When it comes to buying land for fishing, hunting, ranching, or other recreational uses, many people have just one mantra in mind: Go big or go home.
Whether you’re looking for a family retreat, a fly fishing property, a place to raise cattle or horses, or just private hunting land for your post-retirement glory days, finding a ranch with acreage enough to fulfill your outdoor pursuits is perhaps the most essential part of the real estate search. For those people who crave big open skies, untouched wilderness, and access to a range of outdoor activities, we have just one piece of advice: Look west.
Acre After Acre of Western Hunting Ranches, Farms, and Real Estate
In the oversized and underpopulated states of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, you’ll find many available ranches with acreages numbering in the thousands or even tens of thousands. Ranches in Colorado and California, too, are often expansive enough to accommodate ambitious agricultural projects, livestock operations, or big game hunting. For hundreds of years, Americans have been heading west in search of open land and wild frontiers, and the same holds true today for anyone looking for a ranch with acreage to spare.
As more and more people look to outdoor adventure as a way to escape from the stress and screens of their everyday lives, recreational land is perhaps more valuable than ever before. Over 38 million Americans now participate in hunting and fishing. Another 7.1 million people in the country work in the equestrian industry as horse owners, service providers, employees, or volunteers. There’s perhaps no better way to return to our roots than to explore, once again, the great possibilities of the western American frontier.
Western Land Comes With Big Tax Breaks
The wild west isn’t just full of rich history and outdoor opportunities — it’s also full of tax breaks. Property taxes in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and Idaho are some of the lowest in the country, and even California offers property tax relief through state incentives designed to prevent further developments on currently open spaces or farmland.
Sportsmen are some of our country’s most important conservationists. Over the past 80 years, on-the-ground projects in every state have raised more than $13.7 billion for preservation of fishing and wildlife environments. The abundance of National Forest land surrounding the Rocky Mountains remains one of the largest wilderness areas in the lower 48 states.
If it’s a large property or hunting ranch with acreage that goes on for miles that you’re searching for, look to the the big skies of the west. No matter your passions, you’ll find enough land to satisfy the nature-lover in you.