Iowa is a Mecca for world-class deer hunting. It’s considered among the two or three top states in the country for record-book whitetails. Iowa is known for growing giant, heavy-bodied 300-pound bucks sporting impressive headgear. The rolling farmlands interspersed with dense thickets, hedgerows, swales, cattails swamps and escape cover provides plenty of places for wily bucks to hide and grow old. This outfitter has been guiding for over 15 years and has been an outfitter for the past six years. He has 6,500 acres to hunt in southwest Iowa’s Zone 4 and prides himself on keeping hunter numbers low (5-6 hunters per week most weeks of the season; 20-25 per year in total) and hunting pressure to a minimum to increase the chances of harvesting mature bucks. His area is pretty unpopulated and he feels that the deer population is reaching some of its highest population density. Some years his hunter success is pushing 85 to 90%! That is incredible when you consider we are looking at 140” and up deer! They have a policy of min. 3 years old for bucks to be harvested.
Whitetail fanatics know that Iowa non-resident deer tags are not easy to come by. If you are a prospective white-tail archery hunter, you need two to 4 years of preference point accumulation to secure a tag. In many cases, it’s well worth the wait. Many hunters who booked with this outfitter are rewarded with the buck of their dreams. Mature bucks typically taken will gross 140-150 inches or better and the chance for a 180-class brute are very real. You can also buy preference points. Preference points may only be purchased between May 4 – June 2. Preference points are $50 plus application fees and will be available online or through the telephone ordering system. Believe us when we say Iowa may well be the single best place for giant whitetails!
Hunters stay at a comfortable, recently-constructed lodge that sleeps eight with two bathrooms, a full kitchen, dining room, living room, washer and dryer and gear room. The kitchen is fully stocked for breakfast and lunch and a hot, home-cooked meal is served each evening after the hunt. Transportation to and from the hunting stands is furnished. Tree stands are placed well in advance of the season at key funnels and travel corridors. Extra blinds and stands are available to accommodate changes in wind direction, hunter preferences and deer movements. Trail cameras are placed well before and during the season to analyze deer movements, assess trophy potential and determine hunting locations. The outfitter offers both archery and gun deer hunts. He hunts southwest Iowa in Zone 4.
We really like several things about this operation. First- they do NOT hunt the guided areas themselves. We know of outfits who find big deer, and kill them before clients get there. Not here. We like that they refuse to play favorites and everyone, gets equal treatment. We like their extensive scouting, their food plots and that they do not overhunt their ground. In cold weather they even have small heaters, but you buy the gas cylinders.
We tell you to arrive the afternoon before your hunt to check in and to complete paperwork and check your sights. You will be taken to your stand and may sit all day or not- your choice. There is a $500 penalty if you wound a deer and it cannot be found. If you wound a second one, the penalty again applies and your hunt is over. Your tag normally has both a buck and a doe tag, and no charge for the doe. They insist on safety harnesses- no harness- no hunt!
2024 PRICES (subject to change without notice until deposit received)
6-day whitetail archery hunts – $5,200 per person
Approx. October 30-November 4, November 5-10, November 11-16
5-day whitetail shotgun hunts – $5,200 December 10-14
5-day whitetail muzzleloader hunts – $5,200 Approx. December 27-31, January 1-5, January 5-10
3-day turkey hunts mid-April to mid-May – $1,700 per person
Meals and lodging are included in all hunts.
For information on Iowa deer licenses and application deadlines go to: www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/DeerHunting.aspx
Applications for Any-Deer/Antlerless-only licenses will be accepted beginning 6 a.m. CDT May 5 thru June 3.
If applications have been sold in excess of the license quota or bow quota for any zone, a drawing will be held to determine which applicants receive licenses. Hunters may determine their drawing status beginning July 20 by going to www.iowadnr.gov/hunting . Drawing status will not be provided over the phone.
Hunters who choose not to apply for Any-deer/Antlerless-only combination licenses may purchase one preference point that will improve chances of getting a license in a future year. Preference points may only be purchased May 5 – June 3 (approximately). Preference points ALONE are $50 plus application fees and will be available online or through the telephone ordering system.
Hunters unsuccessful in the Any-deer/Antlerless-only combination license drawing will be given one preference point AND assessed a mandatory, nonrefundable $50 preference point fee. Preference points will not accrue in a year in which you fail to apply or purchase a preference point, but you will retain any preference points previously earned. Once you receive an Any-deer/Antlerless-only combination license, your preference point(s) will be eliminated. (You will not lose preference points by purchasing an optional Antlerless-only license).
You may use your preference points in any zone or season the next time you apply. Preference points will not apply to Antlerless-only licenses.
The license drawing for Any-deer/Antlerless-only combination licenses will be made from the pool of applicants with the most preference points and continue to pools with successively fewer preference points until quotas are filled or all applicants have received licenses.
