Iowa Whitetail Hunts

Iowa is one of the top destinations in North America for trophy whitetail deer hunting. Tails of the Hunt Zone 4 Southwest Iowa hunts have produced many Boone & Crockett Whitetail Deer. One of the largest reasons for our success is because of the game management of our properties and the size restrictions of deer we allow to be taken each season on our properties. We usually like to keep Iowa Deer

our groups between 6 and 8 for bow and 8 to 10 for gun. Getting an Iowa tag is a process, which we will assist you on. Getting this tag is a hunt of a life time. Sitting in a stand in Iowa is the most exciting sit I have ever had for whitetail!!

Tails of the Hunt puts many hours of hard work into our food plots; stand placement, clearing shooting lanes and scouting each year. This is still a fair chase hunt where time in the stand is still necessary. This hunt is customized for the hunter, looking to take a buck, scoring 140 or larger. Last year our largest deer scored 189 B&C with many bucks seen that would have scored over 170 B&C. In the last 5 years, we have taken 5 bucks that have grossed over 200 Boone & Crockett.

The biggest problem that we fight is that clients still need to put hours in the stand. Iowa has many trophy whitetail but our guides have heavily scouted the area and know the bucks on the farm. Passing up a 140 is hard for some but passing a smaller buck for a Boone and Crockett that has been scouted out, might be just around the corner.

Iowa Whitetail bow hunts are run during the heart of our whitetail rut. We prefer to hunt groups pre-rut and post-rut. During Pre-rut there is a lot of activity and the bucks respond well to our rattling and grunting. During Post-rut our dominating bucks tend to be cruising the areas, cross checking trails for a hot doe and tend to throw caution to the wind. Being in a stand in Iowa during the rut presents numerous amounts of opportunity for our clients day in and day out.

We take 5 different groups for bow. We do not run clients in and out. We try to keep the hunt personable as well as having the best possible chance for success. We have taken many booked deer in the last few years with many more to come. Our success rate is high due to the number of clients we bring in and the time spent in and out of the stand. We have many clients booking 2 to 3 years in advance to get ahead start on harvesting a buck of a lifetime while putting in for points year after year.

Our Whitetail hunts are on a 2 on 1 basis. We hunt box blinds, ladder stands, portables, ground blinds and tower stands. The whitetail hunts are 5 days in duration. We will hunt food plots, woods, draws, CRP and cut crop fields. All of our stand locations are carefully planned out and scouted before clients arrive.

Trophy Iowa Whitetail Deer Hunting Seasons Dates and Rates

Game	Duration	Average Scores	Cost
Archery Whitetail Deer	6 Nights & 5 Days	B&C 150	$4000.00
Muzzle loader Whitetail Deer	6 Nights & 5 Days	B&C 150	$4000.00
Shotgun Whitetail Deer	6 Nights & 5 Days	B&C 150	$4000.00
Turkey Hunting - Eastern	4 Nights & 3 Days	Trophy Tom	$1350.00

Season Dates

For this past fall our dates for archery were Oct. 1 - Nov. 30, 2007 and Dec. 17, 2007 - Jan. 10, 2008. Our first gun season was December 1 - December 5, 2007. Our second gun season ran from December 8^th through the 16^th. Our muzzle loader ran from December 17 – January 10^th, 2008. All these dates are subject to change for next fall.

Iowa is the most difficult state in the country to draw for a whitetail hunt. Drawing this tag is like drawing a big game tag out west. Most of our clients will put in for 2-3 years for an archery hunt and 1-2 years for a gun hunt. Once a client draws one of the tags, they will not be disappointed with what the state of Iowa has to offer. Iowa is filled with mature whitetails. Many booked deer are taken every year. Any help in the application process, we will assist our clients with what ever information is needed and Please buy preferance points year after year to ensure that you draw this tag.

Guides and Lodging

Tails of the Hunt takes pride in hiring guides who know just as much as I do, if not more. Each of my guides are personable and outgoing and will do what it takes to ensure a successful hunt. Each has several years of experience and knows the properties that we hunt like their own backyards. One thing I’ve learned over the years is to have a successful hunt...the client needs to be willing to listen and to trust his/her guide. We always have a good time at camp with our clients while still keeping it very professional. Our guides put in the time in the field so our clients can finish the hunt. A key part to out success is our guides are actively involved in the hunt. While they might not be sitting in the stand with the client, they are out scouting new spots for future hunts.

We have 2 separate camps. One is a fine Bed and Breakfast that has all the accommodations a hunter would need along with plenty of room for the family. Are other camp is a house we own in the heart of whitetail country. This camp is the perfect deer camp for any Trophy Hunter.

After a trophy whitetail is harvested, we first take multiple pictures, then we cape the animal out. We then bring the meat to the local processor. Prices vary on what type of meat client’s desire. They are able to get variations including steaks, burger, jerky, roast, summer sausage, snack sticks, and brats. The butcher is able to ship meat depending on how backed up he is. This process usually takes 3 – 6 weeks.

The taxidermist I use is 30 minutes from camp. Steve Connors is a world champion taxidermist and does a lot of museum quality work. The average shoulder mount is $525 with prices going up with special mounts. Though he is not the cheapest taxidermist, he is one of the best. He does ship final product world wide. We do have a freezer available to clients.

The closest airports are Kansas City, MO, Des Moines, IA, and Omaha, NE. KC is 2 hours, Des Moines is and 1 hr 45min, and Omaha is 2 hrs from camp. I suggest a client looks on where he can get the most reasonable price on his/her flight. Omaha and KC are your bigger airports. We do recommend a client to rent a vehicle but do offer airport Iowa Bucks

pick up for a fee ($250 per person). When a client books a hunt we will contact them and give them a list on what is needed.

Iowa Application Process

As stated, Iowa is the hardest white tail tag to come buy in the country. The dates to apply for your tag are May 5 - June 3. Make sure to apply today and start building your preference points. Reserve your spot today and if you do not get drawn we will hold your deposit till the following year. Please contact me and I will assist you on the application process so that we can begin the process for your future trophy whitetail hunt. Please go to Iowa DNR page if you have any other concerns.