20 Years of Non Resident Hunting Iowa, My 5th Tag This Year, I'm Psyched!

[Spysar]

A lot has changed in 20 years. I got my 1st pref point in 2004, and my first tag in 2005. This year, 2024, I drew my 5th, zone five tag. I'm hunting south of knoxville. I used to hunt by permission, now I pay to get on ground, and hunt public. I got 3 weeks set up, the last week in Oct up until Nov 16th. I might change my mind after I go this year, but right now I'm teetering on not going to Iowa again. The cost, the time, the point creeping, it's getting to be just too much. I'm sure someone will fill my place, lol. Hoping I can find a good one somewhere, I'm psyched to go.

 

[tall@wide]

How have you seen the hunting change since you started going? More deer, less deer, bigger bucks then, or more big ones now?

 

[Ishi]

Best wishes to you! You have the skill to get it done! In for the pics!

 

[Muddyrem]

You’ve picked a great year to come. The wet summer we’ve had should keep EHD away for the most part, as well as the deer making some fantastic jumps in the antler department. Great area your hunting and should be a some fun times.

 

[Spysar]

How have you seen the hunting change since you started going? More deer, less deer, bigger bucks then, or more big ones now?

When I started a point cost $10, and I only needed 1 point to draw a bow tag in zone 5 (possibly considered the best zone). Now points are over $60, and it took me 5 points to draw a zone 5 tag, and I was lucky, I think some with 5 points didn't get a tag.

There was hardly a word ever heard about EHD 20 years ago.

It's hard for me to judge the hunting and if there were bigger deer on the years I was there. I think I'm hunting a decent area, and every year I went there was big deer around. 05, 10, 14, 18 and now 2024 are the years I drew tags. I do think the overall hunting was better 20 years ago. I could get permission 20 years ago, it's almost impossible now. There was no EHD that I ever heard of back then. But it's Iowa and the area I hunt could turn out a giant any time.

 

[Sligh1]

Congrats!!!!
Hunting in iowa was 100% better 20 years ago IMO. The pressure, lack of access, ehd, everyone “I gotta shoot a buck”, technology, longer seasons & better weapons, etc etc …. no doubt about it - it’s hurt the average farms big league.
Ur in a good area & no matter today or 20 years ago- getting on mature deer is hard. But- enjoy!!! U did pick a great year!

 

[Spysar]

A couple of you said this is a great year to come. Why is that, rainfall alone? And I didn't pick the year, the DNR picked for me, lol.

 

[JNRBRONC]

A couple of you said this is a great year to come. Why is that, rainfall alone? And I didn't pick the year, the DNR picked for me, lol.

Lots of rain made green up lush equals added inches of antler growth. Seeing it on trailcams.


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[Muddyrem]

A couple of you said this is a great year to come. Why is that, rainfall alone? And I didn't pick the year, the DNR picked for me, lol.

In the area you’re hunting, 2018-2019 EHD was devastating. We’ve been in a pretty severe drought for the last 2-3 years on top of this. This has been a pretty excellent year for growing deer as well as below normal heat. Overall I can’t remember a spring/summer combination like we’ve had in several years.

 

[Spysar]

In the area you’re hunting, 2018-2019 EHD was devastating. We’ve been in a pretty severe drought for the last 2-3 years on top of this. This has been a pretty excellent year for growing deer as well as below normal heat. Overall I can’t remember a spring/summer combination like we’ve had in several years.

I was in the same area in IA in 2018, and I didn't notice any EHD on the farm I was hunting.

I've been through multiple EHD years where I hunt in Nebraska. I had a couple observations, one was how devastating it is and I also noticed it hit in pockets. I think it runs through cattle ranches and farms more than anywhere else. It seems to get big bucks easily through the blood in the thin velvet on the antlers. It also doesn't kill everything even though you think that.

And I've always heard rainy years grow bigger racks. Lush growth the rain brings makes sense.

Now I'm really psyched knowing it's a good year!

My friends in Iowa been showing me some nice pics : )

 

[CurtisWalker]

You’ve picked a great year to come. The wet summer we’ve had should keep EHD away for the most part.

It’s a double edge sword, we start getting dry and those nice flowing creeks will have way more mud than a regular summer. Sounds like a lot of reports in Monroe county of EHD in the last week.


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[Muddyrem]

It’s a double edge sword, we start getting dry and those nice flowing creeks will have way more mud than a regular summer. Sounds like a lot of reports in Monroe county of EHD in the last week.


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I don’t think it necessarily discriminated based on dry or wet, but I do know that majority of the farm ponds in my area have water as well as the major creeks and streams. We are slowly slipping into the dry period, however it’s August in Iowa; that is to be expected. I have no idea what the midge fly’s live cycle looks like, but we haven’t had a year like this in quite some time down in southern Iowa.

 

[Spysar]

Let's hope the EHD stays way.

 

[Daver]

It’s a double edge sword, we start getting dry and those nice flowing creeks will have way more mud than a regular summer. Sounds like a lot of reports in Monroe county of EHD in the last week.

Sheesh...it seems like Monroe County is always on the EHD List. Yikes.

FWIW, I too think that EHD can happen in a wet year too, once it dries out some and water levels drop a bit. Whatever conditions leave exposed mud behind can do it.

 

[8bitnes]

Sheesh...it seems like Monroe County is always on the EHD List. Yikes.

FWIW, I too think that EHD can happen in a wet year too, once it dries out some and water levels drop a bit. Whatever conditions leave exposed mud behind can do it.

If you have cattle crap nearby, you will have midges in high numbers