Foi 3/2/11

[nannyslayer]

Iowa has great hunting because of the low people population which translates to low pressure, old age and big deer. If other states had the same regs the deer would be gone. Early doe season in November, long archery season, 13 day shotgun season, late muzzy season, late January antlerless with rifles, multiple buck tags for residents with up to three buck tags for resident landowners, party hunting, etc. ..what have I missed. I have seen pickup trucks in Iowa with so many deer in the bed they couldn't be counted without removing each deer. States like NE, ND, and KS fall into the same category. No people = big deer. It's that simple.

Before you ask I come to Iowa because there is no pressure comparatively. I hunted 12 days last archery season and did not see another hunter. A relative hunted first shotgun and thought he had the wrong first day due to the lack of shooting. Your regs work due to limited pressure. And no, I don't believe NRLO's having a tag every year would change things. As mentioned before the outfitters would.

Are you serious?

Missouri archery season september 15-Jan 15. Most counties unlimited tags.

3 buck tags for residents or non-residents.

Rifle season, 11 days through prime rut.

Late ML season, 2 weeks long.

Kentucky Archery season September 1st-January 31st

12 day rifle season through the rut

2 week long ML season in december. Ulimited doe tags for most western counties, only 1 buck, no matter who you are.

Arkansas Archery opens 10-1 through 2-28

3 buck tags per person

Some counties have restricted doe tags, but not many.

Do you see a trend yet why Iowa is a little better?

Iowa has better deer hunting for many reasons, and the number 1 reason is limited access to NR hunters, number 2 being no rifle, shotgun, or any type of firearm season through the rut.

Iowa has far less, let me repeat, FAR LESS timber ground than any other state that I can think of.

Your statement that all deer would be gone in other states is really off the wall. I truely wish Missouri would adopt Iowa's way of managing a deer herd. Trust me, as a former Missouri resident, Missouri would definitly be on top of the chain as far as big buck country, if it has Iowa's type of management.

But then again, Everyone would be pissed off cause it doesn't serve their needs, but I guess Iowa would be off of the hot skillet.

 

[teeroy]

Your statement that all deer would be gone in other states is really off the wall. I truely wish Missouri would adopt Iowa's way of managing a deer herd. Trust me, as a former Missouri resident, Missouri would definitly be on top of the chain as far as big buck country, if it has Iowa's type of management.

man, can u even IMAGINE what missouri deer hunting would be like if they did away with gun season in the rut?!?!?! the record books would explode

 

[Hardwood11]

Iowa has better deer hunting for many reasons, and the number 1 reason is limited access to NR hunters, number 2 being no rifle, shotgun, or any type of firearm season through the rut. (nannyslayer quote)

Nanny don't you think that the #1 reason Iowa has so many big bucks is the December Shotgun Only Season? Do you really think the #1 reason is because of limiting NR? I work sports shows and have talked to many of the big names in Iowa, every one says without hesitation it is..."no gun season during the rut."



I truely wish Missouri would adopt Iowa's way of managing a deer herd. Trust me, as a former Missouri resident, Missouri would definitely be on top of the chain as far as big buck country, if it has Iowa's type of management. (nannyslayer quote)

I 100% agree, and so would MN and Wisconsin. If Missouri, MN and Wisconsin moved the gun seasons to December and limited tags (2) bucks maximum, in MN it is one buck per person, wow look out.

Side note: I complain about Minnesota's deer hunting often, but we have so much potential. I am working on an article for a paper that highlights the harvest of (4) trophy bucks that were shot within a 5 mile radius of my farm in West Central Minnesota. The scores were 178, 186, 190+ typical, and 174...all giants.

 

[Cooter]

Hardwood11
Ok so go lobby their goverment to change things not ours!!!

 

[Sligh1]

Dido on other states getting their heads out of the sand- it's UNBELIEVABLE that states like MO, NE, MN, MI, etc don't move their gun seasons to mirror IA- it's mind boggling. We could INSTANTLY have a dozen other states that are trophy deer mecca's (ok, in about 3 years) & a healthier, more balanced deer herd in those areas. IA is unique on only having 5-7% timber, I worry about how fragile the herd & management is here since it's so much less habitat than any other neighboring state.

 

[cedar creek]

Nanny don't you think that the #1 reason Iowa has so many big bucks is the December Shotgun Only Season? Do you really think the #1 reason is because of limiting NR?

