DNR Layoffs

[MN2IAGuy]

I purchased mine from a resident rancher 10 years ago. . He did a land exchange and turned the 70 I purchased into a 160 closer to his other properties. I really wanted that location and paid a premium at the time.. Anyway the point is his property was beat up with cattle running on it for decades. Erosion around the pond and big trails cut through everywhere. 10 years later I have no erosion, very little thistle (life long battle) food plots, switchgrass, other native grasses and wild flowers, pheasants, turkeys, quail and of course deer. Deer hunting, life and most things when you think about it are being in the right place at the right time!

 

[bkcrrtnps]

This is great!

You haven't a clue what your talking about!!

Come down to Osceola and I'll personally take you to 50 farms owned by Non residents within a 100 mile radius of this town and show you what kind of destruction your beloved NRLO have done to ground!

I'd say over half of the ground currently being farmed in Clarke, Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor and Union 10 years ago was over grown non productive cattle pasture. Non resident land owners are looking for farms with high cash flows, that is fact. Pasture ground being rented for 50-70$/acre or pasture now being row cropped for 175-225$/acre cash rent; you tell me which is more desirable. Why do you think these resident southern Iowa land owners are selling? Who do you think drove those prices up to make the pot so sweet for these guys down here; I can promise you it wasn't his resident neighbor!

Bkccrtnps aren't you originally from Michigan? How long have you lived in Iowa? Where do you live, Des Moines?

Nope not from Michigan and I work in Osceola and live 15 outside of town on a farm! I'm confused, you are saying by having these farms farmed with row crops they are destroying them? If they are having them row cropped, isn't that providing an income to a Iowa farmer who didn't have access to the old overgrown pasture before? Everyone in America has a choice to work hard and buy ground or whatever they see fit, why are so many residents butt hurt over NR buying the land when the residents have the same opportunity? If a resident chooses to work at Theisens for a living it's not the fault of the NR who got an education and has worked hard for his money. Capitalism! We all have the opportunity to do great things and we are all just people with dreams. Some make them happen, some don't!

 

[bkcrrtnps]

This is great!

You haven't a clue what your talking about!!

Come down to Osceola and I'll personally take you to 50 farms owned by Non residents within a 100 mile radius of this town and show you what kind of destruction your beloved NRLO have done to ground!

I'd say over half of the ground currently being farmed in Clarke, Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor and Union 10 years ago was over grown non productive cattle pasture. Non resident land owners are looking for farms with high cash flows, that is fact. Pasture ground being rented for 50-70$/acre or pasture now being row cropped for 175-225$/acre cash rent; you tell me which is more desirable. Why do you think these resident southern Iowa land owners are selling? Who do you think drove those prices up to make the pot so sweet for these guys down here; I can promise you it wasn't his resident neighbor!

Bkccrtnps aren't you originally from Michigan? How long have you lived in Iowa? Where do you live, Des Moines?

Nope not from Michigan and I work in Osceola and live 15 outside of town on a farm! I'm confused, you are saying by having these farms farmed with row crops they are destroying them? If they are having them row cropped, isn't that providing an income to a Iowa farmer who didn't have access to the old overgrown pasture before? Everyone in America has a choice to work hard and buy ground or whatever they see fit, why are so many residents butt hurt over NR buying the land when the residents have the same opportunity? If a resident chooses to work at Theisens for a living it's not the fault of the NR who got an education and has worked hard for his money. Capitalism! We all have the opportunity to do great things and we are all just people with dreams. Some make them happen, some don't!

Your example of Bill Winke is perfect. His ground would bring a lot more money if NRLO's were guaranteed buck tags. They would fight over it. Right now, the pool of buyers is limited because they don't want to wait for lottery archery tags. Iowa is an ag based economy. We have less opportunity for wealth. The one concession we have always had for putting up with less opportunity financially is a great outdoors experience. We have very little public ground compared to most states. If you want land to be priced beyond the means of the average resident, then I guess you really don't care if big money takes over the deer hunting opportunities here. And, that's fine. But, that is exactly what will happen. You will pay to play, or give up. There is a big world out there with more money than most Iowan's can comprehend. Texas residents either buy into a lease, own land, or apply for a lottery to hunt on public ground. That is exactly what you are wishing for. I find it hard to imagine anyone wanting to change the rules to pacify nonresidents at the cost of our own residents. It makes no sense at all.

