Guidance for a much needed N/W Iowa Hunt

J

Jake & Gus

New member
Hello all,

My dad and I will be heading to Iowa end of Dec. early January for a much needed family hunt (these have become too far and in between sadly after finishing school). I've done a lot of research and it all seems to point towards NW Iowa. My old man has decided to go for it and make the 14 hour treck there from Ohio.

If you have any advice on which public areas to focus on it would be much appreciated. We'll be staying in the Spencer area.

I know from experience/reading that we'll be busting the toughest thickest cover we can as I'm sure the Norther Iowa winter will be fierce by this time. Any other strategy tips would be much appreciated. We'll have a couple pretty good dogs. (Pudlepointer, short hair, and a good flushing/retrieving lab)

If you live around the area, we'd gladly exchange all the beers you want us to buy for some good advice or a seasoned partner to tag along.

Thanks, and the best of luck to you all and your pups.
 
You will likely be hunting around alot of cattails. You might want to hunt 1 dog at a time as not to wear them out in the cattails. Make sure the ice can support you if you venture on the water side of the cattails, because the ice is weaker where the cattails protrude. It should be one of the better late season hunting.
 
Get yourself a hunting atlas that shows public hunting areas and then PM me with your phone number.

Mike
 
pheasantaddict said:
You will likely be hunting around alot of cattails. .
Click to expand...

Pheasantaddict, I really appreciate the advice. I know that a lot of the cover around there is cattails, but there is other cover as well. Would you say concentrating on the cattails is probably our best chance? Thanks again!
 
Alot depends on the weather and the timing. If harsh conditions concentrate on harsh hunting, but try all cover and look for tracks to see where the birds have been seeking refuge.
 
N/W Iowa Hunt -Guidance

I've hunted around Spencer and the lakes for a few years now and would agree with pheasantaddict that the cattails are a good bet. Also try areas immediately adjacent to corn or bean fields as well as river or creek edges (sorry if I'm ststing th obvious). The thicker the cover the better if the weather is nasty. I will tell you though that I think bird numbers are down quite a bit. I was in the area the weekend after the operner and had a tough hunt -just three birds in two days -lot's of corn and 70 degrees didn't help!.

I'll be headed to Sac and Calhoun County with my ol lab in a week with hopes of better luck, lower temperatures and less corn!
 
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