Here’s how to make the most of your next DIY Hawkeye State bowhunting adventure.
The key to better public hunting? The Hunting Public team has found that the more time it logs learning public areas in Iowa and elsewhere, the better its hunting success.
I’d begun the long lonely hike into my targeted stand site in predawn darkness, but after finally cresting the steep wooded hill nearly a half-mile from the parking lot, I stopped cold and crouched. My view in the murky moonlight revealed the shadowy figures of several deer — 8? 10? — milling about in the cut cornfield far ahead. On this day, the sighting was both good and bad. It was the peak of the Iowa rut, and by the looks (and sounds) of things, a buck or two was pushing around a generous handful of local does that had been filling their bellies in the fresh-cut field. Even from 200 yards, I could hear the playful doe snorts and soft buck grunting.
My dilemma was the deer were gathered just outside the woodlot where I’d found a promising stand site the day before. But then, just like that, they scattered — in several directions. Confident no deer had seen me, and with daylight quickly approaching, I stalked slowly on into the woodlot and quickly began setting up. I had to pause when a young 3×3 buck came bird-dogging by, nose to the ground at first shooting light, well within 10 yards. Two minutes later came a coyote, skirting by at a mere 10 feet. Thankfully, the morning would see even more lively action. Boy, would it ever.
Although I’ve been fortunate to hunt Iowa several times over my career on some well-managed private tracts, soon after my decision to undertake my first DIY public land hunt in the Hawkeye State back in 2020, I made a very fortunate contact. I was at the counter of my local archery shop in June, exchanging fall plans with some on-staff friends, when the guy standing next to me suddenly spoke up.
“I know some great public areas in Iowa you need to try,” said Ryan, who, as it turned out, was not kidding in the least. Jackpot. After a brief discussion, I would hook up via phone with the former state resident some days later, each of us with maps in hand. And Ryan, a young, dedicated bowhunter who also shed-hunted Iowa regularly, including that very spring, offered up some sweet advice I would take to heart. I was glad I did. Hanging out at an archery pro shop had just paid some unseen dividends.
My experience, though solely by chance, brings up a critical point all first-time Iowa hunters should heed. Well before your hunt, find someone — or a few people — who know the score. Whether it’s a friend who lives in the state or has hunted it before, or maybe a state DNR employee with insider knowledge, any type of solid lead can shave days — even weeks — off your research and help lead you to success. Maybe it’s an overlooked public tract, or a relatively new tract enrolled in the state PLOTS program that allows public access to private tracts in exchange for tax breaks — much like the farmland described in the opening graphs above.
Regardless, research pays big, and there’s plenty to dip into beginning on the informative Iowa DNR website (www.iowadnr.gov). While there, find the Public Hunting Atlas that shows all such lands statewide.
Through it all, realize that hunting any new state is a lesson in research and patience. And also, set realistic expectations. Few know that more than Aaron Warbritton of The Hunting Public Youtube team that specializes in hunting public tracts nationwide, and especially in Iowa where Warbritton once lived — and where at least one Hunting Public staffer still does.
“Actually, in my opinion, I’m not going to paint such a rosy picture of Iowa’s public hunting,” Warbritton said. “There is really not a lot of public land opportunity in Iowa, but I lived there for 13 years, and couldn’t afford to pay an outfitter, couldn’t afford to go to a lease. So public land was kind of my only option.”
Of course, if you follow The Hunting Public’s adventures on Youtube, you know that over the past several years Warbritton and his team of dedicated public land hunters have regularly tasted success on public lands across many whitetail states. And for Aaron and the rest of his team, much of that expertise was honed in the Hawkeye State. One of the primary challenges Warbritton has found, as you’d expect most anywhere on public dirt, is competition. Sometimes, lots of it.
“I think the hunting can be good, but you need to have realistic expectations going into it,” he said. “First of all, hunting public land is just a very different animal. On public land, you can’t manipulate the hunting pressure like you can on private tracts; you have to be able to adapt to those conditions on the fly. Going into any hunt I routinely expect my Plan A, B and C to go wrong. And it’s not just other hunters you’re dodging. A lot of Iowa public land is multi-use, so you have people out there just recreating, and they can be a factor. You just have to keep a positive attitude in the face of altering your plans, sometimes daily.” Warbritton, who currently lives nearby, back in his home state of Missouri, has found a commonality in most all states where he and his team hunt public tracts.
“Hunting Iowa is really no different than hunting public land in your own home state,” he said. “The more time you put into it, the more success you’re going to have. A lot of the time what happens is, someone draws an Iowa tag and they think they’ll automatically have a chance at a 170-inch deer, and that’s just not reality. Sure it can happen, but it’s more a factor of how much time you can put into your scouting and research. The more you can do — and you should start years in advance of your hunt — the better off you’ll be. And truth be told, most people could be spending just as much time on public land closer to home, and having just as good of results.”
As an example, Warbritton said it was year five of hunting public lands in Iowa before he and his team really started hitting their stride. That season they took several high-quality bucks after logging several years filled with some moderate success, but mostly hard-won lessons. His takeaway? Experience in an area matters, anywhere deer roam, and Iowa is no exception.
Everybody’s definition of a trophy deer is different, but when the topic of Iowa hunting comes up, some benchmarks exist. And because it’s Iowa, expectations get blown up fairly quickly. So what is realistic? Are you looking for a Pope and Young record book-qualifying typical scoring 125 inches? Nothing wrong with those. And a 140-inch buck is a good one most anywhere they roam.
