Looking to buy recreational land - mainly for hunting and shooting

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • jagee

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Jan 19, 2013
    44,415
    113
    New Palestine
    I am on the hunt (pun intended) for 10+ acres (ideally more, depends on budget) to deer hunt and target shoot on. Hopefully within an hour drive from New Palestine. Don't know my actual budget yet, need to sell off some other property first and then figure it out.

    I've been looking online at various sites, but was hoping someone might have a suggestion for a Realtor that specializes in this sort of property. I have a Realtor I use for houses, but she's admitted this is not her type of thing. Any help is appreciated.
     
    Last edited:

    rosejm

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    11   0   0
    Nov 28, 2013
    1,775
    129
    NWI
    :popcorn:

    Also interested, for Lower Michigan - Northern Indiana

    From the lack of obvious resources, you'd think that no one was buying this stuff...
     

    dak109

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Jun 26, 2009
    1,184
    83
    Brown County
    Try looking up whitetail properties, I have seen a sign for them. Seems like there is another one but the name escapes me. I have no other information on them.
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    43   0   0
    May 30, 2009
    17,879
    113
    Lafayette
    I am on the hunt (pun intended) for 10+ acres (ideally more, depends on budget) to deer hunt and target shoot on. Hopefully within an hour drive from New Palestine. Don't know my actual budget yet, need to sell off some other property first and then figure it out.

    I've been looking online at various sites, but was hoping someone might have a suggestion for a Realtor that specializes in this sort of property. I have a Realtor I use for houses, but she's admitted this is not her type of thing. Any help is appreciated.

    My uncle purchased 50 acres of wooded bottom land just over 2 years ago.
    It is great deer hunting property, but a good chunk of it lies in a flood plane, which means no building.
    We do not plan to build anyway, but the fact that we really can't might have affected the selling price. I'm not sure.

    Uncle gave $120k for 50 acres. I think the asking price was $140k.
    This was located in southern Fountain county.
    I have no clue if this was a good price, but my uncle seemed to like it well enough.

    It's worked well for my brother and me. We've both taken several deer from this property in the last two years.
    Last year I harvested the largest deer I've ever taken, a very respectable 9 pointer.
     

    phylodog

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    59   0   0
    Mar 7, 2008
    18,752
    113
    Arcadia
    Good luck in your search. We just had our lease of 15 years ripped out from under us by a pro baseball player. Nothing better than having your own place to hunt.
     

    jagee

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Jan 19, 2013
    44,415
    113
    New Palestine
    Thanks guys.

    I've been looking at whitetail properties and mossy oak properties. Actually emailed about a couple last night. We'll see what happens...
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jan 19, 2009
    36,696
    113
    .
    Southern Indiana would be your best bargain, but you are looking at more like 1.5-2 hours. Consider camping combined with hunting.
     

    jagee

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Jan 19, 2013
    44,415
    113
    New Palestine
    Southern Indiana would be your best bargain, but you are looking at more like 1.5-2 hours. Consider camping combined with hunting.

    Yeah...the land (and house) I'm selling is 2.5 hours one way. It's just too far to make a quick trip out of it...and I dont want to deal with the house. I'd be willing to drive a little further if the property and price is right.
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jan 19, 2009
    36,696
    113
    .
    Yeah...the land (and house) I'm selling is 2.5 hours one way. It's just too far to make a quick trip out of it...and I dont want to deal with the house. I'd be willing to drive a little further if the property and price is right.

    I bought ground and then camped on it for years before moving here. Deer and turkey seasons.
     

    ws6duramax

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Nov 21, 2011
    474
    59
    Metamora
    It's definitely not the best market to buying in . Prices are inflated because of the demand , it's the time to sell not buy !

    I've contemplated selling our place with the prices so high , but we finally built a house on it and my wife would have no part of that .
     

    Hkindiana

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Sep 19, 2010
    3,175
    149
    Southern Hills
    It's definitely not the best market to buying in . Prices are inflated because of the demand , it's the time to sell not buy !

    I've contemplated selling our place with the prices so high , but we finally built a house on it and my wife would have no part of that .

    Prices ARE inflated because of demand, but that IS the way supply and demand work. Every year the demand increases, and every year the supply is the same, so the prices go up. There will not be any “new” land to fill the demand, just sales of existing land. It is basically the same supply/demand curve of transferable machine guns.
     

    ws6duramax

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Nov 21, 2011
    474
    59
    Metamora
    Prices ARE inflated because of demand, but that IS the way supply and demand work. Every year the demand increases, and every year the supply is the same, so the prices go up. There will not be any “new” land to fill the demand, just sales of existing land. It is basically the same supply/demand curve of transferable machine guns.

