I'm DONE!!!!
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: Boone
30-May-19
As the title says "I'm done" just applied for my Iowa nr bow license and wow was I surprised to see the final bill come to $660.55 plus my 3 points I built up coming to just over $800 and I haven't even left for the trip yet. This will be my last time hunting Iowa I feel like I could do a different state with otc tags for way cheaper. Anybody else think this is a crazy amount for a bow tag?
From: PSUArcher
30-May-19
Yeah that is crazy. I think Nebraska is $280(could be wrong).
From: Grunt-N-Gobble
30-May-19
Well, considering for about the same amount you could go elk hunting, yeah, maybe. But then ive never hunted Iowa and would like to at some point in my life.
From: midwest
30-May-19
Don't you get 2 tags? I either sex, 1 antlerless?
I think the NR turkey tags are what's ridiculous. NR hunting license plus turkey tag is like $250!
From: t-roy
30-May-19
At least you’re guaranteed to draw a tag every few years.
From: otcWill
30-May-19
I wish CO would charge NR 2k for elk tags :). So I love IA's logic. Charge what they'll pay
From: 1boonr
30-May-19
It’s not crazy if you have no other place to hunt whitetails that’s better and you really want a chance at a giant buck. You might want to check out northern Missouri since it’s close to you. You can get two otc buck tags and have a chance at a mature buck.
From: WHOCARES
30-May-19
Not too crazy for a quality hunt. Beats going to Disney world or a 5 day cruise doesn't it?
From: LBshooter
30-May-19
That's a bit much and especially if you shoot an average deer. Illinois has cut the herd down and plans are to keep cutting, the dnr is shooting the heck out of them. Any of you NR might want to reconsider hunting Illinois for the amount it cost you.
From: Ziek
30-May-19
To hunt a species you can find in your own back yard, or pretty much anyone's backyard, yeah, I'd say that's crazy.
From: Kodiak
30-May-19
I remember when it was a $100 bucks.
Yeah, give me an elk hunt any time.
From: Shawn
30-May-19
Nope not crazy, Kansas will cost you around 600 now and I believe Iowa may be better, They only have around 6000 NR tags and 35% go to bowhunters. Whre did you draw? 4 or 5 with some work you should kill a good buck. I will say this, anywhere you go, you should not expect to hunt a week or 10 days and kill a giant. If you draw every 3 or 4 years than plan on going for a minimum of 2 weeks and more is better. Shawn
From: obeRON
30-May-19
I applied with 4pts in my bank...not to "1 up you" lol
From: WI Shedhead
30-May-19
Yes it is and my dad lives thier. Try forking it out for 3 kids and myself just to hunt with grandpa. Crazy
From: SD BuckBuster
30-May-19
Iowa is wayyyyy overrated. Just sayin.
From: pav
31-May-19
More $$$ than I want to pay....absolutely! More $$$ than I'm willing to pay....evidently not!
From: SaddleReaper
31-May-19
Any depending on where you applied there's a good possibility you will not draw with 3 points....
From: Charlie Rehor
31-May-19
Arizona Elk
Iowa Deer
From: 12yards
31-May-19
I hope more people give up going there. I'd pay $1000, maybe more. Yup, I hunt them here in MN too, but there's no comparison.
From: Trial153
31-May-19
I am in for this year, finally secured a farm I wanted for bow season.I need to burn my points this year, as I have some friends that are planning a hunt for 2025 and booked a 7 day block with an outfitter...So I committed to that as well. Expensive yea for sure. It is what it is, I only live once.
For persecutive my NR Moose and woodland caribou tag this year is about a 1K total......so yea I agree there are way better value out then then NR Iowa KS deer tags.
From: Elite 1
31-May-19
My wife says the same thing why would you pay that when we have them in the backyard. Women just can’t figure them out.
From: APauls
31-May-19
Or $1080 Canadian
From: chesapeake born
31-May-19
you guys are all crazy, in md i can hunt sept to thru jan, bow rifle muzzleloader for about 60 dollars amd we are over run with dee rand red foxes
From: Boone
31-May-19
Hey Boone, you take name? We may need to add something to yours so we don't get confused. lol
From: Franklin
31-May-19
Wisconsin is about $170 non-resident and one of the longest bow seasons around. Opens Sept 15th.
