Written by Justin Park|
Last updated
When most people think of Wisconsin, they picture cheese, beer brats, the Green Bay Packers, and not much else. But for savvy deer hunters, they know Wisconsin is trophy whitetail buck country, and some of the most sought-after hunting in the nation.
Robert Kons is a Wisconsin native and the Field Rep for HLRBO. He covers Wisconsin as well as Northern Illinois, Northeast Iowa, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. We spoke with Robert to learn more about his region and the types of leases he helps bring online across the Midwest.
Tell us about your role with HLRBO. What does a Field Rep do?
My primary role as a Field Rep is to verify properties are legitimate, create marketing content such as pictures and videos, as well as assist landowners with listing creations. I obtained my UAS Pilot License to allow me to create appealing drone content for the land listings.
For someone who's never been there, what's your area like?
Wisconsin has a very diverse habitat which creates excellent hunting opportunities, arguably the best in the country for whitetail deer. It is known for the top trophy buck state. There are vast woods in the northern part of the state to flatlands and marshes in the central and eastern areas. The most desirable area is in the west and southwest part of the state and is known as the Driftless Area, which has many bluffs, ravines, streams, and agriculture. Wisconsin is game rich for all species with the most popular being whitetail deer, waterfowl, black bear, and turkeys.
Is land leasing for hunting common in your area? Give us a sense of the type and size of the leases most people are looking at in your area?
Hunting leases are common throughout Wisconsin and very high demand, so much so that there is usually a line of people waiting for lease opportunities to arise. This is good news for landowners as the high hunter demand means high lease prices can be had. In the lower 2/3 of the state the lease sizes are generally on the smaller side, like 120 acres or less. But that can be sufficient for a group of hunters, as the deer numbers are high. The top 1/3 of the state does offer some higher acreage leases, which is generally needed due to a lower deer population where you need more ground to get into deer.
How about you personally? What's your hunting background?
I started hunting when I was 12 years old with my dad and we haven't missed a season together in 30 years. My son started hunting with us for the first time in 2024 and that has been an awesome experience. Lots of memories created in the field over all those years. My favorite game to chase is whitetail deer in which I was fortunate to take three bucks in three different states last season, including Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. I also enjoy turkey hunting in the spring and have taken two black bears with my bow as well.
Outside of hunting and HLRBO, what's your life like? Do you have a job outside HLRBO?
I live in northeast Wisconsin about 20 miles south of Green Bay in the same area I was born and raised. It is a great area with a lot of opportunities. I have a full time corporate job for an Engineering and Consulting company in which I work in the Paper and General Industry division. I am a married family man with a teenage daughter and 9-year-old son. The children keep us very busy with many activities such as competitive dance, soccer, baseball, volleyball and basketball.
To get in touch with Robert or another Field Rep, send an email to [email protected].
Justin Park is a Colorado-based writer, editor, and avid hunter with a passion for the outdoors. He contributes to leading publications such as GearJunkie, Popular Mechanics, Powder, and Men's Journal, and serves as Editor of Wild Snow. Park is deeply involved in conservation and recreation advocacy, serving as Chapter Chair of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) in Summit County. He also represents RMEF on a state recreation committee focused on proactively addressing land use conflicts.