RootConservative
Senior Member
I've reread previous posts and looking for some feedback. I have the opportunity to hunt NE Iowa in Chickasaw County on an 850-acre farm. My roommate from college his family owns the farm. They own several other smaller tracts but I have been given permission to hunt the continuous 850-acre tract. My friend does not hunt however, his brother is an Iowa Game Warden in a different county and I have known his brother for close to 20 years. Since his brother now lives in SE Iowa, he does not hunt the family farm very often. The family no longer farms the property themselves and instead leases the tillable to farmers. There are only three people that hunt the property. They all hunt Muzzleloader and Gun seasons only. Everything I read about Iowa says SE Iowa is the part of the state to hunt. However, is NE Iowa near the Minnesota border worth perusing? I am waiting on clarification on what zone the property falls in as Chickasaw County is split by zones 9 & 10. I do not have to pay to hunt the property and have somewhere to stay for free. I only have to draw the tag and show up.
Here is my dilemma my wife and I a couple years ago bought our little slice of heaven in South Ga. We bought close to 100 acres and have several small leases within a couple of miles. In the last couple years after meeting with contractors and looking at options we opted to put a doublewide on the our property until we save enough to build something similar to what Triple C built using National Barn Company. Also saving for a bigger tractor and bigger implements. All our spare time goes into the kids and with our little extra time our property and the outdoors. The Iowa land is not trophy managed. However, it is a sizable piece of property and the aerials look great. A river runs through the middle of the property and there is lots of timber along with big ag fields. Out of the 3 people that currently hunt the property two aren’t trophy hunters. However, they are not if it is brown it is down either. They each strive to shoot one buck and 2 does and on bucks if they feel like taking it they take the shot. My friends brother the one that is an Iowa Game Warden is the only one that practices QDM, but he and his wife have two little kids so he doesn’t get to spend the time on his families property that he did growing up. However, he said he will take days off to show me around the property and put me on some spots he has had success in years past. My dilemma is I do not have the time or money right now to scout the property and hang sets. I would be showing up blind after only looking at aerials and topo maps and hoping for success.
I have done a couple searches on the internet for Chickasaw County giants harvested and there was a 23 point non-typical net score of 197 4/8 shot back in 2010 and there was one other from 2005. However, not much recent data available. I am hoping Jim will respond and some of the others that regularly hunt Iowa. My deadline to purchase a preference point is June 2 at midnight. I am not even thinking of hunting it this year, but maybe next year. The biggest known deer shot on the property was a 163 gross and multiple 140’s.
This has been available to me since 2005. A couple years ago before we all had kids my friend and his brother came down to visit and we went offshore fishing in the keys on my boat and caught tons of dolphin, blackfin, a wahoo and a big blue marlin. Since then they both have been trying to get me to go hunting on their family land. Last year his uncle shot a 163 gross 10 pt that was a very good deer with chocolate horns and a lot of character. Last weekend they sent me a recent aerial of the property, I talked to my wife, and she said I should go try it. I do bow hunt but not opposed to gun hunting. Has anyone hunted NE Iowa before with success? What should I do? When is the time to be up there, during what season and I am still confused about the preference points.
Here is my dilemma my wife and I a couple years ago bought our little slice of heaven in South Ga. We bought close to 100 acres and have several small leases within a couple of miles. In the last couple years after meeting with contractors and looking at options we opted to put a doublewide on the our property until we save enough to build something similar to what Triple C built using National Barn Company. Also saving for a bigger tractor and bigger implements. All our spare time goes into the kids and with our little extra time our property and the outdoors. The Iowa land is not trophy managed. However, it is a sizable piece of property and the aerials look great. A river runs through the middle of the property and there is lots of timber along with big ag fields. Out of the 3 people that currently hunt the property two aren’t trophy hunters. However, they are not if it is brown it is down either. They each strive to shoot one buck and 2 does and on bucks if they feel like taking it they take the shot. My friends brother the one that is an Iowa Game Warden is the only one that practices QDM, but he and his wife have two little kids so he doesn’t get to spend the time on his families property that he did growing up. However, he said he will take days off to show me around the property and put me on some spots he has had success in years past. My dilemma is I do not have the time or money right now to scout the property and hang sets. I would be showing up blind after only looking at aerials and topo maps and hoping for success.
I have done a couple searches on the internet for Chickasaw County giants harvested and there was a 23 point non-typical net score of 197 4/8 shot back in 2010 and there was one other from 2005. However, not much recent data available. I am hoping Jim will respond and some of the others that regularly hunt Iowa. My deadline to purchase a preference point is June 2 at midnight. I am not even thinking of hunting it this year, but maybe next year. The biggest known deer shot on the property was a 163 gross and multiple 140’s.
This has been available to me since 2005. A couple years ago before we all had kids my friend and his brother came down to visit and we went offshore fishing in the keys on my boat and caught tons of dolphin, blackfin, a wahoo and a big blue marlin. Since then they both have been trying to get me to go hunting on their family land. Last year his uncle shot a 163 gross 10 pt that was a very good deer with chocolate horns and a lot of character. Last weekend they sent me a recent aerial of the property, I talked to my wife, and she said I should go try it. I do bow hunt but not opposed to gun hunting. Has anyone hunted NE Iowa before with success? What should I do? When is the time to be up there, during what season and I am still confused about the preference points.