Not wishing for, it's reality! Most Iowans also can't comprehend the reality of what it's going to be like in 5,10,15 years. You either get on the train or get left behind! I'm not pacifying anyone, we are all people with dreams, some make it happen, some don't!

 

[bkcrrtnps]

See MN2IA and Hardwood, it's not just NRLO that are the problem, those who haven't lived in Iowa long enough or live in Des Moines are just as much of a problem...

Ha! I don't live in DM, I actually work in Osceola and live 15 min out on a farm but this guy obviously knows more than me lmao

 

[bkcrrtnps]

Ha! This is great!

No but it's clearly evident to know when someone is full of brown poo based on the bogus responses they have or have had over a public internet forum!

Answer these questions
1.) Why did you move to Iowa?
2.) If you own land down south do you live around it or up in the city?
3.) Prior to googling information did you know what "CSR Rating" meant and what it is used for?
4.) Prior to googling information did you know anything about agriculture in Iowa?
5.) Prior to googling information did you grow up hunting/fishing/enjoy the outdoors or did you google how to hang treestands and watch Drury DVDs?

And for the record, when I see a pimped out truck with 1 million deer hunting stickers in the back window and Pennsylvania licence plates; you're absolutely correct I automatically label them into the "tool" category........

1) Work
2) Yes I live on my land
3) Yes, I've been involved in agriculture my entire life
4) Yes
5) I grew up hunting where you actually hunted and didn't chase deer through the timber while other people fired multiple shots in hope of killing something

I will agree with you on that last statement and agree 100% with that! pimped out trucks and deer hunters don't go together. It's almost as bad as these "hunters" wearing bedazzled jeans lmao

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

Nope not from Michigan and I work in Osceola and live 15 outside of town on a farm! I'm confused, you are saying by having these farms farmed with row crops they are destroying them? If they are having them row cropped, isn't that providing an income to a Iowa farmer who didn't have access to the old overgrown pasture before? Everyone in America has a choice to work hard and buy ground or whatever they see fit, why are so many residents butt hurt over NR buying the land when the residents have the same opportunity? If a resident chooses to work at Theisens for a living it's not the fault of the NR who got an education and has worked hard for his money. Capitalism! We all have the opportunity to do great things and we are all just people with dreams. Some make them happen, some don't!

Agree 100%. I have zero problem with a non-resident buying land as long as they know the rules. I firmly believe in free markets, capitalism, etc, etc.

The reality is, NR buying land often helps with the quality of deer hunting in that area. It creates a sanctuary where deer can reach full maturity.

That being said, I will fight to draw a line in the sand and keep things the way they are as far as regulations. I view the idea of granting NRLO special privileges for tags much like I do the straight wall rifle issue. It is a slippery slope. What is an inch soon becomes a mile. When the dust settles what will we be left with. Say everyone with an 80 is granted special privileges. If people don't think little Johnny from PA with a 40 isn't going to raise holy hell then they are off their rocker. It wont stop. Ground will get cut up to smaller pieces. Prices will be what you see in Pike Co. Illinois and most importantly the QUAILITY deer hunting most of us enjoy will be down the toilet unless you are part of the <1% that has 1,000 acres.

