Want to give Iowa public a try

ctfisher

ctfisher

New member
I am looking for any helpful tips on a trip to hunt public lands for pheasant in Iowa. As you'll see from my profile, I am located in GA, which means I'd be trying to get where I am going and start hunting with as little driving as possible (meaning I'll target the southeast portion of the state).

A few of my questions:
1. Is it naïve trying to hunt with just 1 man and 1 dog? Are blockers absolutely necessary to be successful or can me and my pup kill a few on our own?
2. Are the public lands absolutely slammed the first month of the season?
3. Are other public hunters generally open to letting someone join their group, or am I better off assuming I have to go my own way? (keep in mind my context for hunting public land is in the southeast for turkeys and deer, that is ultimately why I want to do it on public versus a guided pen raised bird hunt)

Any other helpful advice (even if it is to cough up $ and pay for a guide) is appreciated. Just trying to learn about this a little bit before I commit to anything.
 
I haven’t hunted Iowa but have hunted public in multiple other states. One man one dog even when I have been in a group. I am not a fan of blocking and driving but to each their own. I usually try to avoid the first 9 days of season in any state, not a fan of crowds. Only one dog would be my only hesitation, I’ve lost count of how many injuries on dogs or just plain wore out.
 
ctfisher said:
I am looking for any helpful tips on a trip to hunt public lands for pheasant in Iowa. As you'll see from my profile, I am located in GA, which means I'd be trying to get where I am going and start hunting with as little driving as possible (meaning I'll target the southeast portion of the state).

A few of my questions:
1. Is it naïve trying to hunt with just 1 man and 1 dog? Are blockers absolutely necessary to be successful or can me and my pup kill a few on our own?
2. Are the public lands absolutely slammed the first month of the season?
3. Are other public hunters generally open to letting someone join their group, or am I better off assuming I have to go my own way? (keep in mind my context for hunting public land is in the southeast for turkeys and deer, that is ultimately why I want to do it on public versus a guided pen raised bird hunt)

Any other helpful advice (even if it is to cough up $ and pay for a guide) is appreciated. Just trying to learn about this a little bit before I commit to anything.
Click to expand...
I’ve joined with other hunters as a single with one dog but not very often, takes a pretty good first impression to make it happen. You are not spinning your wheels going solo, lots of people hunt this way. Just accept you will loose some birds on the flank and go for it. Lots of places to use the landscape as a blocker or second person. Crowds happen, just deal with it or go home… or go west to sd where there are more acres
 
My 1st few years at Iowa pheasants were nothing more than a bunch of young hungover boys marching and blocking. One day we stopped and watched two old guys (who were probably a lot younger than I am now) pottering around in a grass field with a setter. We chuckled and said good luck killing any like that. That evening the two old guys rolled into the same motel we were at with the limit a piece. Later when my buddy and I were alone, I said something about the pottering old guys, and he said are you thinking what I am. Him and I have enjoyed almost 40 years now, quietly pottering around. No, we haven't slaughtered them every year, but it's been a lot more fun. No one to baby sit, no worrying about a date and getting everyone to agree on everything. When the weather is right, we're off. Try to be quiet, try coming at them in a different direction than the rest, and you'll kill some birds.
Yes, the public ground will be slammed for the 1st week or two. Treat your first trip or two as a scouting/learning trip, and you will learn a lot. Don't be afraid to knock on some doors. You have a lot better chance than an army does.
Joining a group of guys you don't know might be fine or it could be the worst day of your life. I would never ask and would be careful who I'd hunt with. Have fun and let someone know where you're at at all times. Everyone is indestructible till you're not!!
 
It's a good state to hunt. Really nice you can hunt ditches too. Not road hunting like a bum, but when you see a good one get out and work it with the dog. I hunt north central and enjoy it. 2nd and 3rd week of season are my favorite. More birds around. All the talk of late season hunting being good, I think that's less true now than in years past, especially if you have a long way to travel. If you hit it just right it's heaven. If there's no snow and there's been a lot of hunters out that year it's tough to get a shot opportunity.
 
I’ve hunted the last 7 years mostly just me my dog and my wife. She doesn’t hunt but saves me lots of steps by driving. You can’t just head out across any field, I’ve never had much luck in stalks. I’d rather hunt me and a dog and maybe 1 or 2 more. The big groups of walkers and blockers seems more like just shooting. If that’s your thing great btw. Just not for me. You can do fine with you and a dog.
 
