Ames Area

[Spurgeon]

Alright guys, I'm going to ISU for school and have absolutely no idea where to go for deer. Right now i'm not going to do any hunting because i don't have my clothes down here, but i would love to find some public hunting areas within 30 mins where i can just watch some deer and hopefully see some big bucks. Thanks for your help and good luck this season.

 

[shackdaddy]

id go home on the weekend and get them.... if your going to look for deer you should hunt them while your at it

 

[Liv4Rut]

Go North of Ames on grand avenue, (the Walmart road) once you get out of town you will go maybe 5 miles or so, anyway go until you see a gas station on your left, ( I believe a Caseys) then take a right on the gravel. Follow it until you cross a canoe access, and take a right, its a dead end, the public starts about half way down the road on the right. At the end of the road, there should be a big hill on your left where you will be able to tell people drive their trucks up. if you find that your there. My buddy used to hunt up there when he went to school here and seen some pretty big bucks, he didn't have a clue how to hunt, so I imagine if you knew what you were doing it wouldn't be too bad. If he could see a good buck, anybody could

 

[HOWATTANDHAWKEN]

I believe if you take HWY 30 west until you cross the DM river there is public along the river in that area, I've never hunted there but it's close enough for you to check it out, Good luck.

 

[jasondodd]

The area immediately north of Ames (2miles) is called Peterson's Pits. The skunk river has some really good public ground 6-10 miles north between Ames and Story City.

I live 20 miles east of Ames and know a number of people that have killed decent bucks up there at Peterson's. Just take 13th street all the way out east to Dayton Road (right before I35), turn north going past the Disease Labs and you will run into McFarland Park. Hang a left and your at Peterson Pits. Same park as the other guy referred to, but coming from the other direction.

There are also a couple county parks east and southeast of Nevada with some public ground that I see deer on every night

they are Hickory Grove Park and Henderson's Marsh.

Good luck!

 

[fatboy]

There is alot of public ground along the Des Moines River southwest of ames along Hwy 17 around Luther and Madrid that has good hunting if your willing to do some walking to get away from the lazy people that want to hunt by the parking lots.Lived in that area for a couple of years and seen some nice bucks.Pick up a Sportsmans Atlas at wallyworld and you will be able to find all the public land you want and maps of how to get there and what the area looks like.