Hey Guys,

I've started a search for an ideal property nearby my home in Wisconsin that will be between 40- 80 acres.  I'm looking for some advice from land owners that really comes down to, if you were to buy land now...what would you look for and avoid?

Goals for the property sorted in order:

Well designed shooting range
Ability to store outdoor toys and trailers in Pole Barn
Potential for homesite/retirement homesite for parents
Deer, turkey and coyote hunting
Ability to build pond and stock with fish
Hobby farming
Survival homestead potential with well

Through this process I've realized, like anything in life, there isn't the perfect property that will do it all. You build and start making noise on the property, it affects hunting.  You buy a tamarack swamp wildlife sanctuary but can't build due to wetlands.  I'm just trying to have these items be good - not perfect - for a second property.  I can always lease hunting land.

So the big question is, anything I should know before agreeing on a certain property that you wish you knew at the same point?

Check the zoning laws, what you can and cannot do. Some people will tell you that you can do something but they are full of shit.

Look for a place that is already fenced.
A well is a must for me.

For the hunting part, buy good soil that will grow foods that game will eat.

Buy less land if necessary rather than lots of acreage that grows only weeds and jack pine.

It will be easier to keep game on your land with good crops.


Edit: as good of use as any for post 1000.

Road frontage:  gots to have it
Easements:  Anyone else have ROW easements through the property?
Water:  Surface?  Subsurface?  Ponds?
Timber:  Is there any and what's it worth?
Political:  What are the politics of the county where the land is located?
Taxes:  How are property taxes?
Infrastructure:  Existing road network?  Existing structures?  Gates?  How well marked are property lines?

Fredman nailed it.

Water, water and water.  Would prefer a year round live water source.  Sizable stream or small river.  Well would be nice too along with a lot of timber.  Building permits and codes would play a factor in the land I buy.  The fewer the better.  Power to property would be nice.  Year round access???  TO much snow in winter or too muddy in the spring?  Buy the largest tract you possible can afford and try to buy it where it is boarded by either other large private tracts of land or it backs on one or more sides by National Forest lands.

IN the end if you are looking to get upt to 80 acres, you are already making 95% of us jealous.

My opinion on this isn't always popular here, but I'm going to throw it out there. Before throwing up the fences the moment you close, get a feel for the neighborhood and the neighbors. I think the fence stuff might be more prevalent out west, you don't see much of that here. I grew up on a 100 acre parcel, but I had free run of about 400 acres because we had nice neighbors. They were allowed on our property and we were allowed on theirs. That went for hunting too, no one cared and everyone was friendly. The only people who got the boot were the troublemakers. Respect, going both ways, was the key.