EAGLESTAR.NET LAND AND PROPERTY REVIEW
http://www.eaglestar.net
Issue #66
May 5, 2009

IN THIS ISSUE:
Properties of the Week:
- CA, CO, & OH
Bears & Self-Protection: A Lesson Learned
Auction News:
- CA, CT, IL, KY, LA, MI, SC, & VA
Sponsor's Corner:
- Summit Woods (PA)
LandTerms.com Term of the Week:
- Soil Conservation Service (SCS)


"That which IS grows, while that which IS NOT becomes."
- Galen (Greek-Roman physician and philosopher, b. AD 129 - d. 200), from 'On
the Natural Faculties'


PROPERTIES OF THE WEEK
Commercial Land with 12-Acre Lake
Seville, Medina County, Ohio
89.5 Acres - $2,700,000
Commercial land for sale in Seville, Ohio just off of Highway 76 and Highway 71
in Medina County. Zoned local commercial, has a 12 acre lake, a large portion
of the land is park-like, wooded with mature trees and open meadows. Property
currently being used as a campground, has city water, sewer, power and phone on
the property. Listing ID: 20911. View photos and additional information at
http://www.eaglestar.net/dle4-.html

Private Ranch Estate with 5 Homes
Grass Valley, Nevada County, California
40 Acres - $3,500,000
Picturesque luxury estate property in the Sierra Foothills near Grass Valley,
California. Includes 5 homes and a guest cottage. Has a year round creek, a
mile of Kentucky style horse fencing, swimming pool, barn, 2 wells and much
more. Currently 4 of the homes are rented and have their own utilities and
septic. Listing ID: 19584. Photos and more information at
http://www.eaglestar.net/grnde.html

Home Site with Amazing Views
Buena Vista, Chaffee County, Colorado
2.03 Acres - $114,000
Homesite lot for sale in Game Trail Subdivison. This area offers excellent
outdoor activities and spectacular views year round. This lot is minutes from
town of Buena Vista. Close to Monarch & Copper Mountain ski areas. Views of
Collegiate Peaks and Upper Arkansas Valley floor. Build your dream home here or
hold this land for investment. Listing ID: 20190. Find photos and details at
http://www.eaglestar.net/srb.html


BEARS AND SELF-PROTECTION: A LESSON LEARNED
by Gary Fleeger, Land & Property Review Staff
Fresh out of college about ten or so years ago, I took a job as a consulting
forester working in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of southern Colorado and
northern New Mexico. This job was very important in my life and remains so to
this day. This is true because of the thousands of acres of remote,
inaccessible, and breathtakingly beautiful country I cruised. It is true
because of the skills in self-reliance and outdoorsmanship I acquired while
working alone at timberline, knee deep in the June snow, literally hours and
miles from anyone that cared. But it is mainly true because of an important
lesson about outdoor survival (and about life) that I learned from the bears.

Having spent years in the woods prior to this new job, I did not fear bears,
mountain lions, or anything else in the forest, really. I carried no weapons
for protection other than a large pocket knife and a multi-tool. That changed
when I began to carry a .357 pistol on my hip after being sent to cruise timber
on a large ranch involved in a land use dispute with local citizens. Stories of
physical attacks on ranch staff by locals and vice versa were common and enough
to justify the wearing of the weapon.

Although I was just a contractor hired by the ranch and not on the ranch staff
at all, I didn't think anyone on either side would particularly care about that
fact in the heat of the moment. I also was not familiar with (nor privy to,
apparently) all the ins and outs of the dispute between the locals and the
ranch. I only knew that the previous ranch owner had been shot over this
disagreement about land. I worked alone, out of contact with anyone. To get
where I needed to go, I often hoofed it away from my truck across miles of
steep and jagged terrain, laced with deep canyons and dense with trees and
underbrush. The ranch staff was not overly friendly, and I was not entirely
sure that anyone would notice (or report) if I didn't return to ranch
headquarters one night. After some consideration of these issues, I chose to
strap the pistol to my hip. After further consideration, I placed in my front
pocket a speed-loader with six extra rounds.

