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Outfitted acreages - numbers please

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River1

New Member
I'm looking for some numbers of acres which are tied up in outfitting business, leased or owned. Solid numbers that show our legislators what is already here and what possibly to look forward to if the NR tag allocation increases.

If you know of or can find published numbers, advertised numbers by your local outfitters, please list them on here. Living in Clinton County, I don't hear of to many as it appears most are located in the NE and Southern parts of the State.

Also, just for some comparison as this thread gets larger. - The Iowa DNR manages 340 wildlife areas that total a little more than 270,000 acres. One of the smallest amounts of available public acres per State in the entire nation.



Here is what I have:


Mid-America Hunting Association - advertise (web site) 23,150 acres leased in Iowa for their hunting members - this group has much more ground in other Mid-West States also.

Steel Creek Outfitters, Garden Grove, Iowa - advertise (web site) 27 farms / approx 7000 plus acres of ground

Thunder Ridge Outfitters, St. Charles, Iowa - advertise (web site) 8000 plus acres for their operation in Southern Iowa.

Hawkeye Whitetails, Humeston, Iowa - advertise (web site) 6000 plus acres

Dunn Deal Lodge, near Lake Rathbun - advertise (web site) over 5000 acres available for hunting

Weldon River Outfitters, Weldon, Iowa - advertise (web site) over 3000 acres

Yoke S Ranch, Russel, Iowa - advertise (web site) 900 acres available for hunting

NE Iowa Outfitters, Waterville, Iowa - advertise (web site) over 1000 acres

ENA Oufitter, Madison County, Iowa - advertise (web site) 800 acres

J & B Outfitters, Clark County, Iowa - advertise (web site) over 1000 acres
 
Droptine outfitters say they have 5000 for pheasant hunting but doesn't say on their website how much for deer hunting. I have heard it was in the 8000 acre plus range. Antler & Beards in Carlise has 3500.
 
Limb, I see Jagermeister also advertises a total of 20,000 acres, some of their business is also being done on State ground.
 
River Bottom,
I just did a search for Iowa Deer Outfitters on yahoo.
Came up with a whole page.
Do you want to look on there or would you like me to write them down and post?
 
I'm going to look through and list some more as time permits. Some don't advertise acreages. If you have time, please look some up and list the name of the business, location and acreages.

Thanks
 
Performance outdoors 20,000 acres, but I know this is a combo for IA and IL. I would say 5,000 in Iowa
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: muddy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What about Timberghost Ranch?</div></div>

It's a livestock hunt, people don't need Iowa deer tags, correct?
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: River Bttm Boy</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: muddy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What about Timberghost Ranch?</div></div>

It's a livestock hunt, people don't need Iowa deer tags, correct? </div></div>

Correct, but he does have some non-high fenced ground.
 
You guys cant just look at Outfitters. There are plenty of filming crews in Iowa that buy/lease ground for that purpose.

I would expect this # to jump greatly if they make it easier for NR landowners to get tags. JMO

IMO they are just as bad as Outfitters but you cant buy your way onto their ground, but some do allow a few extra on to control the doe population. But how many does do you need to take off of a 4500 acre tract to be sucessful? They are taking hundreds during this late doe season, at least they are trying I guess.

Last count I had from what I have seen was 60 does in 3 days.
 
Weldon River Outfitters claims 3000 acres

Dunn Deal Hunting Lodge 5000 acres

Yoke S Ranch 900 acres

Old River Outfitters 350 acres

J&S Trophy Hunts 30,000 acres

There are many small outfitters or farmers who just lease their farm. There is at least 1200 acres posted LEASED within eye sight of my home.

At one time the Wensel brothers claimed to have 30,000 acres leased in my area but actual amounts we all know are often exaggerated and subject to hearsay.(30,000 could be 300 for all I know.. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif )

NR land ownership is actually putting the squeeze on outfitting in my area and the combination of the two is making for tough sledding if you don't have "cash to hunt"
 
Thanks Dbl,

I remember seeing Gene Wensel a few years back at the Iowa Deer Classic. He was advertising his leased ground as "limited access hunts" for do it yourself hunters. I'm wondering if he's given up on that or if he has enough self sustaining customers that he no longer has to advertise. Wish I could remember the exact acres in his operation, they had an increadible amount of ground leased from what I remember.

Anyhow, what I'm finding is a ton of Iowa outfitters that are advertising on the internet, but many of them do not advertise thier exact size of acreages. The ones that do, as you can see, have a ton of ground. These operations are surviving off of the current tag allocation, just imagine what will happen if it is doubled.

Again, if anyone can nail down some solid numbers, please post them here. I can only use numbers that are stated specifically as Iowa acres. Many of these outfitters have ground in other states and advertise only their total amounts.
If you are uncomfortable with posting, please PM me with them as others have.
 
Most of the ones I found have been mentioned.
a couple more are

1. Lazy H Meadows Ranch S.W. Iowa 8000 acres

2. Redline Outfitters Bedford, Iowa 3500
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: iowaqdm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have heard that the King Ranch has over 7,000 acres in Union County but can't verify it. </div></div>

I'd like to get a number on them, I have no doubt they would be one of the first to expand operations in Iowa. God knows they've got the dough to make the roll. I've had a few PM' saying close to 7000 also, but can't confirm this.

I doubt Mickey will sign back in to help us either. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> You guys cant just look at Outfitters. There are plenty of filming crews in Iowa that buy/lease ground for that purpose.</div></div>

I don't buy those kind of vids anymore and haven't payed attention. I realize H.S. is, who are the others? I'll take the info if anyone has solid numbers on their operations.
 
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