Steve Hanson

Located less than 50 miles from Des Moines, this property offers a rare combination of strong income, high-quality wildlife habitat, and excellent recreational features. With almost $30,000 annually in CRP income, a proven track record for giant whitetails, and an 8-acre lake, this farm checks every box. Don’t let the absence of big timber fool you—this is a true big buck sanctuary. In the 2024 season, two bucks scoring in the mid-180s and near 200" were captured on trail camera here and later harvested by neighbors. Photos and official scores are available. The farm includes 4 acres of electric-fenced food plots, designed to provide dependable late-season hunting opportunities. CRP cover consists of tall warm-season grasses including Big Bluestem, Indian Grass, and Switchgrass—excellent bedding habitat for deer and strong upland bird potential for pheasant and quail hunters. At the heart of the property is a clear, 8-acre lake over 20 feet deep, stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish—ideal for year-round enjoyment. Additional improvements include new fencing along more than half of the property’s boundary, including the road frontage. In the 2024 and 2025 spring seasons, the owner planted over 1,200 trees to establish future thermal cover and wildlife habitat. All CRP maintenance (MCM) work has been completed under the current contract. While this property offers world-class hunting opportunities and investment potential, the seller is motivated due to a current lack of access to a non-resident deer license.  

Located approximately 1 hour from Des Moines and just 25 minutes from Oskaloosa, this 135± acre Mahaska County farm offers a rare combination of proven whitetail habitat, consistent CRP income, and attractive building potential. The property features classic southern Iowa terrain with creek-bottom timber filled with mature walnut and cottonwood, transitioning into ridges dominated by oak and hickory. Open acres are enrolled in native warm-season grasses, complemented by brushy fence lines and established food plot areas. South-facing slopes and overgrown pasture create dense bedding cover, resulting in a highly effective layout for producing and holding mature whitetails. The farm also supports strong populations of turkey, pheasant, and quail. Two CRP contracts generate a combined annual income of $14,516, with expirations in 2027 and 2030. The contracts allow for designated food plots and early successional habitat, enhancing both wildlife value and long-term land stewardship. Native grasses include Big Bluestem, Indian Grass, Switchgrass, and a diverse mix of forbs. Rolling topography provides multiple quality building sites with utilities in place, along with scenic pond views—making this property well suited for recreation, income, or a future home or cabin site.

Located just north of Centerville, IA, this 140-acre property offers the ideal combination of productive farmland and top-tier hunting. The farm includes 95 acres of tillable ground with an average CSR above 67 for high productivity. It generates $19,000 annually in cash rent and has a consistent history of strong crop yields. All tillable acres would also be eligible for future CRP enrollment if the next owner chooses to transition to conservation programs. Over 40 acres of dense river-bottom hardwoods provide thick bedding cover and strong whitetail habitat. This area is truly a sleeper neighborhood where mature, trophy-class bucks can be consistently found year after year. The property sits off a dead-end road with very few surrounding roads, located in the middle of a large block of crop fields, timber, and river corridor—offering limited access and ideal seclusion for deer movement and unpressured hunting. The current owner has worked with the farm tenant to leave standing grain in key locations for food plot effectiveness, further improving late-season hunting. In addition to whitetails, this farm supports quality upland game and turkey hunting with healthy populations of quail, pheasant, and wild turkeys.  Additionally, its location within minutes of Rathbun Lake makes this a true investment opportunity with excellent recreation potential.