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$665

Spysar

Spysar

Well-Known Member
That's what I just spent to apply for an Iowa deer permit. I love hunting deer in Iowa, but I'm afraid this is the last time for me. The wait, the price, I'm just done. Freeing up my spot for someone else. And I might not even get the tag, and Iowa will milk me for another point...But I am excited for my 5th and final Iowa hunt, whether it be this year or next.
 
That’s some coin!! MO is a lot cheaper but so is the quality of the deer herd.
KS is pretty close to iowa- but again- I guess u get what u pay for.
I think u can hunt MI as a NR for under $200 & get multiple tags!!!! I was going to go to MI this fall but I forgot I really needed to clean under my refrigerator.
Ohio is pretty low cost I think?? But I’ve heard a lot of frustration there. I’ve heard they actually sell more NR tags vs R in Ohio?!?!?
Guess there’s no magic solutions. Other than living here! ;).
Increase in fuel costs, food, housing- out of state trips just expensive.
ENJOY THIS SEASON!! Feel like much of iowa is bouncing back from EHD. Some areas where quality & deer #’s have gone down a good bit too. Hope u get a quality area & quality hunt- u paid for it! Good luck & best wishes.

Side note…. 5 year wait to draw tag where my farm is. What price would tags need to get to so the draw was “every other year”? Or yearly? I bet if tags were $2k…. Still be a wait to draw.
 
I've hunted lots of those other states too. The only place I've been that I rate better than Iowa, is Saskatchewan. But you have to use an outfitter. Iowa is definitely one of the best for quality deer hunting. If I were to go for another Iowa tag, how long will that take??7 years?? 20 years ago it took 1 point to draw.

I'm lucky to have met some friends that are going to hook me up with with some ground and intel. The farm I used to hunt was sold. At least I don't need to use an outfitter, and I can hunt as long as I want. Pretty excited to go, not gonna lie, I'll be bummed if I don't draw. And I probably won't
 
Spysar said:
LOL, cleaning under fridge, MI is that good? Probably just a little better than NY
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NO WAY!!!!! NY trumps MI!!!! Maybe not the very south tier but the rest of the state…. I think it does. I personally think I can make the case that MI is about dead last for any whitetail state. When I tell folks what a typical season was like for me…. I haven’t had anyone best me yet!!!

Can anyone beat this????…..
Hunted about 1/2 the days Oct 1 to Nov 17 (gun opens on 15th & by 18th- all bucks are extinct). Hunted multiple seasons like a lunatic. Every day in November, many all day hunts. Saw 5-8 bucks, all 1.5 across a whole season of pounding it. That was 2-3 seasons until I started hunting the south tier of state. Anyone beat that?!?!? ;)

Activities better than hunting MI: being electrocuted, watching paint dry, getting genitals caught in a meat grinder, being punched in the face, being torn apart by wild dogs, being burned alive & a long list of other adventures more fun than hunting MI. :)
 
One thing high NR prices in states like Iowa might do is encourage hunters to make their own state better. Other states like Illinois and Missouri (just to name two) could be better than Iowa if regulations were adjusted for better age structure. If enough hunters pushed for changes in regs in their home state, it's possible change could happen. I had one of the best farms you could ever ask for in Illinois, but the regulations destroyed the state, and it was extremely difficult to get mature bucks. Especially high scoring mature bucks. I have no doubt that if Illinois had the same regulations as Iowa, it would even surpass Iowa in quality mature buck hunting (a lot more timbered areas)!
 
tall@wide said:
One thing high NR prices in states like Iowa might do is encourage hunters to make their own state better. Other states like Illinois and Missouri (just to name two) could be better than Iowa if regulations were adjusted for better age structure. If enough hunters pushed for changes in regs in their home state, it's possible change could happen. I had one of the best farms you could ever ask for in Illinois, but the regulations destroyed the state, and it was extremely difficult to get mature bucks. Especially high scoring mature bucks. I have no doubt that if Illinois had the same regulations as Iowa, it would even surpass Iowa in quality mature buck hunting (a lot more timbered areas)!
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THIS^^^^^^^ !!!!!!!!!!
We can’t carry the whole country for the last great place with common sense regs. Yep- it’s time for some other states to get their act together & blow iowa out of the water. MN, WI, IL, MO, OH & IN could crush iowa.
 
