Advice on buying hunting land

[broken line]

I have hunted deer on the same land for nearly 20 years, and the relative that owned the farm recently passed away. The property consists of 40 acres, a house, barn and several outbuildings. I have expressed interest in buying the farm in order to keep it in the family and to continue hunting there. Since I have never purchased land, I wonder if there are any concerns I should have. The buildings, including the house are in very poor shape. I would probably just do away with the buildings....can/will the local fire department burn buildings down for training purposes??. Are there rules governing whether wells and septic systems have to be capped, filled or otherwise. What other things need to be considered. Any input here would be greatly appreciated.

[lawdog]

It depends on the property and the department, but we have used that option with clients to have local fire departments do test/practice burns to remove buildings. The well should for sure be capped, just for safety sake if you aren't going to use it. You don't want the liability there from a hidden safety risk, even a trespasser could sue you given the right circumstances. The septics are usually closed too I think and sometimes the pit broken and filled in with dirt.

[heartattack22]

Where abouts is the property located? I am a member of a Volunteer Fire Department. We do burn buildings for training purposes and Jump on every chance we get. There is some costs to the property owner, asbestos inspection, and a few others but it ends up being cheaper then hauling it away as Demolition materials. Plus the cost is tax deductible. Hope this helps.

[CodyDawg]

The well needs to be abandoned per MN Dept of Health guidelines, not just capped. Contact a local well driller and he can help you out. Or you can continue to use it. It really isnt a safety hazard if it is a sealed top well.

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The property is near the city of Giese, MN (near Mille Lacs Lake). Thanks guys for your input, I'll see what happens.