Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum Fastest way to get tag in Iowa...

So a friend moved back to Iowa where she is from. Her family owns, and then coop farm on close to 1000 acres. They’ve extended a “anytime” invitation to me. So obviously I’d like to go right now, but that’s not an option. So what’s the quickest way to get drawn? I’ve read that selecting shotgun or muzzleloader as the weapon “helps,” but I’d much rather go bow hunting there. This is zone 10 by the way.

Thoughts/advice?

Is she hot? Got chops farmland. Heck if I was you I might just move up there.

Ha! She is married to a guy also from Iowa. He took a job back in Iowa so they could be closer to family. He is an IT guy, she is a teacher.

Any thoughts on expediting a draw? I am sure it’s impossible, but dam, I don’t want to wait.

I never have but I thought archery was fairly easy to draw up there. Or you could just go without 🤭

Bow? Non-res Without pref points? Most likely 3 yrs unless you’ve got a horseshoe or rabbits foot. Heck, you might get drawn for next year but I’ll guarantee you if it was me I wouldn’t get drawn before yr 4. I suck at lottery draws.

You’re right in saying you’ll probably get drawn quicker for a shotgun or muzzleloader tag. I’d apply for all three if I was in your situation.

That’s crossed my mind, but 1000 acres of “mostly corn and soybean;” I don’t want to screw this up.

Ok, so I’m on the right path. Thanks for the advice.

3-5 years depending on what zone there .
Not sure if iowa has landowner tags like illonois or not might be worth checking on

Zone 10 mostly. There is some in zone 9 as well.

Apply for an archery tag for sure.

There is also what they call “party” tags. I don’t recall exactly how it works but basically you’d need the land owners/residents to get the tags and you’d have to hunt with them but you can legally fill the tag.

Call Iowa DNR and I’m sure they can tell you about the party tags and exactly how they work.

Group tag. Just so happens I was looking for one or two guys to apply with. My friends got drawn this year on their first attempt.

So it sounds like you need a small group of lucky guys to apply with you. 🤷🏼‍♂️😉

Here’s all you need to know.

Party hunting is only allowed for gun season. You have to buy a hunting license. The group or “party” can kill all the deer the group has tags for but you must be with a group or a person. You can’t legally go kill a buck and then get someone to tag it that wasn’t there. If you’re in say 5 person party and there is 4 people with buck tags then theoretically one person could kill all 4 bucks as long as the other people are willing to let that one person use their tag.
If you apply for a buck tag with a buddy or a few people you will only draw OFF OF THE LOWEST AMOUNT OF POINTS someone in the group has. If two people have 2 points and one person has 0 points the group will draw off of ZERO points.

I have PP. I’ll be nice and volunteer to go next year and let you know if it’s worth you continuing to buy points.....

There really isn’t a “fast” way. Just have to buy your points. You can go with gun quicker than bow though

Probably the hardest whitetail tag to draw in the entire country. Good luck.

Move there

Sounds like they are over complicating hunting every year! Those folks should stand up and say this bs is enough. If it is their property they should automatically get at least 3 buck tags and unlimited doe tags each year to let anyone take that they want too. This is the way Alabama is heading if we don't watch it!

We could only hope that Alabama is heading towards Iowa