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iowa shotgun season question

bowstretch

New Member
hey guys need some iowa advice. i have 840 acres to hunt in iowa that no one else is allowed on and its one big tract. it is 4 of us, 2 bow and 2 shotgun. the 2 guys that are shotgun hunting are trying to figure out which shotgun season to hunt. i suggested the second season since its longer and no one will be on the property doing drives and putting pressure on the property before hand. what do you guys think?
 
my advice would be to keep an eye on it and make sure people stay out. It might not be a bad idea to wait until december to decide either that way you will have an idea of what the weather will be doing
 
You'd probably be better off hunting second season. For one, everybody else that hunts around it during first season will push deer into your 840, secondly, it may be a little colder and may up your odds of seeing a good deer over a food source, lastly, the season is longer.
 
Iowa

You'd probably be better off hunting second season. For one, everybody else that hunts around it during first season will push deer into your 840, secondly, it may be a little colder and may up your odds of seeing a good deer over a food source, lastly, the season is longer.

I probably agree, the one factor that you might want to consider, is that if you are there on the opening day of the first shotgun season, you establish a presence and you will keep out trespassers.
 
With the landowner nearby trespassers are not a problem. I thought when u apply for the tag as a nonresident u had to decide then which shotgun hunt u were going to do?
 
In that case, to apply as a NR you will need to decide in may. Do the bowhunters have enough pref. points to draw an archery tag? In my zone #3, shotgun is almost 100 percent without any points, but not quite. The bowtags now are needing 2 points.
 
yes we both have 3 pp for zone 5. the gun hunters have 2. if a nonresident doesnt tag out during the shot gun can they use that same tag in late muzzleloader?
 
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bowstretch said:
yes we both have 3 pp for zone 5. the gun hunters have 2. if a nonresident doesnt tag out during the shot gun can they use that same tag in late muzzleloader?

No, you cannot use an unfilled shotgun tag during late muzz. Completely different season.
 
bowstretch said:
yes we both have 3 pp for zone 5. the gun hunters have 2. if a nonresident doesnt tag out during the shot gun can they use that same tag in late muzzleloader?

Yep... And if you can't get it done there... Go ahead and use a rifle and spotlight them...
 
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Nevermind bowhntn he is the resident third grader that knows everything.......and people wonder why none of the old time members post anymore.
 
Bowstretch, I too am a NR and I usually apply for gun 1. Like Liv and Moose stated you have to choose a season to hunt and they do not overlap. Each NR tag is season specific. I think the season you choose depends on the property you have access to. I hunt about 200 acres and it gets pressure from neighboring properties and as a result I go gun 1. If you have access to 800 acres that has no pressure you're probably golden no matter the season. I also hunt zone 5. Let me know if you need some help.
 
maby they should get a late muzzy tag and not one of the shotgun seasons. especillay if there is no pressure on the deer. the season is longer. idk? just a suggestion.
 
DoubleDropTines said:
Nevermind bowhntn he is the resident third grader that knows everything.......and people wonder why none of the old time members post anymore.

Sounds like a great thread topic..."people wonder why the old time members never post." my goodness if you can't handle a joke or take criticism then don't post...
 
Sounds like a great thread topic..."people wonder why the old time members never post." my goodness if you can't handle a joke or take criticism then don't post...
just going out on a limb here but i don't know many people who would take that as a joke nor a good joke topic...
 
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