EHD in zone 5 iowa
Whitetail Deer
I have 3 PP for Iowa this season and am fixing to put in, anyone have any feed back on what effect the EHD has had on the mature buck numbers in zone 4 and 5? or is there a better zone to put in for? this will be my first trip to Iowa and I have always heard "zone 5" but I know that the EHD has had any effect and would love any feedback... thanks
As important as those PP are I would make a scouting trip up there now and see how things look in your target area.Being from Mississippi you should be well versed in the massive hoopla and buzz "some" EHD resonates.
EHD is a two sided sword and actually can produce BETTER trophy hunting afterward due to habitat resurgence.
Now is also a good time to scout without the "taint" of crop field attraction and may emulate a more natural movement pattern akin to November
I live and hunt in Zone 4. Zone 5 gets all the talk but don't overlook zone 4. Zone 5 does have more public hunting options however. As far as EHD's effects....it has had an impact. In the area I hunt and county wide (Taylor County) deer numbers are down. My guess is by as much as 30%-40% from 2006 numbers which was the peak. I don't have a problem with where the numbers are now though. In fact I think they are just right. Mature bucks seem to be a different story. They are way down based on sightings, trail camera pics, and speaking with the local game warden during the season. Two years ago I saw lots of 2-1/2 year old bucks after the first drought and outbreak of EHD. Naturally I expected to see descent numbers of 3-1/2 year old deer last year. It didn't happen. Still lots of 2-1/2 year old deer. This may seen a little backwards but my advice would be to come hunt regardless. The hunting is still very good compared to other states and if your goal is a 3-1/2 year old 130 class deer I think you still will have a good shot at being successful. I think the drought we experienced combined with EHD will have an effect for a couple more years which is why I wouldn't sit on the points. I'm a numbers guy and would look at it like this....if you are coming from out of state to hunt public land for a week your odds of shooting a mature 150" buck might have been around 10% (just a hypothetical number). If the mature buck numbers are half what they used to be your odds are now 5%. I wouldn't give up a hunt based on 5%. Hunt this year, expect good hunting, and come back in three more years and hope for great hunting.
I own a farm in SE Iowa and in general, things are down pretty far from where they were 5+ years ago. EHD was a big part of the problem in many areas, but worse yet IMO was the late, late antlerless season(aka rifle season) that ran for several years, but has now thankfully been kiboshed.
2012 and 2013 were particularly impacted by EHD and were probably the worst buck hunting years in many, many years across large sections of southern Iowa. Hunting in 2014 was a little better and 2015 should be a little better still, with 2016 getting back pretty close to normal.
But I think we are realistically looking at 2017 until things are "right" again...and that assumes no more widespread EHD!
All that being said...there are still nice bucks to be found and not all areas were equally impacted. It is pretty close to "normal" now in some areas that EHD did not hit as hard and that manage the resource.
I hunt and own property in the southeast (zone 6). EHD losses are spotty and vary from farm to farm. I have found about 5 dead deer in my creek bottoms over the past two years (170 acres). The late season antlerless gun hunts resulted in too many shed bucks being killed (Gee IDNR, WHO could have possibly predicted this result!) I have not noticed much of a decrease in deer numbers on my property but I am seeing fewer really big bucks.
The data on how many bucks were slaughtered during that late 'antlerless' was staggering...I'm not sure if it's still up on the DNR website or not...
If you're on a doe hunt and a 4 "does" step out in a field 200 yards away, who wouldn't shoot the big "doe"?
Insanity, assuming no more of that and EHD, I'd say you have 5-8 years to recover the same number of deer to the 4.5-6.5 year age class.
I own in zone 5 EHD took its toll but the late rifle mauled pregnant does and bucks not giving the deer a chance to rebound . Finally its was stopped . I have already noticed more deer in these areas since less were killed in Jan. Im seeing good horn growth this year.
Bill hunters are there own worst enemies just cause DNR allows almost unlimited does!! WE hunters dont have to support this nonsense . Hunters logic if i dont shoot it some one else will . Hunters need to be more conservation minded and not just concerned about killing .
Bill just the stress in Jan is not needed on the herd . Years ago i would glass deer in fields the deer were all relaxed and usually never ran, Today if u see a deer in a field in mid summer and slow down that deer is tripping over itself to escape !!
Lovetohunt i would say yes apply u should have a good hunt .Try and find some farms with little pressure in the past . I would stay away from big outfitters that combo bow and gun hunters ,, reason being during bow many bucks escaped due to rut running all over low numbers but come late gun deer need to eat the outfitters maul any good bucks coming to food plots
Agreed...we are the problem.
Although personally, I've eaten 3 out of 4 IA tags passing on does and immature bucks.
Back 6 or 7 years ago I had hunts where I saw over 20 BUCKS on a food plot in the SAME night.
Those sighting have gone WAY down and my 'worst' (still tons of fun) hunt was last years late MZ tag.
I'm glad they are rebounding already, but it will take time to repopulate the numbers of mature bucks.
Bill problem i see when so many does are killed it can alter genetics in a herd. All the micro managed farms are rethinking the killing of so many does in the past years . Also guys will need to pass some great 2 ,3 yr old bucks in order to restore the older class. This guy i have on camera 2011 2012 2013 didnt see him 2014 he made it thru the EHD days in 2012 2013. He had to be 6yrs old in 2013. Deer are great at coming back BUT they need a hand from us Hunters !!
thanks for all the feedback from everybody. we put in and are just waiting for the draw now to see. I put in for zone 5 and will be hunting public ground, any suggestions on public ground in zone 5?
thanks again
cityhunter: I would love to find a farm with low pressure but living 12 hours away I'm not really sure how to go about finding a farm, most of my scouting will probably be done online and due to time off work will prolly take the first day maybe 2 to look and hang stands and then the next 5 or 6 days to hunt and that will be the end of it. any suggestions on how to go about finding a low pressure farm??? (I know that's probably the million dollar question with no answer but just thought id ask) thanks
u should draw good luck .if the public dont wrk out i can find u a farm in zone 5