Missouri could be a top state, but regs hurt it for sure. It isn't the MDC's goal to have big deer, their goal is to provide hunting opportunities to the masses.

The habitat is there, at least in the northern part of the state
 
Bucksnbears said:
Hell, I won't even spend that kinda $ on a deer mount anymore!
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Look at the solutions MI is offering for you guys!!!! Under $200 & 100% - u will NOT have an expense of mounting a deer!!!! This is the winner folks have been seeking!!! After hunting, maybe a road trip to inner-city Detroit?!? Gorgeous that time of year!!!


On the serious side…. I PERSONALLY will spend “whatever it takes” to hunt quality areas. I’m 44 & I only have so many hunting seasons left to enjoy. It’s an area of life I could care less what I spend. I am cheap with about anything else. Hunting, tags, top end gear, land- it’s one area I don’t care the cost. I don’t go on lavish vacations. I don’t buy new vehicles (see my Corolla post?!?! ;) ). Don’t eat at expensive restaurants, gamble, go out much, etc etc. Hunting is a subject I personally just don’t care what I spent. Even as a teenager…. Work my butt off for $5/hour to pay for hunting stuff.
 
deerdown said:
Missouri could be a top state, but regs hurt it for sure. It isn't the MDC's goal to have big deer, their goal is to provide hunting opportunities to the masses.

The habitat is there, at least in the northern part of the state
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BINGO!!!
Buddies cross that line & go from “I’ll shoot 5+ in iowa, 5 miles into MO I shoot 3 year olds”.
If they moved rifle back 14 days- still could do things for masses & actually have a far better balanced age structure. Here’s one unique thing …. Across Line in iowa by me…. Very little is leased up. No outfitting. Go across to MO…. Almost all leased up and way more outfitters. I’d argue they have less opportunities there. same landscape BUT regs make it incredibly degraded vs the potential to be great like across that magic line.
 
I hear what you are saying but if you want to hear lunacy….. Look at some of the western states….. I play the point game in several states and have been luckier than I should have been already but….. one state in particular I gave up on this year finally for example for a once in a lifetime tag had to pay $265ish for hunting license to apply (each year) plus $10 application fee for a .02% chance to draw……. AZ mule deer is about as bad or worse…… But you can always find a place OTC but typically MUCH smaller bucks so Iowa is right in line with the quality that people are after.
 
Sligh1 said:
Look at the solutions MI is offering for you guys!!!! Under $200 & 100% - u will NOT have an expense of mounting a deer!!!! This is the winner folks have been seeking!!! After hunting, maybe a road trip to inner-city Detroit?!? Gorgeous that time of year!!!


On the serious side…. I PERSONALLY will spend “whatever it takes” to hunt quality areas. I’m 44 & I only have so many hunting seasons left to enjoy. It’s an area of life I could care less what I spend. I am cheap with about anything else. Hunting, tags, top end gear, land- it’s one area I don’t care the cost. I don’t go on lavish vacations. I don’t buy new vehicles (see my Corolla post?!?! ;) ). Don’t eat at expensive restaurants, gamble, go out much, etc etc. Hunting is a subject I personally just don’t care what I spent. Even as a teenager…. Work my butt off for $5/hour to pay for hunting stuff.
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I agree. and I'm the same way. I drive old vehicles, my vacations are for deer hunting, and I rarely spend money on anything. But when it comes to deer hunting, I'll buy million dollar properties, buy the best clothes, stands, cameras, and anything else I need. Funny how that works...lol
 
NY is at least as bad as MI. NY runs a 3 1/2 week rifle season. With tons of doe permits. Most of the bucks shot are 1 1/2 y/o. Maybe some 2 1/2, but a 3 1/2 is a needle in a haystack. Good luck changing this state, it aint happening.

