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Pick a property

2K views 24 replies 14 participants last post by  N.E. Outdoorsman 
#1 · (Edited)
If you had to pick a piece of property to buy and turn into your hunting paradise which of these two would you want? Give me your thoughts too. Maybe it wishful thinking/planing on my part but who knows if the opportunity comes up. Thanks for any advise, tips and pointers. Thanks!

What both have:
•Heavy clay loam soil, farmers usually plant these fields late because they are too wet in the spring.
•Building a pond would not be a problem on these sites.
•Both MIGHT qualify for Wetland rehabilitation.
•Both would qualify for CRP
•Both are in heavy AG area, mostly Beans and corn. No hay fields around.
•Plenty of bare land to do what you want.
•Plenty of deer, turkey and other small game around.

Property 1 has…
•Across the street from my house.
•No wooded areas. Just over grown fence rows.
•EnBridge pipeline cuts through southern edge of property
•I get deer in my yard from time to time. Most of the time they are just moving by at night between the larger wooded areas.
•This would connect 3 -4 different wood lots.




Property 2 has…
•Current hunting location and part of old family farm. 15 minutes from my house.
•8-9 acres of wooded travel corridor between 2 larger wooded areas.
•Orchards to the South and West.
•East, West and South boarders has large irrigation ditches that have water in them most of the year except summer and very dry spells.
•Existing 1/3 acre clover plot inside wooded area and 1 acre food plot in AG field.

 
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#10 ·
It's a no-brainer for me knowing that you are going to put the needed work into it.

Property one. I cannot think of many things more important than proximity to home.

Yes, it is a clean slate but I have a sneaky suspicion in 2-3 years it is going to be a great hunting property.
 
#11 ·
Property 1.
Easier to get more work done because of proximity to house and easier for simple hunts and keeping an eye on it. Both have a pretty clean slate to start with but i like what 1 has for stucture to start with.
After getting some property with the new house, i see how simple it is to run out and get an hour of work done during the week while, to get work done at the hunting propwrty, i often burn an hour just packing, driving 15 min, unpacking then repacking, driving home 15 min and unloading the truck when i get work done working.
 
#12 ·
If everything is equal beside the drive. What if you choose the one that the surrounding properties habitat is less desirable for deer to bed on and move during daylight hours. So when you build your hunting paradise the deer are bedding and moving around on your property. I have know clue if this is a great way of choosing a piece of property but maybe someone with better knowledge could answer this question.

I choose 1 after adding shrubs, conifers and native grasses to the fence rows they are going to be deadly travel corridors.
 
#14 ·
Property 1

Bio hit it when he said you can't ignore the value of proximity to home.

Just last night for instance, I mowed the last couple foodplots that needed it. What makes it stand out is that the wind started blowing, the clouds rolled in and I had about 10 minutes to get things done-and did it. I had been waiting on these plots as they are important ones but didn't want to mow and then have them burn out with our recent hot weather. Also wanted to mow just ahead of rain. Mission accomplished cause they are in my front yard.

Also like the hedges already established. With some attention they can become excellent screens which will nicely break up the parcel. Yep, no brainer.
 
#15 ·
I like the points that its sooo close and you will be able to watch it. If its lacking a woodlot and you want to put one in, you can. and you can choose where you want it. I think options abound. Prop 2 sounds good too with existing plots for whitetail and a nice looking wooded corridor, but does that outweigh the fact you dont have to get in your car to get to prop1?
 
#16 ·
Hi Pat
Just buy both!!!
I too would have to go with prop 1 as others have stated. With being by your house you can do the things you need to with out the hassle of getting everything ready to go do a 5 min job.
It will take time to plant cover and get it mature. If you do get prop 1 I would start with the fence rows and move outward providing travel lanes of security for the deer and then food plots along them with security around them. I am not a fan of Speckled Alder because I have so much of it but this being wet may be a good candidate for it. A couple of good water holes and you will have a nice piece of deer paradise.
Good luck on either decision and keep us posted.
 
#17 ·
Thank you everyone for you feedback. It is nice to get some unbiased opinions and without the sentimental feelings of the current hunting grounds.

Would anyone change there minds if the proposal dropped the North 20 acre field and go for 49 acres as a lower cost solution? I would still have access/road frontage. The North west wood lot would be slightly disconnected but not by much, there would still be a tree line to it. The property would/could still be productive right?

 
#18 ·
I would pick property 1. I would not break of the NW 20 unless it was a deal breaker financially. Thats a good size woodlot up there that this property doesnt have. Instead I would be looking at making that NW corner (not all 20 acres obviously) into a huge switchgrass bedding area surrounded by norways with a funnel to the Southern part. I would be frost seeding all of my switch early next year if it was crops this year. Or If crops I would maybe consider shares with a farmer to subsidize the taxes. Good Luck in your decision.
 
#19 ·
If it was me and I was in your position I would go ahead and purchase the additional 20 acres. One nice thing about your property is it flows north to south. You could use the additional 20 acres and create a destination plot on the northern end of that 20. With shrub planting and smaller food plots towards moving towards the south that ultimately ends up in thick bedding you would have a nice flow of deer movement. As the deer move N to S and S to N you can potentially create hunting opportunities on the edges of the property.

Take a look at Bishs posts. May be just what you need to get started! They have helped me tremendously as I am a complete newbie!! :gaga:
 
#21 ·
Hi Pat
I think that you are asking the right questions, but with out knowing your situation it is hard to give advice. Are the trees next to the piece a mature forest? Does it hold deer? Are you just purchasing this prop for deer hunting? If so what type of hunting? how many and what are you expecting for a deer? You need to answer these questions to be able to determine your needs for buying property. If buying the extra 20 acres cost is what I think it would be I would have a hard time justifying it. You will be able to have good hunting with the 49 acres with the same deer traveling through from Ag to Ag. You are not in need of a destination plot as there is plenty of Ag surrounding you. the fence rows work very well for deer travel routes as you build your prop for bedding and it looks like a couple of water holes would work wonders. If you were buying a property that you could control the deer herd I would not hesitate on the purchase, but that piece doesn't fit the bill. With the vast improvements that you will make on the 49 acres there will be know reason the deer will not be staying or visiting your prop.
 
#22 ·
I like the points that its sooo close and you will be able to watch it. If its lacking a woodlot and you want to put one in, you can. and you can choose where you want it. I think options abound. Prop 2 sounds good too with existing plots for whitetail and a nice looking wooded corridor, but does that outweigh the fact you dont have to get in your car to get to prop1?
Coming from a guy who didnt buy the extra 7 acres up front when i bought the property i did....there isnt a day that goes by that i dont kick myself for not doing it! It seemed like a lot extra at the time, but now i really regret it.
 
#23 ·
I have been out to bishs place. Amazing work and results.
Not to take anything from bish but none of his neighbors have touched their properties as far as hinge cutting etc. All it takes is some of his neighbors to do that and his chances go down. This stuff is not rocket science. I know many properties where people are killing great bucks but then notice zippo of the neighbors have touched their properties. Its simple, where do you think the deer are gonna go?
 
#24 ·
Talked to the land owner and he is thinking about $5000 an acre. A little too pricey for what I had hoped. And he wanted to unload some of the smaller parcels across the street in one big deal for around 500,000. Yeah no thanks. That was his I really don't have to sell price but if your going to buy it then sure. I threw out the smaller parcel idea and he said he would think about it.

Meanwhile I'll just look across the street and dream.
 
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