$1.7 Million Illinois Farm Sale Highlights Surge in Recreational Land Interest

A 236.32-acre farm with tillable land, timber for hunting, and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres sold for $7,500 an acre for a total of $1,772,400. The land, billed as both recreational and income producing, was sold on May 30. Located in Pittsfield, Illinois, in the west central part of the state, the area is known as a destination for white-tailed deer and turkey hunting.

“It was a good combination for somebody that wanted a recreation farm on one side and income-producing on the bottom to really get a good return on your investment,” said Tyler Sellens of Whitetail Properties Real Estate. Sellens was the agent in charge of the transaction. He said it sold for a fair value, near the listing price. Part of what made this property desirable is that Pike County, where this property is located, has a higher than average productivity index (PI) for this part of the state and it was laid out well, making it easy to farm. The PI index ranks soil on a scale of 47 to 147. The higher the rating, the higher the potential productivity.

The Property 

The owners of the land were siblings who had been renting it to a local farmer, according to Sellens. The ground had been in their family for 26 years, but after their parents died, they put it on the market.

The new owner lives nearby and purchased the land as an investment, Sellens said. The new owner plans to rent the tillable land to a local farmer and use the wooded area for personal hunting. Sellens says buyers like this one, who want a property that can be used recreationally, make up a majority of his business. 

Property features:

• Total acres: 236.32
• Tillable acres: 88
• CRP acres: 35, including CP-1 establishment of permanent introduced grasses and legumes; CP-12 wildlife food plot; and CP-21 filter strips
• Average CRP payment: $201 per acre
• Rental rate for tillable acres: $275 per acre
• Average PI for Pike county: 115.3  
• Soil types: Wakeland, Haymond, and Menfro

Recreational Land Trend

The market for recreational hunting ground is as strong as it’s been in 10 years, according to Joe Dierker, owner of First Harvest Land Exchange LLC in Pittsfield, Illinois. Dierker works as a farm manager and helps buyers acquire property using tax-deferred exchange programs. He sees a tremendous amount of hunting land transactions — both in state and around the country — using 1031 exchanges. According to the IRS, 1031 exchanges allow buyers to postpone paying taxes on the capital gains if they reinvest the proceeds in a similar property.

There are a few reasons for the trend. First, hunting land is different from traditional farm land used for raising crops or animals. Dierker says buyers are always trying to find that next property that’s better than the one they currently own. Rather than holding on to it for a long time, they are always on the search for an upgrade.   

Second, the recreational market is strong because hunting is a hobby that continues to draw people to western Illinois, especially those hunting deer, according to Dierker. 

Low inventory and high demand continue to drive up prices, said Sellens, even with higher interest rates the last few years. He says sales numbers back up this claim. Whitetail Properties Real Estate has agents in 43 states and reported $3.4 billion in sales in 2024. 

As a result of increasing prices, he has noticed changes in his clientele. “We have a lot more high net worth individuals and business owners who can pay cash for a farm or have the cash flow to make payments,” Sellens said.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, hunting is big business. Its most recent report, released in 2023, shows how many people hunt and how much time they collectively spend doing it:

• Total hunters: 14.4 million
• Total days spent hunting: 241 million
• Total number of trips: 165 million

Here is what hunters spent:

• $45.2 billion dollars on hunting expenditures
• $12.3 billion on trip-related expenses
• $19.6 billion on hunting equipment

Big game hunters spend the most time and money. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s survey breaks down hunting trends:

• Big game hunters spent an average of 12 days on 8 trips.
• Small game hunters spent an average of 7 days on 6 trips.
• Migratory bird hunters spent an average of 8 days on 7 trips.

Hunting is a pastime for people all over the country, with a national participation rate of 6%. The East North Central region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin, has the highest numbers of hunters.  

Economic Perspective

Recreational land values remain exceptionally strong, according to one organization that tracks land values. The Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraiser puts out its annual Farmland Values and Lease Trends report. 

The total value per acre of recreational land in the western region of Illinois was $6,600 per acre for 2024. That’s a 10% increase from the previous year. The property in Pittsfield sold for well over that amount at $7,500 an acre. 

“The recreational market in 2024 remained exceptionally strong, driven by a continued imbalance between demand and available inventory,” the authors said about the western region. “Prices steadily increased throughout the year, with record sales being broken regularly due to the combination of limited supply and strong demand. Buyers were often willing to pay above market value just to secure a property, further pushing prices upward.” 

The authors also suggest property size is a leading driver in increased values of recreational land.

“In terms of property size, smaller tracts — those under 40 acres — have continued to command a premium due to their appeal to a broader range of buyers,” the report continued. “However, the demand for larger tracts of land has also risen sharply. Larger properties, especially those with unique features or prime locations, are becoming increasingly harder to come by, which is pushing their prices even higher, demanding a premium of their own that was not previously evident in the market.”

Produced in partnership with American Farmland Owner (AFO). AFO aims to help landowners make informed decisions for their farmland while ensuring the prosperity of American agriculture.