What to look for when buying land for deer hunting.

[Phantom]

When looking to buy land for deer hunting, there are a few key things to keep in mind. First off, you'll want to consider the size of the property. Deer need room to roam and feed, so a larger piece of land is generally better for hunting. Make sure the property has a good mix of wooded areas for cover and open spaces for grazing.   Another important factor to consider is the presence of water sources on the land. Look for signs of deer activity such as tracks, droppings, and rub marks on trees. This can give you an idea of how many deer frequent the area and where they like to travel.  Lastly, consider the surrounding area and potential hunting pressures. Try to go by the area and spot how many orange men you see during gun season to get an idea of hunting pressure.

Edited February 27, 2024 by Phantom

[GreeneHunter]

My 2 cents .... probably should hunt the land for a couple years (if possible) first then decide ?

[paula]

2 minutes ago, GreeneHunter said:

My 2 cents .... probably should hunt the land for a couple years (if possible) first then decide ?

Do sellers allow that?

[Phantom]

6 minutes ago, paula said:

Do sellers allow that?

Never hurts to inquire about a land lease. Perhaps suggest putting up some game cams to assess the quality of the land for deer hunting, helping you decide if you want to buy it for that reason. Sure  you could ask to hunt it also. 

[Outdoorstom]

Good points in this post. All of those factors would be nice to have on your parcel, but often some of these are missing.  Good old boots on the ground looking for sign before buying , plus aerial scouting is the way to go.

[Buckmaster7600]

Unless you’re buying 100’s of acres I’m way more worried about the area around the property I’m looking to purchase. I can add what’s needed to property I own.

[DoubleDose]

1 hour ago, Phantom said:

When considering whether land is good for deer hunting, it's important to evaluate the following factors: Food Sources:

  Assess the availability of food sources that are important to white-tailed deer such as acorns, fruits, agricultural crops, and browse plants. Water Sources: Check for natural water sources such as streams, ponds, or creeks as they are important for deer to drink and can influence deer movements.

  Cover: Evaluate the presence of cover such as dense vegetation, shrubs, and young trees that provide deer with shelter and security. Thickets, brushy areas, and low-lying spots can attract deer for cover.

   Edge Habitat: Look for parcels with diverse habitat types that create edges. Deer are known to seek out transitional areas between different habitat types.

  Topography: Consider the terrain, elevation changes, and hills on the land, as these can influence deer movements and provide diverse habitat.

  Deer Sign: Look for deer trails, rubs, scrapes, and bedding areas as indicators of deer presence. Scouting for deer sign can give you valuable information about deer activity on the land.

  Adjacency to Agricultural Land: Proximity to agricultural areas can provide deer with an additional food source, making the land more attractive for hunting.

  Legal Regulations: Consider local laws and regulations pertaining to deer hunting, as they may specify certain land requirements for hunting.

   By paying attention to these factors and understanding the specific habitat needs of deer, you can better determine if the land you are buying would be good for deer hunting.

Agree but will add all with consideration of what these will be during hunting season!

[Nomad]

I can kill deer in any patch of woods hedgerow or field edge in 8H , so,for me the Zone it’s in is pretty much number 1.  Number 2 price . Number 3 size/shape, my buddy bought a long narrow piece which makes access hard and you better drop that buck , for a quick run and he’s on no man’s land . Oh and it better be less then an hours drive from home closer to a half hour would be better . Ag land is great too , you can rent it out to a farmer and pay the Ag rate tax, of course you pay more, if you can find any 

[Robhuntandfish]

Hope the realtor doesn't throw  1/2 dozen sheds from Iowa out there.......

[Longbow]

40 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

Unless you’re buying 100’s of acres I’m way more worried about the area around the property I’m looking to purchase. I can add what’s needed to property I own.

Yes, the smaller the parcel the more important what is surrounding it is.

[dmandoes]

Ur neighbors and ur goals.

[Phantom]

1 hour ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Hope the realtor doesn't throw  1/2 dozen sheds from Iowa out there.......

That's why I advised Paula to request to set up your own game cameras. It's not advisable to solely rely on the pictures they provide of deer on the property unless you can confirm that they are recent and from the actual property. Additionally, there is a possibility that the pictures are outdated and the property is now over-hunted, which could be a reason for the sale.

[Buckmaster7600]

In the current hunting property market if the property is halfway decent you aren’t going to have time for much more than a walk around. You better have the funds/financing ready and be willing to put some $$ down with the offer. I’m always looking at investing in properties for timber/ hunting and it’s a crazy market currently.

[BowmanMike]

5 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

In the current hunting property market if the property is halfway decent you aren’t going to have time for much more than a walk around. You better have the funds/financing ready and be willing to put some $$ down with the offer. I’m always looking at investing in properties for timber/ hunting and it’s a crazy market currently.

I feel lucky we managed to get the new property in the north woods. I was not looking for hunting property since it is surrounded by tens of thousands of acres of state land/ conservation land.

I did not expect to find much deer sign after looking at harvest numbers for 5c and the deer density in general in that area. Coming from  4f which is filthy with deer I expected next to nothing. 

But there was a ton of sign,almost more than here. I figure the reason is the property has been logged fairly hard 8 years ago,so there is lots of new growth and being surrounded by state land without any clear cuts ours is a big draw.

Looking at the big picture for the area sure helps. I do realize as the years go on our property will be less attractive as the cleared areas grow up more. 

It will be exciting to explore the state land around us and learn a different way of hunting. Sitting in a tree will be not very effective on the state land I presume. Still might work on our property.  We saw deer on out 2nd trip up there and I found some rubs that were chest high.

[G-man]

Topography, size and shape of parcel,  road access,and neighboring land use ,and number of neighbors  is big concern anything that is missing or lacking can be created ,planted developed.  

A long skinny piece will have recovery issues, more than 2 or 3 neighbors  increases hunter density dramatically, irregular pieces may have recovery or simply unusable land  if going around buildings, or r.o.w. to others for access to their  piece.   Access to power/ water. Position of buildings on property.. all weigh in.

  A large square or rectangular  piece with road frontage  and maybe 3 neighbors  would be best  imo..  as for cover , food, water all those can be planted or developed  in time.. land  is not  get it and done. If you wnat quality game you will always have  project to improve and maintain habitat.