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Party Hunting

I also don't think it's right that NR's can come shoot bucks because of the party hunting rule if they didn't draw an any sex tag. It's bu!!$hit :mad: I'm not "anti-NR", I'm more like "protect our resource". It's not about "us", it's about the state. We have the best deer hunting in the world. It's a valuable resource that we want to protect.

If we have the "worst state ever", as your avatar suggests, then don't come here!!

I think party hunting does have it's place. It is rich in tradition and can be done ethically. Some groups just take it a little too far for my taste and the regulations behind it leave too many loopholes. Just my opinion. Good luck in the coming weekends to those of you who are participating.


What resource isn't being protected? if you don't sell the tags, the does arent going to get shot. It is an "us" versus "them" issue, as it always is in Iowa. It's the hostility towards non-residents perpetuated by sticks in the mud. I especially don't understand it towards non-resident landowners. they're paying taxes, does that not count for anything?

Iowa as the best deer state is debatable. Wisconsin, Kansas, Illinois are all equal, if not better, and that's not even counting Saskatchewan and Alberta. that's an opinion, not fact.

What's your suggestion, ban non-residents from party hunting? Whoever said above fill the tag you're issued, are you going to hold resident hunters to those lofty standards as you would the typical land buying, rich, snobbish, resource destroying non-resident?

This video sums up this entire argument, hell, it describes what i see everytime i come home to SW Wisconsin/NE Iowa:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLni3wbndls
 
You weren't really raised on the party hunting tradition so I can see what youre saying here Danny. The problem is that youre all over the board with your argument. You say "party hunting" does have a place. Meaning you support the only rule that makes party hunting what it is, "tag swapping." Just because guys hunt in a group (such as pheasant hunters) does not make it party hunting. Party hunting is only deemed that through regulation terms as the swapping of tags to fill their limit. This cannot be done with pheasants, quail, small game, etc. as far as I know. But then you say you hate it when a non resident does it which is kind of just saying, I HATE NON RESIDENTS.. Which you are entitled your opinion but let me ask you this, "If youre uncle came over from arkansas and said heyyy bud I got dis here doe tag this year lets go deer huntin in ur old ranger pikup truk. If we see a big buk and i am the onlee one thatt cun shoot it, r u okayy with that little buddy?? I am the one who showedd u how to huntt and spitt the tobacca by the wayy.."

Are you going to tell him no?? I doubt it you hillbilly bass turds.

There will always be deer out there if we can control the poaching and the absolute raping of the resource we will always be able to find one we would wrap our tag around.

I WAS in fact, raised as a party hunter. I never really liked it but did it to enjoy time with my dad and some close friends. I still take part in a party hunt every year as a favor to some of the landowners who are gracious enough to let me hunt. I no longer bow-hunt any of this ground but like to keep a good standing relationship with them none-the-less.

I didn't feel like I was "all over the board". The party hunting rule of swapping tags is just fine with me. I don't hate non-residents one bit, I just feel like they should all have to wait until they draw to come shoot a buck. Another negative with the rule is the idea of monstrous groups raping the woods and acting like total lunatics. This is the minority, yes, but a drawback regardless.

Tim, we have a resource and it needs protected. Party hunting will always be a tradition in Iowa. I just feel like we to eliminate some loopholes to the rule regarding NR's. If I had an uncle that wanted to come up, I'd tell him that I would GLADLY take him once he drew a tag, but until then, start applying, just like most other NR's have to do. I hunt late muzz anyways, so there would be no chance I'd have an any sex tag for shotgun anyways.

Our resource is in a fragile state right now and it's only getting worse from what I can see. This is the reason my opinions keep getting stronger.
 
What resource isn't being protected? if you don't sell the tags, the does arent going to get shot. It is an "us" versus "them" issue, as it always is in Iowa. It's the hostility towards non-residents perpetuated by sticks in the mud. I especially don't understand it towards non-resident landowners. they're paying taxes, does that not count for anything?

Iowa as the best deer state is debatable. Wisconsin, Kansas, Illinois are all equal, if not better, and that's not even counting Saskatchewan and Alberta. that's an opinion, not fact.

What's your suggestion, ban non-residents from party hunting? Whoever said above fill the tag you're issued, are you going to hold resident hunters to those lofty standards as you would the typical land buying, rich, snobbish, resource destroying non-resident?

