Wisconsin LandGuys land professional specializing in hunting land, recreational property, and rural land development
Serving landowners and buyers in Eau Claire, Buffalo, Trempealeau, and Pepin counties in western Wisconsin.
Derrick Backaus is a LandGuys land professional licensed in Wisconsin, serving landowners and buyers across Eau Claire County, Buffalo County, Trempealeau County, and Pepin County. He specializes in hunting land, recreational property, and rural tracts with long-term improvement potential, helping clients evaluate land from both an ownership and land-use perspective. With a background in business leadership, hands-on land development, and wildlife habitat work, Derrick brings practical experience and a strong understanding of what makes rural property valuable in western Wisconsin.
Derrick Backaus is a Wisconsin land professional who helps clients buy and sell hunting land, recreational property, and rural acreage across western Wisconsin including Eau Claire, Buffalo, Trempealeau, and Pepin counties.
Derrick is known for his down-to-earth approach, strong work ethic, and real-world knowledge of how land functions over time. He looks closely at the features that influence value and usability, including habitat, access, food plot potential, water sources, terrain, trail systems, building opportunities, and the improvements that can turn a raw property into something exceptional. His goal is to help clients make informed decisions and see both the current value and future potential of a property.
Raised just outside Marshfield, Wisconsin, Derrick developed an early connection to the outdoors through bowhunting, fishing, and helping in the family fabrication business. That upbringing shaped both his work ethic and his appreciation for rural living. After earning a degree in Business Administration, he became a partner in the family business and eventually served as president, helping grow the company into an operation with more than 50 employees.
Alongside his business career, Derrick has spent years developing and managing land for hunting and recreation. He has personally improved hundreds of acres through projects such as food plots, orchards, pond restoration, trail development, and wildlife habitat work. That hands-on background gives him a practical understanding of what buyers are looking for and what can increase a property’s value, usability, and long-term appeal.
Derrick now lives in Trempealeau County, where he continues to improve land, farm hemp through DAB Hemp Farm LLC, and spend time outdoors with his wife, daughters, and grandsons. His lifelong involvement in land stewardship, conservation, and rural business gives him a perspective that connects well with both buyers and sellers across western Wisconsin.
Derrick helps sellers understand what makes their property stand out in the market and how to position it for the right buyers. He uses LandGuys marketing resources, professional photography, multiple listing platforms, social media exposure, and a hands-on understanding of the land itself to tell the property’s story clearly. By taking the time to learn each property’s features, strengths, and improvement history, he helps sellers build a stronger pricing and marketing strategy from the start.
For buyers, Derrick focuses on understanding goals, budget, and the type of experience they want from a property. Whether someone is looking for a turnkey hunting setup, a buildable recreational tract, or a diamond in the rough with upside, he helps evaluate terrain, access, habitat, food plot locations, water, trail systems, and other features that affect both enjoyment and long-term value. His goal is to help buyers find the best fit for how they want to use the land.
Land value can vary widely depending on the county, location, and the specific features a property offers. Strong hunting ground in western Wisconsin can differ by thousands of dollars per acre from one area to another, so general averages are only a starting point and not a rule.
To estimate value accurately, Derrick can review comparable sales, use LandGuys tools and market data, and evaluate the property’s location, layout, habitat, access, and other value drivers. The best pricing guidance comes from combining research with a conversation about what makes the property unique, and in many cases by putting boots on the ground to walk or drive the land in person.
Buffalo County is widely known as one of Wisconsin’s top counties for record-class whitetails, but neighboring counties can also offer outstanding hunting opportunities. In many cases, moving just outside of Buffalo County can reduce the price per acre without necessarily giving up the kind of deer genetics and habitat buyers are looking for.
The right area depends on budget, goals, and whether a buyer wants a turnkey property or is open to improving a tract over time. Some buyers are looking for ridges, food plots, crop ground, cabins, ponds, trails, or buildable sites, while others are focused primarily on hunting performance. Derrick helps buyers weigh those priorities against price and location to find the best overall fit.
Budget goes a long way toward narrowing down the right counties, acreage range, and property type. Different areas of western Wisconsin carry different average prices per acre, and a buyer’s budget may point toward either a higher-quality smaller tract or a larger property with more room for improvement.
Derrick helps buyers think through whether they want maximum acreage, stronger hunting quality, recreational versatility, building potential, or specific features that matter most to them. He also helps identify deal breakers early, such as limited access, lack of power, no trail system, or other factors that could affect the property’s long-term fit.
Selling rural property takes more than putting it on the market and waiting for a buyer. A good land broker should understand how to identify the property’s most valuable features, explain them clearly to buyers, and use a marketing system built specifically for land, hunting property, and rural real estate.
Derrick uses the resources of the LandGuys team, including MLS exposure, social media, paid advertising, professional photography, and direct buyer outreach. Just as important, he invests personal time into learning the property so he can tell its story well and represent it accurately. His goal is to market the land aggressively, communicate its full value, and help the seller feel confident in the process from start to finish.
Derrick lives in Trempealeau County with strong ties to Wisconsin’s rural way of life. He enjoys improving land, farming, hunting, fishing, and spending time outdoors with his wife, daughters, and grandsons. His commitment to stewardship, conservation, and community continues to shape the way he serves buyers and sellers who care deeply about land and legacy.
Member of the National Association of REALTORS®
Lifetime member of Whitetails Unlimited
Active with Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, National Wild Turkey Federation, and local sportsman clubs
Licensed in Wisconsin (113473-94) | LandGuys, LLC of Wisconsin | Springfield, Illinois
