When I walk a hunting property, I am always looking at how all the individual features work together. Access, terrain, food, water, cover and the ability to hunt different wind directions can be just as important as the amount of acreage. After spending time on this 83.7-acre +/- Randolph County property, what stands out to me is how many of those pieces are already in place. This is a very well-maintained property with a cabin, strong hardwood timber, two ponds, creeks, an established trail network, multiple access points and open areas for food plots.

The quality of the timber immediately caught my attention. There is a great stand of white oak timber throughout the property, and the amount of acorn production is something I believe a serious deer hunter will appreciate. White oak acorns provide an important seasonal food source for whitetail deer and wild turkey and having that food source within the security of a large block of hardwood timber is a valuable habitat feature.

The topography is another aspect of this farm that I really like. This is not simply one large block of timber with limited terrain features. As you move through the property, the changes in elevation naturally create saddles, pinch points and travel corridors. From a hunting perspective, those are the features I look for because they can influence how deer move through a property. When you combine those terrain features with food, water and cover, there are multiple areas that stand out to me as potential hunting setups.

The surrounding habitat also adds to what this property has to offer. Large neighboring CRP fields provide substantial additional cover around the property. I like seeing that type of neighboring habitat because deer do not recognize property lines. The surrounding CRP, combined with the hardwood timber, acorn production, water and potential food sources on this property, creates a larger block of diverse habitat capable of supporting deer and turkey throughout different times of the year.

One of my favorite aspects of this property is the access. There are multiple points of entry, which gives a hunter options for approaching the farm from different directions depending on the wind and the stand location being hunted. In my opinion, having good habitat is only part of a successful hunting setup. Being able to get to and from your stand without unnecessarily disturbing the rest of the property can be just as important.

Once inside the property, the established trail network is another indication of how well this farm has been maintained. The trails provide good access throughout the acreage and lead toward different stand locations and open areas that can be utilized for food plots. Whether you are hunting, checking trail cameras, maintaining food plots or simply traveling the property by ATV or UTV, much of the access work has already been done.

The cabin is located on the north end of the property, just north of the two ponds. I really like its location because it is positioned away from the larger block of hardwood timber and much of the primary hunting area. There is a good buffer between the cabin and the larger timber, as well as the open areas that can be utilized for food plots. From a hunting standpoint, I see that as an important advantage. You can enjoy the cabin without putting regular activity directly in the middle of the area you are trying to hunt.

The cabin also gives this property another dimension beyond the hunting itself. It provides a gathering place for deer camp, a place to spend time with family and friends, and a base for enjoying the property throughout the year. With the two ponds nearby, it is an area where you can gather and enjoy the farm while keeping much of that activity separated from the larger timber.

Water is well distributed across the property with two ponds near the north end along with creeks running through the acreage. Water is another feature I look closely at when evaluating a hunting property. Here, the ponds and creeks add habitat diversity and complement the timber, terrain and potential food plot areas.

There are also open areas within the property that can be maintained or developed as food plots. What I like about these locations is how they relate to the rest of the farm. You have timber surrounding them, terrain that helps create natural travel routes, internal trails for access and multiple entry points that allow you to consider wind direction when deciding how to hunt them. A future owner can evaluate deer movement and adjust these areas to fit their own management strategy.

When I put all these features together, I think the overall layout is what separates this property from a typical wooded tract. The saddles, pinch points and terrain create natural travel corridors. The white oak timber provides a seasonal food source. The ponds and creeks provide water. Neighboring CRP adds substantial surrounding cover. Open areas provide opportunities for food plots, and multiple access points give hunters options for different wind directions. The cabin is then positioned away from much of the primary hunting area, allowing the recreational side of ownership to coexist with the hunting side of the property.

Another thing that should not be overlooked is simply how well this property has been cared for. The trails, cabin area and overall condition of the property reflect ongoing maintenance. For someone who wants to spend their time hunting and enjoying a property rather than starting from scratch, there is already a strong foundation here to work with.

I have walked a lot of recreational and hunting properties, and I believe the best way to appreciate this one is from the ground. An aerial map can show you the timber, ponds and openings, but it does not fully show how the topography, saddles, pinch points, access routes, food plot areas and surrounding habitat work together.

If you are looking for a well-maintained hunting and recreational property in Randolph County, Missouri, I would be glad to walk this 83.7-acre +/- tract with you and show you the features that stood out to me. Contact Clay Lockard, Whitetail Properties Real Estate, for additional information or to schedule a private showing.