Southern Iowa Rifle Season

[dedgeez]

How you all feeling about this year's Shed Buck Contest? www.shedbucksofiowa.com

I'm feeling like I have a pretty good shot at the title this year. I have 6 acres of standing beans with TurkeyRivers homemade shed traps set out and cams on them. As soon as the bucks start dropping their horns........ WHAMMY

You guys may as well just hand me the trophy now. And Skip, Thanks again for organizing this fine event. I have passed up all of my 3-10 year old bucks this year just hoping I can get them to shed buck season. It's hard, but if you manage correctly, you to can have shed buck success. Oh I can't wait for January.

 

[Sligh1]

As long as you are taking your time to make sure its a doe

See, that right there is the key.... 90% of folks ain't doing that right. I believe you, you are. A huge % of these folks are also doing deer drives and/or taking shots at 200 yards+ AND/OR just don't give a crap to begin with. I could do it BUT most folks AIN'T DOING IT RIGHT! It's gotta go. If I HAD to do it on my own land, I'd be nervous with even myself behind the trigger. & that would be with thorough glassing of a CALM deer I could look at with binos up and down for a full minute....
Throw 12 yahoos out on my place that don't give a crap- oh man, I might end up in a Loonie-bin! (kidding). I know EXACTLY what would happen if I let this happen on my place with a bunch of guys who just wanted to "shoot stuff". I see it all the time. You're in the MINORITY. If these yahoos can't get it done on enough DOES between Oct 1 through Jan 10th- geez, I just don't know what to say?!?!?! Heck, let's just open it up year round!

Dedgeez, thanks for your support, this is something special and thanks for recognizing. If a spot opens someday on our board of directors, I might just have you on the short list! :way:

 

[Hardwood11]

Iowa late rifle

That is an excellent point, it is not like Iowa doesn't offer plenty of other seasons to shoot a doe. Just get the does shot in October, Nov or December??

Whoever thought of this late rifle season, must have left their job as deer strategist in Minnesota and moved down to Iowa. We (Minnesota) have some dumb seasons as well, but your late rifle season be the worst I have seen!!

 

[SouthernIowa]

I will usually shoot a doe or two with my bow in october but the rest of bow season im buck hunting. I am away at college so i dont have too much time to be out so i want to maximize my chances when i am able to hunt. I dont even go shotgun season because theres so many people out and late muzz im buck hunting also.
The rifle season is perfect for managing your does at the end of the year. I totally get where you guys are coming from. It might give poachers more of an opportunity but just because you close this season doesnt mean there will then be 0 poachers. They will still be out doing the same thing. And i know some people might not be able to tell the difference between a shed buck and a doe, maybe some kind of education in that field would help??? I wont take a shot at a deer if im not 100% sure its a doe.
I just think its a cool season because not all of us can go out west to hunt big game with a rifle, its fun to get together with friends after the hunt to skin deer and such and its a great way to manage your farms you hunt.
I guess most of all i dont want some of my hunting opportunities to be taken away because of other peoples stupid actions. If i ever got to the point where i shot a shed buck or two I would hang up the rifle and be done, but untill that happens I think I should have the choice.

 

[SouthernIowa]

I want to stress that I agree there are problems with this season im not being naive about the situation but like i said before, I dont want MY hunting opportunities to be taken away because of OTHERS.

 

[Sligh1]

So if we changed the season to year round hunting next year and 3 years decided to dial it back to january 10 end- would that tick u off as taking away ur hunting? If a guy can't find time from oct 1 to jan 10th to get it done- we just can't accomodate every busy man's life. It's over 100 days or almost 1/3rd of a year without the late season. See- it's not a good choice because most folks aren't disciplines like u- will never b or care to b educated and don't care what they shoot. Iowa isn't top notch mainly because of educated hunters- it is because of its regulations but this season is actually hurting those earlier regulation stances and accomplishments. This season is foolish and I assure u if we surveyed lands being ravaged by late season antlerless- almost to february- they r going to have far fewer mature bucks and likely b the areas that complain about low deer sightings or lack of mature bucks. Keep this season for 5 more years and see how happy u guys r. I'll keep this crap off my land and feel badly for all those whose land is ravaged by the yahoos that don't care and can't get it done in the other 100 days of season #1 worst management move by the dnr by far!!!

 

[Fishbonker]

PLEASE remember this season was established a few years ago when the numbers were much higher than they are now. At the time it was never meant to be a permanent season. The folks at the DNR tried to lower the number of doe tags this year but were shot down, no pun intended, by the Governor.

I am not naive enough to think that there weren’t any outside influences working in the back ground when this season was established. There was money to be made by the hunting industry as well as money to be saved by insurance and agricultural interests, but science has said enough is enough. The State was reaching the deer density goals they had set but it doesn’t matter when cash flow is the goal. So please don’t condemn the good folks in the Wildlife Division of the DNR for the continuation of the season at the current levels.

