Buffalo County, WI - thinking about buying land

[Pezboat]

I was born and raised in Wisconsin. Now live on the bad side of the river. But I have an opportunity to buy some land in Buffalo County, WI. I’m very familiar with land prices, acreage, terrain, etc. I’ve been following land prices and listing for over 10 years. My question is what’s the current state of whitetails specifically in Buffalo County? I’ve heard rumblings about earn-a-buck and doe only seasons. Does anyone have insight as to whether something like that may happen? Or other issues with regulations? Appreciate the insight. Thanks!

 

[Nickziegler]

God I sure hope they never bring back earn a buck. What a horrible thing. Was 13 years old my first bow sit the year they introduced it and had the biggest buck I have ever seen come through at 10 yards behind me but didnt have my sticker. I still think most of the state does still have special doe only seasons. Usually in December. That part of the state is still considered one of the best areas

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[Backyard]

Because the WDNR wouldn’t have any information such as this?


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[Pezboat]

Because the WDNR wouldn’t have any information such as this?


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Appreciate this, but this is more regarding local insight. I know back in 2019 or so a local board was trying to get a “doe only” season passed. It failed. I was just wondering if anything like this is still conjuring at the local level. Very familiar with the DNR handbook.

 

[KHNC]

Call Tom Indrebo at Bluff Country Outfitters. He is on the pulse of everything whitetail and im sure would gladly talk to you about this.

 

[Backyard]

Appreciate this, but this is more regarding local insight. I know back in 2019 or so a local board was trying to get a “doe only” season passed. It failed. I was just wondering if anything like this is still conjuring at the local level. Very familiar with the DNR handbook.

Not referring to handbooks. I was referring to actually calling and talking to the DNR to ask them about this. Nothing gets done without their knowledge and hand in it first. Otherwise it’s all just hearsay.


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[OMB]

Appreciate this, but this is more regarding local insight. I know back in 2019 or so a local board was trying to get a “doe only” season passed. It failed. I was just wondering if anything like this is still conjuring at the local level. Very familiar with the DNR handbook.

That was more or less a publicity stunt to draw attention towards getting more does shot, I don't see a return to earn a buck or anything similar.

Pretty cool part of the world, lots of landowners on the same page management wise are a plus. I have friends with farms there, my family has farms both north and south of there, and we're hunting the same size bucks every year. I personally wouldn't pay the premium for Buffalo county and would instead go for buying a bigger farm in Pierce/Eau Claire/Trempeleau/LaCrosse/Vernon/Crawford/etc etc, but YMMV.

 

[WCB]

Knowing a friend that had permission to hunt in Buffalo county and leased ground there. He chose not to buy there and bought 2-3x the amount of land for the same cost and is hunting multiple booners each year in one of the counties actually name in the post above. You are paying a premium for the location but the location does not = a premium on quality of deer imo

 

[longspeak74]

There's better counties in WI to purchase land.

 

[sconnieVLP]

I was born and raised in Wisconsin. Now live on the bad side of the river. But I have an opportunity to buy some land in Buffalo County, WI. I’m very familiar with land prices, acreage, terrain, etc. I’ve been following land prices and listing for over 10 years. My question is what’s the current state of whitetails specifically in Buffalo County? I’ve heard rumblings about earn-a-buck and doe only seasons. Does anyone have insight as to whether something like that may happen? Or other issues with regulations? Appreciate the insight. Thanks!

What do you mean “doe only season”? That’s already happening across a good chunk of the state and the WI regulations show the season structure. For 2024, Buffalo County has the holiday antlerless hunt that most of the central and southern zones have.

If you’re looking for more insight at the county level, do some research on the Buffalo County CDAC minutes and hunter input surveys. Follow the link: CDAC Search and select “Buffalo County”.

WI herd data (you can filter it) is here.

 

[Djacker]

I believe when people are referencing "doe only season". They are referring to talk that happened a couple years ago, the dnr talked about only allowing antlerless deer to be harvest in certain county's all season long, no buck harvest at all.

 

[OMB]

Knowing a friend that had permission to hunt in Buffalo county and leased ground there. He chose not to buy there and bought 2-3x the amount of land for the same cost and is hunting multiple booners each year in one of the counties actually name in the post above. You are paying a premium for the location but the location does not = a premium on quality of deer

A lot of hunters rag on Wisconsin allowing crossbows in the archery season, and I know some very vocal folks in Iowa that are freaking out about the possibility happening there as well. Having farms on both sides of the river, I can honestly say that most areas of western Wisconsin have caught up to eastern Iowa, in spite of having a rifle season closer to the rut and crossbows during archery season over the past 10 years. The top end typical bucks (over 175" gross) might be a little harder to come by in Wisconsin vs Iowa, but the gap that existed 25 years ago has narrowed. Iowa hasn't gotten worse, people are just shooting fewer young bucks in Wisconsin.

Same thing goes for the 10 "best" Wisconsin counties after Buffalo. Buffalo county got its reputation because it was historically shotgun only, not because of any special minerals in the soil. An argument could probably even be made that because of the outfitter density and absentee landowners today, the top end bucks are getting killed at 3 or 4 years old.

Again for OP- go for it if it speaks to you. Great part of the world to own land, lots of awesome trout fishing in the area, Waumandee Haus is a fun place to have a Busch Light, etc. I just don't know that the going rate matches the value of experience and quality you'll get in other counties along the river.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

If I was to move anywhere, it would be Buffalo County. I've witnessed the 2 hugest WT's I ever seen taken from there. And I hunted every part of the state.

 

[Bubbadoyle]

There's better counties in WI to purchase land.

I completely agree.


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[roosterdown]

I own a WI farm a little downriver of Buffalo County in the heart of the Driftless - it's a special place.

My only input is to talk to the neighbors first, wherever you are considering buying. Even in Buffalo County your farm will be better or worse for what your neighbors are doing.

We are fortunate in that our two main neighbors are serious hunters and will only shoot mature deer (exceptions for youth/newbie hunters learning the ropes)...and as such, every year there are a bunch of exciting deer to chase. Most years one or even two of the three properties harvests a B&C deer.