From: 12yards
31-May-19
MN nonresident archery tag costs $185. With that you can hunt from mid-September through Dec. 31. That said MN sells about half a dozen NR archery licenses and they all hunt Camp Ripley. MN could give away NR deer licenses and no one would come here to hunt. LOL.
From: EmbryOklahoma
31-May-19
Yea, Dan, I was thinking... "hmm, I didn't know he hunted Iowa." :)
From: Boone
31-May-19
I was just as surprised as you were. lol
From: Pyrannah
31-May-19
"I built up coming to just over $800"
Better way to think about is... Only $200/yr , or $16/mth, or $.55/day.. Easy decision in my opinion...
From: Franklin
31-May-19
12 yards....isn`t MN a "reciprocal state". Last time I hunted their I got my grapes crushed because I lived in Illinois and their non-resident was like $325. Did it change at some point?
From: boothill
31-May-19
Last year everyone complained about Kansas and having to buy a hunting license to apply and wanted their money back if they didn't draw. This year Colorado you had to buy a small game license to apply for elk and didn't see the complaints. Told the wife I had to make a trip out to call yotes and maybe shoot a prairie dogs to justify the expense if I don't draw.
From: Trial153
31-May-19
if you didnt see any complaints about Colorado then you weren't looking hard enough
From: jjs
31-May-19
First NR tag was $80 and I stop at $325, decide thereafter I'll go to an out of state where I do not have to worry about barb wire and black dirt. The last rodeo was 2000 and took a nice buck on 10 acres public, born and raised with family still there and refuse the extortion game. Until Mn. and Wi. goes reciprocal for NR tags I will not contribute. enjoy the hunt.
From: RutnStrut
31-May-19
Wisconsin needs to grow a set and implement reciprocal license fees. it'll never happen as they are too worried about stepping on toes and losing a few non resident sales. Especially now with a super liberal gov.
From: MQQSE
31-May-19
Auction tags are selling for upwards of $15,000. I don’t have an issue with the cost of the tag. I’d happily pay $5,000 annually if I could archery hunt my Iowa farm every fall.
From: TREESTANDWOLF
31-May-19
From the management side of things, Iowa has it together, but as Zeik says, you can find them elsewhere for a lot less. This will be my last year there as well, other species to get after.
From: Mpdh
31-May-19
A non resident has to purchase a buck tag, doe tag, small game license, and pay what they call a convenience fee to hunt in Iowa. Plus you add all the fees paid to buy points.
First time I applied was in 2009. A point was $10 plus tax. 2 yrs later, 2011 a point was $50 plus tax. Don’t know what the cost is now.
From: deerslayer
31-May-19
I hear ya. I had 4 bonus pts plus tag fees, and thought "wow. That's a lot of coin for a deer tag". However........
For me personally to hunt a place/area where I can conceivably have a chance to kill anywhere from a 140" to a Booner buck is a no brainer. I have waited my whole life (literally) for a chance to hunt Iowa. I always try to weigh tags and DIY cost against what I would pay if I chose to go through an outfitter. While I'm not crazy about the higher cost for this tag, I also know that I am doing it on the cheap compared to most, and realistically it's the only way I will go as $4-6K is too much for me to spend on a deer hunt. All in I may have $2k into my trip, including travel, tag, food, etc. I hear people complain all the time about Montana's non-res fees, but when I look at what they're getting versus what their paying (or would be paying via outfitter) I don't see the issue.
As with almost everything in life it's all relative. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, one man's junk is another man's treasure, or in this case what's valuable to one guy (a chance at a big buck) is not so much for the next. If you live in Kansas I can see thinking Iowa isn't worth it. On the flip side if you seldom have the chance to kill a P&Y class buck, then Iowa seems like a dream come true. For me it's the latter.
From: elkmo
31-May-19
"To hunt a species you can find in your own back yard, or pretty much anyone's backyard, yeah, I'd say that's crazy." +1
I'm going west for that much coin....I can sit in trees here at home.
From: WV Mountaineer
31-May-19
^^^^^This^^^^^.
I love to whitetail deer hunt. However, I can do that at home. I can be in one of the 4 bow only counties WV offers in less then 15 minutes. Is the hunt as good as Iowa? Not likely but, if I'm paying to play at that rate, its going to be going toward and elk or Mule deer hunt out west, a Canadian Moose hunt, or an Alaskan Black tail hunt. Not for a whitetail hunt were I set in a tree until I'm bored stiff.
