Am I crazy to consider buying hunting land in California?

KonoctisWigwam

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Kelseyville, CA
I'm in a holding pattern until December 3rd, when the Buckingham Park Water District will hold their quarterly meeting for the board of directors. The prosecuting attorney believes the board will approve our settlement offer, this is the biggest event in my life, so the next 3 weeks will put me on pins and needles until this is settled.

After I get this lawsuit out of the way, I am planning to keep looking for hunting property within an hour drive from my property. I'm currently renting an In-Law quarters in the basement of a house that is 1/2 miles away from my property.

What I have learned is that if you leave property undeveloped, it's actually not very expensive to own. It's when you start to add living space and buildings that require building permits and inspections, but if you leave the land undeveloped, the taxes will be based on the purchase price.

In Lake County, where I moved to, you can find said property for about $1,000/acre in 100 acre lots. I'm looking for land that I could leave undeveloped, and if there is any cabin or structure to live in, that would be ideal. At $100k, taxes would only be approx. $1,000-$1,200/year. My current property is based on square footage, as I'm an owner-builder, and it's based on $120/sq.ft. of assessed value. I had about $40k added to the assessed value based on the 30x40 shop I built. It is my intention to figure out something I can build and sell in the shop, and gunsmith work is one such product to be able to work on, but that's for a later decision, after I get the shop setup.

This is actually cheaper that some other states that are free states, such as Idaho or Montana, those are 2 states I've considered, but the property is more expensive, it's much colder in the winter, and I ponder if it makes sense to buy property elsewhere? I have always felt that I love living in California, I have been here most of my life, and it looks like I'm gonna die here. So, I ponder, would finding hunting land in NorCal be a better option, given the fact I will hopefully settle with water district and live here for the remainder of my like, however long that may be.

I have seen reasonably priced property in Redding area also, that would allow for hunting, but it's starting to be several hours from my property, hence why I'm looking in Lake County, where it also legal to shoot/hunt on property. Ideally, I can find something with a seasonal creek/pond in it, so game will be attracted, and would also like to find something with a small structure to stay on, but if the property is within an hour, I think that would be moot as I could just drive home and sleep there.

What do some of you folks think about that idea?
 
Redding has got to be one of the hottest places on earth. I had a friend who moved up there, and encouraged me to move up there close to him. Before I could sell, my house, he returned back to SB County due to the heat.
 
Redding has got to be one of the hottest places on earth. I had a friend who moved up there, and encouraged me to move up there close to him. Before I could sell, my house, he returned back to SB County due to the heat.
Yeah, but so is Clear Lake. Unfortunately I'm on the Central Valley side of the Mayacamas, and it get hot here in the summer. It might be raining right now, but I've been here when it was 114 degrees in August, so it gets hot. The only thing I can do is plan to have some type of AC, but the oaks keep my property pretty cool, so may not need it...it still gets hot, even if there's a breeze in the afternoon.

The other problem is as you get into higher elevation in the Sierras, the prices go up a lot of the property, and it's really hard to find hunting land. I did grow up in L.A. area, and even out where you are in RC is frickin' hot...

Where would you suggest if someone wanted to spend $200k tops? Or would you look out of state?
 
With that $, id be looking for land near Prescott, AZ. I just love that 4 season area.
 
I have seen 80a going for 120k near my retirement house. If I get enough for the ranch, a shed is all I will need for my quarters.
Another 8 miles and I could be in a freer state.
 
Maybe a modified double wide would do the trick as it's not a permanent structure?
Some places that would be ok. Where my property is located in Buckingham Park, non-permanent foundations are not allowed, per the HOA. Our HOA is basically to protect against trailers, there are many other places around Lake County with them, but Buckingham Park is kind of like the Beverly Hills of Lake County, if there is such a thing. Some of the remote 100 acre parcels, that would be ok, or even an RV. But if it's up to me, I want a shop with a bathroom.
 
Wish I had the scratch to even consider such a thing.
Let me just say that I would have never thought I would even be considering such a thing, myself.