    I agree for the most part . The demand is a lot higher now with the way economy and interest rates are though . We bought quite a few acres about 7-8 years ago for a bargain. It was for sale for over a year on a few nationwide hunting brokers and locally . It ended up going for auction and still didn't their minimum . We ended up working with the owner and broker to get it bought .

    Fast forward to the beginning of 2019 , we put our house for sale so we could build on our land . We listed it by owner at an inflated price and sold in days . Most everything I see in our neck of the woods is crazy high and selling quickly .

    Real estate is booming for sure . You have to be ready to buy at the drop of hat right now . Most sellers and real estate agents won't take offers unless you're approved (not pre-approved) and have a significant down payment .
     

    Restroyer

    Expert
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    May 13, 2015
    1,187
    48
    SE Indiana
    I agree for the most part . The demand is a lot higher now with the way economy and interest rates are though . We bought quite a few acres about 7-8 years ago for a bargain. It was for sale for over a year on a few nationwide hunting brokers and locally . It ended up going for auction and still didn't their minimum . We ended up working with the owner and broker to get it bought .

    Fast forward to the beginning of 2019 , we put our house for sale so we could build on our land . We listed it by owner at an inflated price and sold in days . Most everything I see in our neck of the woods is crazy high and selling quickly .

    Real estate is booming for sure . You have to be ready to buy at the drop of hat right now . Most sellers and real estate agents won't take offers unless you're approved (not pre-approved) and have a significant down payment .

    I see you live in Batesville. Your area homes are going even faster than typical because Batesville Schools are rated so well. I live right next to you in the East Central school district which is also going fast due to our also highly rated schools. Both areas are selling fast especially if you have land attached to your home.
     

    ws6duramax

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Nov 21, 2011
    474
    59
    Metamora
    I see you live in Batesville. Your area homes are going even faster than typical because Batesville Schools are rated so well. I live right next to you in the East Central school district which is also going fast due to our also highly rated schools. Both areas are selling fast especially if you have land attached to your home.

    Our old place had 7 acres in a rural setting only a few minutes from town , so it sold crazy fast . I should've listed even higher , but we still sold it for more than we expected . In my area you can build a new house cheaper than you can buy a house of equal size and location . That's assuming you can secure a lot/land . The demand is astonishing right now . Finding a contractor is another story , most are booked a year out minimum .
     

    natdscott

    User Unknown
    Trainer Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Jul 20, 2015
    2,797
    113
    .
    Advice: Get your money ready-to-go on a “right f***n now” readiness level.

    Everybody wants the same things, and you need to have either A) cash in the Bank, and/or (B) a Banker ready to lend you the money (APPROVED for a given dollar amount) to buy “it” when you find what you want.

    If you see what you want, you need to be ready to sign a PA right then and there.

    If you own “several other” properties, then you might have no issue finding one of them to put “down” as down payment for a loan to buy the new tract. Then you just sell that one, or other(s) tonpay off the loan and free up the new parcel.

    THAT is how you avoid heartbreak. THAT is how it’s done by a pro.
     

    indyjohn

    PATRIOT
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    77   0   0
    Dec 26, 2010
    7,505
    77
    In the trees
    Advice: Get your money ready-to-go on a “right f***n now” readiness level.

    Everybody wants the same things, and you need to have either A) cash in the Bank, and/or (B) a Banker ready to lend you the money (APPROVED for a given dollar amount) to buy “it” when you find what you want.

    If you see what you want, you need to be ready to sign a PA right then and there.

    If you own “several other” properties, then you might have no issue finding one of them to put “down” as down payment for a loan to buy the new tract. Then you just sell that one, or other(s) tonpay off the loan and free up the new parcel.

    THAT is how you avoid heartbreak. THAT is how it’s done by a pro.

    Repost from a different thread but still relevant.

    The OG and I looked for property for nearly 5 years. In our spare time on weekends, no realtor at first. We thought we wanted 10 acres of hobby land. We drove through a lot of country roads.

    First it was the doughnut counties around Indianapolis, those proved to be too expensive and too close to civilization. Then we started looking around Brown and Bartholomew, Brown was too damn expensive and Bartholomew was essentially farm land. Then we started looking west around Putnam county where I grew up. Then we started looking at larger plots. The first time we drove by the land we ended up buying the for sale sign was laid down by the person mowing the lot next to the road! We made an offer at $2800/acre and it was accepted, later to find the owners hadn't filed the proper paperwork with the county, delaying the sale by 4 months. That was 4 years ago. I think the going price has gone up a lot since for non-tillable land.

    Good luck! Keep an open mind that what you end up with may not be what you think you want today. We are very happy with where we landed.
     
    Top Bottom