Funds must be committed before the consular application, either by closing or by an escrow that releases on visa issuance. Apply early enough that the visa, licence reissue and season opening line up, and remember Canadians need the E-2 visa itself.
Sequence the escrow, the consulate and the season
Because Canadians must obtain an E-2 visa at a consulate before the first admission, the buyer cannot simply drive to the lake and start the season. A workable order is: sign the purchase agreement with an escrow clause that releases funds to the seller when the visa issues and returns them to the buyer only if it is refused; place the funds in escrow so they are irrevocably committed for E-2 purposes; assemble the licence-transfer confirmations and financial records; apply at the consulate; then close and take over. Consular scheduling varies, so a buyer aiming at a May opening should be applying in the winter.
Each admission on the visa is for two years, and the visa itself is usually valid for several years for Canadians, with renewals available while the business continues. A buyer who closes with no escrow and is later refused owns a U.S. outfitter he cannot run; the escrow is what makes the timing safe.