For the past 40 years, I have worked my @$$ off to pay the mortgage on the home we bought in West San Jose, one of the most desirable areas of Silicon Valley. I have struggled to support my family and get the kids through high school AND college. For anyone that has never done that, I did it in one of most affluent areas of the country, certainly Silicon Valley.

If it wasn't for the equity in that house over the past 30 years, I wouldn't be in the position I am in, and even though I made a substantial amount, it's not that much on today's market...most people here could probably buy property for $100k. That is a pittance in today's economy.

I can't help but think what it would be like to own 100 acres, and especially that I could hunt on...pinch me, this must be a dream...:unsure:
 
You are not crazy, but they will lightly try to figure out a way to regulate you into submission
I understand that. Wanted to put a shed up to block my view of my neighbors crap from my patio 12x24. Need a permit, fine.
Then I ran into a wildlife interface unit regulation IWUIC. Can’t have it within 50 ft of house. Don’t have that room and be away from property line.

There is more than one way to skin a cat, Put up 2 120sqft sheds that I don’t need a permit for. I called the company and said make that one into 2 and add a third onto the bill before they change the regulations for another I was planning.

After this learning experience, I am making plans for the equine facilities. Probably going to be 6 120sqft buildings that do not touch each other.
 
There is more than one way to skin a cat, Put up 2 120sqft sheds that I don’t need a permit for.
At my last house, I built a detached 10x20 office, it was 8' from my master bedroom across a walkway. It was the best space, but I permitted it, as 120 sq.ft. was the max without a permit. A friend built a 10x12 office, so that he didn't need to get permits. He put his on tiles, placed at the corners. I had a stemwall foundation poured for the office, and had a separate electrical panel run to the office, so everything was back there. The inside was lined with knotty pine T&G, it was good to stare at the knots when I was pondering program.

Just a thought, in the old days they used to build what they called a dog trot. It had a small cabin on both sides and a breezeway between them. You could do something similar with 2 x 120 sq.ft. accessory structures with a breezeway between them. You would get 240 sq.ft. between the 2! Something to consider...at the time, back around 2005, the county wouldn't easily give me treated water and/or a shower, because they didn't want ADUs being built. Fast forward to today, and Santa Clara county is begging people to build ADUs on their property...go figure...
 
Basically what I am doing. Have a 10ft section of chainlink. In between the sheds will be potting bench and flower pot graveyard
Looked into ADU up north for aunt, the percentage of the main house would have not been acceptable. And having to be removable was ridiculous after expense of running sseptic lines.
The ICC codes change every 2 years. 2020 codes I could put any AG building I wanted on my AG property 2024 codes I can not. Codes get changed again in 2026 and as long as I have the ordered by the end of 2025, I fall under 2024 codes
The wildlife interface really throughs my plans into uproar. Just another layer of BS. If I lived 3 houses north, I would be out of the zone
 
That doesn't sound good at all. The regulations are tough in CA, and it seems they keep getting worse.

I just signed a settlement offer, that we're told the prosecution will accept, but they need to vote on Dec.3rd, and per our offer we won't be final until January 24th, so I have 2 months...the good news is it looks like I'll be living at Clear Lake for the rest of my life. The settlement letter was 10 pages of legalize, I tried to explain it to my wife the best I could but English is not her first language, so it's difficult. After we get a settlement I will do a DIY divorce. here in CA, and create a trust for my kids. My wife tells me to sell my machines after I get the house done...but I explained to her, that's my livelihood, I plan to create a new career by either making tools or guns. Even so, I would need my machines to do any gunsmiths work at all...but from her aspect, she sees the kids having to move and sell all of it. I tried to explain to her, my thinking was they don't move anything, they have a full shop to build stuff. 🤷‍♂️

I guess we really do think about things differently...same with the cars/trucks. She's asking why can't I sell all except 1. That's like cutting an arm off...now I'm seeing much clearer how women don't have the same priorities as men.🤷‍♂️
 

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