I would say that limiting the nr tags is the number one reason right now! Our number of trophy bucks didn't increase with the number of nr hunters. The December shotgun season wasn't the nr hunters idea, it was the residents of Iowa. It seems that idea worked pretty darn good; so what's the arguement of increasing nr tags when once again the residents in the state of Iowa are against it? I find it ridiculous that you guys from other states complain about your own states hunting; yet believe you know whats best for Iowa. Iowan's know what's best for Iowa. If you want to join the majority move here, but wait, then you would be against raising the number of nr tags also!

 

[Hardwood11]

December gun season

I would say that limiting the nr tags is the number one reason right now! Our number of trophy bucks didn't increase with the number of nr hunters. The December shotgun season wasn't the nr hunters idea, it was the residents of Iowa. It seems that idea worked pretty darn good; so what's the arguement of increasing nr tags when once again the residents in the state of Iowa are against it? I find it ridiculous that you guys from other states complain about your own states hunting; yet believe you know whats best for Iowa. Iowan's know what's best for Iowa. If you want to join the majority move here, but wait, then you would be against raising the number of nr tags also!

I didn't ask you, I asked nannyslayer, he seems to have some civility and I actually respect his opinion.

The December gun season was your idea now...read some history behind it. It was set many years ago so farmers would be done in the field and then have time to hunt deer, at the time it had nothing to do with big bucks. Man you exaggerate!

 

[Hardwood11]

Hardwood11
Ok so go lobby their goverment to change things not ours!!!

Cooter: I have lobbied to change the seasons in MN, never called anyone or lobbied anyone in Iowa. So don't worry about it, you guys seem nervous/paranoid that we are calling everyone trying to change things. Sorry, not happening, just commenting on a public forum, which means nothing really?

I am hoping you guys spend as much time lobbying on new trespassing laws and eliminating antlerless rifle seasons as you do counter attacking NR who would like to hunt the farm that they own.

 

[flugge]

Well lets see, the Iowa farmers way back then decided it would be best...and look how well it worked :way: Id say the farmers around here still know whats right for Iowa

 

[Cooter]

Cooter: I have lobbied to change the seasons in MN, never called anyone or lobbied anyone in Iowa. So don't worry about it, you guys seem nervous/paranoid that we are calling everyone trying to change things. Sorry, not happening, just commenting on a public forum, which means nothing really?

I am hoping you guys spend as much time lobbying on new trespassing laws and eliminating antlerless rifle seasons as you do counter attacking NR who would like to hunt the farm that they own.

Ok so spend your time on MN sights rallying your troops there going to your fellow hunters in your state and convince them to come together and lobby your goverment to change things there. By coming on here and asking us to change is not getting you any closer to changing things there or here.

 

[DuckDogs]

I didn't ask you, I asked nannyslayer, he seems to have some civility and I actually respect his opinion.

The December gun season was your idea now...read some history behind it. It was set many years ago so farmers would be done in the field and then have time to hunt deer, at the time it had nothing to do with big bucks. Man you exaggerate!

Hardwood - you seem pretty level headed in your responses relative to some other NRLO, I can appreciate your desire for toughter trespassing laws and admire the fact that you would consider joining the IBA if that was an objective they decided to back, if I were a NRLO, it would tick me off to no end to travel to my farm to shed hunt only to find boot tracks everywhere.

Given the difficulty to draw in Iowa, what is the availability/price of ground in IA relative to the Houston, MN area? I'm not trying to suggest you leave the state, just trying to educate myself as I've heard from numerous people about that area.

 

[Hardwood11]

Hardwood - you seem pretty level headed in your responses relative to some other NRLO, I can appreciate your desire for toughter trespassing laws and admire the fact that you would consider joining the IBA if that was an objective they decided to back, if I were a NRLO, it would tick me off to no end to travel to my farm to shed hunt only to find boot tracks everywhere.

Given the difficulty to draw in Iowa, what is the availability/price of ground in IA relative to the Houston, MN area? I'm not trying to suggest you leave the state, just trying to educate myself as I've heard from numerous people about that area.

Duck: Thanks, I would consider joining the IBA, really, I love the fact that there is an organization that is active to promote bowhunting and deer management. There is no such organization in MN, at least, none that have political clout. That is the key. If the IBA started a platform to really crackdown on trespassing and maybe put in some input on ill advised doe seasons, that would really interest me.

I am not on the same page as they are in regards to NR tags, but I can live with it.

