Non-Local Purchases of Agricultural Land for Hunting Purposes

Agricultural land purchases by non-local buyers for hunting purposes (106 sales) were compared to nearby (comparable) land purchases of local agricultural producers (318 sales) in the Southwest and Prairie Pothole Regions (PPR) of North Dakota from 2000 to 2004. In the PPR (dominated by waterfowl hunting), it was demonstrated that non-locals do not pay a premium for agricultural land that they purchase for hunting purposes. In the Southwest Region (dominated by pheasant hunting), it was found that nonlocals pay between 23 and 24 percent more for agricultural land based on mean differences, but that if median differences are evaluated, these premiums range from 19 (nearby sale comparisons) to -4 percent (county-wide comparisons). These discrepancies in mean and median price premiums are shown to result from the existence of several statistical outlier sales. These results imply that recent surges in agricultural land prices across the entire state of North Dakota cannot be attributed solely to non-local hunting purchases. It was also noted that most non-local purchasers of hunting land do restrict public hunting access and that they also usually lease their land to local producers