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Where to buy?

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,944
139


Morgan county
 

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,944
139
I will share some advice on land ownership.

Common Thoughts:
1. The "next 20 over there" will always seem to be better.
2. The neighbors are ALWAYS the issue
3. Don't try to manage to cause the neighbors will kill it anyways
4. Poachers are the problem in this area
5. Trespassing is the issue there
6. ETC.

My thoughts based on 10+ years of experience:
1. All of the above can occur - but you can just control what you can control.
2. Big deer are killed on state land each and every year. The hunter density and poaching likelihood is far higher here vs. private land.
3. Don't worry about issues until they do arise, then handle them as needed. If not, you will worry yourself to death.
4. Best time to buy land was 10 years ago, the second-best time is now. This is a GREAT investment.
5. Define your goals before you buy - do you want to hunt/kill big deer or do you want to manage habitat and deer? These can be mutually exclusive of one another depending on your budget, how you define a "big deer", and the location the land is located. If you are happy with 130+ deer, I think you can just about buy land anywhere in Ohio and get a chance at that each year.
6. If you want to manage habitat, schedule clear cuts, put in food plots, etc. because you enjoy that aspect of managing land -try to find your sweet spot of your budget and add a bit more. It is like buying a tractor, deciding on your HP needed, and up it 10+ every time.
7. Lastly, enjoy every single moment at that piece of ground. If it is 30 mins or 4 hours, you won't be able to spend every minute at the property. So when you get there enjoy it. Truly enjoy the smell of the dirt. The sunsets, the sun rises, the bucks you pass to the ones you kill. Enjoy the nights you stay up too late, and the mornings you slept in too long.

I can't imagine a much better feeling than admiring a deer, that you harvested off your own farm and telling the story over and over again with family and friends over a cold beer.

Sorry for the long post. I just see these types of posts on the web and I want to shed some light on some good aspects of landownership - IMO.

Best of luck.

AT
 

Bighoun52

Active Member
545
53
In the woods
Gre
I will share some advice on land ownership.

Common Thoughts:
1. The "next 20 over there" will always seem to be better.
2. The neighbors are ALWAYS the issue
3. Don't try to manage to cause the neighbors will kill it anyways
4. Poachers are the problem in this area
5. Trespassing is the issue there
6. ETC.

My thoughts based on 10+ years of experience:
1. All of the above can occur - but you can just control what you can control.
2. Big deer are killed on state land each and every year. The hunter density and poaching likelihood is far higher here vs. private land.
3. Don't worry about issues until they do arise, then handle them as needed. If not, you will worry yourself to death.
4. Best time to buy land was 10 years ago, the second-best time is now. This is a GREAT investment.
5. Define your goals before you buy - do you want to hunt/kill big deer or do you want to manage habitat and deer? These can be mutually exclusive of one another depending on your budget, how you define a "big deer", and the location the land is located. If you are happy with 130+ deer, I think you can just about buy land anywhere in Ohio and get a chance at that each year.
6. If you want to manage habitat, schedule clear cuts, put in food plots, etc. because you enjoy that aspect of managing land -try to find your sweet spot of your budget and add a bit more. It is like buying a tractor, deciding on your HP needed, and up it 10+ every time.
7. Lastly, enjoy every single moment at that piece of ground. If it is 30 mins or 4 hours, you won't be able to spend every minute at the property. So when you get there enjoy it. Truly enjoy the smell of the dirt. The sunsets, the sun rises, the bucks you pass to the ones you kill. Enjoy the nights you stay up too late, and the mornings you slept in too long.

I can't imagine a much better feeling than admiring a deer, that you harvested off your own farm and telling the story over and over again with family and friends over a cold beer.

Sorry for the long post. I just see these types of posts on the web and I want to shed some light on some good aspects of landownership - IMO.

Best of luck.

AT
Great post! I agree on all fronts. Have a couple pieces oh ground here in pa. Ya deal with problems as they come up. If the “bones” of the property are good, you can usually reach realistic goals where ever you end up
 
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Any county in Ohio has good bucks. IMO the distance you need to travel to enjoy the property should be considered. I drive just over an hour and less than 50 miles to my 10 acres of land to hunt. First thing I did was build a small cabin. That allows me to spend two or three days there vs driving back and forth. Neighbors are key, regardless of property size. I was lucky, we got the best neighbors anyone could find. Over the last 16 years we have become great friends. Every time we leave and they are visiting for a bit they even tell the wife and I they love us. Amazing people and I sleep great at night not having to worry about the place when no one is there.
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,856
260
SW Ohio


Morgan county
I remember that deer and Jim is a well deserving hunter.
He was a supervisor at a local plant when I was summer help way back in early 80’s.
 

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,944
139
I remember that deer and Jim is a well deserving hunter.
He was a supervisor at a local plant when I was summer help way back in early 80’s.
Dang - going way back in time!! lol just joking with you! I believe that gentleman’s family has killed many slammers - haven’t they? That was just an amazing buck!
 

Spencie

Senior Member
5,051
145
Constitution Ohio
Congrats on finding what you were looking for. I can say from experience you have a lot of work ahead. It will probably be worth it though. I didn't buy the "right" hunting property but it is 100 acres in the perfect spot for the rest of life, We are trying to make it as good of a hunting property as it can be. Looking forward to following along with what you do with it.
 

Bighoun52

Active Member
545
53
In the woods
Congrats on finding what you were looking for. I can say from experience you have a lot of work ahead. It will probably be worth it though. I didn't buy the "right" hunting property but it is 100 acres in the perfect spot for the rest of life, We are trying to make it as good of a hunting property as it can be. Looking forward to following along with what you do with it.
100% owning property is always work. Usually very rewarding work because it’s doing it to something you own, but work none the less.