I've been watching at this thread with interest.
I bought my house for pheasant hunting December 2014.
I finished the basement and put in a nice bathroom, new carpet, new mattresses and sheets, new leather recliners in living room, new dining room chairs, totally furnished the house with nice amenities and hunting/fishing decor.
Bought extra fridge and freezer. Built a super nice dog barn and kennels. Fully furnished kitchen with everything including waffle iron, new dishwasher, etc. Made a nice game room with pool table, poker table, foosball table and chess board. Boot dryers for all guys. Have a gun safe and valuables safe. I don't do anything half assed. I made the place the way I would like to stay in when I go hunting.
I have WiFi, cable TV, electric, natural gas, water/sewer, mortgage, insurance, taxes and lawn care that I pay for year around. I donated a weeks stay hunting for a cancer fund raiser for a guy I new. I donated lodging to a local officer's out of town family to attend his funeral.
I pay a lady to clean the house and do laundry between guests ($20/hr) and watch the place when no one is there.
I'm there in November hunting. I furnish three meals each day. I'm a great cook so you eat way better than at the local cafes. Big breakfast, packed field lunch and a superb dinner. It's nice when guys appreciate my efforts and help clean up after meals.
Public hunting is good in a 40 mile radius. I hunt 90% public land. I limit each day and I don't pay to hunt private. I enjoy driving and scouting for places to get birds. I don't party hunt with big groups. I hunt little spots most guys drive past. I kill lots of pheasants and post photos because I don't bull$ht guys.
I rented houses all over east river SD with friends before I bought this house. They were "okay" yet mine is way nicer.
I can't even come close to break even with guys wanting to pay $35-50/night. WiFi, cable TV, electric, natural gas, water/sewer, mortgage, insurance, taxes, lawn care, snow removal, maintenance and cleaning lady adds up.
I upped my price a little from last year ($75/night) to $90/night and $125 with three meals per day for 2016. I think these prices are a bargain for what you get. Hate to say, but I don't want "cheap guys" since they don't respect nice things. I don't want to cater to rich guys since they can go to resort hunting lodges with acres of land, habitat and surround standing crops for a shoot. I made a place for hunters such as myself who enjoy good times afield, hunt proficiently, care for their dogs and appreciate a comfortable house full of amenities with good meals.
Most of the guys were great. A few stole my deluxe boot dryers ($50 each), left bird guts in the kitchen trash compactor, spit sunflower seeds in the bedroom waste baskets, messy kitchen, slimy refrigerators, bloody bird freezer, broke a couple things, let dogs in the house when rules specifically request dogs stay in the barn kennel. They also left my indoor bird cleaning area filthy.
I don't know how they live at their own houses but I could not use or leave a place like some used mine.
I love pheasant hunting with my dogs. I love coming to my own house to enjoy for a month. I like having old friends stay with me and also making new friends with similar interests.
Last year was an experience of mostly good and some bad. I didn't buy this house to make money. I rent it to supplement my annual house expenses. Having renters in for about six weeks will never be a moneymaker.
I love hunting South Dakota so that is why I have it.
