Opinions on whitetail properties

[timberland]

For those of you that own, manage, or even just hunt quality deer country, I need your opinions.

Looking to make a land purchase in SW WI near buffalo co. Think hills, small fields, lots of edges, lots of big bucks, and very expensive. 20 acres more or less. I would have a chance at a "booner" (not every year) and yearly opportunity at a 140" buck if I put enough time in the stand.

Also could make a purchase a little closer to home where land is half the price, not as many huge deer, but decent quality. 100 acres more or less with a chance at a 140" less than every year, maybe every other.

Would you rather be a "big fish in a little pond or a little fish in a big pond?"

I also really enjoy the management part of owning land. Food plots, security cover, stand placement, etc. Any thoughts?

 

[dble07]

Thats a tough one. Although i don't personally own more than a couple of acres myself i have been fortunate to have exclusive rights to 80 acres in southern Illinois with another 500 a few miles away that i can hunt. There are quite a few variables that go into each situation. Things like surrounding hunting pressure, distance from your home, income potential from the property, and any other game available on the property are just a few of the things i would consider. If your goal is to shoot "mature" bucks then that could happen off either property. How far away are the 2 potential pieces of property?

 

[timberland]

one is 45 min and the other is a couple hours

 

[DIY]

My opinion might not be popular, but till you add up closing costs, interest, leasing/buying tractors for food plots, Cost of the land, and possibly having someone(paying him/her) stop in when your not around. I think when you run numbers you could justify paying 4000 - 8000 every year for a guided deer hunt in prime areas of Canada and the Midwest. I realize it is not as romantic as owning your own land, however I bet if you went on 2 hunting trips a year for whitetail in good areas for the next 10 years you would have more bigger bucks, just my opinion.

 

[dble07]

For me i think i would choose the property thats closer to home. I also enjoy the management part of things and i think the property that is closer would(and bigger) would allow you more opportunity to do those things. Plus its 4 times the amount of ground

 

[timberland]

"My opinion might not be popular, but till you add up closing costs, interest, leasing/buying tractors for food plots, Cost of the land, and possibly having someone(paying him/her) stop in when your not around. I think when you run numbers you could justify paying 4000 - 8000 every year for a guided deer hunt in prime areas of Canada and the Midwest. I realize it is not as romantic as owning your own land, however I bet if you went on 2 hunting trips a year for whitetail in good areas for the next 10 years you would have more bigger bucks, just my opinion."

When I read your post I laughed out loud (got a look from my boss). My dad had the opportunity to buy some land 10 yrs ago just for deer hunting. 40 acres at $900/ acre. My best friend word for word told him the same thing. Go to Alberta or Saskatchewan for ten yrs. luckily Dad listened to me because that land is in central Buffalo Co WI and is worth 5 times what he paid just because of the deer hunting. I think if I ever try to justify/unjustify(?) hunting by $ I would never go at all.

 

[Shrek]

I love working the land myself and personally I'm not too antler motivated so I'd take the bigger piece of land closer because it will give you more opportunity to do the things you love. You have to ask yourself if you are in it for the trophies or the hunt. If you are in it for the trophies then you might as well just buy hunts in prime locations.

 

[bz_711]

5x the acreage, and much closer to home to enjoy year round...that makes the decision easy for me. After tagging a couple big bucks, you start to realize there is so much more to hunting and land ownership...finding ways to enjoy year round (mushrooms, turkeys, etc)...and sharing with others or taking kids hunting. I have a 35 acre piece of timber about 35 minutes from home...don't get the quality of bucks I had hoped when buying...but my oldest got his first two deer this year and my second oldest will starting going next year. With 4 kids, having as close to home as possible creates more opportunities for us to enjoy the property.

Good Luck!

 

[Poser]

I've hunted some smaller properties, say 30-40 acres, in the past, but never exclusively. You talking about doing all of your Whitetail hunting on one 20 acre property?
To me, that would get old real fast. I'd take more acreage any day of the week.

 

[kuhn4]

I was going to chime in on this, but you and dble07 hit the key points. It's just a matter of what your priorities are. Hunting a property with good bucks and one that is close enough to hunt often are most important to me.

 

[PA 5-0]

As long as its not a dirt lot and has some holding power, I would definitely go with the closer, bigger property. Quite often, the difference between a 140 and a Booner is just letting him get one year older. With some holding cover, food and your management efforts, you'll be nailing big boys in no time. And enjoying the closer property more often.

Also see if you can profile the neighbors a little. If they manage by the "if its brown, its down" method, growing big boys will be tough. I leased in Illinois for a decade. When I was looking at a farm, I always talked to the neighbors first. I particularly loved when they said "we don't have time for those stinkin deer!"

Good luck.

 

[realunlucky]

One spot I hunt yearly is twenty acres surrounded on 4 sides by neighbors. It's small so very limited stand sites and I've had the neighbor mess hunts up more than once. Your not going to get a bedding, transition, and feeding spot on that small area so deer will be using the neighboring property for two of the others. Bigger is always better

 

[Browtine]

If you are really into managing the property, go bigger and closer. I guarantee you won't spend near as many days down there if its 2+ hours away especially if you're hauling down tractor, implements etc.... My property is one hour from my house and I wouldn't want it any further. I also could have bought a smaller parcel closer to home that has a few bigger deer, but chose the bigger tract further away for same $.

 

[Forestryguy]

Go with the bigger property. It is closer, you can keep an eye on it easier. You will spend more time there. With 100 acres you can produce your own deer, by getting them to stay on the property. I hunt an 80 acre farm just across the river in Iowa. I see big deer every year, but hate sitting and waiting for them to cruse by. I would much rather know they are there, pattern them and I have a good possibility of getting a shot at one. If I can not pattern them I am wanting to be on the ground and going to find them.

 

[Nuke Man]

For sure I would go with the closer and bigger spot. My good hunting grounds are 2 hrs away. Sometimes I just don't have an entire day set aside to hunt so I just can't get down there as much as I would like.

 

[Nalgene]

Closer.

 

[bradb]

Bigger closer. I really think PA 5-0 nailed it

 

[rayporter]

i live on 20 acres and border a park of 2500 acres that does not allow hunting. the first day of season there is 20 shots around me shooting anything with horns. manage? yes plenty of bucks on the park but if they step foot over the line they are history.

i have a hundred acres in ohio and only hunt a few days and i cant manage that for the same reason.

luck either way-ray

 

[Forestryguy]

I would say that with the 100 acres you can set it up so that certain deer will never leave the property and have everything they need to live and grow. Bedding, food, water close to the center of the property.

 

[LostArra]

No brainer: bigger property and closer to home.
I live on 20 acres and like Poser said, it would feel small real quickly.
Closer to home means you can spend more time there and show up for more short trips. That's important for a landowner who doesn't reside on the land. Trespassers learn quickly.