Iowa still does an annual roadside count every August and they release those numbers in September. I would at least look at those for the region you intend to hunt. Don't base your decision solely on that information, but its a good starting point for a new area.
 
ctfisher said:
I am looking for any helpful tips on a trip to hunt public lands for pheasant in Iowa. As you'll see from my profile, I am located in GA, which means I'd be trying to get where I am going and start hunting with as little driving as possible (meaning I'll target the southeast portion of the state).

A few of my questions:
1. Is it naïve trying to hunt with just 1 man and 1 dog? Are blockers absolutely necessary to be successful or can me and my pup kill a few on our own?
2. Are the public lands absolutely slammed the first month of the season?
3. Are other public hunters generally open to letting someone join their group, or am I better off assuming I have to go my own way? (keep in mind my context for hunting public land is in the southeast for turkeys and deer, that is ultimately why I want to do it on public versus a guided pen raised bird hunt)

Any other helpful advice (even if it is to cough up $ and pay for a guide) is appreciated. Just trying to learn about this a little bit before I commit to anything.
Click to expand...

1. You are fine by yourself, in fact you may just sneak up on a few birds that are educated and spooked by groups.
2. They are absolutely slammed the first weekend.
3. Most groups in a parking lot would not let you join for safety reasons. You could probably use this forum to find hunting buddies for your trip.

My advice is to sit and do research using the public hunting tools, if the public area is within 20 miles of a city, forget about it. Ihap is going to be your best bet, they typically dont get hit quite as hard as the actual public land. Google the public area and if you read up on people talking about it, forget about it.

My best advice is to go to the NW corner of the state, then an extra hour right into SD.
 
There are birds to be had on Iowa public, but you've really got to work for them. Hunting pressure has probably more than tripled over the past few years, and with the lack of public ground in the state, it's hard to find pieces of ground that aren't getting hunted nearly every day. Even private ground is hammered quite hard (atleast the stuff where landowners allow others to hunt).

Solo is (in my opinion) not only the most effective on public ground, but also the most satisfying. No unnecessary noise, just follow the dog.
 
gimruis said:
That's literally the area that's underwater right now.
Click to expand...

I would personally wait until fall, but you can go now and camp in the swamp for the next 4 months i suppose. If you mean somehow all the birds will be dead? They survive the floods here in the river bottoms every year. They simply fly or travel to high ground then return to their normal areas when they can. There will be thousands of acres of corn that is left standing due to water this year in bottom areas, will be great hunting.
 
You'd have to be pretty naieve to think that flooding that hasn't occured in almost 30 years during peak hatching wouldn't have a negative effect on pheasant reproduction. More than just river bottoms have flooded. Pretty much every low-lying area which includes grassland where birds nest is underwater.

The mindset that "things are looking up and hunting will be great" is fool's gold based on recent catastrophic weather events.

That being said, if the eggs haven't hatched, there could be re-nesting. Additionally, any chicks that do survive will have plenty of bugs to eat.
 
There are birds on public land but it can be hit and miss in high pressure areas. Hunted a high pressure area and kicked up 18 birds hunting by myself with a dog and dropped several. A week later I didn’t kick up one bird!
 
Flooding has been pretty brutal this year.
gimruis said:
You'd have to be pretty naieve to think that flooding that hasn't occured in almost 30 years during peak hatching wouldn't have a negative effect on pheasant reproduction. More than just river bottoms have flooded. Pretty much every low-lying area which includes grassland where birds nest is underwater.

The mindset that "things are looking up and hunting will be great" is fool's gold based on recent catastrophic weather events.

That being said, if the eggs haven't hatched, there could be re-nesting. Additionally, any chicks that do survive will have plenty of bugs to eat.
Click to expand...
100%. We have been lucky with several good winters and dry springs recently. This spring has been a whole different ballgame for Iowa. I think brood surveys in August will show a huge decline.
 
I'd ignore most of the negative comments as gaslighting is a long-standing tradition in Iowa. The north central area holds lots of public lands, but the pressure has increased with the birds and finding them can indeed be hit or miss. Spirt lake and Strom Lake and surrounding counties usually are the best. Some years are great but a poor sept forecast means bad while a good one can be suspect and patchy. We have been coming from NC for years and enjoy the hunts but some years are better than others
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top