The decision to carry a gun during the course of my work was not made lightly;
as a forester I prized my ability to walk freely through the woods without fear
- and without a weapon. I believed that my outdoor survival skills were both
developed and practiced enough that I could handle any situation that came
along. I abhorred the idea of having to use a weapon at all. You could even say
I am something of a pacifist, at least to a certain extent. I do own and know
how to safely and accurately use a .357 handgun, which is not the world's
smallest gun and in fact packs quite a wallop for a pistol. I guess I am a
pacifist in the sense that I am prepared to use a gun in self-defense if I have
to, but I pray fervently that day will never come.

As it turned out, I never had a problem with anybody while on the ranch and
actually met some really great people during my time there. However, the
decision to carry the gun proved to be a correct one. For some reason, several
of the black bears in this area were either exceedingly curious or more than a
little aggressive, something not normally true of bears. They would approach me
quite closely, sniffing and snuffling, sometimes close enough for me to catch a
whiff of their rank odor, sort of like extreme B.O. mixed with rotten meat.
Later I learned that a late frost had killed most of the spring berries and
other small fruits that bears in the southern Rockies depend on for survival.
These animals were probably just really hungry, and the peanut butter sandwich
I was carrying for lunch must have smelled really good to them. At least I hope
it was my sandwich that smelled good.

Most of these bears were easy to scare away and actually seemed rather gentle
and timid. Three times, however, I was forced to fire a round or two into the
air after an especially curious (or hungry) bear continued to approach. Twice
this did the trick instantly, with both bears taking off at a mad gallop. I was
glad I had the gun, although it was obviously not crucial to my survival in
those particular instances. Once, however, a bear charged me rather
aggressively across an open meadow, stopping short about 20 feet away. The bear
(I'll say "him" although I have no idea if it was male or female and did not
think to look) took off running after I fired one shot into the air, but
wheeled around after running only about 30 feet or so, and began jogging toward
me. Another shot caused him to again turn and run, this time only a few feet
before stopping and looking at me. Three more shots in quick succession only
made the bear saunter slowly away. By this time I made it back to my vehicle,
thankful that it was parked close by.

The prevailing wisdom for an encounter with an overly curious or aggressive
bear is to startle the bear away from you by making loud noises and making
yourself appear larger than you are by holding up fallen tree branches or your
outer clothing. The other thing you can do is to play dead. With this
particular bear, the first didn't work and since I had the pistol I didn't have
to try the second, for which I am forever grateful. Perhaps playing dead would
have worked and the bear would have given up interest after a while and left.
Perhaps not. The point is that because I had the pistol, I didn't have to find
out.

I was able to easily extract myself from a potentially dangerous situation,
even though I almost chose not to carry the gun because it went against my
personal beliefs - and my beliefs about myself. Best of all, the gun had
probably saved my life, but I hadn't had to shoot it at anyone or anything,
only fire it into the air. This is the first lesson about the outdoors and
about life I learned from my experiences with the bears: always be prepared in
the woods (and the mountains, deserts, and all the outdoors). Be practical and
don't sacrifice safety in the name of personal beliefs - it is sometimes
possible to incorporate both into your planning for outdoor excursions, and in
your planning for life.

Editor's note: Next issue Gary will share the other life lesson he learned from
the bears - and the way he learned them is pretty hilarious. Don't miss it!


