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njwhit

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Have a friend from here in NJ who owns a house in Humbolt county. He bought it striclty to use for bird hunting. I managed to draw a bowtag this year after being turned down in 01. I gotta say that I fell in love with the people and especially the bowhunting you have out your way. People are really friendly and make you feel right at home. I managed to harvest a 128 inch 8 point that dressed out 202 on the last day of our hunt. It was an awsome time and the price was the best part of it. I was amazed at how many locals were willing to let me hunt on there farms and wanted nothing in return.
 
Welcome NJwhit, to me that seems like a long ways to come for pheasants.
Yes, North Central Iowa does not have the reputation of PY bucks that some other counties have so most the timber land is still owned by farmers, (many of them century farms). I owe lots of thanks to many farmers over the years, and I've tried to make sure they all knew how much appreciated it.

IaCraig
 
It definitely is a long way to birdhunt that's for sure. But if that's what you're into so be it. I can't complain, the house situation works great for me. What I can't understand is why it's so hard for a non res to get a tag. All of the local farmers that I talked to would like to have all of the deer killed if it was there choice. One thing that I noticed particularly in the county I hunted in (Humbolt in zone 10) was the lack of timber in that area. Lots and lots of corn though. Made it kind of easy since we were generally hunting along the East Fork of the Des Moines river which was literally the only timber around in the area that we were in.
 
Welcome, Glad to hear your kind words and of your positive experience. We value the relationships we have built on something other than money.
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NJwhit, Welcome again. And I agree that bird hunting behind a good dog is a rush.

Many farmers (not just in Iowa) have the same opinion, deer are beautiful but they are pests. I know several farmers who would not let people hunt 10-20 years ago, but after their (wife, kid, parent) hit one with the family car they started asking people to hunt.

I grew up hunting the East Fork of the Des Moines river and it's tributaries about 30 miles north of you. (before I moved to a metro area for economic reasons). I do not know the DNR's deer density counts by zone, but I think because of the lack of timber in the area your in, hunters are able to keep the deer herd in check pretty well there. And that too is why P&Y bucks are less comon in that area, they're some around in fence lines and abandoned groves, but it takes a pretty smart/lucky buck to live through 4 hunting seasons in that area.

I also do not know how the DNR comes up with their magical number on how many non-res licenses to sell, but I have seen how unlimitted over-the-counter elk licenses negatively affected elk hunting around Pagosa Springs Colorado a few years ago. Whatever the Iowa DNR is doing, most people who have hunted Iowa tend to believe it seems to be working to a certain degree. (some would say despite of the DNR's policies, but I think it is at least partially because of them).

IaCraig
 
I agree to some extent. I know they don't keep much for records though. As an avid bow hunter from the northeast our DNR keeps track of all the deer killed (ones that were checked in legally) through the checking stations. That's how they keep track of how many does they need to kill in certain areas, how many less bucks to kill etc.

It's funny, when I killed my deer out in Iowa back in November I drove around asking numerous locals where the checking stations were. People looked at me like I had 3 heads. What I find difficult to understand is if the DNR doesn't keep track of the deer killed then how do they know how many tags to give out. There's plenty of ground out there that holds lots of deer so for a non res to have a chance at less than 100 tags for the whole zone of 10 is pretty crazy. We ran into farmers in Algona that wanted us to come and eradicate ALL of the deer if it was up to them. I heard stories from farmers seeing 100 deer at a clip on there ground with hardly any bow pressure. Why not try to let some of the non res bowhunters take a few?

One other thing I find funny is the fact that you can only get 1 deer per tag, period. Why not let us take some does and help the herd out? I know from my standpoint that I would love to help in QDM but I'm not paying 300 plus dollars for a tag and traveling 21 1/2 hours to shoot a doe when we have them here by the thousands.

Just my thought !!!!!!!
 
Hey njwhit, Welcome to the board and to Iowa. Have you read the post about "Iowa hunters feelings" yet? If you take the time to read all three pages you'll see many of those issues discussed at great length. Welcome again. Maggs.
 
I'm no conservation employee but don't you think if they made you check your deer in physically they would get a better Idea of what is ACTUALLY being harvested and then you would have some numbers that are iron clad? The thought of everyone being trust worthy enough to abide by the law is a good thing but, there's always those people who harvest there deer without tags, or the wrong zone tags, etc that always raise questions about there ethics?

We have the few around here that every town has as far as the tresspassers, poachers etc and its ashamed that it will always be like that but that's the way it goes. My point is that with the check stations out there they can keep track of a lot of the things that fall through the cracks.

Just my thought
 
I know that several other states have a check station system, but I'm glad Iowa doesn't. I can only guess at what it would cost to setup and man check stations when the DNR is already struggling for funds. I think our money could be much better spent.

I think check stations will only keep the good people legal and create hardships on some. By requiring the animals to be checked within so many hours it makes for a lot of travel to and from stations, unless you have a lot of stations. I don't think anyone would try to check in a illegal deer unless they are really really stupid. Having said that I will tell you my son worked a check station in Illinois for 2 years, and saw 1 calf and 1 pony checked in, but no illegal deer.
 