 

[Bowtech84]

I'm going to buy me one of those deer farms someday. Just gotta work hard and dream big. Some day I'm going to have the best deer farm around and ain't no NR going to step foot on it. Except maybe hardwood and MN2IA. I'm going to have the biggest bucks on my wall. Everyone of yous is going to be jealous. If I work hard enough and dream big enough maybe even have one of those big buildins to put all my deer heads in. Maybe even higher a couple female judges to come over and we can all have a dick measuring contest. Yep just gots to keep on working and keep on dreaming. Once I've got up to the top where you guys is at it will pry be an eye opener. I expect I will fully understand why NRs should have the same hunting rights as residents. I don't know why they even came up with this non resident or resident stuff in the first place. This is Merica - home of the free. We don't need all these dumb rules. If some gopher wants to shoot a 30 point buck in Iowa every year, who's to say they can't? Pffff dnr? Biologist? Iowa ppl? Government? I say get rid of all the rules. Some idiot put them in place just to make it harder on us dreamers and hard workers. Until then I'm just going to keep worshiping the whitetails. Teach little Johnny that there's nothing more important in life than killing one bigger than your buddies and if you want to do that your going to need to own a deer farm. So work really hard little Johnny because there's no room left for the casual weekend hunter. This is a die hard state. If you want to hunt deer here you better be willing to sacrifice everything you got in order to make it happen. Now you go on and run to your room and keep watching that monster bucks 4 vhs ma and I got you for Christmas. Don't forget to pay close attention to the phrase those deer gods say after they shoot one. I recond yous work hard enough someday you'll be able to have a phrase of your own.

 

[Booner]

Nope not from Michigan and I work in Osceola and live 15 outside of town on a farm!

1.) I'm confused, you are saying by having these farms farmed with row crops they are destroying them?

2.)If they are having them row cropped, isn't that providing an income to a Iowa farmer who didn't have access to the old overgrown pasture before?

3.)Everyone in America has a choice to work hard and buy ground or whatever they see fit, why are so many residents butt hurt over NR buying the land when the residents have the same opportunity? If a resident chooses to work at Theisens for a living it's not the fault of the NR who got an education and has worked hard for his money. Capitalism! We all have the opportunity to do great things and we are all just people with dreams. Some make them happen, some don't!

1.) Yes that is exactly what I'm saying in the context of your comment in regards to NRLO who have ripped out these pastures and a row cropping system has been implemented. You made the comment that these non residents are doing more for the environment, wildlife, etc. I was simply saying, the farming from a production stand point of ground that is predominately HEL soils, is doing nothing positive for the environment. On the flip side, I work with farmers daily, I get what is going on and if they are profitable then I'm happy. However don't sit here and contradict yourself or compare apples to oranges. We are talking about the environment; not producing a profitable business.

2.)As regards to allowing farmers to make more money off ground that was once pasture, since you live down here; you fully grasp the concept of farmers being vertically integrated in the essences that the row cropping side of it is just a small portion and I'd say majority of farmers are making their money off livestock Vs. low price grain. I'd also argue till I'm blue in the face that lots and lots of this ground you speak of (pasture getting ripped up to row crop) is dominated by Out of state investors who saw the opportunity t0 increase assets when corn and beans were sky high.

3.) And finally, you're exactly correct everyone chooses their own path however, you're talking about one of the poorest area's in the midwest. You have people who could care less about the $$ and all they want to do is to be able to go out and hunt/fish/do as they please on ground that's been available to them for years. Someone new comes in and takes all of this away from them, because TV and the Internet has shown what Iowa has to offer? Whose fault is that?

I'm done with this joke thread. If you'd like to discuss this more or have me show you some farms that have been destroyed by NRLO i'll gladly meet you out to farm and home and take you for a drive some night! Lemme know!

 

[Booner]

Not wishing for, it's reality! Most Iowans also can't comprehend the reality of what it's going to be like in 5,10,15 years. You either get on the train or get left behind! I'm not pacifying anyone, we are all people with dreams, some make it happen, some don't!

Also probably isn't wise to get on an Iowa based website and then bash Iowan's because we have a much simpler way of thinking!!!!!

