Iowa bucks

[Redclub]

Why is it that Iowa shoots so many very large bucks, especially given the fact that they don't kill that many deer (in comparison to other states). Here in Wi. we kill some huge deer, but we also shoot 500,000 deer most of the large ones come from the Mississippi river counties as I believe is the case in Iowa and Maybe Ill. Just wondering?
Redclub

 

[Anonymous]

Why is it that Iowa shoots so many very large bucks, especially given the fact that they don't kill that many deer (in comparison to other states). Here in Wi. we kill some huge deer, but we also shoot 500,000 deer most of the large ones come from the Mississippi river counties as I believe is the case in Iowa and Maybe Ill. Just wondering?
Redclub

Part of the answer lies in your post. For many years Iowa's general season was (and still may be) a either sex hunt. Many hunters took does, that takes a lot of pressure off the bucks and allows many to grow to older age classes. Iowa.........just about the whole state......... is prime deer habitat....some of the best if not the best deer growing ground in the U.S.

 

[Spitpatch]

Keep in mind another reason Iowa grows such big deer, in addition to what Dell said about the excellent food source, is the fact that Iowa has had an outstanding conservation board in our capitol that knows how to manage our 6000,000 deer herd. The Iowa program is now being looked at as a model for other states.

Remember most states allow high power rifle hunting. Iowa did NOT until this year and then only in the southern two tiers of the state. And only for does to control the exploding deer population. In the past it has been shotgun seasons 1 & 2 and early and late blackpowder.

Most states have a gun season that allows gun hunters to harvest bucks during the rut. Iowa does NOT. Only archers can hunt the true rut. First season blackpowder is pre-rut. Some first season shotgunners may see a little rut action but this would be the second rut with little activity except for a few very young does who because of their youth, failed to come into estrous during the month of November. It's also intresting to note that if they fail to get bred because of their age or lack of a suitable beau, they will come into estrous each month until they are bred. Kinda like some girls I used to know. :shock:

Over the past 10 years I have seen a great intrest in landowners big and small, along with archers, ML'ers, and shotgunners to be more selective about the harvest of big mature bucks. The taking of does instead of that little 100-125 class buck. And the practice is spreading like wildfire. I know of large groups of drive hunters some as large as 26 guys that have a rule ....shoot does and only bucks large enough to mount. And for the most part they stick to it.

We Iowa hunters are becoming a spoiled lot. Over the past 10 years or so, we have truely experienced a LARGE number of trophy class bucks. We have seen the fruits of our labor, and to be honest, it's like saying sickem' to a dog! We have seen it work and we are PUMPED!

At least I am :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

Keep in mind another reason Iowa grows such big deer, in addition to what Dell said about the excellent food source, is the fact that Iowa has had an outstanding conservation board in our capitol that knows how to manage our 6000,000 deer herd. The Iowa program is now being looked at as a model for other states.

Remember most states allow high power rifle hunting. Iowa did NOT until this year and then only in the southern two tiers of the state. And only for does to control the exploding deer population. In the past it has been shotgun seasons 1 & 2 and early and late blackpowder.

Most states have a gun season that allows gun hunters to harvest bucks during the rut. Iowa does NOT. Only archers can hunt the true rut. First season blackpowder is pre-rut. Some first season shotgunners may see a little rut action but this would be the second rut with little activity except for a few very young does who because of their youth, failed to come into estrous during the month of November. It's also intresting to note that if they fail to get bred because of their age or lack of a suitable beau, they will come into estrous each month until they are bred. Kinda like some girls I used to know. :shock:

Over the past 10 years I have seen a great intrest in landowners big and small, along with archers, ML'ers, and shotgunners to be more selective about the harvest of big mature bucks. The taking of does instead of that little 100-125 class buck. And the practice is spreading like wildfire. I know of large groups of drive hunters some as large as 26 guys that have a rule ....shoot does and only bucks large enough to mount. And for the most part they stick to it.

We Iowa hunters are becoming a spoiled lot. Over the past 10 years or so, we have truely experienced a LARGE number of trophy class bucks. We have seen the fruits of our labor, and to be honest, it's like saying sickem' to a dog! We have seen it work and we are PUMPED!

At least I am :wink:

How many deer "6000,000"?? You do have a lot of deer! Compliments to your conservation board and Iowa hunters!