From: deerslayer
31-May-19
^^^ I get to hunt elk, antelope, bears, and muleys in my backyard ;)
Those giant Midwestern bucks have eluded me far too long.
From: Boone
31-May-19
I applied for zone 4. This will be my 3rd time down there and have 1 on the wall from there now. Everybody wants to know where I hunt now well its famous buffalo county Wisconsin. I have a better chance at a giant in Iowa I believe as buffalo county has it's hot spots and dead spots
From: petedrummond
31-May-19
goodbye
From: Shawn
01-Jun-19
I would do quite a bit of research and see where the big bucks are coming from the last ten years in Iowa. It is not where most people think. To me the money is all relative. I work with a guy who buys a cup of coffee each day that cost him $4.25 so make that 4 bucks. Lets just say he misses some days and say that is 300 days a year, that is 1200 bucks for f'ing coffee!! To hunt Iowa next year with my points and tags and license, plus room for 15 days and all my other expenses will be under 2500 bucks so 2 years worth of freaking coffee!! LOL!! Shawn
From: Ziek
01-Jun-19
Coffee doesn't cost $4.25 for any size cup. What he's buying is some fru-fru, flavored dessert drink. ;-)
From: ahunter76
01-Jun-19
I was born & raised in N.W. Ill. & now live in N.E. Ia. I've been blessed for sure but not with huge Bucks. Never the less, I would not pay those fees. I'm doing my last Point/Wy/Antelope this year. No more point buying for me I've also been blessed with Bowhunts in 15 States (DIY/Public). Being OLD I did tons of out of state bowhunts for a lot less than is required today including draws. BUT IF your coming to IOWA this year, Bring a BOAT. Seriously, Water/flooding is ridicules & I doubt many displaced animals will return to many of these places by hunting season. I mean, it IS bad. I would be checking with those in the areas you plan to hunt. Good luck
From: Franklin
01-Jun-19
Any state in the Midwest gives you the opportunity at a whopper if the property allows them to mature. A deer in Illinois or Wisconsin is going to be just as big as a deer in Iowa given the same conditions.
I tan hides for taxidermists and you should see the deer I see that you never hear of.
Don`t buy into all the hype.
From: Shawn
01-Jun-19
Ziek, you obviously do not live in NY or near a Starbucks!! The sad thing is he could go another half mile and get any size coffee for 99 cents but he likes his double mocha latte or whatever it is, its not coffee to me. My point is 800 bucks to have a chance at 150" or better deer is well worth it to some folks, some who have never seen a deer on the hoof that big! Shawn
From: Ziek
01-Jun-19
I've had Starbucks coffee all over the country. From their current menu prices their largest fresh brewed COFFEE is $2.45. Their regular size - a tall, which is still larger than a cup - is $1.85. Like I said, what he's buying is NOT coffee.
From: IdyllwildArcher
01-Jun-19
I saw a bumper sticker on a truck in CA one time that said "Make your own goddam coffee you little pussy!" I got a belly laugh out of that.
That said, a Starbucks Latte with some whiskey in it is really good. It'll warm you up...
From: t-roy
02-Jun-19
Nothing to see here!....Move along!
From: JusPassin
02-Jun-19
No, what's funny is folks coming here to Iowa thinking there is a 150" deer behind every tree. I live in NE Iowa and have but once in 54 years seen anyone take a deer in this area over 150. Marketing is a wonderful thing if your selling.
From: Trial153
02-Jun-19
Glad I don’t need to skip coffee to buy tags.
From: leo17
02-Jun-19
ziek, come to NY and see the prices @ starbucks. Its crazy. I don't drink coffee but i have seen what people pay for it.
From: leo17
02-Jun-19
I wish more people would drop out of building points for Iowa. I would gladly pay more to hunt my farm each year. cmon, Iowa Raise those tag Prices.
