Rooster Rodeo
Member
Good points, I’ve definitely noticed an uptick in pressure even over the last few years.
2023 Iowa bird hunt pics and/or stories
- Thread starter remy3424
- Start date
Bob Peters
Well-known member
This is something I heard from a friend of a friend. The guy hunted Iowa public land every single weekend of the season. The timeframe here is from the height of CRP is the early 2000s till 2019. "Even though a lot of land got taken out of CRP and put into production and there's a lot less birds, there's even less hunters." It sounds like that is starting to change. I knew it was getting crowded when the last time I went, as soon as a truck pulled out of a spot at 9am, another one pulled right in behind him!
cyclonenation10
Well-known member
There was a stretch there a few years ago where you could consistently have great hunting on public land, and not even see another vehicle on the weekends. Those days are long gone. Still possible to have good hunting on Iowa Public, but you will have to work much harder. I also think ONX and the internet in general has made it much easier to find and access public land than just 5 years ago. Nothing is left unchecked anymore.
Jawilor
Active member
I went out both Saturday and Sunday morning on different public areas, and there weren't many other hunters out which was surprising considering how many people were out the first couple of weeks. That said, I think all of the early pressure has made the birds more skittish and prone to run and flush out of range. Saturday was the best day I've had this season as the roosters sat tight and provided easy shooting. I had high hopes for Sunday with the fresh snow, but the birds flushed wild and flew onto private ground. This is a public area that received a lot of pressure earlier in the season so the birds are educated. I'll go back later this season once things settle down as I know the birds are there. On Saturday there was a group from WI that parked next to me and proceeded to hunt within 100 yards of me for 2 hours. This is a huge public area with multiple places to hunt/park so I don't understand why they felt the need to hunt right on top of me. I also think their dog peed on one of my tires...lol
KEOutdoors
Well-known member
I hunted on Thanksgiving morning, private next to a public area that isnt well known at all. My pup was having trouble with the dry conditions (the norm this year) but got up a few hens and had two roosters run out the end. There were multiple vehicles at the public, multiple groups in one field, and more hunters were showing up as i left. Heard no shots. Seems to be way more people this year than years past
KEOutdoors
Well-known member
Hunted again this morning, now that we have 3" of snow from yesterday. It was challenging with a sustained 15mph west wind gusting to 25-30. Was 16 degrees so did a little road scouting for an hour or so until the sun started to get up higher. Then walked the same field again as thanksgiving hunt. The birds held tight and was able to put up 29 birds, mostly sub 15 yards. Wishing i would have grabbed the 12ga instead of the 20, but managed to connect with a couple before they really got moving in that wind. It only takes about 3 seconds for them to be up and gone.
The dog is starting to figure it out now, that we are actually looking for birds in the grass. He is being trained as a waterfowl dog, just 8mo old but is doing exceptional at upland. He was nose down, tail up, on several birds today before they flushed from under his nose. Also found a cripple burried in a creek bottom that i dropped on the hillside, great nose on this one.
The dog is starting to figure it out now, that we are actually looking for birds in the grass. He is being trained as a waterfowl dog, just 8mo old but is doing exceptional at upland. He was nose down, tail up, on several birds today before they flushed from under his nose. Also found a cripple burried in a creek bottom that i dropped on the hillside, great nose on this one.
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s.davis
Well-known member
Love that Missouri fur grouse!
The state is marketing pheasant hunting hard...too hard. The bird numbers seem decent for the last 3 or so years, but the habitat and access is not going to be able to sustain the DNR trying to pimp the hunting out this hard.
The state is marketing pheasant hunting hard...too hard. The bird numbers seem decent for the last 3 or so years, but the habitat and access is not going to be able to sustain the DNR trying to pimp the hunting out this hard.
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Bob Peters
Well-known member
I haven't noticed the state talking up the pheasant hunting, but then again I don't get any of the Iowa outdoorsman magazines. I probably wouldn't hunt it but I get a license to somewhat avoid MN gun deer season, and once I've got the license it encourages me to go. That being said MN has been really good the last two years where I hunt.
remy3424
Well-known member
I would have to agree with increased hunting pressure this season, which I think is great locally, it is just private ground here so nothing is getting trampled. If no one is hunting, there is no pressure or incentive for any increase in moneys being spent to create more habitat on public or private ground.
Iowa springerguy
Member
Saw more groups out opening weekend but very few since. I drove by 4 public spots saturday around 8 and none of them had hunters on them. Hunted for couple hours and never heard any shots and never saw any other hunters. This was a little strange as the weekend after Thanksgiving is usually really active with hunters.
Bob Peters
Well-known member
I wish I would have been there hunting then!
birddude
Well-known member
LE program??
birddude
Well-known member
They probably hunted near you for the same reason morons put up a stand near another's and boats pull up and fish near you. They think you know where they're at!!
remy3424
Well-known member
Law Enforcement, I think they provide dogs for detecting contraband at airports....whatever agency might do that.
cyclonenation10
Well-known member
I doubt there are many in the public lots today.. pretty stiff breeze and sub-zero windchills here in Eastern Iowa. I'm debating taking the afternoon off to chase a few roosters.
gimruis
Well-known member
I also think that the roadside count pushes some of those casual hunters to buy a license and go at least once or twice. Its the same here in MN. A lot of hunters in just about every capacity are not that dedicated to be hunting the entire season from beginning to end. They go on opener and then again once more if the weather is "nice." The regular posters on this forum are not really a good representative of the average dedication out there IMO.
By December when its 10 degrees and some biting wind, they are long done.
When does slug chucker season start there?
Weimdogman
Well-known member
LE GSP or GSD?
Iowa springerguy
Member
Shot gun starts Saturday and ends 17th. I agree that there is large segment of hunters that only go opener but are no where to be seen the rest of the season. I swear that most of the hunters I saw on opener looked like the walked out of a orvis catalog , all new gear.
Bob Peters
Well-known member
I've got the Orvis jacket, I really like it, but I'm afraid to buy anything else from them because I don't want to look like a dandified William Q. Pressed Pants!
Man when I first started bird hunting, having all the new clothes was the worst. New gun, the whole works. I'm so glad now that my brush pants are showing holes in places, my 3 pairs of boots are rubbed dry from walking grass and seams starting to go, my gun has some handling marks and just a touch of bluing wear. My vest always has old feathers falling out of it, and most importantly my orvis coat is covered in dirty dust and spattered with blood. Now I look like I've been there before, at least a little bit
.