Due to the response I received from the members of this site on a trade a hunt post, I decided I would act on a dream. That was two years ago. I had always wanted to start an outfitter company and thanks to Trad Gang, The Iron Hills Whitetail Co. was born.
This is my second year. We're starting out slowly. We only host 6 hunts per year. We have set our prices to be very reasonable.
Our prices are one third what some outfitters charge. I don't believe you should have to be rich to hunt quality whitetails in another state. I am not out to get rich on this endeavor, but I do plan on making friends through good fellowship, good service, and a great times for those who come hunt with us.
I have now become a full fledged sponsor to Trad Gang. I hope you will visit our site and I look forward to seeing you in the future should you decide to hunt in one of the most beautiful counties in Iowa..The whitetail are not bad either.
We are 100% Traditional Archery Only. We will make exceptions for youth and the physically challenged.
Why only traditional? There is something about doing things in a traditional fashion that strikes a chord with me, as I'm sure you can relate. I have made my own bow, tied my own flies, carved my own decoys. Its only natural that my operation is aligned with that traditional spirit.
Many thanks to those who inquired initially. And a special thanks to the Lord who sees the desires in our hearts and Blesses us along the way as we walk in His will.
Wishing you all - much success in the upcoming Archery season!
Eric - N9BOW
Iron Hills Whitetail Co. LLC
1 888 928-TRAD
Good luck with your dream and hope to get to hunt with you one day.
Welcome to Tradgang! :wavey:
Welcome Eric. Nice post. As a former Montana guide, I know what it is like to have that desire in your heart. Not many days go by that I don't think about doing it again. I wish you well and Thanks for the chance to hunt with you. Thank you.
Chuck
Congrats on following your dream.
Nice website. How many acres approx? Multiple farms? Never have put in for a draw tag situation...how does it work for NR? Do you have to apply for a couple of years to get points to finally get drawn? Just looking for general info.
Thanks and God Bless.
Good for you for having the guts to go for it-
Welcome to Tradgang Eric, looking foward to meeting you.
Eric,
I have not been on this site in two months and then I happen to click tonight and look who I run into. Congrats on another step toward your dreams, God's blessed you with lots of talent. The site looks great.
Looking forward to another deer season hunting together!
God Bless!
Jcar315,
the operations is comprised of 2 farms at this time. I am looking to add more ground via lease or purchase. I have a couple discussion going now for next year. but I am purposely taking this slow to ensure I do it right.
The total for the two farms are a little over 200 acres. It is my intention to give each hunter at least 40 acres of prime hunting habitat all to himself. We have multiple stands set up for all wind conditions and so that hunters can choose to hunt close to one another if they want. That's for the hunters to decide if they choose.
I have over 18 acres of food plots: Corn, AlphaRack Plus, Imperial Whitetail Clover, Pure Alpharack, Sorghum, Sudan Grass, we have a 20 acre Hardwood planting that is now approaching 20 years old with over 10,000 red oaks that has a significant portion produce acorns every year. All the farms have creek bottom or drainage that is a magnet for cruising and tending bucks.
We are surrounded by hundreds of acres that are no hunting allowed and on the farms that do allow hunting its the December shotgun seasons. Our farm is shut down to provide sanctuary during the shotgun season.
Iowa is a draw to hunt state for non residents. You can expect a two year wait, but I have heard of some lucky folks that have drawn their first year.
If you purchase a preference point each year you enter you are likely to draw in the second year.
Eric - N9BOW
Best of luck with the outfitting. The only bad part is getting a non-resident, lucky enough to get a deer tag. Its about a every three to four year deal. Chad
Dick,
I am looking forward to meeting you as well. It was down right cool this evening, it wont be long now. You'll be here before you know it!
Eric
Eric,
I checked your website earlier tonight.. Very well done. Traditional only is a plus! I've hunted a trad only outfitter and this was by far the best camp/hunt I have ever been involved with. I also checked the Iowa DNR site regarding non resident fees...?
Deer tag, hunting license, habitat fee, ect. and am a bit confused.
What would be the total cost of all tags and fees for a non-resident?
John III
Eric I wiil be giving you a call sometime today. I am only about 1 hour away from you in Mount Vernon.
doug77
The site really looks good Eric, and the hunting sounds fantastic! I really need to start putting in for Iowa. Thought about buying a point this year and didn't. Won't make that mistake next year :readit:
Great looking site and great idea!!
I've got the PPs.......now to just find the time to dedicate to an IOWA hunt! Maybe next year!
Regardless, I wish you the best of luck in your new venture.....it will certainly hit the right chord with this great group of folks.
I'll be putting in for Iowa next year for sure now.... :campfire:
Me too... I've wanted to bowhunt Iowa for years but have went to southeast Kansas.
Trad only in Iowa. It just does not get better than that...!
Man I went to high school not to far south of there, and it is some pretty county. Maybe I should move back... I am not sure why, but sometime I really miss Iowa.
