Back in 2008 when the stock market crashed so did my 401K, I took a big hit like many others around the country. I knew then not to depend on that as my sole retirement plan. I started looking for land, I looked all over from Tennessee, to Colorado and every where in between. In 2009, I was on an elk hunt in Colorado with a buddy of mine when I got High Altitude Sickness and ended up in the hospital for the next 4 days. That ruled out Colorado for me. So I started looking more closer to home (Louisiana). My wants were with in a days drive, marketable timber, a year round creek, remote, and close to Nat'l Forest. I found a 60 acre plot near Mena Ark., and I watched it be up for sale for nearly 2 years. I finally inquired about as to why it never sold. I was told that it had no deeded access and was very remote with 4 wheel drive access only. We drove up and toured it, the real estate man was right, very remote and difficult access and the roads were barely passable. I loved it, it met all my wants and desires in a piece of property. Remote, lots of timber, and a year around creek that has national forest access from it, but the real estate agent warned us, NO deeded access, however Ark. law states that if a road or access is in existence for more than 5 years, then you must be granted access to your property. We rolled the dice, because it was exactly what we wanted. So my wife and I discussed it and decided that we wanted to invest in it,
After we purchased that 60 acres I had a dozer come in and put a few access trails in and cut some fire lanes. I also had an area cleared for a future cabin, and at that time we put a 20x40 barn on it along with a water well. There was another 60 that ran contiguous with mine, that I told the real estate guy that if it comes up for sale to please let me know. Well 2 years later it did and we purchased that piece. (BTW, when we purchased the new 60 we were able to get deeded access from the county road all the way to through the existing 60 and now to the new 60, so no more worries about access).
Over the years, Ive had lots of dozer work done, and trails put in for recreational use and more future cabin areas. It's now been 7 years since we purchased the original 60 and I have intentionally not hunted it, only used it for recreational purposes! However every year I have added more access roads and put up deer stands so that one day I will be able to hunt it. The deer are used to me driving around on my SXS. I can get with in about 20 yards away from them before they move, I believe its because they are not pressured and they are used to my presence in the woods. This will be my 1st year to hunt it.
Last Sept. 2017, I found a repo'd 12x40 Cabin with the electrical wires already put in it. I had it delivered from Louisiana and placed in an area that my wife thought was the best view. Over the past year, Ive been working on it, to get it livable. I finally hired a contractor to finish it out and this past weekend was our 1st full weekend to stay in it. Just in time for our 30th anniversary.
After we purchased that 60 acres I had a dozer come in and put a few access trails in and cut some fire lanes. I also had an area cleared for a future cabin, and at that time we put a 20x40 barn on it along with a water well. There was another 60 that ran contiguous with mine, that I told the real estate guy that if it comes up for sale to please let me know. Well 2 years later it did and we purchased that piece. (BTW, when we purchased the new 60 we were able to get deeded access from the county road all the way to through the existing 60 and now to the new 60, so no more worries about access).
Over the years, Ive had lots of dozer work done, and trails put in for recreational use and more future cabin areas. It's now been 7 years since we purchased the original 60 and I have intentionally not hunted it, only used it for recreational purposes! However every year I have added more access roads and put up deer stands so that one day I will be able to hunt it. The deer are used to me driving around on my SXS. I can get with in about 20 yards away from them before they move, I believe its because they are not pressured and they are used to my presence in the woods. This will be my 1st year to hunt it.
Last Sept. 2017, I found a repo'd 12x40 Cabin with the electrical wires already put in it. I had it delivered from Louisiana and placed in an area that my wife thought was the best view. Over the past year, Ive been working on it, to get it livable. I finally hired a contractor to finish it out and this past weekend was our 1st full weekend to stay in it. Just in time for our 30th anniversary.
Attachments
Last edited:
