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South East Iowa Hunting Report:

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loneranger

Well-Known Member
I am just back from bowhunting my 40 acres, the last wk of Oct and first two wks of Nov. I hunted every morning and afternoon. In that time I saw a total of 8 adult deer. One doe out of that 8. Two ,,two yr old bucks, one 3 yr old, the rest yearlings. When I first started hunting there in 2005, I did not put in that much time, maybe one and a half wks. Back then I saw 15 to 20 deer. One memorable day I saw 4 different bucks in one morning. Back then I had basically, one stand on my place. No food plots. Now I have 4 stands and clover,rye, and rape ,food plots. Lots of the forage remained, when I left, even though the farm fields were harvested early. My area looks like good deer country. Farm fields of corn and beans to the west. Timbered cattle hills, and timber to the east. Last season I hunted the same three wks and saw 15 deer, a couple of doe groups. This yr one doe. She was too far away to shoot,,and I wouldn't have shot her anyway. I know deer pops can vary widely. My neighbor the next road over, who bow hunts, says the same thing,,few deer. I do not know what has changed? The neighborhood is basically the same. Possibly poaching is going on somewhere. Possibly some farmer is polishing off the, "brown Rats", as they call them, I don't know. I just know this is not the hunting I expected in Iowa,. Especially Southern Iowa.
 
There have been a lot of does shot in some parts of southern Iowa over the past 3-4 years. Possibly your area has been an area where the antlerless hunters have hit it pretty hard.

The other thing that I have noticed on my own farm in southern Iowa that really swings the deer sightings is the presence "in the neighborhood" of good food plots. Because we participate in a neighborhood deer coop and I keep in touch with various neighbors, I usually have a pretty decent idea of what food plots are "around". I have definitely seen the deer shift their patterns and primary locations in response to the presence, or not, of good food in the area. Some years I have been on the high side of that equation and some years I have been on the low side.

I am sorry to hear about your poor luck, your sightings sound pretty low to me.
 
Speaking in my neck of the woods, unless you are near large refuge type properties......... the herd is way down. I've had the poorest deer season in 20 years.....they are not here. I know between the farm I hunt and one across the road, 82 deer were killed last 2nd season alone. That was just the 2 hunting parties I know. Similar numbers from them the year before also. How long can our areas take a hammering like that? There's gonna be a lot of whiny shotgunners in my neck of the woods if they expect half of what they've had.
 
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I know food has some effect. This was the first year all the crops were gone before I hunted. My little green plots may have not been enough to keep the does around? I am sure there are some larger hunting operations nearby with possibly standing corn for them. Some rumors to that anyway. It is the battle of the food plots. Kinda reminds me of the battle of the Bait Piles that used to go on in Mi. where I came from. That is banned up there now,,but still goes on from what friends say. Aside from the food angle,,however,, I have seen the steady year by year decline. Not certain why? Not the" Southern Iowa", I read about,,that is for sure.
 
The deer herd is down state wide without question. I have a friend who has been a reputable taxidermist for many years. Since 2005 his incoming head count has dwindled every year. This isn't because of poor quality or high prices either. People just aren't seeing as many deer.
 
It should be NO surprise to anyone. The insurance companies and ESPECIALLY the Farm Bureau has been on a crusade to do EXACTLY this for several years. They BROWBEAT the IDNR into causing this to happen.

CANCEL YOUR FARM BUREAU MEMBERSHIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I would agree that the numbers I have seen are really down and from what I hear its is a similar story all over. I don't know how much effect this would have on what we are seeing now but last years winter was pretty brutal. I had read that the depth of the snow was a big problem because the does belly would drag in the snow lowering the temp actually causing them to abort the fawn they were carrying. Not sure how much weight that carries but the winter could not have helped.
 
Seem to be killing the big boys with vehicles!! :mad: Should be rocking ! Little guys are chasing does! Adults are locked up???????? See alota does with yearlings in tow!! Think you gunners are gonna get the goody out of it!!!!!!!:thrwrck::thrwrck:
 
As far as last winter goes. My southern iowa area had little if any snow, unlike DesMoines northward. Another effect may be the Coyote density. Several yrs ago some men came thru with hounds saying they were going to clean out the Coyotes. I heard them baying in the hills for a week. The next yr. I heard Zero Coyotes. Last yr they were back, and this spring and summer I heard them critters all over. Even now you hear them howling constantly, from all directions. Possibly they had an effect on fawns past two yrs?
 
Welcome to the new world of Iowa deer hunting, drasticaly lower populations is what the DNR has been after and they have achieved it. I think this year or next the bottom will fall out of license sales due to discouraged hunters. Looks like it is allready happening with doe tags now.
 
Are you serious crietvelt? You just posted on another thread that you are going doe hunting in the November antlerless season.now you post that the numbers are drastically low.Why would you comtinue to shoot does if you feel the numbers are low?
 
Archery95, as a whole the numbers are down. I live and hunt in an area that has several properties with no hunting or very limited hunting. The numbers here are plenty high because of it. I feel for the people that hunt in areas where the DNR's current policies are working and doe numbers are too low. I honestly believe in my area the herd is increasing and taking a few does for the freezer isn't going to hurt.
 
Typically I have 5 or 6 doe tags in my pocket. This year I haven't bought one. On my Dad's and grandpa's farm the deer just aren't there to shoot deer. On public ground its too far of a drag for a doe but then again I haven't seen many does. I didn't start hunting till November and can say I have seen more bucks than does this year. That's not a good sign at all!!
 
Now all I've seen in 2 weeks is does! Does with does,Does with yearlings, does by themselves!! HMMMMMMMMMM!
 
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