 

[isu22andy]

I'm going to buy me one of those deer farms someday. Just gotta work hard and dream big. Some day I'm going to have the best deer farm around and ain't no NR going to step foot on it. Except maybe hardwood and MN2IA. I'm going to have the biggest bucks on my wall. Everyone of yous is going to be jealous. If I work hard enough and dream big enough maybe even have one of those big buildins to put all my deer heads in. Maybe even higher a couple female judges to come over and we can all have a dick measuring contest. Yep just gots to keep on working and keep on dreaming. Once I've got up to the top where you guys is at it will pry be an eye opener. I expect I will fully understand why NRs should have the same hunting rights as residents. I don't know why they even came up with this non resident or resident stuff in the first place. This is Merica - home of the free. We don't need all these dumb rules. If some gopher wants to shoot a 30 point buck in Iowa every year, who's to say they can't? Pffff dnr? Biologist? Iowa ppl? Government? I say get rid of all the rules. Some idiot put them in place just to make it harder on us dreamers and hard workers. Until then I'm just going to keep worshiping the whitetails. Teach little Johnny that there's nothing more important in life than killing one bigger than your buddies and if you want to do that your going to need to own a deer farm. So work really hard little Johnny because there's no room left for the casual weekend hunter. This is a die hard state. If you want to hunt deer here you better be willing to sacrifice everything you got in order to make it happen. Now you go on and run to your room and keep watching that monster bucks 4 vhs ma and I got you for Christmas. Don't forget to pay close attention to the phrase those deer gods say after they shoot one. I recond yous work hard enough someday you'll be able to have a phrase of your own.

Lmao I want me a deer farm !! Yeeyee

 

[hans1]

Another part of this that most are missing is while the hunting is the most obvious reason for NRLO most become consumed with the habitat improvement that in the years not drawn they spend weeks of vacation working on their property.
While the current tag situation will slow the change it is still going to continue.
If this thread has taught me anything the demand and passion for Iowa land is going strong

 

[fletch920]

I'm going to buy me one of those deer farms someday. Just gotta work hard and dream big. Some day I'm going to have the best deer farm around and ain't no NR going to step foot on it. Except maybe hardwood and MN2IA. I'm going to have the biggest bucks on my wall. Everyone of yous is going to be jealous. If I work hard enough and dream big enough maybe even have one of those big buildins to put all my deer heads in. Maybe even higher a couple female judges to come over and we can all have a dick measuring contest. Yep just gots to keep on working and keep on dreaming. Once I've got up to the top where you guys is at it will pry be an eye opener. I expect I will fully understand why NRs should have the same hunting rights as residents. I don't know why they even came up with this non resident or resident stuff in the first place. This is Merica - home of the free. We don't need all these dumb rules. If some gopher wants to shoot a 30 point buck in Iowa every year, who's to say they can't? Pffff dnr? Biologist? Iowa ppl? Government? I say get rid of all the rules. Some idiot put them in place just to make it harder on us dreamers and hard workers. Until then I'm just going to keep worshiping the whitetails. Teach little Johnny that there's nothing more important in life than killing one bigger than your buddies and if you want to do that your going to need to own a deer farm. So work really hard little Johnny because there's no room left for the casual weekend hunter. This is a die hard state. If you want to hunt deer here you better be willing to sacrifice everything you got in order to make it happen. Now you go on and run to your room and keep watching that monster bucks 4 vhs ma and I got you for Christmas. Don't forget to pay close attention to the phrase those deer gods say after they shoot one. I recond yous work hard enough someday you'll be able to have a phrase of your own.

Funny thing is, the humor and irony in this is lost on most of the ones that just don't get it. lol

Good thing I worked hard and dreamed big and bought some deer hunting farms years ago. I better go take some pictures of my habitat projects now so I can be one of the big dogs because I'm not going to do so well in that thar measurin' contest thingy.

 

[BDAHMS]

I almost didn't have enough popcorn to get through this thread

 

[isu22andy]

I almost didn't have enough popcorn to get through this thread

Yeah where you been ? Lol

 

[MN2IAGuy]

Hey Hardwood, if we ever get a license I think we just got invited to hunt a really big deer farm and a dick contest!