From: Ziek
02-Jun-19
leo17. This is way off topic, but it's a pet peeve of mine. I doubt you have seen more than 1 in 100 people actually order COFFEE at a Starbucks. Before I retired, I would try to stop at an airport Starbucks before heading to flight-ops, just to get a tall dark roast, and I didn't have a lot of time. I would stand in line and listen to people placing orders that sounded like a recipe for a nuclear device. It took several minutes to just say what they wanted. Then the barista would take forever to concoct it. But he wasn't even done until he finished with a cute picture on top! All I wanted was a damn coffee before starting my day, not some sissy drink. Saying what most people order at Starbucks is coffee is like saying you had a scoop of ice cream, when what you really had was a banana split.
From: Jaquomo
02-Jun-19
I'm with Ziek. I traveled for business every week and was a Starbucks regular (had an unlimited expense account). Hardly anyone ever orders "coffee".
"I'll have a half caf, half sweet, soy caramel macchiato with chocolate drizzle at 123 degrees", says the guy in Birkenstocks with a man-purse over his shoulder, wearing a "Meat is Murder" tshirt.
From: Shawn
02-Jun-19
Obviously no one can read either!! Look at my last post, I did say coffee in my first one but my last post says his double mocha latte or whatever it is. Again read before you get your panties in a wad and also go to NYC and see what an actual real cup of coffee costs, it is close to 4 bucks and cheeseburger with fries at a little diner is 20 bucks. Juspassin I have only scouted Iowa twice and not the NE part but I have a group of friends that goes every two years and at least one of them kills 150" buck every time and most times a few of the guys kill deer that big or bigger. I understand how residents view NR's but there is no arguing success from the guys that go to Iowa every few years and kill big bucks! Shawn
From: ElkNut1
02-Jun-19
Jaq, lol!
ElkNut/Paul
From: leftee
02-Jun-19
My wife stops at Starbucks a lot and she kills a lot of chit. More than most guys. Never stays at Holiday Inns or hunts Iowa though.
From: ahunter76
02-Jun-19
I have never had a problem with NRs since I have done much in other states. For those who come as NRs & kill that 150, great BUT it still boils down the the property you get to bowhunt. I have a private spot (only me bowhunting) that I "usually" see one of those bruisers BUT the 10 gun hunters do brown & down. Every year I see a Buck or 2 killed that I passed in easy bow range. I was never a "horn" hunter but since I've been blessed with like 50 Does & at least as many Bucks I have set a personal goal on the next & no more Does. Whitetail is the "only" biggame that females & smaller antlers get a pass. I also bowhunt a very small public spot that no one bothers with. I have seen my biggest Bucks in that little spot. Why? Because there is a no hunting area around half of it & they can "grow". When the 1st gun fires, that is where they go. There "is" a reason for those NRs to tag a 150 Buck (management or sanctuary of some type). Granted, any property, private or public may produce a whopper because that is our " species, make up of our Whitetail". I also am in the NE part of Ia & I see/hear of most biggies taken in our area. My son in NW Ill. & his hard bowhunting friends (5) have some great properties & on average ONE of the 6 will take a good Buck & most take ONE Doe from their spots. They ALL pass those younger bucks as a rule & they are allowed 2 + pretty much unlimited Does.. I just know most of Iowa has hellashish high water & displaced animals.
From: Ziek
02-Jun-19
"...go to NYC and see what an actual real cup of coffee costs,..."
You don't have to go, just google it. $1.85 for a tall fresh brewed COFFEE in several Manhattan Starbucks I checked. It's also what I remember from my frequent layovers there. You can double, or more, that as soon as you start adding crap. They don't have to raise the price of COFFEE because no one orders COFFEE.
From: 12yards
03-Jun-19
Shawn is right on. His point is we spend far more on frivolous crap in a year than we would spend on an IA hunt. Whether it's Starbucks Coffee (yeah, even the $2 cup), a meltdown at the McDonalds drive thru, or Diet Coke/Mtn Dew for $2+ a bottle at the convenience store. Don't even get me started if you chew snuff (I used to) or drink a lot of beer/other alcohol. I know ya gotta live too, but most folks throw a pile of cash away every year on this, that, and the other thing. Just sayin'. Heck to be honest, my hunting area that I frequent in MN is an hour away. If I run up there a dozen or more times in my truck, I'm spending a pretty good pile of cash doing that and I'm no where near a buck that might come by me in IA.
From: RK
03-Jun-19
Question? If you own property in Iowa do you have to apply for a tag. If you are not a resident
From: 12yards
03-Jun-19
RK, yes you do.
From: Ollie
03-Jun-19
Non-resident landowners get no preference for buck tags in comparison to non-residents that don't own land.
