Hunt ID: IA-4005
About the Outfitter:
This is a trophy DIY/semi-guided hunt in established three stands, but always bring a ground blind or tree stand to use if the wind changes. In case you don’t draw a license in IA you can hunt the MO side of the border with an over the counter license. The outfitter is an archer by choice and spend many hours in the field watching whitetail and not just someone that works with the properties. You will have the owners’ cell phone number if you have any questions while you are hunting. The farms have had little or no pressure in the last 5 year. The deer stay on this property because it has an abundance of feed, cover and water. If pushed off the property they will return in a day or so to this property. This big tree lot is what allows the big deer to survive and continue to get better with this being the 1st year of hunting available, and only to a limited number of hunters. As a rule, 2 or 3 if in the same group will have the whole farm to themselves. The farms are all over 200 acres so there is plenty of room to spread out. The landowner will provide you intel on each blind’s history. There are usually deer 4 year old and older, so the hunter must be on their toes, to take these old deer, more so than a novice hunter.
In Iowa there is no “rifle” season there is only a Gun season which is defines by muzzleloader or shotgun. But now it also includes straight cased rifles (As the 350 Legend, .444 Marlin, .450 Bushmaster, and the .45-70, and more, see regulations. Archery equipment can also be used during any of the other seasons because it qualifies as a lessor weapon.
We leave it up to the hunters to decide what type of lodging and meals they want. Camping is also available on the farm.
Location:
Zone 6 about an hour west of the Iowa/Illinois border, just on the other side of the Mississippi River from Pike County. As a backup if you don’t draw an IA license you can hunt the other side of the border in Missouri with an over the counter license.
Hunt Type(s):
Semi-guided taking you to the best parts of the 200 acres private property to hunt.
Species & Recommended Seasons:
Whitetail deer and turkey.
Licenses:
Iowa whitetail deer license applications are early May to early June.
As of 2019 drawing an archery license required 3 preference points. There is a 20% chance of drawing a gun license with no preference points.
Missouri is an over the counter license.
Archers take note: Missouri is a 2-deer state for archers. With your license, you may shoot 1 buck before the gun season and another after the gun season or 2 after the gun season about the last two weeks of November. In addition, they throw in two free turkey licenses, of course additional doe licenses are also available for $40 if you are not a landowner. You will not go home hungry!
License and Voucher Watchdog will get you the licenses you need.
License and Season Information
Lay of the Land:
You will be hunting on 200 acres private land out of tree stands, ground blinds or other cover at trail crossings between feeding and bedding areas, depending on where our scouting finds the biggest bucks at the time of your hunt. Iowa’s secret to big bucks is high protein feed like Soybeans (30% protein), Corn (7% protein) and alfalfa (7% Protein) for feed, cold weather to naturally cause them to bulk up, and 1 to 2 years’ older average age than other states. Plus a good base of wood lots and other heavy cover for thermo-protection and danger evading cover along with ponds and streams. The land is a 60/40 ratio of cover to feed that is the perfect mixture for a healthy, growing deer herd.
Party Size:
One or more hunters per group.
Mode of Travel:
Vehicle and sit in ground blinds. Tree stands already in place but recommend bringing a ground blind for safety and movability.
Animal Quality:
Most hunters take deer 150” or better. The outfitter hunts both IA and MO every year and says he has seen some real toads taken on both sides of the state line.
Success Rate:
99.9% shot opportunity. Success depends on weapon selected and the hunter’s skill level. Outfitter pre-scouts the properties before you arrive and knows where to put you to provide you the opportunity. It is up to you to close the deal.
Hunt Difficulty:
Low impact meaning easier hiking than most hunts.
Pricing:
Archery hunts 5 days $1495
Gun hunts 5 days $1995
What’s Included:
- Access to 200 acres private land
- Semi-guiding
- Camping on property or DIY local hotels
What’s Not Included:
- Hunting Licenses
- Transportation to Iowa/Missouri
- Lodging & meals
- Game processing
- Taxidermy
Use the Outfitter Request Form or call us using the phone number at the top of the page to check on availability, ask questions or book it.
Disclaimer: All prices are per person unless otherwise noted. No additional fees for booking, the price is the price except for NM adds sales tax. Unless otherwise noted price is per person, no licenses/tags included, game processing and taxidermy costs extra. There is no guarantee in hunting. Availability and prices subject to change by the outfitter or landowner and they have the last word. If there is a discrepancy between our posted price and what they say it is then we do our best to negotiate for you but offer no guarantee. We do our best to audit them making sure what they say they offer they actually do by visiting them or going on hunts we pay for. No refunds for early tag out. No guarantee on filling hunting licenses.
