What about Iowa?

[jonsimoneau]

Who's going to Iowa this season?  I've got enough points to draw a tag anywhere, but I lost my place to hunt, so not sure if I will apply.  I think its time to apply.  So who is going this season?

[Lefty]

I will be here.  

[Morning Star]

Better make your trip before our Farm Bureau their pocketed Governor destroy the entire herd.

[brianvanh]

I'll be here too...I got on a new piece of ground last year but wasn't able to hunt much.  Looking forward to changing that this year.

[Steve O]

I am in the exact same boat Jon.  Work is very busy this year too, so I will just grab another point.  Nothing could be worse than ponying up that $500 for the tag and then not be able to use it.

[Dave Pagel]

I am in the same boat as Jon and Steve O.  I have a bunch of points, but I don't want to spend them without a place to hunt that I am comfortable with.  Another point for me in both Iowa and Kansas.

D.P.

[Biggie Hoffman]

Me too Jon, my buddy's farm sold and the place I can hunt now, the landowners son will draw so I had to buy a point. That gives me 4.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Have 3 points going in so I should draw this year.  With only hunting every 4th year the decline is very apparent to me since I don't spend as much time in the woods on off years, and so my point of reference for the deer herd is 2004 to 2008 to this spring.  Shocking in Dad's area in Zone 5.  I figure I better get after 'em this year, if things get as much worse between now and 2016 as they have since '04-'08-'12 it isn't going to be worth spending the time/money/effort anymore.  Sure the Jags on TV still get wound up over it, but seeing how things have went to crap on the "managed ground" around Dad (as well as on his place - 760 acres of deer management ground) it is unbelievable.  Not only the herd numbers are down (which WERE probably too high 8 years ago) but the quality of the bucks/genetics has really suffered.  Still a big one here and there, but even the "big-time-TV-heroes" around there are settling for pretty sorry "trophy" deer anymore.  With the cost of the tag and investing 3-4 years worth of $50 preference points - that ends up being a $700-$800 deer tag when its all said and done - I don't see how anyone that doesn't have a VERY good place to hunt there would even bother.

R

[doug77]

X 10 what Ryan said and I live hear. I am thinking about a Kansas deer hunt for me this year. It's sad what's happened in the last 5-7 years. Just ask 98% of the people from Iowa that are on this site.

doug77

[Tim]

Jon, Dave, Biggie and Steve.....maybe we need to find a place for 2013?  I've got at least 4 points just sitting there waiting to be used.      

I've never been to Iowa       In the meantime back to KS I go!

[Morning Star]

Yes, it surely isn't near what it once was.   Politics and money are weighing in on our deer management way more than ever.  I'm patiently waiting for those big time TV boys to move on.

[snakebit40]

Sorry to hear about your herd in Iowa. I've been there a few times and love the land! I hope things start to change for you guys!

[RLA]

This might be a dumb question, but what has put the hurt on your Iowa deer herd?  Here in Missouri we have unlimited over the counter out of state tags, way cheep compared to Iowa or most other states.
With the crazy high expense, difficulties of finding a good piece of land to hunt and only being able to draw an out of state tag every four years I'm just wondering what's hurting the Iowa deer herd?
Like I said this might be a dumb question, just thought I'd go ahead and ask it anyway.

[Biggie Hoffman]

I won't answer for the residents but for me, it WAS all about the quality of the bucks. Yeah I know, there are some good bucks in Mizzou but you guys also gun hunt the rut. That speaks volumes in itself.

10-12 years ago when we started going to Iowa, we would see 4-5 B&C bucks in a week of hunting. Although our cameras show us there are plenty of deer, the quality is in definite decline

[jonsimoneau]

Biggie is that true?  I'm sure it is but I can't imagine what that would be like. I mean I've lived my whole life in Illinois and have probably only seen five or six true booners!  Man that would have been some incredible hunting!

[doug77]

Their's a huge increse in coyotes in Iowa plus some big cats in the southeren part but the biggest thing in almost unlimited anterless tags plus a Jan. rifle season the really hammers on the matures bucks that have already shed their antlers. I've lived in Iowa since 1999 and last year I did not even see one P&Y deer, on the good years I'd see 3-5 140-170 inch deer. Their's still some great deer around but it's not the Iowa it was 5 years ago.

doug77

[Biggie Hoffman]

Good point Doug. The late gun season has to be detrimental in itself.

Jon, no kidding bud, the 1st week we hunted there I saw 3 different booners and Barry saw 2. All different. why do you think the Wensels moved there from Montana?

[jonsimoneau]

Yea Biggie I know. But I never imagined it could have been that good!  I figured it was a lot like Illinois. Of course Illinois has seen a major decline also. There are still good places. Even the famed Pike county is much different than it once was. But thankfully whitetails are a renewable resource. Hopefully things will get better. There is that possibility. Personally I think some states went overboard with trying to harvest more does. We have had unlimited over the counter doe tags for bowhunters for years now.

[Mike Vines]

I see the unlimited doe tag issue just as a money grab.  I'm sure you already know it, but just about every hunter has visions of filling the freezer and for the price of two extra doe tags, $30 ($15 each here in Michigan) it's a cheap thrill that is usually not fulfilled, but when all added together it is a HUGE revenue grab.  The States are just managing a renewable resource, and hopefully they will learn from their mistakes and it will once again be bountiful.

[kenn1320]

You guys who live in states like Iowa might have seen a decline, and think the good old days are over, but guys coming from states like Michigan think a great hunt is seeing 1 P&Y while your in another state. At least thats what I consider a great hunt, since I havent seen a buck that will score 100" in Michigan since,,,, hell I cant remember.  :rolleyes: