What's the deal, I have a chance to hunt some good private land in Iowa next season. Whats the process in getting a NR tag and how much? Thanks!
Go to the Iowa DNR website and you can read all about it. You apply next summer and it will usually take you 3 to 4 years now to draw a bow tag. Unless you already have at least two preference points you will not be bowhunting Iowa next year. More and more nonresidents are buying hunting land and putting in for tags every year and making them a little tougher to get. Many argure that the tags are too few but that is exactly what makes the tag a great draw when you finally get it. Tight restrictions on tags equals low pressure and plenty of good deer to hunt when you get here. Good luck.
the incresed fee for both the points and the actual tag could make it possible to draw sooner imo. A point is now $50 and the tag has gone up to the $500 ball park, not sure of the exact tag cost. I bought my first point last year for $12 and the next day the points went to $50.
dmen is right on. My buddy paid 12 bucks for his and two days later i paid 50 wtf. i hope i can get drawn within two years. goodluck on 2013....lol
Thanks for the info guys.... Iowa DNR can bite me... $500 for a deer tag is insane. I got a buddy who's is over run with deer and asked if I wanted to come over a hunt his property and help him thin them out, sorry but he's on his own for that $$$$.
Same thing here. The wife works with a guy whose family has a large farm and they just want help with some deer control. When I found out that I would be $150 in pp's and another $500 when I get drawn??? The heck with that. However I did read someplace that the Iowa Farm Bureau is really working hard to get these landowner tags to be made transferable. However, then farmers will just sell the tags for a grand with permission to hunt. Either way, Iowa is soon going to be priced way to high for an average guy to hunt as NR. I think I am moving to Montana.
Really no different than the thousands I would have invested in getting an Arizona elk tag. Could take up to 15 years in good zones and you must buy a hunting license every year just to apply for the points. There is no shortage of applicants here or there and you end up getting a chance at a true monster either way. Already a 267 gross bowkill and several in the 200 range killed with bow this year in Iowa. Not arguing that it doesnt suck, but supply and demand will always be the driving factor of any commodity wanted by many and held by few. The good news is, there is still some room here. The Lakoskys, Drurys, Kiskys, Wensels, Bill Winke, Steve Snow, etc. havent bought up everything yet. You could get a landowner tag for $2 and a statewide for $26 if you can stand to move.
If they lower the prices, then all of us would flood the state and soon Iowa would non longer be what it is. There are many many appplicants every year so there is no worry on the part of their DNR...if you hunt in Georgia, almost everyone you know is either hunting Illinois or trying to get drawn for Iowa.
I agree, to a point. Fact is that Whitetailed Deer can be hunted in most states, while elk can not. I guess, for me, I wont pay that much to hunt Iowa when I can hunt a couple hundred miles north of there in Wisconsin and take a decent buck every year, for $24/yr. So I can hunt the next 20 years and not spend $500 for license and tags. I do however sympathize with those that hunt in states where the deer quality may not be as good. I will have to start doing what Iowa Veteran has been doing and get one guy up here and only ask that they pass it on.
Don't get me wrong, I wasn't going there to look for the next world record, I was going there to help a friend thin out some deer and have a few beers with. So if your chasing the next world record maybe the $500 is worth it, not in my eyes! I just wish Wisconsin would start charging NR what their state charges NR to hunt their state!
I understand. I have hunted in several states and will continue to do so. I expect to pay an amount equal to the quality of animals I can expect to have a legitimate chance to see and/or kill. Colorado has a lot of elk and a tag is relatively inexpensive and easy to get compared to Arizona or New Mexico. But I stand a much better chance of taking a 360" or better bull in AZ or NM. If I wanted to hunt each year and had no care about trophy potential I would be in Colorado and would have a great chance to kill an elk. To each his own. Iowa tags that become available at conservation organization auctions are now going for several thousand dollars. Heck, if I didnt live here, I probably would not be hunting here either.
It will be interesting to see if the increase in costs affect drawing odds any? Last time I hunted IA, I thought it was in the 300+ range for everything, so it sounds like it's went up substantially....
Price was up substantially this year and applicants were too. Could take three to four years to draw now and it used to be every second year when prices were lower but Iowa was less known for its deer herd.
I believe one reason they went up so much in the last few years is the fact that you must by a doe tag too. They charge you like $100 for it! Im glad my tags are not that expensive. If I go to missouri to hunt its $225 and thats two buck tags and turkey tags.
