Written by Katelyn Armstrong| 04/24/2025

Join Katelyn Armstrong, a self-taught bowhunter, as she embarks on a journey to lease, prepare, and hunt her own 80-acre plot of wild land in Ohio. In an original HLRBO content series, we’ll follow Armstrong’s every step—scouting trails, planning food plots, and sharing the triumphs and challenges of transforming private land into a hunter’s paradise.

After years chasing deer on crowded public land, I finally leased 80 acres of my own. I’m Katelyn Armstrong, a self-taught bowhunter who spent four years learning archery, hunting whitetail, and sharing every step online. Now I’m starting a new chapter: managing and hunting my own private land in Ohio, thanks to HLRBO.

Public land taught me to grind, but the pressure and crowds made me crave control. With 80 acres to myself, I can manage access, shape the land, and test new tactics. This lease is a blank canvas. I’m scouting trails, planning food plots, and capturing every success and surprise along the way.

Whether you’re a seasoned hunter or just getting started, I hope my story inspires your own. HLRBO made this possible by connecting me with the right property. Follow along as I turn this ground into a bowhunter’s paradise.

Meet Katelyn: Her Story and the Lease

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Ohio but raised on a small homestead in New Hampshire. We gardened, raised animals, and hunted for food. I was the barefoot kid running through the woods. I took my first deer at 12. That sealed it. Each fall, my dad brought me to Ohio for gun season with family, memories that still fuel me.

How did hunting become a big part of your life?

My dad had me strapped to his back scouting deer before I could walk. By age five, I was mad I couldn’t hunt with him yet as I was not old enough. It’s always been in my blood.

What made you start filming your hunts?

In 2017, I moved to Ohio for its public land. I wanted to bowhunt but had no experience. My grandpa gave me an old crossbow, the Horton Yukon SL, and it taught me the basics. When COVID hit, I lost both my jobs. I bought a compound bow, camera, and saddle, and made my first YouTube video, “Coronapocalypse.” At first it was just for my dad. But people started watching. I kept filming, and it turned into a career. YouTube’s my home base, but I also post on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.

What’s most rewarding about sharing your hunts?

Hearing from hunters who’ve learned from my mistakes and appreciate the honesty. Inspiring kids and women; parents say their kids want my camo, or husbands say their wives want to hunt now. And turning this into a full-time job after years of free content. It’s been a grind, but a blessing.

Why lease private land now?

I grew up hunting public land because it was free. But it’s shared with other hunters. Private land means a controlled environment with minimal hunting pressure. HLRBO offered me a chance to lease 80 acres and share the experience. The HLRBO platform let me filter properties by size, location, and features, connecting me directly with a landowner who shared my vision.

Why this specific property?

It’s an hour from home. The topo map showed promise with ridges, funnels, food. Trail cam pics confirmed it. A good fit.

How did you connect with HLRBO?

They found me through my videos. We started talking. I liked their platform, it’s easy to use, and the lease process was smooth.

What did you do first on the land?

In March, I flew a drone over it, no leaves on the trees made scouting easy. I mapped bedding areas, funnels, food sources, rubs, and scrapes. I marked everything in onX Maps and set trail cams.

What improvements are underway?

The landowner already had a 2025 plan. So far: 1.6 acres cleared for a food plot, a waterhole coming, and tree work to promote oak and beech growth, great for deer.

How are you adapting your hunting strategy?

Now it’s just me vs. nature. On public land, it’s me vs. nature vs. other hunters. With this lease, I can fully test and refine my skills without interference, free to hunt, and free to roam.

Author bio: Katelyn Armstrong is a self-taught bowhunter and outdoor content creator based in Ohio. Raised on a New Hampshire homestead, she took her first deer at 12, igniting a lifelong passion for hunting. Now leasing 80 acres in Ohio through HLRBO, Katelyn shares her journey of scouting, food plot planning, and bowhunting strategies on Instagram, YouTube, and the HLRBO blog.