 

[user 70]

I should let Spitpatch speak for himself, but I think the number is 600,000. Six million would be about waist deep. :lol:

One thing Spit didn't mention about Iowa is the lack of public lands. Something like 98 or 99% of the land is privately held. This really limits access and is one of the issues our DNR is trying to deal with as they try to manage the herd. Like many other areas of the country, we deal with a suburban deer population that causes problems. When those living in these communties see the problems, they assume it is state wide which it is not. So as usual, there is are PR issues.

Everyone has differing ideas on how many deer there should be. The Insurance Lobby and the Farm Bureau want them all dead. Some hunters want to see MANY deer every time they venture afield. Then there are those who don't want any deer shot. Nobody's happy and it's politics as usual. :?

 

[Spitpatch]

I should let Spitpatch speak for himself, but I think the number is 600,000. Six million would be about waist deep. :lol:

One thing Spit didn't mention about Iowa is the lack of public lands. Something like 98 or 99% of the land is privately held. This really limits access and is one of the issues our DNR is trying to deal with as they try to manage the herd. Like many other areas of the country, we deal with a suburban deer population that causes problems. When those living in these communties see the problems, they assume it is state wide which it is not. So as usual, there is are PR issues.

Everyone has differing ideas on how many deer there should be. The Insurance Lobby and the Farm Bureau want them all dead. Some hunters want to see MANY deer every time they venture afield. Then there are those who don't want any deer shot. Nobody's happy and it's politics as usual. :?

Thankyou

 

[Spitpatch]

I should let Spitpatch speak for himself, but I think the number is 600,000. Six million would be about waist deep. :lol:

One thing Spit didn't mention about Iowa is the lack of public lands. Something like 98 or 99% of the land is privately held. This really limits access and is one of the issues our DNR is trying to deal with as they try to manage the herd. Like many other areas of the country, we deal with a suburban deer population that causes problems. When those living in these communties see the problems, they assume it is state wide which it is not. So as usual, there is are PR issues.

Everyone has differing ideas on how many deer there should be. The Insurance Lobby and the Farm Bureau want them all dead. Some hunters want to see MANY deer every time they venture afield. Then there are those who don't want any deer shot. Nobody's happy and it's politics as usual. :?

jrbronc.....you are absolutely right about the politics!!!!!!!!!

Iowa has 270,000 acres of managed wildlife habitat that can be hunted by the public. I would say thats quite a bit. I would say a good majority of the hunters in Iowa DON"T hunt public land because they have other land to hunt, and it is a known fact that the public areas are not overhunted but UNDER hunted. There are 500 acres of public hunting within 10 miles of me and another 13,511 acres just 30 miles from me to the north. That area is called the Hawkeye Wildlife Area. Only the edges get hunted with any pressure while the larger area sees very little pressure. I would recommend this area and the Shimick forest area to anyone fortunate enough to draw a tag. Everyone thinks these places get clobbered every year so they are avoided by most locals. The truth is just the opposite.

 

[Corncob]

The Iowa high power season runs 1/23 - 1/29 in the southern two tiers of counties. I'm thinking there are going to be some monster does shot that are packing testicles when it comes time to gut them. I am anxious to hear reports once the season is over.

BR's Cob

 

[Spitpatch]

The Iowa high power season runs 1/23 - 1/29 in the southern two tiers of counties. I'm thinking there are going to be some monster does shot that are packing testicles when it comes time to gut them. I am anxious to hear reports once the season is over.

BR's Cob

Cob....I agree.
Beleive it or not sheds were found TWO WEEKS AGO!!
This, I am told, is due to the extreeeeme cold we had early on, coupled with the large amounts of snowfall that covered the food sources. The bucks, weakened from the long rut needed large amounts of food to strengthen them for the winter. Because of all the snow, anything but browse was very hard to come by. So some started shedding early.

This first year of high power hunting has been brought to you courtesy of all the insurance lobby.

Remember, your herd's in good hands with ALL STATES!! :evil:

 

[user 70]

I would say a good majority of the hunters in Iowa DON"T hunt public land because they have other land to hunt, and it is a known fact that the public areas are not overhunted but UNDER hunted.

I'm not sure if Shimek State forest is underhunted during the shotgun seasons. I went down there in '83-'86 for shotgun and it was getting hunted fairly heavy (hunted the Croton unit). Almost scarey, it was.

I have lived in the Iowa City area since '83, and can count the number of times I have hunted the Hawkeye Wildlife area on one hand. Guess when a person finds access to private, the desire to hunt public diminishes.