This video sums up this entire argument, hell, it describes what i see everytime i come home to SW Wisconsin/NE Iowa:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLni3wbndls

Good video but I don't see the relevance... :confused:

I already feel like too many does are being shot, so I could give a hoot if the tags don't sell. The whole NR landowner thing is simple. A small minority of them buy what little habitat we have and push the residents that can't afford to buy off.

Yes, there are other states that have great deer hunting. But better than Iowa? Give me a break! The provinces of Sask and Alberta are exceptional as well.

I think every non-resident should have to wait to draw an any-sex tag before they can shoot a buck. That's just my opinion and I can certainly understand why we butt heads on this. Aside from that, I really am all for NR's hunting here. They boost local economies, etc. I understand that it's a small minority of NR's that are buying up some of our best habitat and giving everybody else the boot. Leasing is the same way. I've lost hunting land in both scenarios.

If you want to come up and party hunt in order to spend time with family, do some hunting, AWESOME!! Come do so with a doe tag for two years and an any sex tag every third year. I party hunt with doe tags in hand every year. Some of the guys that come with only shotgun hunt and this is there one time every year to shoot a buck. I have plenty of chances between bowhunting and muzz season, so I'm not going to use their tag. If it comes down to the final couple drives and we have plenty of any sex tags to fill and some giant runs by me, sure, I'll smoke him. But otherwise I'm perfectly fine with shooting does.

Maybe I'm making too big a stink. But hunter numbers are increasing and our deer population is decreasing.
 
Iowa as the best deer state is debatable. Wisconsin, Kansas, Illinois are all equal, if not better, and that's not even counting Saskatchewan and Alberta. that's an opinion, not fact.


Then why do you come here to hunt?
 
Originally Posted by kbnelson3
I would seriously pay money to see #2. 50+ guys driving deer, chasing them in trucks, shooting off the road? Where do you hunt? That's absolutely absurd to even make a statement like that; if that does happen, it could only be once or twice, you make it seem like its commonplace! Easily the most idiotic thing I've read all day


Once again bring your wallet, I see this very often especially the chasing them with pickups and shooting out the windows. And any gate that is open is fair game for land access. I actually love to hunt deer,,, but I have started to hate this time of year from being a landowner and having to deal with all this crap.

I can go all year without a trespassing issue and the next couple of weeks are going to test my patience. Some of the things I have put up with in the past

- people cutting my fences too drive trucks through

-people cutting locks off of my gates

-people taking gates off the hinges because there locked

-people tearing down my no hunting / tresspassing signs

- people continuing to hunt after being asked to leave because they were trespassing

-people chasing deer across my fields hanging out the windows shooting at running deer

- people stealing my deer stands

-people stealing my trail cameras

Is it non residents or residents causing these issues ? who cares they all piss me off when they do crap like this. And I can honestly say it is a good mix of both, as I can read license plates as good as the next guy and will continue turn in every dumb AZZ that does this type of crap. I have the game warden for our area on speed dial and I use it, but for the next two weeks it doesnt seem to make a dang bit of difference.

Lastbut not least bring your wallet and put your money where your mouth is.
 
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Well said The Bad.The woods will be filled with idiots that only hunt 2 days per year and think its there right to go where they want.
 
I assume no one is worried about the sneaky archer who sets up to shoot across the fence? The guy who comes in from the back side of a property and uses a climber to hunt without permission. What about the late muzz hunter who drops the orange and sneaks around because he knows there wont be anyone else around... It is a culture of corruption or dishonesty that needs to be curbed amnongst us as a group. Perhaps you feel it more during the gun season, but NO season is without its issues. I bet the proportion of R to NR violations unseen is 100's of times higher duriing the archery season... No use fighting, it happens, we should work on weeding out the violators!
 
50,000 bow hunters in Iowa and 200,000+ shotgun hunters in Iowa. This is a stupid debate! We should all be using this energy to fight anti hunters not fight each other!:mad:
 
What I think is funny is when Iowans on here say-

1.- I dont like them non-residents who lease land they dont take care of it, too many does, only shoot bucks. Just ruin the dang herd.

Then the others

2.- I dont like them non-residents they come up here during shotgun season and gather up 20 people and shoot too many dang deer.


lol. I love it.
 