AUCTION NEWS
Browse thumbnail photos and short property descriptions at
http://www.eaglestar.net/Land_Auction_Calendar/index.html

180 Acres KY Timber, Hunting, & Farm Land
Auction: Saturday, May 9, 2009
Marion, Crittendon County, Kentucky
Excellent trophy hunting land. 180 acres of tremendous hunting, marketable
timber, and agricultural income. Highly regarded Crittenden County, Kentucky
hunting land with whitetail deer, turkey, and more. Stocked lake, pond, and
year-round creek. South of Marion, Kentucky this land is going to make the
buyer very pleased. This is prime Kentucky recreational land and will be a
tremendous investment for years to come with marketable timber and agricultural
income. Listing ID: 23624. Find photos and more information at
http://www.eaglestar.net/blt.html

Farm For Sale
Auction: Saturday, May 16, 2009
Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky
Orr-Straw farm for sale. 126 acres. Showing Dates: Sunday, May 3rd,
1:00pm-4:00pm; Sunday, May 10th, 1:00pm-4:00pm. Listing ID: 23727. Contact the
auction company for more information. Photos are available at
http://www.eaglestar.net/mdvs.html

Historic Warehouse/Arts District Property*
Auction: Tuesday, May 19, 2009
New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Trendy 1909 townhome in the historic Warehouse/Arts District. Unique home with
clean lines and great architectural elements. Open layout with hardwood floors,
built-ins and plenty of historic appeal. Large rooms, high ceilings, balconies,
enclosed patio, elevator, open kitchen and lots of windows. 3BR 3.5BA with
4,065+/- sf on .06+/- acres. 2 car attached garage. Listing ID: 24081. View
photos and more info at http://www.eaglestar.net/ww5.html

Fully Integrated Smart Home
Auction: Wednesday, May 20, 2009
New Hartford, Litchfield County, Connecticut
Privacy and luxury redefined. This stunning, completely custom "Smart" home on
12 acres features a gated entry, 5,025+/- sf (per seller), 4BR and 4.5BA.
Nothing was spared in the construction of this home built in 2000. Countless
upgrades include a newly renovated kitchen with Viking Professional Series
appliances, a spa room and a custom home theater with retractable screen and
wet bar. Listing ID: 24082. Photos and more at
http://www.eaglestar.net/ww6.html

30 Acres in 3 Parcels - Woods, Home, & More
Auction: Thursday, May 21, 2009
Claremore, Rogers County, Oklahoma
30 acres for sale in 3 parcels. Includes 5 BR home, land, garage, barn, woods,
creeks, and much more. Parcel 1 is 3 acres with 5BR home. Parcel 2 is 23 acres
with barn, pond, pasture, woods, and creek. Parcel 3 is 4 acres, mostly wooded,
with creek and creek views. Listing ID: 24000. Find photos and more information
at http://www.eaglestar.net/ww2.html

Livestock, Development, or Ranchette Land
Auction: Thursday, May 21, 2009
Nowata, Nowata County, Oklahoma
510 acres in 5 parcels with prime opportunities for livestock, ranchettes and
investment. Property is north of Tulsa near Lake Oologah and Nowata, close to
all amenities of Lake Oologah and Nowata including fishing, boating restaurants
and shopping. Parcels range from 40 to 180 acres of rolling pasture including a
barn and working pens located on Parcel 5, as well as scenic land with partial
views of the lake on other parcels. Listing ID: 24001. Photos and more
information at http://www.eaglestar.net/ww3.html

Redevelopment/Commercial Opportunity*
Auction: Thursday, May 21, 2009
Desert Hot Springs, Riverside County, California
General commercial property, previously operated as a 21 unit motel. Site could
be used as a restaurant, coffee shop, drug store or retail sales type property.
Great investment opportunity or potential to redevelop the site. Located
minutes from downtown Palm Springs, at the corner of the signalized
intersection of Palm Dr and Ironwood Dr. Zoned C-G General Commercial. Listing
ID: 24078. See photos and more information at http://www.eaglestar.net/ww1.html

Custom Home on the Shores of Lake Michigan*
Auction: Friday, May 22, 2009
South Haven, Van Buren County, Michigan
Sprawling custom-built home on a private lane just moments south of downtown
South Haven. Nestled on the shore of Lake Michigan with 230+/- feet of
frontage. Enjoy breathtaking views from the wrap-around porch. Additional
features include an in-ground pool, fire pit and dual decks for entertaining. 6
bedrooms, 5 baths, and 5,120 square feet. Listing ID: 24083. Photos and more
information are available at http://www.eaglestar.net/ww7.html