 

[Sligh1]

2 PART RAMBLE I GOT IT ALL OUT THOUGH, SEE 2 POSTS, WAS TOO LONG, SORRY!!!!!.....

Here's my 2 cents from 25 years of experience living in "most of your shoes"..... My advice reading this or disclaimer is: 1) This post is Worth the 2 cents and might not even be worth that 2) will disagree and agree with some of the stances almost ALL of you have stated. I think I'm a "hybrid" example where I do agree with some of all sides on this. I will also, state, IMO, what the FACTS are - some of which, my personal friends might not like to hear. Quick story, reality, then last part on this post - WHAT IS GOING ON ACROSS OUR STATE.....

I grew up in Michigan. I had ONE YEAR where my uncle owned a couple medium size wooded "farms" I could go squirrel hunting or walk around on. He died.... He donated one to the county, one got split by family (very small farm) to sell and one my uncle bought for himself and his kids. I was DONE immediately. My family & my direct side had ZERO. This is in 1993-1998. In 1993 - ground & access was HARD TO FIND. Leasing actually, yes, it existed. I networked and hunted highly pressured poor quality hunting ground. I worked lawn jobs to actually pay a guy $500 to let me hunt his 20 acre farm for the year, I literally had no where to go. I hunted public and thinking back, the several years I did - I do not recall seeing even one deer. It's a miracle I stayed with it. But, I was 12-14 years old. I LOVED IT, I loved land, hunting, outdoors (starting when I could walk, spent all my time outdoors). I KNEW AT 13 or 14 years old, after a year or 2 of having little or no access & my uncle's land GONE - I knew I wanted to own land. My declared goal at 14..... I came home from Biology class (my biology teacher at 14 was a HARDCORE hunter & killed "big bucks" - I looked up to him) - after Mr. Morris, my teacher had spoken to me all year about land, habitat, deer, pressure, etc (again, I was 14)..... Long story short - We talked about "size" (I couldn't tell you what an acre was or 200 acres)...... Well, he told me "Skip, a SQUARE MILE is 640 acres". Most the farms here are in those size sections, usually broken up into smaller parcels BUT if you could own 640 acres, you'd own a SQUARE MILE!. That's what I help manage for some old "well off" people and big reason I kill big ones". DING DING DING....... I have my life goal EMBEDDED in me from that day forward. A Square mile, 4 miles around it if you wanted to walk it. This was after i lost access to all sorts of farms. I thought "that's my dream in life for earthly goals". I started at 14 to achieve it. Well, technically with my lawn "business" at 10 years old I grew to about 12 lawn jobs by 14. I worked for $4.25/hour in flower fields all summer from 14-16, 40 hour weeks all summer and 15 hour weeks in school year. I cleaned houses with my mom (embarrassing).... I got into fixing up cars and selling them. I waited tables, worked in factories. From 10 years old until I got to college, I took half my money and put in mutual funds for land. My family was "poor" & I had the work horrid jobs. Through college, worked all year long, weekends, spring & winter break I worked in factory. I got internships that paid decent. WHY DID I DO THIS????? I wanted to save for land!!! Why did I want to save for land? 1) I love land 2) the bigger reality..... Yes, in the early to mid 90's, folks were kicked off of farms left and right. Selling, leasing, trying to control it, etc. THIS DID NOT START IN THE LAST 5 YEARS FOLKS. This was going on the 1st day I hunted when I was a little kid. and i'm 38 now. I felt CRAPPY when I got kicked off land and it was sold, whatever. So, I simply had to look in the mirror and face REALITY..... Am I gonna keep losing places every few years OR am I "SOMEHOW, SOMEWAY" gonna buy my own farms? That decision was cast in stone by 14 at the latest, I was going to buy a farm.

