With our Illinois bow season winding to a close, I am already beginning to think about next year. I have two preference points for Iowa, and hope to draw a tag for next season. While we have some pretty good hunting in parts of Illinois, things have changed in the last 10 years, and the quality has gone down. My trail cameras have confirmed this. Hopefully things will bounce back with the possibility of future legislation promoting age structure. Anyway, I simply cannot wait to see what Iowa offers. Any other non-residents hoping to hunt Iowa next season? If any of us are close to each other, it would be great to get together to swap hunting stories!
Have a pocket full of preference points.....just biding my time......probably won't make it out there this year.....pretty focused on 2011 if all goes well.
Good luck to you guys that head there this year.
What are you a smart adz? Don't get me all worked up about the Iowa draw already!!
Biggie, if you are going to draw and are hunting anywhere near me...I'd love to meet you. I'll even buy dinner!
I did not draw in 2009 with 2pts; so I will have 3pts for 2010. Haven't decided, if I will try or not.
If I understood the NR licenses for 2010, the cost will be around $850.00. Anyone have any information?
Dennis
I hopefully will get drawn too,haven't been back
since 2007.Can't wait.Going to Iowa from Pa. is like hunting in another world.
I wouldn't be surprised if the price of NR tags went up sharply here in Iowa. Our resident licenses have been on a steady rise for many years!!
Jon, If you buy Biggie supper, you won't have enough money to get home.
I've got 3pts. I'll have to see about a place to hunt before it's time to apply.
Jon, P.M.sent.
2 points and hoping to draw again.
Joe
I have 2 points and plan on hunting in Union County next year. An old friend from high school moved out there to farm and has been buying land over the years. It won't cost much of anything for me to hunt the land but man that archery tag sure will.
I'll be there. The tough part is deciding where to hunt, so many good options. I guess thats a good thing though. Good luck to all those that go. Sam
Jon, you're on!
If I don't draw, it won't be because I don't want to come up.
We're losing our number one ranch but still have some good options.
$850.00 for a license to hunt deer? I had no idea it was that expensive.
I bought a house this morning. I'll fix it up and sell it in June. That will be my hunting $$$ for this year.
It's all it what you percieve to be a priority in your life. If it goes to $2,000 for a tag I'll buy TWO houses next year.......
i live in iowa and dont know how the point system works.seems like every hunting show i watch has iowa deer hunting on it.how do they get their tags?are they hunting private ranches all the time.hope you guys get your tags,if anyone hunts in north central iowa shoot me a message.more than likely if your hunting you will be in the south where the big ones are more plentiful.good luck.greg
I live in Southeast Iowa and I have a small guide service. I had four hunters last year and they only paid $525 for a Buck and a doe tag with a small game hunting license which is required.
I've got a good 3 or 4 points, just have to make the time to go. Plus I'll have college bills this fall :help: That'll be a new experience!
Ok Biggie. I'll hold you to that! I've got two points and am hoping to draw this may.
I'll take a contrarian view to Altiman94 on the price of Iowa resident tags. $27 each for the first two tags and $12 per tag for as many doe tags as you can possibly want seems incredibly cheap to me. Especially since a resident can take two archery bucks ( one early and one late). If you are a landowner you can take another buck and two does for the princely sum of $2 apiece. It appears that Iowa DNR budget constraints will result in as many as 20% of the conservation positions being vacant in 2010. That's bad news for all ethical sportsmen. A resident can bowhunt for deer during an 83 day season for as little as 67 cents per day. In my mind, that's mighty cheap at twice the price. Hope I haven't started something.
Gene Hall
Gene, good point you make, never looked at it like that.
This year was the first year I was eligable for a land owner tag. While I didn't get one, as our piece of property isn't well managed yet, they are very reasonable. Taking one or two bucks a year off the small parcel is about all it can handle.
Hoping you guys draw. Best hunting is along the river and southeast portions. I hunted a piece in southwest iowa and saw tons of deer. I didn't see a deer i wanted, but it was great to see some new terrain!
QuoteOriginally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
It's all it what you percieve to be a priority in your life. If it goes to $2,000 for a tag I'll buy TWO houses next year.......
Biggie - you definitely have your priorities straight!!!!