From: Mule Power
03-Jun-19
You can hunt elk in Wyoming for that much.
From: RymanCat
03-Jun-19
Why cry about tags its what it cost!!!!!!!! MT was 800.00 plus each year NR wants to go to certain state they are being charged but I don't think the states are doing it to gouge or just flat out rip us off. This cost money. How mush is our equipment these days and actually what we spend on it to get the pride is it worth it. I have over 25,000.00 in elk trips and tags and no elk yet. 4 or 5 grand in bear hunts and no bear yet. Add it all up over the years. Sadly enough yu can't really put a price on an animal can we.
A lot of older guys will never see a tag from preference points they might get sick or get to old to go now thats whats not fair now.
From: jdbbowhunter
03-Jun-19
I wouldn't pay it . But whitetails don't interest me that much. But truth is its what the market is. If you don't pay it someone else will.
From: Shawn
03-Jun-19
One last example. I have a younger friend(40) he has gone on 2 Elk hunts in Montana both with a gun. He shot a great bull last year(over 360"s). I never asked about his other hunt as he said very little and saw very little. This year since he killed a good bull I asked a bunch of questions. Turns out from getting out there and than getting home plus all costs, right n down to getting the antlers home, total cost was $9500. One hunt that lasted 3 days. Sorry but for me that is crazy, see I don't care about Elk or a bunch f other critters. I like trying to kill big whitetails and for 9500 bucks I could hunt at least 4 states over a two month period and have a lot more fun than 3 days hunting Elk. Its all relative and if folks want to spend money on anything hunting related I am all for it. Shawn
From: IdyllwildArcher
04-Jun-19
It doesn't have to cost that much to hunt elk.
From: Mule Power
04-Jun-19
Thanks Idyl. I hunt elk for two weeks for under 2 grand and in my a hunt in the beautiful mountains is worth more than sitting in a tree stand especially since we can all do that at home.
From: midwest
04-Jun-19
Whitetails are like cartoons....it's what I watch when nothing else is on. ;-)
Woody Sanford
From: Kodiak
04-Jun-19
"...I hunt elk for two weeks for under 2 grand and in my a hunt in the beautiful mountains is worth more than sitting in a tree stand especially since we can all do that at home."
Yep, exactly how I feel about it.
From: Jake
04-Jun-19
I went once to Iowa and shot a nice 142 buck the last day and the last minute of the hunt. I now have four points and hoping to draw this year. Being 68 and lousy health it will be my last time out there but I will give it my all. The owner of the land said once you hunt here, Wi. will be boring to you and he was right. Never seen so many bucks hunting before. To me it is worth the cost. Crazy price but worth it to me.
From: 12yards
04-Jun-19
Believe it or not, some people would rather hunt whitetails in IA than elk out west. I like hunting elk, but sorry, I don't think it is the end all be all. Please don't hate me now! LOL!
From: RK
04-Jun-19
DD those costs probably included outfitter fee. But either way why would any of that matter, outfitter or nonoutfitter i bet his friend was very happy with it all
From: sticksender
04-Jun-19
If you're saying "you could hunt elk for that cost", I'd ask why limit yourself to one or the other? Good lord I'm hunting it all, and as often as possible, right up to the point of barely having enough left for groceries. But truthfully, as compared to other more glamorous species, whities are still a great bargain to hunt, in just about every corner of their range.
From: RD in WI
04-Jun-19
I think it is a lot of money for a deer tag but you may be paying more for the perceived increase in opportunity at a big buck. I have seen Boone and Crockett whitetails in every state I have lived except MA and WA (MN, WI, ND, SD, and Kentucky). They may have a cheaper tag but lack the exclusivity of Iowa. This may sound weird, but if a state allowed me to buy an OTC tag at a much higher rate than the cost of drawing a tag, I would spend the extra money. It would aid in planning vacations and make the process less of a hassle for me and the money would help the state out. Best of luck this fall.
From: Shawn
04-Jun-19
Yes the outfitter was right at 5300. That was 6 full days of hunting and all meals and game care included. I believe he tipped like 500 bucks as well as he said they were a great group of guides. I am one of the folks who really only cares about hunting whitetails. I have hunted Elk, bear and antelope but whitetails are what blow my hair back! Shawn
