Question's & Thank You To Residents Of Iowa !

[MXZ]

First I'd like to say thank you to all residents and your DNR ,as well as those on this site that help me enjoy my first hunt in Iowa.

Last year was the first trip of what I hope will turn in to many for me.
While my hunting partner and I never landed any private land to hunt on

we had a great time hunting the state land.

The DNR was really great

we spent about 5 or 6 hours the first day at the office getting information on where we could hunt and a few tips on where the large bucks MIGHT be...

And while we had some questions on some of the state land as far as where it turned to private it was marked well in most area's.

My hunting partner and I did not score on a deer but we had a great time.

We spent the 320. for Lic. and what ever it was for room and meals and just found the locals to be fun, we went to the only location we could locate to eat at and while Thanksgiving was sandwich and chips that night in the cabin it was still a great day.

Now for my question if we get tags and I don't think we will with NO POINTS!

Last year we hunted Nov.25th - Dec 3rd
and it seemed that the rut was done for the most part and that is something you all had told us would most likely be the case..turned out at least for us to be on the money. Well this year if we draw we are in the same boat, due to the fact we have a hunt that will run from Nov.7th thru Nov.21st and or Nov.23rd. if we draw our shotgun tags in IL.
The options we have for Iowa are this we could move our hunt in front of the IL. hunt ?? say Oct. 27 thru Nov.4th ?
Our concern with these date's how ever is that it will be HOT and the hunting pressure will be much higher on the statelands and as I noted thats our only option at this time.
We very much enjoyed the weather last year all but that darn WIND !

it was any where from 20's to 50's and we had snow on the ground for much of our hunt and that was great..

So what to do stick with late season ?

Or move up and hunt Oct 27 thru Nov.4th.?

What could we run into for weather?
Hunting pressure ??
Thanks again to the local's , and a great DNR for your help.

MXZ a huntN friend from Vermont.
Ps.. I did manage to see a nice buck at a distance beyound my bow ability's that would have made P&Y. And past on a 115 inch 8 point at 15 yards just not what we came 1400 miles for but was great to see..Best of luck to all ..

 

[rattle them in]

If you have a hunting partner,Iowa bow tag and a pair of rattling antlers and a season late Oct. to the first week of Nov. you my friend have the making of a perfect week of bowhunting in Iowa. I read you didn't like the wind in Iowa. Shame on you!! When rattling that wind tells you exactly where the deer will come from.
The last 2 years I have taken 2 P&Y bucks with the rattle horns.
This year was on Oct 18 the year before that I killed one on Oct. 30.
You get your tags and zones squared away and get back to me I will bang those horns for you and your buddy.
I have 8,OOO acres of public ground all of it within half an hour from my house.
I may also be able to sneek you on some of my private ground if I'm with you rattling.
On the public ground that I hunt early in the season hunting pressure is very light. No one decides to go hunting until they feel the rut is kicking in by then I have rattled almost every square inch of that public ground then I move to my private ground in Nov. when no one has stepped foot on.
So I would not be afraid to hunt early in Iowa if it is in the zone I hunt in.
Like I said contact me and I will show you how I got my name this fall.
If we do not hook up the biggest thing I have learned on public land is when you start seeing more and more vehicles in the public ground get an aerial map and find the very edges of that ground and hunt there. On Iowa's public ground only a certain percent of the crops that are planted can be harvested. So the deer and wildlife never leave that land they just push back to the edges and anywhere that is not easy for hunters to get to. So dress light in the morning and plan to walk more than the average hunter in the dark and you will be just fine on the public ground in the land of the giants!!

 

[TimberPig]

MXZ, I dont hunt too much public ground, but I dont hunt any exclusive private ground either. The weather can be more of a gamble then, but weather is always a gamble. Just to give you some perspective on those dates, of my last five bucks the smallest was 125" and was shot Nov 10th. The other four were all shot between Oct 15th and Nov 3rd and average 140", so it is certainly possible to do ok during that time frame.
I would guess that you would see alot more deer activity during the earlier season, but most of those will be does and small bucks running around like fools. Fun to watch.
I'm told alot of really big bucks are killed in the late season, I just cant seem to hold my string back that long.

 

[MXZ]

Thanks Timberpig ,

I I was wondering about hunting pressure on the state lands compard to late Nov.?

Thanks for your reply a huntN friend MXZ from Vermont.

 

[Liv4Rut]

ive noticed that alot of the public hunting areas around where i hunt, dont get hunted very hard during bow season, i hardly ever see people during bow season actually bow hunting, but the area im from not many people are in to bowhunting, more shotgunning. one of the places i got that is private borders a public hunting area that everyday i would watch nice bucks come out of the public and go into the place where i hunt, during turkey season, ive noticed alot of bucks on these public areas while turkey hunting, so i think you would be able to find one somewhere without out too much pressure during bow season, good luck!!

 

[TimberPig]

To answer your other Q, like I said, there is no state ground anywhere near where I hunt but there is some county public land. I hardly ever see anybody there and I still hunt it even though I have acess to a lot of private ground. I have seen some real bruisers coming in and out of there at night.
Cant say that I have noticed much difference in pressure during any particular time of season, as there is generally no one at all!
One caveat- If the public your on has pheasant ground you could get over run by bird hunters as lat Oct is the opener!! The orange army has arrived...

Of course, this can be used to your advantage as well by setting up on escape routes.

 

[moosehunter]

Up here in NE Iowa the public ground is not hunted very hard at all. In fact, during bow season, during the week, in most cases you would have the public area all to yourself. I'm buying a climber and take advantage of some area's this year..........