Where would you buy land in Georgia?

[Huntmaster2]

We all wish we could own 500 acres of prime deer habitat, sadly that's not reality. There are many factors in choosing hunting land, but the two most important for me seem to be: a good investment and big buck territory.

Considering those two factors, where would you choose to buy land balancing the two equally? Or would you chase one factor more heavily?

The investment part is a little tough to sort out, but some regions generally should have better potential at producing income from farming, timber... or just the potential to appreciate in value.

 

[Mexican Squealer]

I have two farms in the Flint River corridor (Taylor county) and both fit the investment and big buck criteria.

 

[grady white]

if it were me I would also make sure the land did not have a hog problem ...a good walk through the property will give you your answer, I really believe they affect the value of a piece of property from a wildlife standpoint and certainly a farming standpoint , I know a farmer that has one tract where he can't even plant peanuts any more...when the new poison/nitrate gets approved in Georgia that will change the game, those big roaches will lose the battle at that point.....if and only if the landowner and surrounding landowners work their plan and stick with it until the roaches are eradicated.

 

[mattuga]

N Ga just lost it's best asset of pay to play, poor quality big buck hunters will now kill the only population producer. They will get their meat doe now very easy while chasing the big guy they will never kill. I REALLY hope they drastically reduce the doe days to correlate with the corn rule. Anyone with a low deer population and "big buck" hunters knows it. I don't care your position on the ruling of legality, crappy deer hunters will succeed in N GA where it used to take effort. Daddy will make little to no effort to bring home the meat doe in a region where we don't need to kill ANY does. I'm sure there are some N GA properties that need thinning of the herd but it not common North of Macon into the mountains. Nathan Deal is probably getting a sweet sweet check from State Farm on this "Deal". The legalese guys may think this is a win but when every Tom Dick and Harry can corn in a 2 yo doe the population will crash just like State Farm paid Deal to make happen. I am ashamed no sportsmen with clout could do anything about it. Clearly the biologists didn't agree, can anyone tell me the GA DNR biologists agreed with this decision? CKillmaster? Surely not?

 

[mattuga]

N Ga just lost it's best asset of pay to play, poor quality big buck hunters will now kill the only population producer. They will get their meat doe now very easy while chasing the big guy they will never kill. I REALLY hope they drastically reduce the doe days to correlate with the corn rule. Anyone with a low deer population and "big buck" hunters knows it. I don't care your position on the ruling of legality, crappy deer hunters will succeed in N GA where it used to take effort. Daddy will make little to no effort to bring home the meat doe in a region where we don't need to kill ANY does. I'm sure there are some N GA properties that need thinning of the herd but it not common North of Macon into the mountains. Nathan Deal is probably getting a sweet sweet check from State Farm on this "Deal". The legalese guys may think this is a win but when every Tom Dick and Harry can corn in a 2 yo doe the population will crash just like State Farm paid Deal to make happen. I am ashamed no sportsmen with clout could do anything about it. Clearly the biologists didn't agree, can anyone tell me the GA DNR biologists agreed with this decision? CKillmaster? Surely not?

For the record I am a poor quality big buck hunter, haven't killed a deer in 5 years or a buck in 8 years. Plenty of chances, does get the pass.

 

[Crakajak]

I feed deer year round. I haven't killed a deer in 3 years.In the 80-90's when I hunted the mountain region ,I saw more night hunting(even on WMA"s) than I ever saw in the piedmont/south Ga. I think corn will be blamed, when corn hasn't put a bullet in a deer ever.
If I were buying land in Ga it would be in SW GA with tillable land with lots of wildlife,ample flowing water supply,good neighbors, and diverse habitat.Thats going to be hard to find. Good luck with you project.

