They continue to impress me

[Turkish]

While you either believe all the g&f data or you dont - it is what we have. One thing that most of us in the south understand - while we produce a fair number of 5 yr old bucks - the antlers on those bucks over much of our area do not compare with the antlers on the same aged bucks in the midwest. I would bet if 5 yr old Iowa bucks were carrying the same headgear as 5 yr old south AR pine thicket bucks - the deer hunting community would not be tripping over themselves to get there.

Because the ones with decent racks get smashed as 2-3 year olds. For reasons you’ve mentioned, you get only a glimpse at them and have to shoot based on antlers.

I don’t want to argue and I’m quite sure I’ll never produce conclusive data to prove my point to you, but I strongly believe that if enough does could be killed in the Deep South to provide even marginal forage quality AND buck age structure was better, we could have IA quality. River batture clubs support this. Enclaves in poor pine country pull it off, too, when enough land is under control of like minded folks. S TX is another data point from which I draw this conclusion.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Is he an Outfitter?

Yes

 

[Bill]

Yes

Though so. I know that guy. He had about a 1200 acres lease next to me when I first bought. Archery only and a fine for anything under 140”. (I think it was 140).
That land has since sold and the new owners are as bat shit crazy as me. Old 8’s and 9’s are fair game. Young 10’s and up are no no’s.

 

[SwampCat]

Because the ones with decent racks get smashed as 2-3 year olds. For reasons you’ve mentioned, you get only a glimpse at them and have to shoot based on antlers.

I don’t want to argue and I’m quite sure I’ll never produce conclusive data to prove my point to you, but I strongly believe that if enough does could be killed in the Deep South to provide even marginal forage quality AND buck age structure was better, we could have IA quality. River batture clubs support this. Enclaves in poor pine country pull it off, too, when enough land is under control of like minded folks. S TX is another data point from which I draw this conclusion.

While I understand there are isolated occurrences of areas that produce larger bucks than average, outside of the large river systems, I believe we are a long ways from wide spread “trophy” quality antlers across the gulf coastal plain, Ozark and Ouachita Mountain systems. While we have a fair number of 5+ yr old bucks - it is a true anomaly of a buck that would score 150” here.

But one point you mention is worth consideration - Iowa has one of the highest fawn recruitment numbers in the nation - or at least they used to have. That means they can keep their does killed down and they still produce enough fawns to replace all mortality and maintain the population. That is not the case in AR. Our fawn recruitment numbers are typically between .4 and .5 pre season. With fawn recruitment that low, you have to maintain quite a few does to produce enough fawns to offset all mortality. For my ground, that is about 2.5 does per buck.

As mentioned in a previous post - I do see strides being made in a positive direction through herculean management efforts, but no doubt, the progress is slow.

 

[hillrunner]

While I understand there are isolated occurrences of areas that produce larger bucks than average, outside of the large river systems, I believe we are a long ways from wide spread “trophy” quality antlers across the gulf coastal plain, Ozark and Ouachita Mountain systems. While we have a fair number of 5+ yr old bucks - it is a true anomaly of a buck that would score 150” here.

But one point you mention is worth consideration - Iowa has one of the highest fawn recruitment numbers in the nation - or at least they used to have. That means they can keep their does killed down and they still produce enough fawns to replace all mortality and maintain the population. That is not the case in AR. Our fawn recruitment numbers are typically between .4 and .5 pre season. With fawn recruitment that low, you have to maintain quite a few does to produce enough fawns to offset all mortality. For my ground, that is about 2.5 does per buck.

As mentioned in a previous post - I do see strides being made in a positive direction through herculean management efforts, but no doubt, the progress is slow.

What is getting your fawns typically?

 

[Tree Spud]

I'm about to close on a property in SW WI where the locals (my neighbor) who I've met, spent time with, etc called me to tell me their family member was selling. They wanted to keep it in the family but nobody in the family could afford it, so the next best thing was to offer it to a known commodity (me, an out of stater) who could afford it. Through our already established relationship, they knew I would be a steward of their family's land and continue to be the good neighbor I already am.

I paid a price that the family couldn't afford, fair market value. Who gets the blame in this scenario?

No, you paid a price the family member wanted. He decided to sell it at a price the family could not afford.

Right now, Ag & Rec land is a sellers market. Buyers don't have a lot of choice and either pay the inflated prices or pass.

I don't blame the seller or buyer, it's the way the free market works. Both want the best deal and eventually settle on a price that is market driven.

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

Does Iowa have any problems with predators? I assume there's some coyotes, how about bear and wolves?

