It is no secret that America’s love for deer hunting is fueling the demand for quality deer hunting land.
Across much of the country, many passionate deer hunters are in the market for a place that they can call their own-and hunt and manage the deer on that property as they see fit.
Ohio is a state that has seen its popularity amongst deer hunters increase, according to Brian Bauer of Mossy Oak Properties Land Sales and Services in Rockbridge, Ohio. “Our land market has benefitted from the popularity of deer hunting in Ohio. Every year it seems as if the quality of deer harvested in our state improves, and Ohio has really become a destination state for passionate deer hunters. We have sold quite a bit of land to out of state hunters through the years, especially in the last two years. ”
When a hunter is looking for a property to purchase for deer hunting, they need to consider several factors:
- Location: Just because a property “looks” like a deer haven does not mean than it is capable of producing trophy bucks. Certain properties are simply better at producing trophies than others due to factors such as the quality of the soils and deer management philosophies of surrounding landowners. Do your research on the realistic possibilities that a property you have your eyes on can produce the quality of deer you desire.
- Established food sources: Deer live by their stomachs, so properties with established food plots or agriculture tend to be safer bets as potential whitetail hotspots. Also consider mast producing trees such as oaks, a preferred food source during the early part of the season
- Water: Like food, water is essential to deer, so any ponds, creeks, lakes or rivers are a big plus for a property. This goes double in dry places such as west Texas. Considering that water sources can be scarce in these areas, deer are even more likely to flock to a viable water source.
- Cover: Deer are like us-they want a safe place to lay their heads. Make sure a property has sufficient bedding areas to hold deer on your property to ensure your property is a complete one in the eyes of deer.
- Most Recent Information: If possible, try to obtain trail camera photos or recent harvest photos/reports from the current landowner to determine the quality of deer calling the property home. Weigh all of this information with the above mentioned factors to determine whether the property you have your eyes set on is a viable option.