 

[Nicodemus]

I feed deer year round. I haven't killed a deer in 3 years.In the 80-90's when I hunted the mountain region ,I saw more night hunting(even on WMA"s) than I ever saw in the piedmont/south Ga. I think corn will be blamed, when corn hasn't put a bullet in a deer ever.
If I were buying land in Ga it would be in SW GA with tillable land with lots of wildlife,ample flowing water supply,good neighbors, and diverse habitat.Thats going to be hard to find. Good luck with you project.

Southwest Georgia would be my pick too. Try to find land that borders one of the big farms or plantations. It is sometimes available, but it won`t be cheap. There`s a lot less chance of getting a subdivision built next to you in the near future.

 

[rstallings1979]

It depends if money was not a factor. If I had an unlimited supply of money I would probably look at Turner, Taylor, Macon, Worth and maybe even Meriweather. As far as the state goes and deer hunting you can find a better deal price wise in some sleeper counties in middle Georgia. There are good deer being killed on the eastern side as well like Burke, Washington, Wilkinson that you never hear about unless your around the area.

Land buying is an expensive endeavor. You can count on SW Ga averaging between 2500 and 3500 an acre if it has tillable on it. Tillable with irrigation may drive it up more. Try to buy 300 acres at 3000 an acre and your looking at a 70 or 75K a year payment if you finance with a 15 or 20% down. Rates are going up as well.

Some people can buy land and will sell it at the first sign of a decent profit but personally I get attached to it...almost like having a good dog. I just don't see myself letting it go. There is nothing wrong at all with selling for a profit but I just can't do it. The couple of pieces I have been fortunate to buy I always look at it from the standpoint of my family enjoying it, using the trees as an income producer, and using the trees as a future income producer for my boys when I have my angel wings. I have never thought about selling it. If it has tillable I would try to get enough to pay the taxes and maybe help a little with the note payment. The last tract I bought (well me and AgSouth bought) could have been sold 4 months later for a quick profit. I just could not do it.

I grew up having no land and was always scratching to find places to fish and hunt. My dad and I would get permission to one tract and then it would sell or the farmer would run into problems...this was back in the late 80s/early 90s. That probably has a lot to do with my mindset. If you've never had something you seem to get attached to it when you finally get it.

 

[b rad]

i hope this new poison for hogs doesnt get approved i dont trust that it want effect other animals and i dont want to see the hogs eradicated anyways its always funny hearing hunters say they want hogs gone but if that happened they compalin then as well

 

[lagrangedave]

I found a 20 tract in Jeff Davis County with old timber next to Bullard creek wma with a pond for $42000 wife said no because of Nats and gators....

 

[spurrs and racks]

N Ga just lost it's best asset of pay to play, poor quality big buck hunters will now kill the only population producer. They will get their meat doe now very easy while chasing the big guy they will never kill. I REALLY hope they drastically reduce the doe days to correlate with the corn rule. Anyone with a low deer population and "big buck" hunters knows it. I don't care your position on the ruling of legality, crappy deer hunters will succeed in N GA where it used to take effort. Daddy will make little to no effort to bring home the meat doe in a region where we don't need to kill ANY does. I'm sure there are some N GA properties that need thinning of the herd but it not common North of Macon into the mountains. Nathan Deal is probably getting a sweet sweet check from State Farm on this "Deal". The legalese guys may think this is a win but when every Tom Dick and Harry can corn in a 2 yo doe the population will crash just like State Farm paid Deal to make happen. I am ashamed no sportsmen with clout could do anything about it. Clearly the biologists didn't agree, can anyone tell me the GA DNR biologists agreed with this decision? CKillmaster? Surely not?

wow

Here is my take. No hogs.

Now, for the rant. If you need corn to shoot young dumb stupid deer, the only person calling you a deer hunter is you. Corn is not the end all to challenging deer hunting, unless you like killing young dumb stupid deer. Old does are slick, they are just as slick around a feeder. Corn promotes nocturnal activity. Just go pour a bag out and watch the deer first thing you are going to see is yearling deer, followed by their mother. There is a shot during archery season that the corn pile might help you get a chance at a good archery buck. But he will be very slick about coming in to the corn pile.
As far as the hunters who do shoot a deer or two to eat over a corn pile, it is now legal, statewide. For all the folks who have been screaming about the deer population, the doe herd. This shows you just how much the DNR believes you are going to hurt the herd.

