Blog | Michigan Outdoor Properties

Michigan Outdoor Properties Blog

Voices From the River

Trout season is underway, and I felt compelled to include links to an article and video from Trout Unlimited. The article captures the mystical allure of time alone in the wilderness on a trout stream, and the video captures the soul satisfying craft and precision of tying flies. Think "A River Runs Through It", or "Fishing on the Big 2-Hearted River".

Video of tying the Adams, a dry fly mimicking the may fly that was first used in Michigan

This article by Chris Hunt on fishing alone in the wilds may turn you into a trout fisherman if you are not already.

♬ Chestnuts roasting on an open fire ♬

Michigan property owners may want to consider planting blight resistant chestnut trees as an important deer attractant that could preferentially draw whitetails to their property from surrounding lands. Before a devastating bark fungus wiped the American Chestnut out from across Eastern forests in the first half of the 20th century, chestnuts eclipsed oak trees as the primary mast crop for deer and other wildlife. The sweet nuts are preferred by deer even over the white oak acorns, due to their high carbohydrate and protein content and lack of bitter tasting tannins. Chestnut Hill Outdoors grows the blight resistant Dunstan Chestnut, favored for its heavy annual crops of large, sweet chestnuts. They begin shipping trees to select Michigan Walmart stores from June 3-7. My experience is that they do not last long, so plan to arrive early on the days the trees arrive. Chestnut trees can also be ordered when in stock from online nurseries like Nature Hills and Morse.

Recreational Property as an Investment

Reasons for buying recreational properties are many – a secluded place to play and build a family legacy, an exceptional hunting or fishing spot that's safe and undisturbed, a wild and beautiful escape to seek silence and solitude. For many, it's a combination of these.

Recreational properties offer a wide variety of fun activities for families

Well, another Michigan hunting season is mostly in the record books, with only rabbit, squirrel, and some predator hunting still open. Plenty of fishing still to be done though, with diehard anglers chaffing for colder weather to thicken the ice up for auger and shanty.

Where My Soul Belongs

We are in the midst of hunting season... bow, gun, waterfowl, you name. Yes, I love to be out hunting myself, but quite honestly, I do more watching than actual shooting anymore. Though later today... I'll be up at Fish Point on Saginaw Bay doing a little waterfowl hunting with my son and a good friend. Can't beat that.

Different ways to Purchase/ Finance Vacant Land

Vacant land is purchased very similar to how you would purchase a home: Cash, New Mortgage, or Land Contract or a Home Equity Loan may also be an option.

Ways to Offset the Recreational Land Costs

When purchasing recreational land, the expenses can seem to add up. First, there is the 20 percent down and the closing costs (which may add another 2 to 2.5 percent). Buyers will also want to factor in the monthly interest, the loan principal payment, any liability and/or structural insurance, and the real estate taxes. It may seem like a lot, but buyers shouldn't fret. There are a number of programs available that can be used to help reduce and offset costs for things such as the tax base and management costs.

Group Land Purchase: Consider This!

Gathering friends or family members together to purchase land for recreational purposes can be a good way to enjoy outdoor activities, without carrying the complete financial burden of the land on your own. However, successful group purchases of land require thoughtful planning and often times the establishment of a Limited Liability Corp (LLC) or other type of holding group. In addition to payment of the loan, there are other considerations to take into account when group purchasing land.

CWD – Things You Should Know

We're not exactly sure what's going on in Michigan, their deer herd and chronic wasting disease... This discussion should not have anything to do with the so-called ethics of hunting. These recommendations are being made solely upon a perceived necessity in the name of science. If you take the action on that face-and that face only-it not only fails the litmus test, it smacks of state-employees taking the easy way out. It's a huge injustice to not only Michigan's hard-working deer hunters, it's a slap in the face to deer hunters everywhere. It's time to (again) debunk these CWD myths.