3 points in Iowa

okie archer · Feb 7, 2018

I sent a pm to a gentleman on here that was helpful but would like to hear some more info from the Iowa guys. I was invited to hunt a private farm in southern Iowa a few years ago. Started building points and since then the man sold his farm. Now I have 3 points and still want to hunt Iowa but don't have the farm as an option. Any suggestions on private land tresspass fees or decent public land areas? I am considering going in spring to turkey hunt and scout for deer while I'm there. Should draw archery this year or next I think.

Gellar · Feb 7, 2018

https://programs.iowadnr.gov/maps/huntingatlas/default.html

This link is to an interactive map for public land in Iowa. It includes Federal, State, County, and IHAP (private open to public). In some zones the County Conservation boards have very good public land, that is often overlooked. I would strongly suggest contacting the County Conservation Board in the area you are thinking about hunting. The website for all County Conservation Boards in Iowa is https://www.mycountyparks.com/default.aspx

DoubleTrouble · Feb 8, 2018

Sent u a pm

88man · Feb 8, 2018

yeah I have 3 iowa points also and very undecided on when or what to do with them.

duckhunt · Feb 9, 2018

Gellar said:
https://programs.iowadnr.gov/maps/huntingatlas/default.html

This link is to an interactive map for public land in Iowa. It includes Federal, State, County, and IHAP (private open to public). In some zones the County Conservation boards have very good public land, that is often overlooked. I would strongly suggest contacting the County Conservation Board in the area you are thinking about hunting. The website for all County Conservation Boards in Iowa is https://www.mycountyparks.com/default.aspx

This hunting atlas is exactly what you need to find public land. I highly dought you will get on private because locals usually already have permission.

okie archer · Feb 9, 2018

Thanks for the replies

BrentD · Feb 9, 2018

As an Iowan, I do most of my hunting local (central), which is not something I would recommend to an out-of-stater. Generally, the bigger state forests parcels in Lucas County and the Surrounding area can be decent. But I really like to hunt DOD land (Army Corp) in the flood pools of the larger river systems (generally the Des Moines River for me). I would one day like to hunt the backwater areas of the upper pools on the Mississippi River and maybe some of the islands, but I don't know the logistics for doing that just yet. Retirement will be when I figure it out.

Underappreciated deer hunting exists in and along isolated cattail swamps on public land where trees are relatively few and it just doesn't look like deer habitat. I found two dead 10-pointers in the cattails this year and saw others. Just don't shoot me or my dog as we go to such places looking to escape the hordes of shotgun-season deer hunters that make bird hunting hazardous in some areas. Anyway, don't pass up some of those public land areas that seem like they are only good for ducks and ditch chickens. Deer know about them too.

Lostinthewoods · Feb 9, 2018

I've got one point going into this year and I'm putting in. I'm not going for the traditional spots that most people are shooting for, so I have a small chance to draw.

skull · Feb 9, 2018

I hope I’ll draw with 4PP

MiStickSlinger · Feb 9, 2018

Same boat here, I believe I have 4pp now for Iowa, probably will wait to cash them in.... just weighing my options, but from what I understand public in Iowa will still be a big step up from good private in Michigan

DoubleTrouble · Feb 10, 2018

Skull,
I think I drive through your BMA every year I go up to hunt. Good luck in the Iowa draw. Where you going to hunt?

skull · Feb 10, 2018

DoubleTrouble said:
Skull,
I think I drive through your BMA every year I go up to hunt. Good luck in the Iowa draw. Where you going to hunt?

I’m going to be in union county Iowa
How do you know where my BMA is?
Are you going to be in Ontario this year ?

DoubleTrouble · Feb 10, 2018

I have seen a few of your posts. Buddy has a BMA around Iroquois Falls been up there a bunch. You are headed to a excellent area.....we have farms east of union county.

Headed up in early June.

skull · Feb 10, 2018

DoubleTrouble said:
I have seen a few of your posts. Buddy has a BMA around Iroquois Falls been up there a bunch. You are headed to a excellent area.....we have farms east of union county.

Headed up in early June.

I know I’m going to an excellent area, I’ve been waiting for years to draw this tag, I was there in 2014
I’m going to be in Afton

3855WIN · Feb 11, 2018

For the OP, check on some of the national archery forums. There are NR landowners that might put you on private if they aren't able to go.

If you go public, you may want to look at going late pre-rut. Peak rut will bring out the crowds.

Trial153 · Feb 11, 2018

I have bow hunted Iowa diy twice now....what I info are you looking for specificity? For the most part subleases are pretty high priced for what they are. I have had decent luck securing permission on some smaller parcels that helped me access the public lands I hunted as well. I like Iowa but honestly from a cost perspective via points and license fees vs quality on public land and unmanged lands...well I think there are way better options. That said I will hunt Iowa again in the near future.

okie archer · Feb 11, 2018

Trial153, I was just basically makeing the post in hopes of gleaning any information I could about Iowa public lands or just maybe a private land opportunity might pop up in trade for taxidermy work. I hope that's not distasteful. Thanks for all the replies.

Kramer588 · Mar 4, 2018

I hunted Iowa in 2016, i have a buddy in Van Buren Co with 40 acres. We sat on the 40 with the thought of using the public too. Drove around a few times during the mid day and the public wasnt very busy at all, could be due to being mid day or being mid week. It was during the first week of November though so i expected to see the public being packed. Going into the draw with 3 points should be a lock to draw the tag. I did end up shoot close to 140" 10pt on his 40 acres so i didnt end up sitting the public. Im actually heading down to his place in a two weeks to shed hunt/ scout some public land for the next time i draw.

3 points in Iowa

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