315 Acres – Van Buren County, IA

Aerial Maps

Property Description:
The best hunting tracts always have several consistent factors that make these farms the top of the food chain.  These factors include a combination of food, water and cover in the right neighborhood. The right neighborhood is one of the most important elements. Without the right neighborhood, you will not reach a properties full potential. This is a property that has all these elements in place and has produced outstanding results. This farm took years to assemble and was put together with 4 other tracts of land. Years of strict management have put this property in a category as one of the best farms in the entire county.   This exceptional 315 acre farm shows undeniable evidence of a passion by its owner to maintain and improve upon one of Iowa’s most treasured hunting properties.

Breakdown

Roughly 195-200 acres of timber with an additional 35-38 acres of THICK switchgrass (more than CRP area) and other Native Grasses. Cave-in-Rock Switchgrass was seeded at 10 lbs to the acre and properly maintained- THICK/TALL!!  Total cover of around 235 acres with the remaining in open fields and foodplots. Perfect break-up of field and timber for premium wildlife habitat.

The income/return and the deer hunting are second to none.  Late muzzleloader season (after shotgun) has fields of 20-30 large bucks.  Very common to see 40-50 deer on one foodplot on any given night (avg 1 to 1 ratio).

Strong genetics and highly fertile soils have resulted in numerous trail cam photos, shed evidence, and takedowns of some of Southeast Iowa’s finest bucks.

Perfect funnels, perfect entrances and ability to own from road to road (1 mile from road to road).

Room for 30-40 treestands. Presently there are 32 stand locations placed for every wind direction and every scenario. They are comfortably spaced with entrances to most of these stands in an excellent location. 

All surrounding properties are quality deer managed by experienced hunters committed to maintaining a high standard for their properties.  This cooperation amongst neighbors creates a haven for wildlife and an experienced hunter’s paradise.

FRUIT TREES, MAST TREES, & FOOD PLOTS:

8-12 acres of standing beans/corn left every year as well as several other food plots (clover, alfalfa, turnips, etc.). Right now, 6 acres alfalfa food plots, 3 acres of clover food plots, 2 acres annual rye, 10 acres standing beans, 3 acres standing corn, oats, winter peas, etc. to keep deer on property all year long.

2 apple & pear orchards. PREMIUM production grade apple orchards with at least 40-50 trees in each orchard. 15 different varieties of apples (most LATE ripening) and 4 different varieties of pears (all late ripening). There’s also hundreds of other fruit trees planted all over farm. Best diversity of trees, highest quality trees (getting old/tall!!).

6,000 trees planted on land. Every fruit producing tree/shrub you could imagine. From Hybrid oaks to Persimmons, and Red Cedars along roads  as screens.

Premium trees. It’s loaded with mature White Oak, Walnut, Red Oak, etc, etc. It has amazing tree diversity and is loaded with veneer quality.

4 Mineral lick locations- put at least 200 lbs premium mineral at each one for 5 years now. Improvements from the minerals were noticeable with extra points and more mass on deer.

All the “junk” trees were removed from 80 acres of timber such as locust and poor quality hickory and some poor quality oaks that were stunted and growing poorly - about 125 total- did not touch premium quality trees except for some that were close to becoming hollow. Got rid of the garbage trees and making hunting better/land thicker. Premium trees remain and someone could log down the road if they chose to. Future will be very lucrative if you’re patient and let the big veneer premium trees get a bit older.

Over $21,000 was spent on Timber Stand Improvement job that was completed (in last 2-5 years) with quality (& attention to detail) over the whole farm- this also greatly enhanced hunting and acorn production (along with future timber value!).

INCOME, SOIL & FARM GROUND:

Income

CRP-approx: 28.3 acres x $144/per acre income: $4,075 (CRP contract to expire in 2012)

Tillable-approx: 92 acres @ 140 pe:r acre =$12,880. (Cash rent price is on the lower end of the scale and could be negotiated higher to improve the overall income.)

Total income: $16,955 Total potential tillable=120 acres

Access

This property has great access without hurting the integrity of the farm.  Basically, the farm has access from the north, east and west side. A gravel road of the east side of the farm offers access anywhere on the east side of property. There is a level B road along the west side of the property which gives an owner access without the traffic of an improved gravel road.  There is also a recorded easement to access from the Northeast side as well. Many different options are available to get in and out of this farm depending on wind direction.

DEER OFF FARM

Found 56 sheds off 314 acres alone in 2008. Found 49 in 2009 and of that- 38 were different bucks. Have the trail cams of most the bucks to prove it (happy to show you location of trail cam as well) AND can show you the sheds. Had 36 different bucks in a standing bean field at ONE TIME while in late season muzzleloader hunting. Will verify all this is true and happy to show you pictures, locations, video, etc. I’ve never seen a piece of land with this many bucks/sheds and such a good buck/doe ratio.

No deer under 5&1/2 years old have been shot for years- the farm is at its PEAK and you don’t have to wait for giant/old deer!

Excellent genetics. There has been bucks killed, seen or sheds found from165” to 220”. You can also see the sheds found. 200” typical 11 point in trail cam pic was taken across road BUT was seen several times on this farm & his shed was found on this farm. 213” shot across road to southwest. 190” 4&1/2 killed in youth season, 182” 15 point with 24” spread, etc, etc. 190” across road in 2009. Sheds from several other 200”+ bucks. I could go on and on. One can verify all deer shot, sheds, trail cams or pictures are from this land or immediate neighbor. 232” (net score - NT) Jefferson county monster was killed 3-4 miles from here in 2008 (In North American Whitetail Magazine).

2010 after gun season finished, 40+ different bucks showed up on trail camera.

FARM DETAILS

Most entrances gated and all areas with road frontage have a couple rows of trees planted. Until they grow taller they have been planted in corn or Egyptian Wheat to screen so no one can see in.

4 ponds (2 are small), river and creeks on land. Year round water at several locations. Biggest pond (about 1 to 1&1/2 acres - 20’ deep) was built and stocked with Bass, Blue Gill, Sun Fish and Catfish.

Money put into land: pond $12,000, TSI- $21,000, tree plantings $4,100, apple/pear orchards $2,500, Native grass seed and maintenance $5,000, perennial food plots still there $2,000, cabin, etc, etc. Literally, thousands of hours of work done.

Neighbors to west and south are quality deer managers and do a great job at watching the area and helping the bucks to get mature.

Improvements

Very small rustic cabin and outhouse that was built 3 years ago. No electric but could be run.

There is a nearby house (40 yards from South East border) that could be purchased.  Well maintained farm house (3 garages/small pole barns).

New $12,000 pond.

Taxes

Total taxes per year are around $2,400.