Deer Population Management Hunts (Iowa)

IOWABUCKHUNTR · 08-11-2011, 10:12 AM

Hey all,

Just curious if anyone in here has utilized the Iowa Deer Population Management Hunt option in the urban areas. I am just looking for information regarding the procedures to apply and secure a tag. I recently moved to the Des Moines area to take a job, and now live about an hour away from the family land. I am looking at finding options that will provide the ability to continue to deer hunt regularly throughout the early season with the option of slamming a doe, and driving an hour home every week is not a viable option with gas at $3.50 a gallon.

Any information is greatly appreciated!

Iowabucks44 · 08-17-2011, 11:28 AM

I live in Muscatine. Our city has a bowhunt and i really don't know alot of the details but i know they have you take a proficiency test first. You must be able to hit a paper plate at 20 yards. Easy enough. I think you can purchase an unlimited amout of doe tags if you like.

I do know a person here in town that takes about 13 to 15 does every year from inside the city limits. He must have a really good area to hunt. By what i have heard the city will give out only 3 to 5 buck tags to the people that shoot the most does every year.
There are certain rules about the size of the property you can hunt. I believe it must be at least 10 acres in size.

I have always thought about doing the city hunt myself too but i run alot of trailcams throughout the summer and fall. All the bucks i see on film have me drooling and i don't think so much about hunting does after that. It would be nice to have a place within minutes of your house to hunt though.

IOWABUCKHUNTR · 08-17-2011, 07:13 PM

Yeah, we usually refrain from taking does on our main properties prior to the rut... Im a firm believer that the one doe I harvest before the rut, could have been one a buck could be trailing.

I have a sneaking suspicion that work is gonna keep me tied down pretty hard this fall, so a ten minute drive to a hunt site is almost madatory if I want to get out as much as last year.

jnrbronc · 08-18-2011, 05:40 AM

From what I heard, check into hunting the Des Moines Water Works. Sorry, don't have any more information than that, hopefully you can track down some contact information.