A dream for many hunters is one day being able to buy their own hunting land. There are plenty of great hunting spots on public land, but nothing is quite as good as hunting on your own land. Hunters in Michigan are in luck if they’re thinking about buying their own hunting land. There are constantly new properties with great opportunities for hunting becoming available. If you hunt often, buying land can have nonstop benefits.
Finding the right hunting land can be a challenge. Here’s your guide to buying hunting land for the first time.
How Many Acres Do You Need for Hunting Land?
How much hunting land to buy will vary from person to person. In a perfect world, most people would probably go for as much land as they were able to get. Realistically, your budget will be the deciding factor for how much land you end up purchasing. While you might not want to overspend, you want to be sure that you actually have enough land to get enough use out of it. How much land you need will also depend on how often you hunt on what types of properties are around you. If there’s more hunting property all around you, you might want to look for more land space. For most hunters, around 50 acres of land will be enough to keep them happy. If the land is in a good location, you can get by with even less than that. Even a space with as little as 10-acres will be enough for some. In the end, how many acres you really need will depend on a few different factors, so it’s good to know your behaviors and the land’s surroundings.
Can You Live Permanently on Hunting Land?
Depending on the hunting land you’re looking at, it’s possible that you could turn it into your permanent address. Some of the hunting land already up for sale have homes built on the land. Finding homes that already have their fair share of hunting land is the ideal situation for many hunters. Getting a house and land isn’t always possible, however. You might start off only owning land with the intention of building on it later. For certain pieces of land, this could be a possibility. If you’re trying to decide what type of land you’re able to live on, it’s best that you work with real estate agents who specialize in hunting properties.
Can I Hunt on My Own Property?
Some hunters who already own a lot of land might wonder if they’re allowed to hunt on it. Whether or not you’re allowed to hunt on your property depends on a few different rules. If you’re living on a property you’d like to hunt on, you’ll need to have at least 150 acres of space between where you’re hunting and any home near you. If you’re unsure about whether or not you can hunt on your own property, it’s best that you check in with your county.
What to Look for in Hunting Property
Even if you’re a seasoned hunter, you might not be familiar with exactly what you need to look for in your future hunting land. If you find a good piece of land, but it doesn’t have the right features that make for good hunting, you shouldn’t dismiss it. Depending on what your budget is, you can turn it into the perfect hunting property. Since you own the land, you can choose to create water features and shelter that will attract more deer. Anyone who’s ever bought a home before will know how much easier it is to buy a home that’s move-in-ready. Of course, buying hunting land that’s already perfect is the goal, but it’s not always possible. Knowing that you can change the land to make it exactly what you want can turn any piece of land into the perfect hunting land. It’s also important that you know the properties around yours. If your neighbors hunt, what their deer management practices are like, or if you’re neighboring public hunting lands are all things to take into consideration.
Options if Not Living on Land
If purchasing your own hunting land is possible for you right now, there are still other options for you. Like we said earlier, Michigan is filled with hunting land. In fact, there are over a million acres of public hunting land. Although land of your own might be the goal, the great hunting land that’s already available shouldn’t be overlooked. Even if you yourself don’t own hunting land, you might know someone who does. Hunting on a friends land can give you the experience of hunting on private land until you’re ready to get your own. You could also reach out to hunters in your area who own hunting property. Many hunters will rent out their property for other’s to use while they’re away.