Iowa Archery Whitetails Zone 5

[jrbarnes9972]

Well, if you don't draw then you have another year to find ground. Those pics of the bucks above are from my private lease. If you're not on private ground I would suggest you look hard and long for a place you can hunt that is private - it's not easy but you're not going to be looking at bucks like the ones above by hunting public there might be one like that and good luck killing him - the public gets hit hard just about everywhere you can go in Zone 5 plus they shoot alot of young bucks when it's shotgun season - it's not like it used to be - guys that come a long way and hunt public might hold out for a few days or a week but then their mind go to how much money they spent and how long they waited for a tag and they will kill a 2 year old at the end of the hunt just to go home with some kind of buck believe me I know because I live right on Rathbun Lake public and I see it first-hand all the time year after year. Good luck to you and I hope you find some good ground and kill a giant.

Appreciate that! My dad grew up in Zone 5 and we are lucky to have access to a lot of family land there

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[Iowa.guy.7mmMag]

Appreciate that! My dad grew up in Zone 5 and we are lucky to have access to a lot of family land there

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Yep, You're going to kill a giant - Hold out and don't shoot until you see the big one - Set camera's and get the inventory of your area then hunt the biggest buck you get multiple pics of - I've learned when I am hunting private ground in Iowa if you just put in the time in stands with the correct winds you will come out on top and usually get a crack at the biggest buck on the property and I guarantee it's mainly due to limited pressure - I don't hunt until late October Halloween weekend unless there is a strong cold front in Mid-October - If you stay out of you area even though your chomping at the bit to get in there you'll have alot better luck when it comes to them being on their feet in the daylight pre-rut or rut - If you blow them out a couple of times hunting early to mid-October then you'll suffer - I will be hunting pre-rut and rut so stay in touch or text if you want I'd love to hear how it's going in your area and I'll let you know how it's going in mine.

Make sure to let them family members know how much you appreciate them letting you come and hunt - it will go a long way with them even if they are family they still like to hear how much you love it.

 

[jrbarnes9972]

Anyone know when the draw results will be available? I'm getting itchy lol

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[Iowa.guy.7mmMag]

If I remember correctly, it's usually around the 20th of June so any day now.

 

[Auburnpack]

Anyone know when the draw results will be available? I'm getting itchy lol

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based on what Huntng Fool shows, I was expecting it to be last Friday or today.
2025 : June 13
2024 : June 14
2023 : June 16
2022 : June 17
2021 : June 18
2020 : June 26
2019 : July 27

 

[jrbarnes9972]

Well, looks like I'll be going in '27. Unsuccessful with 5 points in Zone 5

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[deerhunt1988]

Draw stats got posted today:

 

[fulldraw1972]

Well zone 4 just crept up a little more. No one with 4 points drew this year. Guess it’s either burn my 4 points in 7 next year or wait a year to try and get into zone 4 with 5 points.

 

[Iowa.guy.7mmMag]

Zone 5 has been to where you have to have 6 points to be guaranteed for a while and with only 40 people drawing with 5 points that means it's getting ready to creep up a point in the next couple of years you'll have to have 7 to be guaranteed - Zone 5 is so popular because of all the state ground in it - let me tell you if your any kind of guy that likes to shoot above a 150 Iowa public ground is not the place to do it - you can get lucky and some will but it's not the norm anymore - everyone has the same idea - I'm going to get a tag in zone 5 and kill a giant on state ground well that is probably not going to happen for most - In my opinion all state ground in Zone 5 is way overhunted and you'll be lucky if you kill a 130-140 class buck. I've lived in Zone 5 for a long time now and the amount of gun pressure I see every year is incredible they push the public ground around Lake Rathbun and the Sedan bottoms so much it's ridiculous and when they don't kill 140's they start shooting the 120's and the 130's it's pretty sad to see especially when you know what the state ground was like 20 years ago.

 

[Iowa.guy.7mmMag]

Well zone 4 just crept up a little more. No one with 4 points drew this year. Guess it’s either burn my 4 points in 7 next year or wait a year to try and get into zone 4 with 5 points.

I like Zone 4 better than 7 and have hunted both with a bow several times - I'd wait for the Zone 4 tag and if you can get on any kind of private you'll do good - 10 years ago I hunted along the MO border and got permission to hunt all kinds of private ground - last year I went back and talked to alot of the landowners that I use to hunt and half of them gave me permission even in this day and age then I spent some time in the cafe's talking to the old farmers and I found 2 new farms to hunt - it still happens if you have the time to spend in the area and get to know a few people.