....Fast forward.... I work all the way through college, a lot of hours. Still put 1/2 my extra $ aside. I graduate. I got a "mediocre to good" job. Nothing mind blowing. Well, since I was 10 years old, I took my "stash" of loot I saved (Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc) and 4-5 months after graduating, I bought a farm in SE iowa. SMALL & I had to get a roomate in my apartment that i didn't want, live on basics, work extra, etc. Somehow I made it work. Spent years fixing it up and buying neighbors & growing every time I could save enough. Fast forward..... Farms were amazing.... Local guys wanted them bad, I wanted to be closer to des moines, I took their offers on several farms, started over many years ago closer to here. Never stoppped. The rest is history. Probably never will stop buying land. I love it. I'll die with it. My kids will get it. it's NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT for the $..... It's CONSERVATION, PEACE & QUIET, FREEDOM FROM A LOT OF IDIOT PEOPLE, LOVE OF FIXING UP HABITAT, I MAKE THE RULES, NO ONE CAN KICK ME OFF OR TELL ME IT'S SOLD!, It's mine. There were 2 choices, FOR ME (THIS IS ONLY FOR ME - not saying others want or can do same thing)...... Keep getting booted off of crappy crowded land or SOMEHOW buy my own. I chose #2. To say it's a LOT OF WORK, MASSIVE SAVING, MASSIVE DISCIPLINE & GIVING UP A LOT OF "EXTRA THINGS" & A HUGE LEAP - would be an understatement. It's not easy. Owning a lot of land even has its own set of headaches and constant work & attention. It's not for everyone. No way, no how would I want the ability for folks like me to not be able to pursue this. Do I wish there was a magical world where everyone had 10,000 acres to hunt, ABSOLUTELY! It's not reality though, so, ME - I was forced to choose between the binary choices reality defined. I didn't like reality as a kid. I thought leasing, selling, kicking me off SUCKED!!!! I resented the guys that bought it. My other uncle, when I was maybe 13 years old heard me complain "Skip, what's your problem. Why don't you go buy it?" "CAUSE I'M 13!!!!"...... "So, doesn't mean people have to give this to you or you're owed the land. Sounds like you need to start saving for a farm" as he sold the uncles land that passed away. Well, I took his advice as I took my hunting equipment junk off that farm for the last time.
CONTINUED......

 

[Sligh1]

Fast forward to today in Iowa........ Access is a GROWING PROBLEM. IT IS. Do I feel guilty for owning land? Easy to say "no" but part of me does because I know what it was like for me as a youngster (and why I bring out youngsters hunting on my land!). Will I keep buying it - YEP. Will leasing keep happening? YEP (no, I don't lease but I know that trend will continue). Will out of staters keep buying: YEP. QUESTION OF THE DAY (where I'll rub a few the wrong way, SORRY)..... You give out more NR tags - will ground be bought up at even greater level, access get worse, land prices sky rocket up? YEP!!!!! That's not opinion, that's just fact. right or wrong. 6% timber in this state folks. 6%!!!!!!!!!!!! Every neighbor I have right now is from: WI, WI, WI, NE iowa & ONE LOCAL CATTLE GUY. I'd say 1/2 my area is NR's - PA, MN, MI, NY, FL, etc, etc - it's at least 1/2 or more - that's with tight & long waits for tags! (which if that doesn't speak to how bad other states are for management, OPEN YOUR EYES/EARS AND THINK!!!!!!!!!) Right or wrong, not saying, just stating what it looks like right now (and I like most these guys). Got a guy down the road that is from Northern MO, lives about 10 mins from the iowa border. Puts in for Iowa tags "because Missouri sucks so bad". It's kinda funny. These are simply facts and observations.

