tracker
Life Member
I used to do the Coralville city hunt. Ran out of area we could hunt without bumping another hunter or getting called Bambi killer when we walked in/out of areas the city let us hunt. For the most part everyone was cool when they figured out what we were doing, only had a couple bad eggs bear down on us. Unfortunately, every time the city would get a new area for everyone to hunt, they would end up putting a bike path down through the center of it and that would end our opportunity to put a stand in there.
We were required to stay a certain distance off trails and paths and not remembering for sure it was at least 60 yards. Our instructions were to run as stealth as possible to avoid conflict with the ones that weren't going to appreciate the reason we were there.
It was earn a buck criteria, shoot 5 does buck tag eligible. 1st 10 hunters to fill their doe tags got the guaranteed buck tags. Lottery draw for the remaining 5 or 10 depending on the year. Believe me when I say if you chose your shots correctly, it wasn't hard to fill 3 tags in 1 sitting.
Now heres the crazy thing....Iowa City was paying White Buffalo over $100k to harvest their deer. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 supposedly taken, bucks included as well(never understood why they let them shoot any bucks). I did hear liability was the issue for hiring WB.
Coralville had hunters come in for free, the DNR got money from tag sales, and we always took more deer out per year that the professionals did. i know we were always over 100 deer taken while i was there and some years over 120 I believe.
It was a system that worked. I don't know if there is still a Coralville program around? Being that it started in September made things a little tough as well as the dam blue flies were always so bad on the deer as soon as we gutted them. We tried to drag out in the dark but some days it was going to be over 70 degrees in the afternoon so if we hunted mornings, we had to get them out and to the locker(hush).
The number of hunters vs the accessible ground was becoming an issue as the program gained popularity. Getting certified was pretty simple plus sold some archery items to the store that recorded the certifications.
I'm sure guys would stand in line to gain access to bow hunt Iowa City. The overcrowding of hunters could be handled with limiting the number of hunters they will allow to hunt, everyone has to certify each year, and lottery draw to start. Establish that you have to harvest 5 does the 1st year with zero buck tags released on year 1. Harvesting of 5 does puts you as an automatic for year 2. Year 2 again you must harvest 5 does then you could receive a buck tag for that year only IF you harvested 5 the year prior as well.
As long as you continue to meet criteria of 5 every year you stay in the system. If there is an overwhelming number of hunter success then lottery draw or mandatory rotation for successful hunters could be put into play. Lots of options vs paying over $100k to take care of....
We were required to stay a certain distance off trails and paths and not remembering for sure it was at least 60 yards. Our instructions were to run as stealth as possible to avoid conflict with the ones that weren't going to appreciate the reason we were there.
It was earn a buck criteria, shoot 5 does buck tag eligible. 1st 10 hunters to fill their doe tags got the guaranteed buck tags. Lottery draw for the remaining 5 or 10 depending on the year. Believe me when I say if you chose your shots correctly, it wasn't hard to fill 3 tags in 1 sitting.
Now heres the crazy thing....Iowa City was paying White Buffalo over $100k to harvest their deer. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 supposedly taken, bucks included as well(never understood why they let them shoot any bucks). I did hear liability was the issue for hiring WB.
Coralville had hunters come in for free, the DNR got money from tag sales, and we always took more deer out per year that the professionals did. i know we were always over 100 deer taken while i was there and some years over 120 I believe.
It was a system that worked. I don't know if there is still a Coralville program around? Being that it started in September made things a little tough as well as the dam blue flies were always so bad on the deer as soon as we gutted them. We tried to drag out in the dark but some days it was going to be over 70 degrees in the afternoon so if we hunted mornings, we had to get them out and to the locker(hush).
The number of hunters vs the accessible ground was becoming an issue as the program gained popularity. Getting certified was pretty simple plus sold some archery items to the store that recorded the certifications.
I'm sure guys would stand in line to gain access to bow hunt Iowa City. The overcrowding of hunters could be handled with limiting the number of hunters they will allow to hunt, everyone has to certify each year, and lottery draw to start. Establish that you have to harvest 5 does the 1st year with zero buck tags released on year 1. Harvesting of 5 does puts you as an automatic for year 2. Year 2 again you must harvest 5 does then you could receive a buck tag for that year only IF you harvested 5 the year prior as well.
As long as you continue to meet criteria of 5 every year you stay in the system. If there is an overwhelming number of hunter success then lottery draw or mandatory rotation for successful hunters could be put into play. Lots of options vs paying over $100k to take care of....
NextBuk
Webmaster
but since when has government made decisions that make the most sense...wait, DOGE! Just need to get Doge seeing this idea and maybe there's a chance
JNRBRONC
Well-Known Member
I participated in the Coralville urban hunt back in the day. Had a coworker who granted me permission on their property. First sit, dropped 2 does as 5 walked by. Only had two tags in my pocket. The next year EHD came through and I didn't bother.
So yeah, I'd line up for the IC hunt if they ran it differently.
So yeah, I'd line up for the IC hunt if they ran it differently.
Nightvision
Active Member
Thermal does work better at night. Darker objects tend to absorb heat during the day even when it’s cooler outside. But while those objects will show a white hot, it’s a duller white hot than an actual living critter.
You can actually put your hand on a tree and see a heat signature after you remove your hand. Doesn’t last long but it’s there. You can see where something has peed. It’s pretty amazing technology.
You can actually put your hand on a tree and see a heat signature after you remove your hand. Doesn’t last long but it’s there. You can see where something has peed. It’s pretty amazing technology.
