the section to get there (if the new owner is unreasonable of course). I am looking for a long term solution, as it is now it's fine but question marks arise later.

On the cash rent part, you tell me how to make $35 an acre rent work on $1500 an acre land. Your cash rent is only covering 1/3rd of your yearly payment on a 30 year note. The days of making cash rent cover your payment are gone. My dad still regrets not buying neighboring land back in the early 80's for $24 an acre. It just does not pencil out anymore, at least not with the rental rates and land costs in this area (and it's not great quality farm ground).
 
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NDSportsman

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Since it's a family thing, maybe a contract for deed arrangement could be worked out that would include hunting rights with the payment plan.
This is what I would do. If the other party isn't interested in selling then I'd at least ask for first crack at it if it comes up for sale in the future. Seems like a reasonable request from family members.
 

Allen

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Yeah, the legislature made it a no-go here in ND a few years ago when it was being proposed.

So what is to stop the new owners of the lanf from building a housing development on land they own, but you own the hunting rights? Would you legally be able to hunt the backyard of someone in a housing development under your plan?

If I could sell something and then almost immediately make what I sold worthless by some action, that doesn't sound like a good way to go.

Renting the hunting rights for a given term is a far better way to roll.
 

Trapper62

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Put a pencil to this and see how it will work for you.

We rent out the family farm for x amount per acre, then we get a percentage of all productions over the county average. MOST years we get a larger payment on the percentage then the acre rent.



That is how it is now. However, when the land changes hands to their kids, who knows if they will keep it. Then I have no guarentee of being able to hunt it. Worst thing is I have a corner with the land that I use to cross onto our's, if that portion goes away I drive around the section to get there (if the new owner is unreasonable of course). I am looking for a long term solution, as it is now it's fine but question marks arise later.

On the cash rent part, you tell me how to make $35 an acre rent work on $1500 an acre land. Your cash rent is only covering 1/3rd of your yearly payment on a 30 year note. The days of making cash rent cover your payment are gone. My dad still regrets not buying neighboring land back in the early 80's for $24 an acre. It just does not pencil out anymore, at least not with the rental rates and land costs in this area (and it's not great quality farm ground).
 

WormWiggler

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Hope the anti hunting crowd never figures out how to buy land, sell hunting rights to a non hunting person, then sell the land back. Could be a dagger to hunting private land all over the place.
 


eyexer

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$35 an acre sounds awfully low for SD. Marginal stuff is going for over $50 in ND
 

3Roosters

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My mother and her brother own a little land south of Grand Forks, ND. They JUST reenrolled their land in CRP. $93 acre. Previous it was $65
 

Retired Educator

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Once you own the land, you set the cash rent price. $35/acre seems pretty low for a cash value of $1500. For me, if you own the hunting rights, who decides how the land is used? Do you have any control over cover, or food plots. What if everything acre is broken up and planted to wheat, canola, or any of a number of crops leaving no cover for game? Walking a field in the fall that has been worked up doesn't provide many opportunities to shoot a pheasant or deer. Way too many advantages to owning the land. I can honestly say that if there is any way possible to own it yourself you are so much further ahead. Owning land isn't a get rich overnight scheme but does pay off in the future. I paid $500/acre about 40 years ago and today it's worth at least $2000/acre and the cash rent is about $60/acre.If I wanted to put it out on bids it would probably be worth more but I rent it to a nephew who I trust and that prices about average for the area and he makes his payments on time. And most importantly, I control everything that goes on on the farm. Will not tell you that it was easy but it has worked out in the long run. In the beginning there were years I had to take income from my wife and I's regular job to make the payment. As I built up equity I had a banker that saw my efforts and every time I added to my equity he would lower my interest rate. 12% down to 5% over the course the loan helped a lot but that's what equity does for a person.
 

KJS - ND

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How many acres? 1500 x 80 = $120,000 at 5% = $580/month. 160 x $35 = $470/month. This would be for 1 quarter where u buy the remainder half - get the rents up a little and it could cash flow right away - else cost $110 month plus taxes. I highly recommend buying if you can at all afford - but if it don’t work it don’t work. Good luck.
 


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