I have 2 preference points and am focusing on drawing for the upcoming year to archery hunt Iowa. I'm beginning to focus heavily on the planning of this and in doing so I've been looking to find a thread on this topic. I haven't been able to come across anything to this point so I just decided to start one. I don't want to screw anything up in my planning and thus I'm looking for any out of state tips, especially those specific to Iowa. I intent to go the lease route if possible and also seek to locate public land as well. Any feedback on steps, drawing process, leases, cost, public land options, zones, and so much more is welcomed. I have ideas in all these areas, but they are just that ideas. I would much rather know the reality from those who do this often or who have experience in Iowa as an out of state hunter. Thanks!
Thanks Tom. You have done this a handful of times any thoughts for me? I'll actually have 3 and I have been watching draw rates. I understand that 3 doesn't guarantee anything in a few zones while in others you may draw with 0. That said, 3 is really the minimum needed in Zones 4, 5, and 6. I am open to feedback on approaching zones based on the points I have.
your Can Draw units 4 and 5 with three points for a bow tag. if every NR application for those units had 3 points or greater youd be close to 50/50 drawing with 3 points. However not every application has three points attached. So your probbly closer to 80-85% drawing with three points. every other unit youd be 100% with three points. providing there isnt any unusual circumstances that would cause a greater then average number of applications.
I was going to say that from the quota numbers last year this is what I pulled: 383 of the 438 tag quote in Zone 4 was awarded with 3 point (65%) 308 of the 560 tag quota in Zone 5 was awarded with 3 point (55%) 232 of the 280 tag quota in Zone 6 was awarded with 2/3 points (mainly 3 points) (83%)
I've drawn zone 5 this year (2017) and 2013 with 3 points I would highly recommend going the lease route. With all the attention public land is getting with the internet shows it has increased the pressure incredibly in just the last four years. Don t get me wrong iowa probably has some of the best public land hunting but I was shocked at the amount of pressure. Lease with public as a backup would be a solid strategy. For a once in every 4 year tag go all out to maximize the iowa experience. Hope this helps. Sent from my SM-G930R4 using Tapatalk
Based on tag allotment and public land availability are there Zones of which might be better suited for public land hunting (I guess based on 3 points Zone 4, 5, 6, and 9 are the ones I may likely be targeting? I guess I have the same question for lease pricing in these different zones.
I will be following this as well. I am in position to draw for zone 9 next season. The reason I am going there as of now is I have a friend that has 320 acres that I can hunt. So that at least gives me a starting point without worrying about extreme pressure. I am experienced in freelancing for ducks throughout Canada, but this will be my first traveling deer hunt. I started a thread in the midwest forum asking several questions regarding zone 9 but I have received no feedback as of yet.
I can only speak to zone 5 and there is a significant amount of public land ( Stephens state forest rathbun and many smaller parcels). I have been to these areas several times both when I've drawn a tag and scouting trips in the spring and there is some great areas to hunt with the best public land I've ever hunted. That being said when I was there in 2013 the boys from Midwest whitetail started filming and producing their content and it has drawn a lot of attention to the area. I couldn't believe the difference in the amount of pressure there compared to trips in the earlier years. I ran into a lot of issues while there including locals walking in on me several times and telling me I was in "their" spot...very discouraging. So with that experience behind me my next trip to iowa will be with a lease for sure. Sent from my SM-G930R4 using Tapatalk
I hope I’ll draw with 4PP. I will be hunting in Union county Zone 4, private property. Are you going on state land? There is some state land near where I’ll be hunting, never saw anyone last time I was there. If you want i can give you more detail on PM.
We get a ton of feedback on our show that people want to see more public land hunts - and the main reason I shy away from it is for this specific reason. We only have so much public land to hunt here in IL and the more notoriety we bring to an area where we're having success the more likely it is to get pounded by other guys. It's a vicious circle - people want you to be more "relate-able" and hunt public land and then you ruin your own hunting by publicizing it. I went out and pounded 8 miles of scouting this weekend on public and didn't film a lick of it.
You guys could always hunt a bunch of Wisconsin public land, see no deer like the rest of us, and then people would complain about your show being boring. It's a tough market.
I do plan on hunting WI public 1-2 weekends in September. Hoping to run into a bunch of other guys with crossbows who give me dirty looks for being an out-of-stater.
I know a landowner in zone 5 that did not draw this past season with 4 points. So, five year wait to hunt his own ground. Sadly, that is what keeps the hunting exceptional. Its really no different than waiting to draw a trophy bull zone out West. You expect to have an opportunity at something special when you get here, but it does take time.
