When it comes to picking out the right property for the avid outdoorsman, often one of the key questions can be how much land do you need to hunt on your own property? Depending on the location, type of game, and size of your group this answer can vary. Here we will be breaking down a few guidelines to keep in mind when purchasing your own hunting land.
Can You Hunt on Your Own Land? – Key Guidelines for Purchasing Your Own Hunting Property
Hunting Regulations
The first and likely most important factor to consider when using your own land for hunting is to understand what local hunting laws are in place. These can vary widely depending on the state, county, and even local municipality. So before moving forward, be sure to consult your local authority on gun ordinances and the various regulations for the type of game you intend to hunt.
Can You Hunt on Your Own Land?
From a practical standpoint, deer can be one of the most common types of game hunted on property owners’ land. How many acres you need to effectively hunt deer largely depends on the way you intend to hunt (rifle, bow, etc) and how many people will be hunting with you.
The Minimum
After consulting our expert brokers on the topic, the general minimum land needed to hunt is the lowest amount that can prevent a wounded deer from wandering onto someone else’s property. This can be applied to nearly all local sites as a rule of thumb for hunting. This minimum typically starts at 10 acres or less, making 10 acres the lowest a hunter should consider for hunting deer alone on their own property.
Ideal
The ideal amount of land for hunting deer is large enough for at least two hunters to track and hunt deer sustainably on one piece of land. A general ideal starting point is around 50 acres for this but can be lower if bow hunting.
How Many Acres Do You Need To Hunt Turkeys and Birds?
For turkeys and most other various species of bird game, hunting land should have a mix of woods, open fields, and water sources. This can vary depending on the specific type of game as good hunting land dedicated to birds will want a more open area for better shot angles.
The Minimum
The smallest plots of land still suitable for hunting birds is usually around 5 acres. This is generally just enough land to be able to have an appropriate angle for birds in flight over an open field, while still checking the other boxes for land-based birds such as turkeys.
Ideal
The ideal property for birds and turkeys alike is one that has the three elements of woods, water sources, fields, with a large amount of open field. The amount of land in an open field is crucial for properly shooting birds in flight at a high enough angle for visibility & accuracy. Anything over 5 acres with a good majority of flat open land can be considered ideal.
How Many Acres Do You Need To Hunt Wild Hogs / Boar?
Another common game people look to hunt on their own property are wild hogs. The style of property that is best suited for hog hunting shares many of the characteristics of both deer, and wild birds. Usually, you will want forested land with access to water and enough space to track and hunt with two hunters.
The Minimum
Much like hunting deer, the minimum to effectively hunt hogs on your own property with a rifle falls somewhere around 10 acres. This is just enough land to allow two hunters to track and hunt hogs, while knowing that there should be enough land to prevent an injured hog from entering your neighbor’s property.
Ideal
The ideal hog hunting property for landowners is more so about the style of land than the size. Anything over 10 acres should be suitable, the larger the better, but what’s most important is that the land has characteristics hogs prefer, including forests and direct water access. Property with wetlands and bogs are often perfect for this, as hogs wallow during the day to cool off.
Choosing The Perfect Hunting Land For Sale
When it comes to finding the right amount of land to hunt on your own property, often the most important factors to consider are local. This means beyond general rules of thumb, hunters looking for guidance should turn to local experts.
At LandLeader, we work with the top real estate brokers across the United States to provide real estate advice from locals with experience in the outdoors. If you’re looking to purchase your very own hunting land, or would like advice from a local expert on the subject, feel free to contact us anytime or browse our entire inventory of hunting land for sale in North America.
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