 

[cbw]

Does Iowa have any problems with predators? I assume there's some coyotes, how about bear and wolves?

We are overrun with coyotes in my area. Have an impact for sure. Some bobcats. Rumors of a mountain lion every couple years. No bears or wolves.

For the game birds, raccoon are crazy thick. We trapped 40+ in 3 weeks this spring. They just made it legal to trap year round.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SwampCat]

What is getting your fawns typically?

The fawns that are born I believe are primarily falling prey to coyotes and bobcats. We have quite a few twin fawns in July, but almost no twins by camera survey time in Sept. But according to at least one of our state biologists, there may be an underlying problem that may be affecting the fetus or fertility of the doe. They have a theory, but have yet to do research. First I have heard of that was a couple months ago.

I also want to add that we have almost no rabbits, cotton rats, quail, turksys, or any other smaller prey species that coyotes or bobcats can depend on. We have a lot of bobcats.

 

[bwoods11]

Does Iowa have any problems with predators? I assume there's some coyotes, how about bear and wolves?

Yes they do. Coyotes are very common!

No wolves or bear. I think coyotes have hurt the fawn population to some extent in my area. EHD hit my area as well, that is a thorn in side of many landowners in Iowa.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

No, you paid a price the family member wanted. He decided to sell it at a price the family could not afford.

Right now, Ag & Rec land is a sellers market. Buyers don't have a lot of choice and either pay the inflated prices or pass.

I don't blame the seller or buyer, it's the way the free market works. Both want the best deal and eventually settle on a price that is market driven.

No? Sounds like they decided against giving away market value just because family couldn’t afford or didn’t want to pay market value.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

For my area, the farms haven't been fragmented at all. It's just OOS or "city folk" with money that have gobbled up land that came up for sale. The lease prices are through the roof, and those are all OOS hunters in my experience.

A 400 acre farm may have had 7-10 guys that hunted it for multiple species in the past, and now there are 2-3 that hunt the same 400 for deer and maybe turkey only.

It doesn't take long for regular joes without the $$$ to feel the squeeze on finding a place to hunt.

What's the answer to all this?? It's not an easy one for any side.....

Saw this today and thought about this thread. Somewhat in your neck of the woods. Makes me sick to see
400 acre tract
Could split in smaller tracts for more money.

77 acres at $5400 an ac.

72 acres at $5400 an ac.

116 acres at $5400 an ac.

135 acres at 45400 an ac.

 

[Mortenson]

Saw this today and thought about this thread. Somewhat in your neck of the woods. Makes me sick to see
400 acre tract
Could split in smaller tracts for more money.

77 acres at $5400 an ac.

72 acres at $5400 an ac.

116 acres at $5400 an ac.

135 acres at 45400 an ac.

Maybe an adjoining owner took all 4 and in doing so made a larger piece?

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Maybe an adjoining owner took all 4 and in doing so made a larger piece?

Maybe. But regardless it could potentially be fragmented going forward.

Im about to sell a farm that I bought in two tracts. It is surveyed out as two but they adjoin. I won’t break it up even though I could make more. I’d just as soon keep it before doing that. But I get everyone’s different, but chopping up land is one of the biggest issues we face on the landscape.

 

[Mortenson]

I think a lot of the time the farms are split to settle an estate. Different heirs.

 

[Tree Spud]

True ag farms here seldom go on the open market. They are typically sold by word of mouth farmer to farmer. If one is put out on a listing, it's usually the seller trying to leverage the buyer (both farmers) for a better price. sale is usually done in a day or two.

 

[chucker66]

This is just crazy

$30,000 per acre in Iowa

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

This is just crazy

$30,000 per acre in Iowa

Saw that. In no universe does that makes sense financially but I reckon some things don’t have to make sense to anyone but the person willing to part with their money.

 

[Mortenson]

Correct me if I'm wrong but that area is the highest priced farmland in the nation. In some cases I think large livestock operations are the buyers.

 

[rocksnstumps]

interesting article which reflects lots of the previous viewpoints. Some of the examples given later in the writeup just reinforce that when you are a billionaire, a corporate entity, or the Mormon church that a few million here or there is chump change. The billionaire just pays triple the local rate and gets what he wants.

https://www.agriculture.com/boom-or...medium=social&utm_campaign=mobilesharebutton2

Edit: Will say that land around my house (live in rural area but not far from some mega farms) is pushing $10,000 acre. Less than a mile from me sold 100 acre tract for $9950/acre in Jan 2024. And the one mega farm owns their own corporate jet. They have some bucks or at least a good banker. The single family as a farmer is going the way of the horse and plow, hard to compete