Iowa is my luxury vacation. Even Iowa is not worth a $1000 tag every six years, screw that. Thousands of people will still do it though.
 
Sligh1 said:
BINGO!!!
Buddies cross that line & go from “I’ll shoot 5+ in iowa, 5 miles into MO I shoot 3 year olds”.
If they moved rifle back 14 days- still could do things for masses & actually have a far better balanced age structure. Here’s one unique thing …. Across Line in iowa by me…. Very little is leased up. No outfitting. Go across to MO…. Almost all leased up and way more outfitters. I’d argue they have less opportunities there. same landscape BUT regs make it incredibly degraded vs the potential to be great like across that magic line.
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I was going to say that about lower standards in Missouri but refrained, even though it's true. Most of the ground around me is leased to outfitters, I get asked 4-5 times a year from guys asking if I have or know of anything available for lease. There isn't anything so guys pile into the public areas and then everyone complains about how crowded that is. Everyone wants to shoot a180, but when they don't see one, they shoot the 115s. Even the neighbor said last year, sure be nice to see some 170s and 180s around here, then went and shot a145 and 155. Lol.
 
Sligh1 said:
NO WAY!!!!! NY trumps MI!!!! Maybe not the very south tier but the rest of the state…. I think it does. I personally think I can make the case that MI is about dead last for any whitetail state. When I tell folks what a typical season was like for me…. I haven’t had anyone best me yet!!!

Can anyone beat this????…..
Hunted about 1/2 the days Oct 1 to Nov 17 (gun opens on 15th & by 18th- all bucks are extinct). Hunted multiple seasons like a lunatic. Every day in November, many all day hunts. Saw 5-8 bucks, all 1.5 across a whole season of pounding it. That was 2-3 seasons until I started hunting the south tier of state. Anyone beat that?!?!? ;)

Activities better than hunting MI: being electrocuted, watching paint dry, getting genitals caught in a meat grinder, being punched in the face, being torn apart by wild dogs, being burned alive & a long list of other adventures more fun than hunting MI. :)
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Skip, I don't know if I can beat it but I can compete for sure!

Growing up in west Michigan, my first year I could deer hunt was when I turned 14 in the mid 80's. I gun hunted 7-10 days of the November gun season. I saw well over 100 deer and ZERO bucks. And trust me no spikes snuck past me either. I was itching to shoot and a 3" spike would have been a dead deer walkin! The only thing I saw with balls was the other dozen plus hunters I saw on public ground opening morning when the sun came up. UHG!!! I think MI stands for MIsmanagement at its finest.
 
Bassattackr said:
Fixed it for you!! :D

MO is going the route of IL. Sadly..

IMO, the habitat and food in Central thru North MO is every bit as good as Iowa.
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Can you elaborate, what special interests groups, what about the cwd? Are you talking insurance companies or something else? I mean there are other ways to kill more deer like more liberal harvesting allowances, more free tags, etc. Not following, can you explain more?
 
deerdown said:
Can you elaborate, what special interests groups, what about the cwd? Are you talking insurance companies or something else? I mean there are other ways to kill more deer like more liberal harvesting allowances, more free tags, etc. Not following, can you explain more?
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MDC hides behind CWD as a guise for maximizing harvest. Deer are nothing but a resource to make money off of, in their eyes. More liberal harvest dates - Increasing rifle into thanksgiving weekend., gun hunting during the rut, now an October gun season, etc. MDC could care less about the quality of our deer herd.

And don't say a word if you have a CWD positive, MDC will come in and bait and shoot every one they can. You know.. "to save the deer." My @ss.

Special interests such as automobile insurance companies would love to have them reduced to an endangered species.

Ok, rant over :)
 
I guess I’ll pay the high Iowa tag price for now. Maybe in the future, I’ll become an Iowa resident and save tax dollars as Minnesota is run by Minneapolis/St Paul liberals.

That would save on tags, and taxes…we will see . We could not even get surplus $$ from the Democrats this year .A08AE297-C647-4046-9FCD-39AA045E4865.jpeg
 
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