The first time I walked this 93.4-acre +/- Ralls County property with the landowner's son, it did not take long for me to recognize the hunting and habitat potential this farm has to offer. The combination of secluded open areas, hardwood timber, two rocky runoff creeks, a power line cut, elevation changes, natural shelves, and established deer sign creates the type of layout an experienced hunter will appreciate. The property has been owned and hunted by the seller's family for many years, but it has seen less hunting and habitat management over the past couple of seasons. In my opinion, bringing the open areas back into a focused food plot program would complement an already strong habitat base and could take this hunting property to another level.

Approximately 20 acres +/- are open and could be utilized for food plots or other wildlife habitat management. What stands out to me is how these openings are positioned. Rather than being large fields exposed to surrounding roads, many of the open areas are secluded within the timber. This creates feeding areas with substantial screening and cover nearby. Two of the largest openings are located near the northwest and southeast portions of the property, providing enough acreage for a substantial food source when planted and maintained.

Another hunting feature I really like is the power line cut running through the west side of the property. Power line cuts have long been appreciated by deer hunters because they create an open corridor through otherwise timbered terrain and provide extended visibility. On this property, the cut creates opportunities to watch for deer moving from one block of timber to another and provides additional options for hunting and habitat management.

The setup at the northwest corner particularly caught my attention. A large open field sits just below the power line cut and already has a box blind in place along with mowed shooting lanes. Standing there and looking across the opening and power line corridor, you can immediately see why the seller's family chose this location. The visibility across the west side, combined with timber on both sides and the nearby food plot, creates an impressive hunting setup. It is the type of location where a hunter could potentially catch a mature buck moving between blocks of timber or entering the open area while pushing and searching for does.

The topography is another feature that caught my attention. Several of the food plot areas are positioned near natural shelves, draws, and terrain changes that can influence deer travel. An experienced bowhunter should quickly recognize several locations where terrain and openings come together to create natural funnels and potential stand locations.

One of my favorite features is a natural shelf running along the east side of one of the creeks. While walking this area with the landowner's son, I noticed considerable evidence of historical deer activity, including old scrapes along what appeared to be an established scrape line. We also found a freshly worked community scrape around a tree approximately 8 inches in diameter. The combination of current and historical sign made this particular travel corridor stand out during my initial tour.

Two rocky runoff creeks converge within the property. These drainages typically hold pools of water, providing an additional water source for wildlife. Beyond the water itself, the creek bottoms, banks, crossings, and adjacent shelves add another layer of terrain diversity and create additional travel corridors through the timber.

The timber consists of a variety of hardwood species, including oak, walnut, hickory, sycamore, and large cottonwoods. The oak component provides an important seasonal mast source, while some of the larger trees offer potential turkey roosting habitat. Turkey activity was evident during my tour when I bumped a couple of birds from the roost while walking the property.

The central portion of the farm is primarily timber, providing a large block of wooded cover between and around the open areas. The property is also situated within a broader timber landscape. From a hunting standpoint, I like the relationship between the larger timber block, secluded openings, creek corridors, power line cut, elevation changes, and potential food sources. Rather than relying on one individual feature, this property offers several habitat components within its 93.4 acres +/-.

The farm sits at a high elevation above the Salt River bottoms, and the changes in elevation become much more apparent once you begin walking the property. This is one of those farms where I believe an in-person tour tells the story much better than photographs alone. The timber canopy can make it difficult to capture the terrain, creek corridors, natural shelves, secluded openings, power line cut, and transitions that become obvious when walking through the property.

A portion of the property directly fronts State Highway H, yet the interior of the property has almost no visibility from the roadway. The existing entrance currently serves the property's recreational use. A buyer planning more frequent access may choose to improve the entrance depending on intended use and applicable requirements.

Water and electric are reported to be available at or near the property boundary, adding flexibility for someone considering a future cabin, hunting camp, or homesite, subject to utility provider availability, permits, and local requirements.

The location is another feature that makes this farm stand out to me. The property is approximately 4 miles north of Center, Missouri and approximately 8.25 miles west of US Highway 61. From the property, it is approximately 23 minutes to Hannibal, Missouri, 36 minutes to Quincy, Illinois, and approximately 1.5 hours to St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Clarence Cannon Dam and Mark Twain Lake are less than 20 minutes away, putting boating, fishing, camping, and additional public recreational opportunities within a short drive.

For a recreational property that feels secluded once you step into the timber, I believe the accessibility is exceptional. You can hunt a large block of timber in rural Ralls County while remaining within a reasonable drive of Hannibal, Quincy, Mark Twain Lake, US Highway 61, and the St. Louis metropolitan area. That combination of privacy, recreational opportunities, and regional accessibility is difficult to overlook.

What interests me most about this property is the amount of hunting structure already present. The hardwood timber, creeks, water, secluded openings, natural shelves, funnels, power line corridor, established scrape activity, box blind, shooting lanes, and surrounding timbered landscape provide a strong starting point for a buyer who wants to develop a focused whitetail and turkey hunting property. With approximately 20 acres +/- of open ground available for a renewed food plot program, there is also plenty of opportunity for the next owner to put their own habitat management plan into place.

Although the pictures do a good job of showing off the hardwood timber and open areas, they simply cannot capture everything I saw while walking this farm. A word of warning from me: if you schedule a tour, be prepared to want to buy it. Once you walk through the timber, follow the creek corridors, see the natural shelves and funnels, and stand over the food plots and power line setup, this property becomes difficult to resist. This is one of those farms that needs to be experienced on the ground to fully appreciate what it has to offer.

Contact Clay Lockard with Whitetail Properties Real Estate to schedule a private tour.