In regards to real estate in MN, Houston County is pretty expensive 3000 to 4000 per acre for a good hunting farm, but it is a very nice county for hunting. I have paid much less for my farms in Western Minnesota and NW Minnesota. I bought a farm as cheap as $600/acre in NW Minnesota and it is a good hunting farm.

I used to own a 150 acre farm in Lucas County that I paid 1100/acre for in 2004 or 2005. Sold that and now I have a farm in Ringgold County which is a better hunting farm and has good income.

Yes, it has had it's share of trespassing, which is very disappointing. Matter of fact, a local Iowa resident was bowhunting my farm one evening. He was on his way back to his pickup when he heard a shot, he pulled out the binos and saw a truck pull into the field shine the headlights on the dead deer and load a big racked buck in the back of the truck. It was not on my land, but on the farm directly to my north, we had trail cam photos of the buck and he was nice. All this happened around November 5th I think. (any tips anyone?)

 

[Jdubs]

Hardwood - you seem pretty level headed in your responses relative to some other NRLO/

Duck, I hope you're talking about me cause all the residents on the site are level headed. Thata boy Hardwood keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

I've been coming to Iowa for a long time. All this is about is the non-landowner having a free place to hunt. See ya next legislative session.

 

[DuckDogs]

Hardwood - you seem pretty level headed in your responses relative to some other NRLO/

Duck, I hope you're talking about me cause all the residents on the site are level headed. Thata boy Hardwood keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

I've been coming to Iowa for a long time. All this is about is the non-landowner having a free place to hunt. See ya next legislative session.

Jdubs - not a reference to you, only individuals I have dealt with specifically in person, those were just my impressions based on his posts.

 

[nannyslayer]

Nanny don't you think that the #1 reason Iowa has so many big bucks is the December Shotgun Only Season? Do you really think the #1 reason is because of limiting NR?

Can I give you a yes/no answer? I probably shouldn't say it's the number one reason, but I guess it tie's with the number 1 reason. I truely believe that the combonation of no gun season during rut and limiting outside activity wrapped together is the number 1 reason.

A little off base, but look at IL. They have shotgun season while the rut is in full swing there. But they were still producers of giant bucks every year, until their DNR decided it was a good idea to just throw tags out to everyone. Why even apply for an IL tag anymore? There are a couple thousand left over every year.

By removing one of the practices, IL killed their state. If they moved their gun season completely out of the rut, I still don't think it would bring that state back to what it once was.

So my comment of the number 1 reason, well, not alone it is not the number one, but combined with no gun season during rut, those together are the number 1 reason.

Hope that makes since, it makes since in my head anyways. :grin:

 

[Cooter]

Ok now some NR post the stats of the number of trophy bucks taken in IL.

May still be close to the same but what did the guys that took them have to pay for them?

 

[cedar creek]

I didn't ask you, I asked nannyslayer, he seems to have some civility and I actually respect his opinion.

The December gun season was your idea now...read some history behind it. It was set many years ago so farmers would be done in the field and then have time to hunt deer, at the time it had nothing to do with big bucks. Man you exaggerate!

And the farmers weren't residents? I suppose it was lawyers, and realitors who settled Iowa. I come from three generations of farmers on the same land. I don't need a native Minnesota individual to tell me how things came about on Iowa farmlands. I also don't respect much of what you have to say. Take care of your own state; before you try screwing up ours.

 

[cedar creek]

I've been coming to Iowa for a long time. All this is about is the non-landowner having a free place to hunt. See ya next legislative session.

And why shouldn't this be about the non-landowner having a free place to hunt? That's the way it has been for generations. The majority of the population in Iowa don't own land, and our public ground is few and over hunted. These are all facts that many of us keep bringing up time and again. How would you have it? Leasing hunting rights as a nrlo?

 

[SaskGuy]

And why shouldn't this be about the non-landowner having a free place to hunt?

In my eyes the concept of "free hunting" is more than just that. When friends and neighbors have to pay to access each other's property you've got a larger problem than the hunting itself. What will follow is the breakdown of friendships, relationships with neighbors and eventually the face of rural America will look nothing like it once was.

 

[scottonbuck]

In my eyes the concept of "free hunting" is more than just that. When friends and neighbors have to pay to access each other's property you've got a larger problem than the hunting itself. What will follow is the breakdown of friendships, relationships with neighbors and eventually the face of rural America will look nothing like it once was.

Well said Kaare and that is what truly will happen, its starting to happen in areas now. About 10 minutes south of my house its getting interesting in parts.