If I go broke it will be hunting. Off to a double hunt in Texas in a few weeks. I moved to Iowa in the mid 1970's and the deer hunting then was below average. Now everyone wants to come here and the deer hunting is good to excellent depending on the area of the state. Glad to be a resident and a landowner. Some folks with 3 points did not draw last year. Good luck to my fellow trad archers coming to Iowa.
why does it seem that the kisky's and lakosky's take 10 deer every year? how many are you allowed in iowa?
if you are a land owner, potentially 3 bucks. Lee and Tiff would be able to shoot 6 bucks a year between the two of them.
QuoteOriginally posted by Shaun:
If I go broke it will be hunting.
I'm with you there Shaun!!
If it wasn't for my bowhunting life, I'd be sitting pretty right now retired at 54.
Can't do it....too many hunts to go on and too little time left.
QuoteOriginally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
I bought a house this morning. I'll fix it up and sell it in June. That will be my hunting $$$ for this year.
It's all it what you percieve to be a priority in your life. If it goes to $2,000 for a tag I'll buy TWO houses next year.......
A wise man there folks!!!!! A mans got to have his priorities. I'm with you Biggie.
Hmm Biggie had a tag in 2006 when I did so I would expect that we would both draw in 2011 but not this year. I have a place to hunt and a buddy that will pick me up so it's a relatively cheap hunt for me even with a steep tag price. About the only hunting that I do that is cheaper is Kauai.
BTW, I shot two does in 2006 but for some reason intend to return!
I have two points going in plus this years. Hoping to draw also. harvested a Good Buck in 2005, missed a good buck in 2007, 2010 if drawn will be my first year with the wheels off my bow. Good Luck to All !!!!!
I have 2 points and hope to get drawn this year.
Man does this thread make me feel blessed to already be in Iowa. I am a landowned and I get my tags for nearly nothing. I have 100 acers of timber and the rest crop. I would never dream of taking 3 bucks in one year if I could. This year I never filled a buck tag. Shot high on a huge 12 pointer(buck fever). I let the rest walk. Just not what I wanted. My Hawk buck from last year was a nice 9 pointer. I decided going in this year to go bigger or go home empty on bucks. Good luck to you all. If any of you are in Warren Co. I know a good public spot near me. Not large(maybe 80 acers timber), but big deer.
430.00 for non res iowa license
For 2010 non-resident it will cost $545.00 for an either sex tag.Quite a jump in price.
Leland
I have enough points, but am waiting for 2011.
It'll be my last time, due to cost. Same for the turkey hunt. Gave it up this spring, they priced me right out of hunting. Sad, sad truth.
2009 was my last year to hunt Iowa,also do to the cost.Great times,great memories & meat for the table-I'll miss it.
Leland
Aw c'mon you guys....you can deliver pizzas for one month and make $600!!
I would volunteer to only kill does if I could hunt in Iowa... Just to see the country and hunt a new place.
Anyone that has a place to bowhunt in Iowa,, do whatever to get the tag paid for and go!
John III
I've got no points and I'm going to get drawn thsi year cause that's the way I roll, baby...
Ray,
Just call up Tiff, she'll pull some strings for YOU...maybe when you go by Vargo's place she'll let you honk the horn on the bus :biglaugh:
Actually, I hear there is going to be one of the Governor's tags on the auction site next month...anybody can hunt Iowa every year if they have enough money or have a hunting show on TV.
John3--you can't get a doe tag save the holiday tag in December. The cheaters ruined it for the rest of us.
My big buck trips have all been to southeast Kansas so I have never read the Iowa regs. A non resident cannot even buy a doe tag for Iowa?
Didn't know my relatives were thugs, thanks for the heads up.
Sitting back and keeping my mouth shut.
Vic,
I should have done the same. PMs to you guys coming.
I have no problems with gun / party hunters unless they are rogues who do whatever they feel like. Iowa is known for it's lawless shotgun groups..... so, I do understand where you're coming from, but not all are bad eggs.
The IDNR got rid of the archery antlerless tags do to what they called an "excessive problem" with non residents using them to hunt bucks. The antlerless tags were simply being used as a reason for them to legally be in the timber.