For nonresidents here's the deal:
The application (for the deer tag which includes either sex tag, doe tag (mandatory) and license/habitat fee) is about $600. If you don't draw you are refunded $500 and you get a point (in effect buying the preference point for $100).
In the zone I apply for (not zone 8) it has been every 3rd year - so 2 points are needed ($200) then when you draw the tag is $600 - so to hunt you will have $800 into the tag (for an either sex + doe tag).
This is a true preference draw system so you CANNOT GET LUCKY and draw with 0 or 1 point in a zone where 2 points are needed. The late season ("primitive" muzzleloader/bow season) has been able to draw with 0 or 1 point in several zones since there are fewer hunters applying for this season than for the regular archery season. You will not be able to hunt the rut in this season, of course.
You can check on the DNR site to see how many points it takes to draw a NR archery tag for Zone 8 (likely 2 or 3 points).
Ryan
John3,
If you have not seen the link to the fees you can see it here. http://www.iowadnr.gov/law/regs/10nrdeer.pdf
also
http://www.iowadnr.gov/wildlife/nrhunting.html
I will also give you a breakdown.
$426.00 - for your buck tag /Anterless (they dont offer buck tags alone)
$112.00 - for a standard hunting license (this is required along with the any deer tag - they should just call the 426.00 fee a tag fee and not a license as this is confusing)
$13.00 - for a habitat fee
$18-$20 - for registration fees (non refundable)
when you apply in May they make you pay up front all fees. If you don't draw that season, you are refunded your monies, less a mandatory preference point 50.00 fee and the 18-20 dollar filing/paperwork fees (this is a percentage based on what licenses you apply for)
When its all said and done you will have about $570.00 shelled out for a buck and a doe tag (not including your previous preference point and administrative fees from other year application - so it will actually be higher then that on the order of another 100 dollars for at least 2 pref points)
There is a statistics page on the Iowa DNR site that shows your chances of drawing in the first year. Most of the best Whitetail counties have large number of applicants so the chances for a first year draw are minimal. I will post the link to the statistics on my site. To save the administrative fees most folks just purchase the preference point their first time they apply.
Eric
The statistics can be found on Page 3 of the 2010 NR Deer PDF
http://www.iowadnr.gov/law/regs/10nrdeer.pdf
In 2009 there were 320 applicants for Zone 8 and 83 bow applicants were not successful in drawing tags. What ratio of preference points 1 or 2 were had by those hunters I don't know, but The DNR Rep I spoke with has indicated that it is possible to draw with 1 preference point. It just depends on the number of applicants.
(of that number I am trying to get the stats for Archery only - more to come if I can get that info).
I am still a student of the outfitting business so please bear with me as I try to get you all the correct info. With that said it is always best to go straight to the DNR with your questions. They are very helpful. 1(515) 281-5918 hit 1 for Non Resident License info.
Eric
Iowa provides NR quotas for each zone. Zone 8 has a quota of 240 non resident licenses. of that quota roughly 35% are for Archery tags.
In 2009 there were 84 Archery tags awarded. 83 hunters were unsuccessful that means 167 archers applied for Zone 8 tags. They don't have the stats published for this year.
Apparently the stats person is no longer there so i can't get any more details on the number of preference points per hunter that successfully drew out of that 84.
Eric
Yep, sounds right - tag is $570 (+ the $ cost of the points you need), that's where my rounded numbers came from - I'm not trying to rain on the parade, sorry if it came across that way - I think you have an excellent deal for guys looking for a guided whitetail hunt.
It is just fair that guys know that they can't "beat the odds" in the Iowa draw - due to the way it is setup you just have to wait your turn as a nonresident and build up the points.
Best of luck in your outfitting endeavor! I admire you for opening a Traditional only outfit!
Ryan
I just called the Iowa DNR...
Yes you can buy ONLY a preference point.
She checked the numbers in zone 8 for me.. The majority of bowhunters drawn had at least two preference points. Some with 2 points were not drawn so with two points your chances are good but not guaranteed.
I will be on the phone to Iowa next May...
John III
Good deal John.
The Rep I spoke with did not know the answer to that question and said what she said about the stats person. I'm glad you got the details on the points for applicants who drew tags.
I am almost certain I have hunters this year that only had 1 preference point prior to applying this spring (I could be wrong. Its happened before). I hope they will join in the post and share their experience and number of points they had when they drew.
Ryan - No offense taken. You have the experience of applying for an out of state tag. Experience over this person told me so and so... wins every time :)
Eric
Hey Eric,
That is the fact. We applied last year for the first time and did not draw. So we had one bonus point going into this year and we drew are non-resident tag in Iowa. Now that was a party application with 4 guys on it but I am not sure if that would help or hurt are chances of drawing.
The one thing for sure is myself, Dick Langer,Bill Langer and Donovan Valley are counting the days down till November 1. We look forward to meeting you and having a great hunt.
Good Luck,
Jon