50,000 bow hunters in Iowa and 200,000+ shotgun hunters in Iowa. This is a stupid debate! We should all be using this energy to fight anti hunters not fight each other!:mad:


right on Derek

time to drop it guys
 
50,000 bow hunters in Iowa and 200,000+ shotgun hunters in Iowa. This is a stupid debate! We should all be using this energy to fight anti hunters not fight each other!:mad:

:way:

You guys are sounding like you want hunting banned.. That's not a very good idea :thrwrck:
 
I think it would be interesting to see how the responses/feelings on this subject break down between landowners who don't "party" hunt and people who don't own their own ground or do and "party" hunt. I have a feeling it would be interesting.
 
Here's my ups and downs of Party Hunting:

The Downside - To many deer get shot on the run, end up injured and are wasted.

The Upside - As I drive the peremeter of my properties this weekend to keep the unruley out!, :drink1:I watch a substantial amount of deer enter my property, which has become their sanctuary until Dec 21st.

Regardless of where your from or how you hunt, be safe!:way:
 
Let me rephrase..people who chase big bucks during shotgun 1, shotgun 2, and muzzleloader season....who have groups of 12 guys pushing, those guys suck, and really I don't get how they feel any "pride" about the bucks they kill that way.


I really do not have a dog in this fight. But I would like to see you stop at about any farm in Allamakee County this weekend and say that.
 
I have no problem calling out guys who shoot bucks in all three seasons while group hunting...and yes, people group hunt during late muzzleloader...they shouldn't but they do..What skill does it take to kill deer when they are being pushed to you by 10 other dudes? I suppose you have to shoot well, but no calling, scouting, scent control, etc is needed...not patterning the deer just drive section to section with blockers and drivers. I think its freaking ridiculus that a guy can hunt all three gun seasons and kill bucks during all three. The other thing about group hunting that probably hasnt' been mentioned is the number of immature bucks that get killed, mostly because they were shot on the run and not judged well enough.
 
The end of party hunting will do nothing other than stop a lot of people from deer hunting, and cause the DNR to try and figure out another way to make up for the money lost from deer tag sales. One of the groups I used to hunt with would have 30 guys in it the first weekend of second season. For about half of them this was the only time during the year that they hunted at all. This group had a strong family history and was invitation only for people that were not family. As the member's kids would get old enough, they would start to hunt with us. This not only created an opportunity for them to spend time with their dads and relatives/friends, but it also got them introduced to the sport of deer hunting. I watched most of these young guys go on to start bow hunting too.

We hunted drives that were a mile square. We would go into these drives knowing that there were multiple big bucks in them (from previous scouting) but most of the time, even with drivers walking 50 yards apart and standers 150 yards apart, we would never see these big bucks. Anyone with a history of party hunting will tell you that seeing and being able to shoot a truly large buck is as much luck as anything else.

Back to where I started, most of these guys will not hunt at all if they cannot party hunt. It is a vacation to them. We would eat like kings, drink plenty of cold beer at the end of the day, play cards, etc. Deer season for them is as much about the comraderie as anything. So, if they and many like them quit deer hunting because party hunting is no more, they no longer are introducing their kids to hunting. Now we remove quite a few hunters from the woods. Not only do we destroy the opportunity to introduce young hunters to the sport, but we cause a serious decline in the number of deer tags issued and deer harvested, and cause a major decline in revenue for the IDNR as well as anyone else involved in supplying hotel rooms, slugs, clothing, food, etc. for these hunters. We also seriously alter the model that the IDNR uses for herd management.

Now, where does the IDNR make up for this? The only option I see is more NR tags. Now, when that happens, the farmers that grant permission for party shotgun hunters as long as they can go along for one drive or get some venison out of the deal are sitting there with no way to have the numbers of deer shot off of their property that they would like. Now we have more NR tags, outfitters, leases, etc. A few years of this, and all of you that are bitching about party hunting will be on here bitching even more about how there is no land available out there to hunt. I know how quicky you can lose land to leases. Once the horn porn craze started, this group went from permission to hunt 4000 acres to about 1000 acres in less than five years. All lost to hunting leases.

Seriously, the IDNR must be doing something right if we have people busting down the doors for a chance to hunt here in our great state. Even with party hunting and the slaughtering of deer by them that so many people post about we still have a great established herd. I say let things keep going the way they are.
 
The only reason people are busting down the doors to shotgun hunt Iowa is because they can buy a doe tag and shoot a monster buck and they can't do that in their own state.Also people from down south come here with a doe tag and see a 130'' buck and think its a world record.
ALL I would like to see is that the DNR only allow you to take home the deer with YOUR tag on it.If you tag a doe....thats what you take home.
 
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