I just found out that IA allows us late season muzzleloader hunters to use our bows if we wish to fill this any sex tag!!!! I have grudgeonly late season muzzle loaded in past yearsfor the extra buck tag. I just don't get any excitement or feeling of accomplishment taking a deer with a gun anymore. It is so cool that I can trophy buck hunt Dec 18th until Jan 10th. IA law says that on Dec 18th I can sit in the woods with my late season muzzleloader tag and have on my possession a bow, handgun, and a muzzleloader all at the same time with me and shoot an any sex deer with whatever weapon I choose. There won't be any guns with me though. Yippy!!!! I guess this law has been around for awhile, but the regs don't spell it out real clearly other than a check marked box on a chart showing legal weapons during this late season muzzleloader. Damn, IA rocks!!! We have such a powerful bowhunting force in part because of the IA Bowhunters Association. We are the only state in the nation that I am aware of (please correct me if I am wrong;Edit, PA,MD too.) that DOES NOT ALLOW gun hunting during the rut. We have an early muzzleloader season that opens for a week in the 2nd week in October but that is it for guns until the 1st weekend in Dec after the rut. We also allow no centerfire rifle hunting which allows our bucks to get huge. IA has more Boone and Crocket bucks in the record books than any other state in the nation too!!! Once again YIPPY!!! Sorry, I am just ready for another crack at a big boyI have seen.
No wonder non-residents have no problem plunking down $400 for a non-resident tag. Residents only pay $26.00
PS. You guys all need to write to your congressman and DNR and let them know that it is DUMB and poor trophy mgmt to allow gun season during the rut in your state. They should think outside of the box and realize that big bucks bring big tourist $ in non-resident tags, motels, food, taxidermy bills, etc.