You guys will probably think I'm crazy for what I'm dealing with then.
I'm six hours from my property. I stay in the neighbor's cabin for now. Thankfully, he's a very nice guy and I try to pull my weight and help share some costs and such. I don't have any storage right now, so I drag all my tools up. So here's my take on it.
I could try to buy land closer, but that would mean 3-4 times as much money per acre. I'd rather quick working years sooner than save on some drive time. I'm not a debt guy, so borrowing and paying for 20 years is not my thing. The hunting isn't great yet, but the upside is huge. There is no real competition from neighbors when it comes to the habitat race. The drive up is therapeutic. It gives time to decompress, think, listen to podcasts, loud music, or catch up with people on the phone. The drive home can get a little long, especially with a hangover. But I've grown out of the need to get plowed the night before I go home.
Being that far away definitely requires some planning and organization. I'm 40 minutes from any real retail services beyond a gas station, liquor store, and small time lumber yard. I've also got a lousy vacation allowance at work, so I really have to prioritize my work and work hard while I'm there. At some point, the work will slow down and I can focus on the roses.
There's upside to it all though as well. I see what I go through to make this stuff happen, and many think I'm crazy. They're probably right, but the reward of seeing things change quickly and impact deer movement are the payoff. I get a hell of a recharge from being up there. As far as hours on the road, it's really not a big deal. All you're really talking about is a few hours of sleep or part of your sunday afternoon. If I leave after work, I get there at 11pm, whereas others may be there by 830. Gas is gas. It's a very tiny part of the overall cost of what I'm doing.