In their on writing, they show no significant increase in deer harvest in the counties where bait has been legal.

The sky is falling

s&r

 

[Major Wader]

I'm sure there are some N GA properties that need thinning of the herd but it not common North of Macon into the mountains.

I can tell you that there are plenty of does in Pickens County. Hunting creek bottoms with no food plots, I have seen groups with as many as 6 does come through. We could use more doe days.

 

[Timberman]

If I lived on the south side of Atlanta I would target west central Georgia. If I lived above Atlanta I would look at central Tennessee.

 

[Lilly001]

I did the land search exercise about 5 years ago.
I had about 150,000.00 to spend and I originally was looking at about 50 acres with maybe an old house or cabin.
I centered my search around the Dublin area, because I was familiar with it and had a buddy's cabin I could stay in.
My wife and I spent about 10 days, spread over 2 months, checking every parcel we could find for sale within about 100 miles.
We finally settled on 160 acres of cut but replanted pines and creek bottom about 10 miles from my buddy's cabin.
It had no structure. It had young planted pines and a cut over creek bottom that you could barely walk through.
But it had deer. Lots of deer.
And at under 1k acre I could barely afford it.
It also has the potential to eventually pay for its self.
I'm happy and hope to keep it fore ever.

 

[TomC]

I'm about a year out from starting the process of buying a small tract to hunt and live on. Been researching the subject pretty thoroughly and I hate to say it but tracts in the southern half of Alabama are starting to interest me . In Georgia I'd be looking at the counties near Taylor County or in the Laurens - Dodge vicinity.

 

[elfiii]

If I lived on the south side of Atlanta I would target west central Georgia.

It's a bad place to be. There are no deer here. Don't come. You'll regret it.

 

[Tombuster]

I bought in Hancock a couple years ago. QDM county, plenty of deer and turkey. Thank goodness no hogs on my property YET. I’ve got water all year to with 2500 ft of creek. Prices are pretty low per acre but going up. Good luck in your search.

 

[Huntmaster2]

if it were me I would also make sure the land did not have a hog problem ...a good walk through the property will give you your answer, I really believe they affect the value of a piece of property from a wildlife standpoint and certainly a farming standpoint , I know a farmer that has one tract where he can't even plant peanuts any more...when the new poison/nitrate gets approved in Georgia that will change the game, those big roaches will lose the battle at that point.....if and only if the landowner and surrounding landowners work their plan and stick with it until the roaches are eradicated.

That is a good point. A lot of areas near me have a ton of hogs!

 

[Huntmaster2]

I feed deer year round. I haven't killed a deer in 3 years.In the 80-90's when I hunted the mountain region ,I saw more night hunting(even on WMA"s) than I ever saw in the piedmont/south Ga. I think corn will be blamed, when corn hasn't put a bullet in a deer ever.
If I were buying land in Ga it would be in SW GA with tillable land with lots of wildlife,ample flowing water supply,good neighbors, and diverse habitat.Thats going to be hard to find. Good luck with you project.

Thanks Crak that is one of the main reasons I am looking for opinions. My area of SW GA does seem hard to find that perfect mix that you are talking about and be able to afford it!

 

[Huntmaster2]

Southwest Georgia would be my pick too. Try to find land that borders one of the big farms or plantations. It is sometimes available, but it won`t be cheap. There`s a lot less chance of getting a subdivision built next to you in the near future.

Yeah, I would love to have some land near any of the plantations in the Lee, Doughtery, Baker area. Maybe I will just need to keep looking and save the down payment. When the deal arises, jump on it! Thanks Nicodemus.