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Boone forks

Gnmbonner

Gnmbonner

New Member
Im from mobile Alabama and I have purchased an Iowa 1st. Season shotgun tag this year. I plan on hunting the boone forks management area. Does anyone have any feedback on this area such as pressure, tips, strategies, etc. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
 
I hunt around this area too, seems like every year it has picked up pressure. We have private, but sometimes hunt the public so maybe we run into you? Do you have a group of guys or is it just you?
 
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Its just me. I have tried to get someone to go with me but nobody wants to fork out the $569 for a tag. I have hunted in Iowa before on private land and love everything about the state. This will be my first try on public land anywhere.
 
My suggestion is to find a good funnel and sit your butt down there. There will be quite a bit of pressure to keep the bucks moving. A lot of groups sit in stands in the morning and evening and do drives during the day.
 
Iowa1 said:
My suggestion is to find a good funnel and sit your butt down there. There will be quite a bit of pressure to keep the bucks moving. A lot of groups sit in stands in the morning and evening and do drives during the day.
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This is exactly right, kind of how we pattern it out, but we have about 3 different farms that we hunt so don't sit much on the pubic. Since you are by yourself, best thing to do is just sit there and let everyone else do all the work. If you are patient enough, you will see deer.
 
Sit all day. During day will be BETTER than evenings and mornings as the groups get deer moving.
 
Only problem I see with "sitting" by yourself in a piece of public like this is saftey. You will without a doubt have hunters come up on you, hopefully your not in a tree stand and if you are your not down in the bottom surrounded by timber. You will be in a for a rude awakening when slugs start flying over your head or breaking off branches around you. IMO and I've grown up around the boone forks area, there WILL be a bunch of guys and it will see high amounts of pressure. From what I've witness most groups who hunt it, have hunted it for years and have it down to a science how to push it, first season will obviously be your best crack but likewise most of the groups shoot to get in there first as well. Also most of the group tend to push the public first with intent of pushing deer into private (for obvious reasons). Good luck to you, If i was in your shoes, I'd shoot for a smaller parcell of public timber, quiet a bit of smaller pieces of public that tribute off from the forks. Good luck to you and hope you enjoy your time in such a great area.
 
Just make sure you have plenty of orange on, and just use common sense. Like booner said, there will be a lot of pressure, but don't get discouraged. I've walked it right after a group of guys left and we got a real nice 10pt out of there. Just luck of the draw
 
Thanks for all the great tips. I've seen several people mention smaller sections of public tracts. Any place specific?
 
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