Personally, I’m in the 1% (according to some) who would take their time and take short range shots on confirmed does when using a rifle. The rifle I purchased to specifically hunt does in January has an effective range of 150-200 yards and I just can’t see taking a shot over 75 yards, that is if I ever see anything to shoot at. I have gone on the same property for three seasons and haven’t had a shot yet. The reasons are varied but it isn’t because there are a lack of does in that area.

So you may ask, “then why are you using a rifle if you are only willing to take short range shots?” The answers are simple, because it is a different method of take and because I can.

I think time is better spent banging on the Gov and behind the scene influences than the sportsmen who chose to hunt during the late seasons.

 

[Sligh1]

At the time it was never meant to be a permanent season.


I think time is better spent banging on the Gov and behind the scene influences than the sportsmen who chose to hunt during the late seasons.

Every government program, for the most part, that was meant to be "temporary" never is. Or let's say temporary tax increases- they rarely go away. Or any entitlement program- they don't go away. Once things creep into our system, whatever they are, rarely go away. NOT faulting SouthernIowa but that's EXACTLY one reason they stay... "I don't want them taking away my season" or whatever. You allowed folks to have a temporary season and now folks will be up in arms when you go to "take it away" which may have been the intention from day one.

I totally agree, folks need to go to the DNR, Brandstad, Legislatures, etc on this. Hands down I totally agree. I'll make fun of the yahoo's on occasion who love raising chaos in the woods and leveling everything that moves BUT I sure know by talking to them or about them, that ain't gonna be where the change comes from. It's gonna come from all the hunters in IA voicing their experiences & opinions to the "above" folks on how this is so damaging to mature bucks and areas with thin densities. Folks need to explain this, voice this and take some initiative to voice their experience of how bad this experience is- only way it's gonna go away, if it's a possibility. If it doesn't prepare to see fewer and fewer mature bucks and guys abandoning areas of hunting with few deer and no potential at mature bucks. This season is a disaster.

 

[SouthernIowa]

Sligh1-"So if we changed the season to year round hunting next year and 3 years decided to dial it back to january 10 end- would that tick u off as taking away ur hunting?"

You really think its fair to make up a rediculous situation like i would be mad if they made a year round season then took it away a few years later? Your not getting my point. I dont want my opportunities to be taken away because of other people doing stupid stuff. If the DNR wants to end the season because the herds are back to levels they want them then that would be perfectly fine with me. And like i said before if i started shooting shed buck accidently or i felt like deer herds in my area were getting low i would hang up the rifle without queston. Im sure in certain places shotgun hunting isnt good for the deer herd and maybe even bow hunting is detrimental in some areas if too many people are shooting really young bucks and lots of does. That doesnt HAVE to mean the answer is ending some seasons or making them shorter. The very best answer is better education.

The DNR made this season to help control the deer herd (along with some less notable reasons, yes). And that is exactly how I use it.

You said change is only gonna come from hunters in Iowa voicing their experiences and opions on how this is damaging to mature bucks.

MY experiences have been very positive. Granted i havent been bow hunting for as long as most of you but in the last two years of me havesting does i have my best two seasons. The buck to doe ratio is MUCH better and my mature buck sightings and trail camera pics have gone up. My friends in my area have had similar results.

I am using the season to better my hunting experience and its not my fault that others arent. In stead of doing the easy thing in trying to end a season that if used the right way could help your hunting, maybe people should be calling for all hunters to be better educated?

 

[Sligh1]

I am conservative in my politics BUT the reason we have hunting regulations is the keep the masses from doing many stupid things. By ur logic- we may as well let the season be open 6 months or full time and educate people to stop shooting when it's correct to do so. Problem is: education alone doesn't work. In deer hunting for example, u have too many yahoos who don't care to b educated and even if they know they r making poor choices- they don't care. This is fundamentally why we have regulations!!!
Why is Iowa so much better than Missouri or Minnesota??? U think it's because we have more educated hunters???? Nope. It's the regulations.
It sounds good to propose education and let a foolish season stay in place but it won't work. Try asking the guys in minnesota, michigan, etc if they've tried to educate folks to not shoot young bucks... Might make a tiny dent but it hasn't worked. It doesn't work sad to say. The masses do not make good decisions. And yes, I believe u are in the 10% or less that does it right. Which is a credit to u. REGULATON in hunting is the vast superior management tool- hands down
Again- we have 100 days of deer hunting now. With antlerless it extends another almost 3 weeks into February. That's of course 4 months or 1/3rd of the year. To say 6 months of hunting or year round sure isn't absurd- especially if we "educate" people out there. Guys don't care sadly- they wanna blast and don't care the ramifications or biology. The deer season needs to back to our january 10 end date. We r at or below our management/pop goals. This season is destroying many mature bucks & low populations in many places. We've done what was meant to be accomplished and we need to follow the plans that were made to begin with: Hit the goals and the season goes back original jan 10th end. Our original 100 day deer season should b back and that's what was planned and promised.
Southerniowa- I like how u handle and debate by the way- even though we disagree.

