Hunting Cabin

[IndaTimber]

For those of you that have a hunting cabin, my wife is calling it a weekend home so I'll let her "think" she is right, do you ever regret it?

I've been saving for some time now and have the cash to build a 16x32' cabin with a loft on the family farm. My wife's family lives on the farm but with 6 kids and me and my bride the old farm house gets tight. No one ever really complains but it is very crowded.

Several years ago my wife and I started putting aside some money to build something small while we are there, I usually take two weeks off in November to hunt so it will get some use but I am now struggling to pull the trigger as I hate to separate with this kind of cash.

So, those of you that have an extra space do you ever regret it? Additionally, we only live just over an hour from the place so weekends are possible as well

[Wapiti Chaser]

I cherish every moment at our camp. It also holds tons of memories for my father and daughter. We get to camp as often as possible.  The only regret you will have is not building it sooner . PS my father ,daughter andyselfare at our camp now. .

[GRAYBEARD]

I understand your dilemma completely. I am lucky enough to have a small place away from home, complete with hunting permissions from most of my neighbors. It is nice to have a place to hide from the world with a reasonable assurance of privacy.
On the other hand, considering what I pay in taxes, insurance, maintenance and travel to and from the cabin (like you, about 75 minutes each way), I could take a pretty nice trip, hunting or otherwise, every year and not have to worry about someone breaking in or whatever, at the place.  
I know I am blessed to be in this position but it is a balance that can be hard to find.

[Gooserbat]

I work in the sales department for a portable building company, Part of my job is to design buildings and I have lots of cabin designs and ideas.  Pm me and I'll be glad to share.  

BTW 16X32 is a great size to work with.

[German Dog]

Bought my cabin 14 years ago. At the time I was single so it was all my decision. Its a 730 sqft two bedroom.And it's a 3 hour drive to get there. At that time it cost me about the same as what a chevy suburban would have cost.  
For the most part it's pretty much maitanance free, had a new septic, siding, and roof before I bought it. The only work i've had to do to it was install a woodstove, small dog kennel, and then I paint the exterior window trim every few years. Then about 4 years ago the water point went bad so I had a well drilled.
After I got married and then with kids there's been a few years where it seems hard to find the time to go but I still manage to go up for at least two week long hunts and then some weekends. In addtion my wife and I do go up with our two boys a few weekends a year.

Do i get up there as much as I'd like? No but I never regret it. Granted a couple years ago wondered if I should sell it cause it seemed like we didn't go enough but then I thought about how much I do like it and how it's a decent investment. Bet it's worth alot more than what a 14 year old suburban would be worth. LOL!

Good luck and have fun.

[ChuckC]

I bought property in da UP during 2001 and built a cabin / workshop. I spent a lot of time and work up there.  Was gonna retire there.  

Well, the relocation isn't looking likely, but I still get up there as often as I can.  My dog and I love it up there.  Hopefully next year will be better for visits than this year was, but, it is mine and I want to keep it mine.

Depends on what you want.  Yup, I spent a lot up there, money, taxes, time invested.  But part of me is up there now.  
ChuckC

[Whip]

I've had a hunting cabin for over 20 years and it has provided a lot of great times and memories.  But the time is coming where I think we may sell it to try to buy a piece of property closer to home.  The cabin is 2 1/2 hours away, and it sure would be nice to have my main hunting property close to home.  Plus since retiring I am now able to travel a lot more, and would love to do more whitetail hunting in other states.

Do I regret having a cabin in the first place?  not for a second!  It was one of the best moves I have ever made.

The only advice I would offer is to make sure to think through what might happen in the future.  If you build your cabin, will you have a seperate parcel for it that is under your control or will it be on your in-laws property?  

Nothing ever last forever. There are all kinds of things that could happen where you wouldn't want to keep the cabin, and you should have a plan to be able to sell it if you ever need or want to.

[Pointer]

Continuing along the line of thought that Whip just gave..a very good friend of mine had an almost identical situation. The property belonged to his wife's large family and although he was invited to build a cabin on the property he was reluctant because the property wasn't his. After much thought he invested instead in some land of his own and picked up a quality wall tent  to camp on it. He outfits the tent with top quality gear and swears he could live in it if he had to. He has no regrets so far.

