I'm hoping to get some help from any of you who might know a little something about Iowa bow hunting.... I have a friend whose Dad owns roughly 20,000 acres in Iowa and Missouri. She has offered to let me and my dad come hunt but I am unsure about what I need or need to do to hunt in Iowa as a non-resident on private land. She said her family has tags/permits we can use so I don't know if I am able to just purchase an out of state license and use one of their tags or do I have to apply through the drawing process with the DNR? Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated. I have tried looking on the DNR webpage but am not finding clear answers that assure me I would be hunting legally so I need advice. Thank you in advance for the help. BS87-
You must have your own tag, which can take as long as three years of applying before drawing a tag. There is no party hunting allowed for bow season so if you shoot a deer and they tag it be ready for consequences. But in order to hunt you must have a tag for that season. Go for the Missouri land! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I tried doing this as well. I have family in Iowa with land owner tags. In Iowa you can't party hunt during archery season only gun season. You maybe be able to buy a surplus doe tag over the counter depending on the area. If you want to kill a buck you have to apply and wait until you get drawn. My advice, Marry that girl. Then you'd be part of the family and could use the land owner tags.
Thanks for the advice guys. Is the Missouri regulations easier for non residents? If so I will gladly go to Missouri just wanted to try Iowa if it was possible.
This brings up a question that I have too about non res hunting in MO. I know in Iowa you can't buy a bow tag and a gun tag as a non res. Can you buy a bow tag and a gun tag in MO?
I didn't realize it was that difficult for a non-res to shoot a buck in Iowa. I wish Wisconsin was more like that so every out of state tom, rich, and Harry wouldn't come here and crush every fork buck they come across.
Yeah there is ups and downs of a state that can be hard to access. Just the same goes for states that are easy to access.
As far as Missouri goes, unfortunately for residents, it's very cheap and easy for non-residents to get tags. I believe they are $225 over the counter for your buck tags. Same price for archery as it is for gun. You get two archery tags for that price, the only catch is only one can be used before the November gun season. They are over the counter. Some areas have special regulations when it comes to doe harvest numbers. Doe tags are $25 for non-residents. For my sake, hopefully MDC will change this in the near future, but for now it's probably one of the best bargains in hunting.
$225 gets you two any deer tags as well as two turkey tags. Season runs Sept 15 - Jan 15. Closed Nov 14 - Nov 24 for rifle season. You can hunt rifle season with your bow as long as you buy a $225 rifle tag and wear orange. Have to agree that seasons and regulations need to be changed.
4yrs later with a drawn tag spending a total around of 610$ with all of the tax fee you pay em when you dont get drawn for those 3 4 yrs. if you live in the midwest theres trophys there. to me that much time and money for a drawn tag is as much as me harvesting a nice one or a big one in that time gap. if not two or more nice or big ones if you work and hunt hard enough.
