Originally posted by jjas:
While your points about NR hunting in Iowa are valid, resident hunters (and I know a few) have found that leasing costs have risen so high that many resident Iowans can no longer afford to hunt private ground. I have a buddy that has lived in Iowa his entire life and he told me when he came down here to hunt last month that he just can't afford the leases any longer in Iowa.
As far as public ground goes, I would imagine that those resources will be stretched as well as more Iowa resident hunters transition from private ground to public resources.
I deer hunted Iowa just a month ago....and I believe it was my 7th trip overall. I have permission to hunt (not leasing) five different properties owned by three different landowners.
I stayed in a cabin on public ground which includes some prime deer habitat (I've actually hunted this piece of public ground). During my mid-November stay, I saw a total of two trucks in the hunter parking areas. One of those had the tailgate down and a dog box in the back...so I'm assuming bird hunter.
This is in Zone 6....one of the higher demand zones. I've previously hunted private land in Zone 5 twice on a handshake...and witnessed the same lack of public hunting. If my employer had a facility in Iowa....I'd be long gone!
