Iowa Zone 6

[James]

I know that there is an Iowa board but there is honestly hardly any posts in there and I would like to get some feedback from as large of the audience as possible. [If a mod wants to move this, that is fine]

Has anyone recently hunted Zone 6 in Iowa as a non-resident or do we have any residents with experience? For the residents not familiar with the zones it covers Van Buren, Lee, Des Moines and half of Louisa and Davis counties.

I have been sitting on 3 preference points and it is time I head down there. Looking at last year's draw statistics combined with known quality areas I am coming up with Zone 6 as the most ideal for my scenario. I've been pouring over the Sportman's Atlas and the county GIS sites. I have a full day worth of home addresses and names to knock on doors in one county for permission. I figure with a few celebrities living and hunting in Zone 6 I know what areas to avoid. There are a few large public parcels and plenty of smaller ones. The only downside right now that I do not have any sure access, so I plan on reserving at least a couple weekends this spring for scouting public. I am not interested in outfitters. I would lease if the money and land were right, but so far I am seeing high prices on mediocre looking parcels.

So, what are everyone's thoughts on this area, experience?

[Ridgerunner7]

I hunt zone 6. It's a good area but SE Iowa is all good. Zone 6 has less public than some surrounding zones but does have a couple big ones. I knocked on doors there yeas ago and acquired permission on a few farms pretty easily. Since then I have lost all the permission (except one farm)due to outfitting or high dollar leases that I couldn't compete with. We tried nocking on more doors without any luck. So we now hunt the one farm and public ground. I would guess zone 5 and 6 gets some of the highest pressure and attention.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[BassBoysLLP]

I haven't personally hunted Zone 5 or 6, but Ridgerunners post is consistent with findings of friends.

I'm personally targeting Zone 9 for my draw.

[James]

I haven't personally hunted Zone 5 or 6, but Ridgerunners post is consistent with findings of friends.

I'm personally targeting Zone 9 for my draw.

9 would be the easiest travel wise for me, however the intel and comments I have heard is that it is the area that has seen quality go down hill the quickest. I personally know of two people who were not successful in that zone last year and spent quite a good amount of time hunting there.

[Spysar]

I bet zone 6 is awesome. Pockets may have been affected by EHD. I think Lee and Tiff are in zone 6, maybe Winke too.

Are you gonna rut hunt, or bed hunt?

I'm back at zero pref points.

[BassBoysLLP]

I haven't personally hunted Zone 5 or 6, but Ridgerunners post is consistent with findings of friends.

I'm personally targeting Zone 9 for my draw.

9 would be the easiest travel wise for me, however the intel and comments I have heard is that it is the area that has seen quality go down hill the quickest. I personally know of two people who were not successful in that zone last year and spent quite a good amount of time hunting there.

Interesting. Thanks for the different perspective. Were they hunting exclusively on public?

[James]

I bet zone 6 is awesome. Pockets may have been affected by EHD. I think Lee and Tiff are in zone 6, maybe Winke too.

Winke is in 5, I would really like to hunt 5 but it has the worst odds of draw and Winke's crew seems to be hunting public pretty hard and publicizing it quite a bit. Even though I will hunt weekdays, I would like to avoid other hunters as much as possible.

Are you gonna rut hunt, or bed hunt?

Wisconsin and Minnesota should have early openers for 2015 (Sep 12), so I will have a fair number of weekends to get on something in either of my two regular states before Iowa even opens. So I would say yes, I will have a long weekend or two to try some bed hunting there in October. I will take a couple weeks of vacation around the rut and will be able to get a lot of stand time in then in Iowa.

[James]

Interesting. Thanks for the different perspective. Were they hunting exclusively on public?

I believe so, but I cannot be positive. I'll ask. 9 has a lot of public.

[Spysar]

I haven't personally hunted Zone 5 or 6, but Ridgerunners post is consistent with findings of friends.

I'm personally targeting Zone 9 for my draw.

9 would be the easiest travel wise for me, however the intel and comments I have heard is that it is the area that has seen quality go down hill the quickest. I personally know of two people who were not successful in that zone last year and spent quite a good amount of time hunting there.

Winke didn't get a buck this year either.....I wouldn't decide anything on what people didn't get....

[Spysar]

James, any big water in zone 6? Army corp of engineers usually has public hunting that may or may not be on a sportsmans atlas..

[Stanley]

I hunt in Zone 5 quite a bit. Lee and Tiff are in zone 6. Winke is in Zone 5. I'm not exactly sure where the Lakosky's farms are (I don't hunt in that zone). I do know where Winke's farm is. I got my buck this year in Zone 9. Zone 9 is more hill country. Zone 5 would be more agriculture country. It is about 6 hr driving distance from zone 9 to zone 5. If that is anything to consider. I would think coming from Wisconsin/North that would be huge.

Zone 9 has been a high quality big buck zone for many years. I do think it has dropped some in the last 5-8 years. I think if you are a hill hunter zone 9 would be good. If you are a flat lander you will probably will struggle in zone 9. JMHO If anyone wants to talk more about it PM with your phone #.

[Stanley]

Lot of small lakes in Zone 6 The bigger reservoirs are in zone 5. I have done some fishing in zone 6.

[msailor]

James, any big water in zone 6? Army corp of engineers usually has public hunting that may or may not be on a sportsmans atlas..

Plenty of ground to hunt on Rathbun, Saylorville and Red Rock.

[msailor]

James, you might consider Loess Hills State Forest. This area has a history of producing some giants and there's alot of public. I have turkey hunted the area and was actually suprised how few hunters were in the area, could have been alot more for the number of acres there is to hunt.

[Stanley]

James, any big water in zone 6? Army corp of engineers usually has public hunting that may or may not be on a sportsmans atlas..

Plenty of ground to hunt on Rathbun, Saylorville and Red Rock.

I agree with this. They are in zone 5 though.