 

[letemgrow]

MO has moved up the doe season to follow right in behind the regular firearms season. This makes for another opportunity to shoot a deer (antlerless) LONG before bucks drop their antlers in January.

Why not have the "doe" season in mid December after your gun seasons are over besides late Muzzy??

 

[coyotekiller]

I've seen bucks shot during second shotgun that shed antler upon ground impact. Gun seasons usually aren't over by mid december and if anterless is moved up then what happens to late muzzy?.............ck

 

[letemgrow]

I've seen bucks shot during second shotgun that shed antler upon ground impact. Gun seasons usually aren't over by mid december and if anterless is moved up then what happens to late muzzy?.............ck

Late muzzy is Dec 19-Jan 10th....looks like it could spare a few days on the front end for a doe hunt if need be. They already have one in November (25th-27th) may be over kill anyway you look at it.

 

[Sligh1]

Late muzzy is Dec 19-Jan 10th....looks like it could spare a few days on the front end for a doe hunt if need be. They already have one in November (25th-27th) may be over kill anyway you look at it.

Exactly! There's a million better things they could do. Increase the Nov antlerless 3 more days. Or take 2 days from end of shotgun 2 and 3 days from beginning of late ML. The list could go on and on beyond having an antlerless season til frigin february! And yes- I've seen bucks shed early Dec but a vast minority. A staggering amount r dropping mid january. I see them all the time- especially on my trail cams where it's easy to see they dropped.

 

[bowmaker]

I just checked and as of 8:33 this morning there have already been 28 shed bucks killed. Undoubtedly there will be more reported during the shotgun season next week end. I don't like having the January season and especially with high powered rifles, but not because of the shed buck issue, but because I just think that it is unnecessary. With our current gun and ammo choices why would we need to allow rifles other than just a novelty idea that allows more does to be killed, that we don't really need killed.

 

[letemgrow]

28 shed buck already?!?! Surely some of those were called in/checked wrong on the internet? Not sure what all system IA has for checking in deer, but sounds like the wardens need to confirm those were actually shed deer and see what is going on with it.

 

[SquirrelBoy]

they need to restrict the tags to only residents of those counties ! I am in western Ia and we have a TON of shed bucks killed every year from people who are from northern counties, not the local guys. If they have to have this season, make it statewide so that we southern counties don't have to endure all the pressure. I can't wait to hear responses to this one

I use to hunt late season antlerless in my own county. Plenty of deer where I hunt on private land, but they closed the season, so now I go down south.

If a guy can't find time from oct 1 to jan 10th to get it done- we just can't accomodate every busy man's life. It's over 100 days or almost 1/3rd of a year without the late season.

For most gun hunters, the season is 1 or 2 weeks long. If you want to get a muzzy you can extend that by 3 more weeks. Working a 9-5 job its a little hard to get out in the field at 2pm every day, so unless you can afford to take vacation just for hunting which most of us can't, you're only hunting on the weekend. So max 5 weeks not including late season.

Im sure this is an unpopular idea, but I think Thanksgiving, Shotgun 1, Shotgun 2, and Muzzy should all be combined into a single gun season. Dec 1 - Jan 10th, then I would be happy with the elimination of Late Season antlerless.

 

[sep0667]

28 shed buck already?!?! Surely some of those were called in/checked wrong on the internet? Not sure what all system IA has for checking in deer, but sounds like the wardens need to confirm those were actually shed deer and see what is going on with it.

Every year there's shed bucks reported killed during the early archery season. I imagine they are mistakenly reported.

 

[Daver]

28 shed buck already?!?! Surely some of those were called in/checked wrong on the internet? Not sure what all system IA has for checking in deer, but sounds like the wardens need to confirm those were actually shed deer and see what is going on with it.

I think the 28 shed bucks at this point of the year is an indication of weakness in the harvest reporting system we have, I really doubt that there are that there have been that many shed bucks killed already this year. You can complete the report online OR via phone and I suspect some guys get a little rushed or garbled when answering the questions via phone and give the wrong response and then don't circle back to correct it. I suspect a few guys hear the word "buck" and then say the corresponding number and may not realize/care that they are indicating a shed buck.

 

[Hardwood11]

I think the 28 shed bucks at this point of the year is an indication of weakness in the harvest reporting system we have, I really doubt that there are that there have been that many shed bucks killed already this year. You can complete the report online OR via phone and I suspect some guys get a little rushed or garbled when answering the questions via phone and give the wrong response and then don't circle back to correct it. I suspect a few guys hear the word "buck" and then say the corresponding number and may not realize/care that they are indicating a shed buck.

Are they confusing shed bucks with button bucks?

Find it very hard to believe that 28 bucks have shed and were shot already.