[Hummer3T]

this is my place two hours away, we use lots in summer, almost every weekend.  turned out to be more of a family place than hunting place.

my regrets are wished I was 1 hour closer, maintaining two places is sometime an issue.

I build this out of recycled or stuff off of property.  2500.oo for 36 By 16 slab. 5000 for recycled lumber, mortar, etc. 500.00 for roofing.

[JamesV]

I bought my hunting cabin 8 years ago, moved in and never went home. Guess now it is home. I only use my other home when the togetherness gets to be a bit much with the wife. Funny she says the same thing about me.

James

[IndaTimber]

Sounds like there are no regrets! My father-in-law is a retired general contractor so between him and my wife I'll have good supervisors.

We've wanted to do this for sometime and now that we have the financial ability there is no reason why we should not. Many pics to come starting sometime in April/early May!

[w8n4rut]

I say go for it!! (as long as you legally protect yourself for the future as mentioned above)

My dream of land and cabin is in the works. We just took possession of our "up north 40" in September. It will be a year or two before I get to the building of the cabin...for now the hunting camper will have to do! I really want to get a feel for the land and put the cabin in the perfect spot! I can't imagine ever regretting it...building memories with family. Something to pass on to the kids and grandkids...."remember when grandpa?"...you can finish the story  

My cabin plans right now are shifting between 16x26 and 16x30. I want it cozy and usable but I want it a cabin not a second home!

I already have the first antlers to go on the wall...memories already made last week!
   

[Jason Kendall]

By the looks of those woods and those antlers I would be very happy with the mobile cabin you already have Tim  :D

[w8n4rut]

Originally posted by Jason Kendall:
By the looks of those woods and those antlers I would be very happy with the mobile cabin you already have Tim   :D  

Oh I am JK....just ask my wife. She will tell you that I WON'T SHUT UP about it!!  

[shreffler]

One thing I've always valued was having private land...there's no more of it being made, and it's becoming scarcer and scarcer. If someone came to me and said for your money you could have a cabin on land your family already owns or you can afford a 10-20 acre plot of land, I'd take the land all day long. You can do something like Hummer3T mentioned above and build something on the land later on.

On the other hand, I have a camp about 5 minutes out of town on the Allegheny River, and it is where my family spends every last second of free time in the warmer months. There is nothing better than having a mutual place for your entire family to use and make memories at.

It can't hurt to exhaust all possible options before dropping that kind of cash, that's for sure.

[njloco]

By the land, keep the camper, best of both worlds !

[jax]

I say do it. I wudnt build it on the family farm if I wanted to get away. Lol

[IndaTimber]

Just for clarity, the farm, not alot of land, has been split 37 acres for me and my wife (yes I'm on the deed) and 37 acres for my brother-in-law and his wife (yes she is on the deed) and the remaining two acres are for my in-laws.  

We look after the 500 acre farm that borders ours and have permission to hunt that as well.  Heck, if you guys ever venture to another archery website you've probably seen aerial photos of the farm as my brother-in-law got a tad bit excited about a very large deer and posted pics on a trail cam company's website and the photo went viral, to include my brother's-in-law name and address!!

And yes, the family farm is the best place for me to get away.... The kids love to stay with Pap and Gram, leaving me and the bride alone.  If I left my wife for an extended period of time, other than for work purposes, with 6 kids, as lovely as they are, I'd probably get some additional alone time!

We are planning on starting the build sometime in April or May, so I've got time to put some more cash aside.

[w8n4rut]

Make sure you post pics of your hunting cabin and plans when you get started! I'm going to be building mine soon and always looking for ideas  

Good Luck!!

[ALwoodsman]

I say go for it!  I do not think you will regret it.  Just think hard about any future plans you may have to be sure you pick the right location.  I say this from experience.  I built mine which is only 12x16 after I graduated high school many years ago.  Later, after I learned more about hunting and got into it more I realized that I built it in what could be a prime hunting area.  Several years ago I moved it across the property, which took some work. The next year I arrowed a nice buck about 50 yds. away from where the cabin sat.  We have the same situation, my parents live on the same property.  It works out good being able to drop my daughter off at their house at times.  We are even going to add on to ours in the next year or two.  Good luck with yours, you will enjoy it!