Owning a wood
- Thread starter stet
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Terrydeer
Well-Known Member
Hello Stet, putting everything aside owning your own woodland would be a lovely thing to do. I used to assess woodland purchases for potential buyers and I would say the biggest problems would be access and neighbours and any legal designations SSSI etc , make sure that you look at these in detail, if the sporting rights are included that sounds good. I am sure there are other people on the forum that would be happy to help if you drop them a PM
tdawson
Well-Known Member
I think you’ll find the restrictions are relating to clay pigeon or target shooting, rather than protection of trees by deer control?
"In such a manner as to become a danger or nuisance or annoyance to any person".
That seems like an open invite for someone to say you've annoyed them.
@theroedeerguy
Well-Known Member
Exactly this, I have several permissions where neighbouring properties do little to no deer management, there is definitely a vacuum effect when I remove dominant Roe does and bucks that incomers come for a look round.
To quote Field of Dreams “ Build it and they will come”
Create a Roe deer habitat paradise and they will literally be fighting each other to make it their home.
Freeforester
Well-Known Member
I do, but shooting in it is only a small part of the pleasure of owning it. A 25 acre, long and relatively narrow strip (sub 100 m wide for the most part along the edge of the local river system where the main tributary meets the principle river. A 700acre ‘commercial‘ neighbouring forest provides any replacement deer. It had been clear felled of softwood prior to my acquiring it, and we planted 23k mixed hardwoods for the longer term added values, both in financial and ecological terms (the before and after pics are striking!). Made a 1/2 mile access track through the middle portion of it, and a couple of flight ponds, one at either end. A couple of high seats, but plenty of open enough stalking to enjoy a through stalk too, or an informal walk up with a couple friends for wild pheasant, pigeon woodcock and duck. Lovely to stalk a roe or two, but great pleasure in the quiet (no traffic nearby), hammock camping near the quietly burbling river, picnics, pottering and tidying up, gathering firewood, listening and watching the birdlife, etc. One of life’s real pleasures, and though we will sell it in the coming years, it will have been one of our best investments, quite beyond the financial aspects.
If the Firearms Enquiry Officer chose not to enquire more closely, that's his business. I simply sent supporting documentation that clearly gave me permission to shoot deer.
Anyway, my real reason for posting that as an example in this thread is as follows:
I know of people who are paying maybe £500 - £1,500 per year for a stalking lease or syndicate place that they rarely visit, just because that's the only way they can keep their FAC or get the variations they want, etc etc.
I paid just £3,000 a few years ago for the bit of woodland I'm referring to, a one-off payment that's given me a set of title deeds naming me as proprietor, and containing the magic words "notwithstanding the proprietor's exclusive right to control deer". So, never again will I have any problems at renewal having to scrabble around getting permission letters or leases signed.
That's just one of the many benefits, to a stalker, of owning a small woodland or similar low-value property.
You don't need to buy a woodland that's near your home - if you live in a high value part of the country then you'll end up paying way over the odds for "amenity value". Search further afield, and you'll find much better deals, closer to the ££/acre that I paid.
Ruby Tuesday 2
Well-Known Member
Go for it just check it comes with the sporting rights.I bought a small bit of land many years ago after a long time thinking of it ironically as I have the rights to shoot most of the land surrounding it where I'm kept under pressure to manage numbers I don't shoot much on my own bit.
reiver
Well-Known Member
Not true anymore at least up here . There 6 acres just 200 yards from my house for sale @ £ 67 k grade a farm land is 8-10 k per acre.
There even planting good land with trees rather than farming around here as well .
carbon tax and capital gains has help to put the price up as well
Another option, if you can't afford land or woodland at current prices, is to purchase freehold sporting rights. In perpetuity. Again, no more worries over FAC renewals ever again, for a one-off payment of maybe a couple of hundred quid per acre. I've done that too, and consider it a worthwhile investment for a number of reasons, although there's unlikely to be any long term increase in value of the sporting rights as a standalone title.
Frank Homes
Well-Known Member
Yes, that's quite true, and definitely the best option for many people.
I bought 8.5 acres of woodland about five and a half years ago.
Buy woodland for your love of woodland and no other reason. Everything else is just an added bonus.
Be sure that it comes with sporting rights and mineral rights(don't take the sellers word that they're included in the sale).
I bought a stand alone woodland, with no restrictive covenants , but if you're looking to buy a part of a larger woodland that's been broken into chunks , you may have some restrictions ( you should still be able to take the odd deer from a highseat though).
I'm not too sure that woodland is a good investment at the moment ( other people will have much more knowledge than me on this matter). Woodland is very expensive right now ( even very poor woodland) . I keep thinking that prices can't keep rising , and that it has to top out eventually, but , the price of woodland just keeps climbing at a stupid rate.
If there are no deer , then no reason to be granted a firearm for deer
They could be imminent!!
Bavarianbrit
Well-Known Member
Think of the firewood sales potential also of the rubbish trees to be cleared out for the good ones to grow better.
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