Options to buy land

[tim tarras]

Curious to what everyone thinks about the below scenario.

You have 2 options.

30 acres

• ½ mile deeded easement in good condition
• 90% wooded with ag fields on 2 ½ sides.
• Off Grid only
• More slopes and hills, nothing that isn’t usable, than flat
• Only recreational use. Can put up recreational cabin and storage
• Known big buck potential
• Neighbor's all practice QDM
• Asking $330K

40 Acres

• Right off State Highway
• Can build permanent house if you would like with all utilities
• 50% sloped/forested with the rest farm field
• Unknown if this area can hold big bucks
• Unknown if Neighbor's practice QDM
• Asking $300K

Both have good deer and turkey hunting,
Both have the possibility of getting permission to hunt neighbor’s land.
Both have good ag sources

The land would be for my son, 20, and myself to hunt and wife and daughter to be out there. I am not a trophy hunter but no opposed to it. I can shot does and be just as happy. My son seems to like the ideal of big bucks but has only been able to shoot 2 deer (1st 2 years of hunting) in the last 8 years due to the wolf population of where we were hunting.

Everyone is good with being off grid.

 

[TCUHunter34]

One thing you can’t count on is continued QDM from neighbors. They could lease it, sell it or have a relative take over and that is out the window.

Seems like they both are mainly recreational and not intended to have a house built to live there. What is the difference in driving distance? Is one more accessible than the other?

 

[WiscoHoundsman]

I like the 40 acres with some farm fields to help generate some income unless you’re just going out food plots in. If you can get some rent money it helps with the taxes.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I have a very hard time seeing either one as being enough ground to hunt much. So I'd go option #2 as you can stick a house on it, and more dirt is better.

 

[tim tarras]

The 30 acres is about a 1 1/2 drive. The 40 is about 30 minutes.

For myself, I want to get away to a camp and not have my house as the camp.

Both are equally accessible.

I have thought about the rental of the field or use in exchange for hunting rights on there land, depending on if they don't hunt.

 

[Traveler]

40 acres is a no brainer. More future potential, enough positives.

 

[Gseith]

The 40 acres for sure if it’s closer.

I was given 40 acres with nothing on the lot. Lots of deer around. But it’s always inconvenient to go to. I’m always busy and it’s hard to use after work. It would get used a lot more if it was 30 minutes away.
I’m just hanging onto to now to hopefully build a small retirement home on.

 

[WiscoHoundsman]

Another thing to consider is the zoning. Where I live you need a full 40 acres to be zoned agricultural and if your 39.9 they zone it ag residential and there’s more limits on what can be done animal unit restrictions ect. Check with the county zoning on each property for any sort of restrictions ahead of any purchase.

 

[tim tarras]

Another thing to consider is the zoning. Where I live you need a full 40 acres to be zoned agricultural and if your 39.9 they zone it ag residential and there’s more limits on what can be done animal unit restrictions ect. Check with the county zoning on each property for any sort of restrictions ahead of any purchase.

I already have checked with zoning on both properties. The 30 acres could not have a single family residence but a could have a cabin. The 40 acres I could do either.

 

[Billy Goat]

I doubt you will be happy with either as an actual hunting property.


Find what works for you as an investment, or other use, let the hunting be a little side benefit but not anything with the deciding factor.

I think the 40 sounds like a better investment.


Buying land to hunt, you are tied to it. Lot of money tied up with actually fairly small control of the hunting.