I agree that your DNR should put the funds where they can be better used good point. I was just suggesting that as a QDM tool. Our check stations around here are just the places that usually sell hunting licenses. General stores, tackle shops, archery shops etc.
 
welcome njwhit. you'll find this to be the best whitetail site out there. and addicting too!!.
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the DNR estimates the deer herd numbers and buck to doe ratio using several different counts. One is through a hunters survey sent out randomly. another is using road kill. and still one more is an aerial count over a square mile area they fly over every year at the same time. then they come up with some number and multiply, or divide, or plug that number into a magical formula and come up with a number that is pretty darn close to what the herd actually is. At least that is how I remember it being told to me once. The DNR keeps the magic formula under lock and key and is guarded round the clock at an undisclosed location somewhere in Des Moines. A friend of mine found out the exact formula one time and has not been heard from since........................I sure miss him...
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Welcome to the site and thanks for bringing up an interesting topic.
Because IA is more rural a lot of our deer are shot within 10 miles/10 min. of home, I think you'd find check stations very ineffective. They're hanging and skinned in the time it would take to drive to a check station and enforcement would be impossible. Missouri guys can weigh in on this one, but I believe they have check stations, and I'd hate to guess the number of deer that never see the station in MO.
 
Welcome aboard, I hope you enjoy the site and learn much from it, there are many great deer hunters on this site and it is very informational. But...
As far as the check station thing, why do all of the non-res's come in here trying to tell us how to run things? They say it's always for the old "cop out" QDM but I don't think it is.
If it was for QDM why do we have all of these huge bucks running around that you want to shoot? As many non-res's that come on this site b!tching about our current policies and how we should change them you'd think we had a terrible state to hunt in. We don't, in fact it is the perfect place for any Iowan to LIVE and hunt!
We don't need anyone telling us how to manage our herd, we've done a pretty damn good job so far with out any input from people smarter than us. Iowan hunters and our DNR obviously know about QDM, otherwise why would you or anyone else want to come here and hunt? Would it be for the weather and sceenery?
Sorry to go off on you but I'm getting tired of all of these people coming to this board to tell us how their state runs things and we should do the same.
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Songdog, I think you're barking up the wrong tree (no pun intended) regarding my post. I was just merely saying that it would help the DNR keep more accurate records THAT"S ALL !! I certainly am not trying to tell anyone how to run there herd. Where I'm from the land is becoming more scarce everyday. The last I heard was that we we losing roughly 50 acres per day to building. The Governor just recently stepped in and put a stranglehold on all of the new developing. The days of the wide open terrain around have long gone. The chances for bucks to come to full maturity have also faded with the land. We have seen a much better control over the herd through the DNR with there ability to watch over things a little better. They finally realized they needed to go to QDM and utilize some better strategies.

You surely got me all wrong i'm definitely not bitching about things just adding my opinion. That is what an open forum is for isn't it?

As far as me wanting some different scenery doesn't everyone like a change every now and then?
 
Yes, Iowa has done an excellent job in managing its deer herd but that certainly does not mean we should not try to make it even better, if that is possible. Some want to immediately discount any ideas or suggestions by those who are not life-long residents of this state. I met with an IDNR state biologist several weeks ago. He told me he constantly hears local hunters make the comment that the decline in quail numbers is due to turkeys eating them! I'm not so sure I would trust the same people to tell everyone how deer should be managed.
 
I'm glad you wouldn't trust us Iowans to manage our own herd. I still can't figure out how it got in the horrible shape it's in (small button bucks and skinny does being the only thing to shoot) with people like us Iowans practing QDM and making the laws like we do.
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I'm not discounting anyone's suggestions on how to make the herd better. I'm just getting tired of coming on to this great board and every other post is from a nonres bitching about a current law or practice we have here in Iowa. If it is so bad why do they all want to come here and hunt?
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NJWhit,
I cut this from your previous post:
" I know they don't keep much for records though. ......................hunter from northeast our DNR keeps track of all the deer killed (ones that were checked in legally) through the checking stations. That's how they keep track of how many does they need to kill in certain areas, how many less bucks to kill etc.............only allowing 100 tags in zone 10 is just crazy"


If your post was not complaining about the laws limitting non-res tags, and blaming the Iowa DNR's of not having adequate records to do their job properly because they don't use check stations like the NE states do...... what were you saying?

If you changed your outlook from that earlier post, that is fine. but it sounds to me like if Songdog is not in the ballpark it is because he hit a home run. (although he does get carried away).

IaCraig
 
I'll admit I got carried away and do appologize.
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I just get a little riled up when a nonres complains about our great state and the way things are run. I believe in the old saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it".

That aside welcome to the site, I'm sure you'll like it here. There are a lot of smart hunters on this BBS and not all of them are %$#@#'s like me. I've learned a heck of a lot since finding this board, I've deer hunted (bow) for 13 years and never even thought of looking for sheds until I read this board. Now it gives me something to do in Jan. Feb. Mar. and Apr.

I hope you enoy this place as much as I, and I will try to chill out a little.
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Craig, my comment about not keeping accurate records was only my opinion after I tried to check my deer in when I was out in Iowa. I was only speaking from a personal experience from ME individually. I felt like I was commiting a crime by not getting it to the DNR to be accounted for. That's how the whole thing got started. Didn't know they mailed out a consensus to you all at the end of the season. So now I know how they keep track.
 
NJwhit, as they say down under, "no worries", and I repeat my original comment about welcome to this great site and to the state of Iowa. I can tell you greatly enjoy the sport and I hope you have many more rewarding trips to Iowa(be it deer or pheasants or just visiting). If I still hunted the East fork of the DesMoines river around Algona I'd try to meet up with you in a pub some night for a couple cold ones and to share hunting experiences.

As Songdog said, recently it seems several threads have had negative posts from a few non-residents directed towards the Iowa DNR and even Iowans in general. Since I love to bow hunt and I have pride in Iowa and it's people, I tend to get defensive. (maybe too much so)

If you like to ride bicycles and meet new people, I recommend coming to Iowa to ride on RAGBRAI for a week some July. It is a great way to see Iowa at a relaxing pace and visit with rural Iowans as you pass through the small towns along the route.

IaCraig
 
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