Where the irony comes where I wanna strangle the "feel good, pass anything with regulation guys"..... I come on here and ACCESS Is a HOT HOT HOT topic. It has been for 20 years!!!! It's getting exponentially worse. We can all agree. What then is OUR LEGISLATURE PRIORITIZING..... Stupid CRAP like "short walled cartridges".... As if our hunting crisis is "weapons choice". I laugh because they can keep down this road..... "guys, now bazookas are legal, thank the legislature, so much fun!!!!" and there's literally going to be NO WHERE TO HUNT WITH THEM!!!!! No one gets this!!!!!! Pass all you want, "hey man, I can hunt with grenades now!!!! I knocked on 50 doors in deer country and zero people gave me permission. I guess I'll be throwing these grenades out at public land. Seems a bit dangerous with the amount of people out there BUT heck, so "COOL" we can use grenades now!!!". That's where we're at. Special interests and politicians that have no solutions for access trajectory that's got a slope 45 degrees pointed DOWN..... but they can spend their time on all the special interest $ influenced GARBAGE. RIGHT WRONG OR INDIFFERENT, sorry, you're gonna have guys like me that say "good gosh politicians, I know you're corrupt and stupid but this is going too far!!!! I'm not allowing any of this crap on my land & I'm just gonna keep buying more until your STUPID regulations essentially don't impact me". How many folks can do that though? Not most. Most will feel those consequences, feel the lost access, feel the deer hunting quality go south. Access is very tight now, VERY. We do anything, it can ripple through our whole fragile system.
Owning land ain't for everyone. It's for me and lots of guys but it's 1) not easy 2) not cheap 3) requires MASSIVE amounts of hard work, time, dedication, money, sacrifice, etc. ANYONE WITH THE DESIRE, A REASONABLE PAYING JOB & DISCIPLINE IS CAPABLE OF BUYING A FARM AT SOME POINT OF SOME SIZE. THAT'S ONE THING NO ONE COULD EVER CONVINCE ME DIFFERENT OF. IF THAT'S YOUR GOAL & WHAT YOU WANT - ABSOLUTELY CAN BE DONE. Tomorrow, 5 years from now, 2 decades. It's always going to be possible to buy "Something" to call your own. It's not for everyone though.

Heck, I get the sentiment, I understand it "screw this, I'm moving out west or Canada to get away from this mess"..... I actually GET IT!!!! I DO! If I couldn't own land or secure good farms in Iowa, 100% I'd be going somewhere else. Canada, remote KS, etc. Wake up though guys..... The biggest threats in iowa are: 1) POLITICIANS & SPECIAL INTERESTS/$ - changing one of a gazillion regs I can think of 2) Starting with the fact that Iowa has 6% timber, that's a huge problem. 3) As of now, our trajectory for ACCESS is pointed DOWN, no question about it. 4) Stupid, un-informed weekend warriors that will get behind ANY feel good legislation or new weapon cause "yeeee-haaaaa, Let's dun go out and blow sum stuff up!!!! YEAAAAA DOGGY!!!!" 5) Ok, my examples could go on so I'll just wrap this one up & say good luck, don't let anyone tell you what you can or can't do, don't let these politicians ruin this state and go have some fun relaxing hunting this fall.

 

[MN2IAGuy]

I had it a lot easier than Sligh but my passion for the outdoors and the freedom and enjoyment owning land brings is the same. Access has been a problem for many of us since we were kids and is much tougher today. When you own land you will be much less susceptible to whatever changes the politicians/DNR come up with. There always will be changes in rules just as deer herd size always changes. The EHD that wiped out some big deer numbers in many parts of the state caused some hunters that I know to give it up, sell and move. I wish I could get a landowner tag every year but understand the inpact this would have on Iowan hunters. Hardwood and I will probably never buy Winke's property and start a Midwest Whitetail Party Hunt show with all our MN buddies (Hardwood would have totally won the dick contest with his big booner!)We were just feeling a little picked on. Stay passionate about our sport and practice good conservation and hopefully we all can enjoy our passion for many years in the future. Time to plant brassicas so good luck to all this fall!

 

[fletch920]

I wish I could get a landowner tag every year but understand the inpact this would have on Iowan hunters.

You understand that it would have a very negative impact on the resident hunters and farmers, as do most all NRLO's. Yet, many still push for the concessions on buck tags. How can that not seem self-serving to everyone that takes the time to comprehend this? Again, how could we in good conscience do anything for a non-resident to the detriment of our own residents?

 

[Droptines]

This site is getting so bad; there can't even be an intelligent discussion about real concerns in Iowa. It's got to be taken over by implants from Minnesota and Pennsylvania. Not even what you would call implants, because they don't even have the decency to live here! I googled Minnesota and Pennsylvania Whitetails to see what sites they have to belong to. Nothing!! No interested in whitetail hunting at all!! No wonder they take over a site that is supposed to be about Iowa deer hunting! I'll spend my time on Archery Talk. At least the people know where they come from there!!