Several outfitters in Iowa have a trophy benchmark of 150 inches, mostly to ensure the availability of top-notch bucks on their managed tracts for years to come. Shoot a buck that scores less than 150 in those trophy camps and you’ll be paying a fine. Of course, you bypass any such expectations when going public on a DIY hunt, but the questions remain: What is a good goal? What should be your personal goal? Well, let’s take a look at that 150-inch benchmark. That is a stud anywhere deer roam, and they’re not behind every bush, not even in Iowa.
“Realistically, if you’ve done your scouting and research, and hunt really hard, after a week of hunting, you should be able to get an opportunity at a P&Y-type (125 inches) buck,” Warbritton said. “It just depends on what your goals are. Lots of guys pick a premiere zone, they set their sights on a 150- or 160-inch buck, and the area they hunt might be full of 140-inch 8-points. They might be disappointed, but that’s a buck I will take every day.
“150 inches or greater is a tough proposition. I’ve hunted Iowa for 13 years as a resident, and during that time I’ve killed three of them — and I scout 50 days a year in Iowa. The amount of time I’d guess required to [ensure an encounter with] a deer of that caliber, is probably north of 60 days of scouting per year.
“For me, my goals, I’m just trying to get a solid opportunity at a nice buck. I started hunting Iowa in 2011; at the time we were mid-20s deer hunters. We were students of the game, and we hunted really hard and we had success, and saw some big ones. But it was 4-5 years in, when we really had the confidence that we could expect to get a chance at a 150-caliber buck, that it definitely can happen. It took that amount of time. With that said, we’re really not serious trophy hunters. If a nice 130-inch 8-point walked in to 10 yards, versus having a 150-inch deer at 40 or 50 yards, I’m taking the 130-inch buck every time.”
If you’ve researched Iowa at all you know the state is broken up into specific hunt zones, and you must apply for a specific zone. So which zones are best? Do your research and you’ll find the most popular. And there’s no doubt those premiere zones can deliver if you get on the right property. However, make no mistake, there are big deer in every zone. “A lot of people who apply to hunt Iowa want to hunt the best areas in the state, but in my opinion, I think the opposite,” Warbritton said. “I think you’re better off picking a certain area, maybe not so well known, and try to focus on it as much as possible with your scouting. You can scout a lot during the winter, but not until you actually get in those locations and hunt them, will you see how the deer actually behave there. If you’re one tree off, or 15 yards, that could make or break your tag. Typically it takes me a long time to put those pieces together, but in reality, you only have to guess right one time.”
Speaking of guessing right, the Iowa woodlot stand site discussed at the beginning of this feature turned out to be most everything I’d hoped. About mid-morning, the sounds of deer hooves crunching dry leaves became almost deafening, and soon I watched a parade of seven does emerge from the steep ravine to my left — followed soon after by a beast of a buck. I guessed the tall heavy 10-point would score in the mid-150s, and readied for my shot.
Once drawn I needed the buck — now at just 25 yards — to clear the tangled branches of a large recent blowdown, but it was not to be. Just before hitting my lane the buck, and a large group of does, didn’t spook, but suddenly moved off and disappeared down the steep drop straight away from me. The tangle of tree branches perfectly shielded his exit.
Within minutes, more movement caught my eye. From my position at the edge of the woodlot I could see two more deer emerge far to my right, some 200 yards away, from the few rows of corn left standing in the mostly cut field. One was a doe, the other, a certified Iowa monster. Easily one of the largest typicals I’ve ever seen on the hoof was bird-dogging the hot doe, and I stared in amazement, then grabbed my grunt call.
As I watched I could not believe the width and height of the buck’s rack, which I judged at some 24 inches inside, with an overall score pushing the magic 170 mark. Good grief. The buck’s headgear was so large it appeared almost cartoonish. I’ll never forget the sight of that buck suddenly snapping its head toward me, in response to my best fake grunts, and glimpsing that stunning spread for the first time.
The pair would come no closer than about 125 yards that day, but a consolation prize was waiting. I would end up arrowing a fine young 9-pointer later on that hunt, from the very same woodlot stand. It was a hunt I’ll never forget, and one that will have me going public in Iowa for many years ahead.
As you’ve read, Aaron Warbritton and his teammates from The Hunting Public are all about making the most of the opportunities found on Iowa’s public lands. But they’re not so laser-focused as to pass up a chance to hunt cherry private tracts they might run across. As Warbritton says, as long as you’re spending time scouting your chosen public areas, it just makes good sense to knock on as many doors in the immediate area as you can, which just might reveal a private honey-hole free from competition.
“Don’t overlook knocking on a lot of doors during your scouting, because if you finally do draw the tag, you’ll have a pile of different areas from which to choose.”
Even in today’s world of social media blowing up the demand for, and worth of, Iowa’s private ground, Warbritton says that most bowhunters would be shocked at the quality of deer hunting you can access there, merely for the asking.
“You might only need a few dozen acres or less to be able to find a good rut-hunt setup, and it might be the place where you kill him. I am a big fan of having options.”
Warbritton says it might not be the easiest conversation you’ll ever have, but the right approach can pay big dividends.
“Gaining permission in Iowa is no different than anywhere else, really. Be kind and respectful, be honest, and be willing to offer help with things and reciprocate as you can. I’m not the greatest at it, it can be kind of intimidating, but my buddy Jake is really good. If he finds a spot that draws his interest, he likes to wait for a nice day and circle back, maybe when the owners are out working in their garden. He might just pull into the driveway and wave, and start up a conversation. “You’re going to get rejected a lot, but you need to be optimistic and stay respectful. Oftentimes, if they won’t let you hunt, they might give you some information on who to ask nearby. And that can be a gold mine.”