Well the wife and I are thinking of buying some land in PA.We want to stay away from the Poconos (to manyNew Yorkers).We have family in the Reading area and would like to stay within say a30 mi radius, close but not too close.Now the family has no hunters in it (wifes side), I have hunted NY for 30yrs, upstate and Long Island,but I know nada about PA as far as hunting. Where should I start looking, shouldI be looking for 1 acre and hunt public game lands or should I be looking for 40 to 100 acres of my own? Any help will be much appreciated. This will be a vacation and possible retirement home and esp for hunting.

Paul

I would go with private land so you can manage it better and not have a crap shoot as to how many and what kind of guys you have hunting with you. Best bet would be to find land that borders SGL. It will give you the private land you need plus tons of acreage. You're land will eliminate access to the SGL from at least one side so you should have the bordering SGL to yourself.

30 miles from Reading would put you anywhere in Berks, Lehigh, Schuylkill and possibly Columbia Counties. I would look harder at the last two. More land and less people.

If you plan on seeing a deer you will want to buy the 100 acres for your self to hunt deer on.

I hope you are rich. Buy as much land as you can afford. Good luck, I wish you the best.

Look for land that has the heaviest cover. This will guarantee you deer on your property. Open wood lots don't hold deer. 10 to 15 acres of heavy cover on your property and some food plots in that area, You will have deer to hunt that will stay on your property. Other wise the only time you will see them if they are pushed on to your property.And most likely someone will be shooting at them on their way thru.

Thanksfor the responses so far, rybo I am not rich but comfortable I may be able to swing 40 or 50 acres right now without any partners(family, my side).

BarnesX,Schuylkill was at the top of my list. How do the SGL work, must you park in a designated area or can you park anywhere along the road that borders the SGL? I would hate to buy too close to an access point for the masses.

bawanajim / deer handler, finding the perfect piece of land and one large enough to encompass everthing a whitetail wants or needsis a tall order. Esp in this day and age of crazy property values I am not sosure a few hundred acres will have it all, but I appreciate the advise.

Paul

All it takes is a bull dozer and a chain saw to make a deer haven. Buying land is never a bad idea.
And you may be suprised buy the price when you look at a larger piece.

i live in bucks county pa some areas 10 acres with out a house is goinf for like 600,000 all depends where u wanna go poconoes is cheapest prob

definately buy yourself as much private land as you can afford.The SGL's surrounding the reading area get hammered in rifle season and have low deer numbers.

Look at the Bernville area of Berks county. Prices are better there than surrounding counties of Bucks, Montgomery and Chester. Bernville is only 10-15 minutes away from Reading. Thereare also gamelands around the Blue Marsh Lake area and have good deer numbers in archery season. Gun season gets pretty hammered but if your lucky you'll find some land around the gamelands and have excellenthunting!