Pine Mountain Estates
Auction: Saturday, May 23, 2009
Independence, Grayson County, Virginia
7 home site tracts to be auctioned in this beautiful gated community located in
the Blue Ridge Mountains. Includes 7 acre mountain ridge-top home site with a
40 mile view. on a clear day. Nature and wildlife are in abundance. Also
available: 13.9 acre home site cleared and ready-to-build. All wooded tract
with stream and private driveway. Additional lots also available. Listing ID:
20361. Photos and additional information at http://www.eaglestar.net/ccr.html

Farm, Stone House, Barn, & Personal Property
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Russell Springs, Russell County, Kentucky
Bedford stone house and 8-stall horse barn on a beautiful farm, partially
wooded with a creek in back. Personal property also for sale. 16.7 acre
property is located just west of Russell Springs. Listing ID: 23987. Photos and
additional details are available at http://www.eaglestar.net/knp3-.html

Amazing 4BR Brick & Stone Home*
Auction: Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Naperville, Du Page County, Illinois
Beautiful all brick and stone home on a corner lot. Finished basement, 10 foot
ceilings, huge office, nice patio and 3 car side loading garage. 4 bedroom, 4.5
bath, 4,255 square foot home located in Washington Woods. Built in 2004 on 0.29
acres. Elegant home with professional landscaping. Open floorplan with designer
color palette. Great kitchen has custom cabinets and center island. Multiple
living spaces, sitting room adjacent to kitchen has a stone fireplace and
windows overlooking the back yard. Listing ID: 24084. Find photos and more
information at http://www.eaglestar.net/ww8.html

16 New Condo Units in Ashley Park
Auction: Friday, May 29, 2009
Myrtle Beach, Horry County, South Carolina
Ashley Park Homes offers a carefree lifestyle perfect for vacation, 2nd homes,
retirement, primary residence and students. Only 16 units remain, don’t miss
this great opportunity to get a completely move-in ready home convenient to all
the great amenities Myrtle Beach has to offer. Several great beaches
approximately 6 miles away, as well as multiple golf courses, high end shopping
centers and outlet malls, and near Coastal Carolina University,
Horry-Georgetown Technical College and Conway Hospital. Listing ID: 24080. View
photos and more at http://www.eaglestar.net/ww4.html

*You can bid on these properties online. Visit the listing web page for more
information.


SPONSOR'S CORNER
The Land and Property Review would like to thank this week's sponsor:
Summit Woods
Roaring Brook, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
1.5 Acres - $44,900
Summit Woods is a 750 acre wooded property known to people in the area as "King
Joes", located in Roaring Brook Township and more importantly the North Pocono
School District. There are a number of trails on the property that people used
to cross country ski on. This gently rolling terrain makes for beautiful home
sites. The property is situated close to interstate 81, interstate 380 and the
PA Turnpike making it a convenient place to live. Summit Woods offers large,
wooded parcels with tons of privacy yet is close to all modern amenities.
Listing ID: 24048. http://www.eaglestar.net/Detailed/24048.html


LANDTERMS.COM TERM OF THE WEEK
http://landterms.com
Each issue we feature a real estate, forestry, natural sciences or other
land-related term from our partner site, LandTerms.com.

This week's term: Soil Conservation Service (SCS)
Former name of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a federal
agency of the United States created in 1935 to assist private landowners and
managers with conservation and protection of soil, water, and other natural
resources. The NRCS provides information and consultation services, as well as
financial assistance for conservation projects and programs.

Find thousands of land-related terms, definitions, articles, abbreviations,
quotations, and more at Landterms.com! Click on the "Categories" button at the
top of each page to see the list of over 35 categories.


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