IMO if your only after whitetails there's several "sleeper" states still out there with OTC tags. I'd say this will be last year Kansas doesn't require a point for the more desirable units..last year most of those units were in the 50-60% range with zero points that'll drop again after this years draw I'm sure.
Similar experience here. In some instances point creep is out of hand. If one were to start now, there are quite a few places where you’d never catch up. I’m happy to have dropped out of the points game in several states, or built up those points and drawn a good tag already. Knowing what I know now, several species where building points makes sense, many others where it does not. I’ve dropped out of some states, kept applying in others. Points have allowed me to draw some good tags, and helped me flush money down the toilet. To each their own. Do the research!Point creep isn't just an Iowa problem is huge issue in all the the draw states with some kind of point system in place. I apply in 9 different states each year and its wild to see units that took me 3-4 points to draw 2 years ago taking 6-7 to draw now. The article below does a great job of explaining it.
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I cant see any scenario where it will ever swing back the other way barring a complete departure from points. Which imo should happen. I am talking all points states. There are numerous species in numerous states that todays kids will never have the opportunity to hunt because they will never be able to reach the point threshold to draw.
I gotta think that the economy will have a lot to do with it. If we get into a recession or even a depression I doubt very many people will have an extra $65 each year towards buying a $1,000 license.
My wife and I bought a farm in SE Iowa in 2010. I drew a nonresident tag in 2017 with 6 points. I kept accumulating points as I bypassed a bad EHD outbreak in 2013.
We fixed the preference point, point creep and expensive license fees by moving here in 2018. We love living here in Iowa. The area where we live has not changed much in the last 100 years. It really is like going back in time. I now walk out my shop door and I am in one of my pre sets in a few minutes.
I have a lifetime Iowa hunting and fishing license (65 yrs. and older residents). My statewide archery tag is $33.00. My landowner archery tag is $2.00. I can also buy a firearms tag for $33.00. My first doe tag cost $28.50. Any additional doe tags are $15.00. doe tags are sold until county quotas are met. Basically I can kill 3 bucks and unlimited does although I only kill 2 deer a year which is plenty of meat for my wife and I.
Another thing to watch for when considering putting in for a nonresident tag is monitoring EHD outbreaks. We had an outbreak in 2020 that devastated the deer herd in several counties to the west of where we live.
If you draw a tag I can recommend some good public near me in Iowa or in Missouri if you buy a OTC Missouri tag. Also, I have some tips and techniques on hunting public (or private) here in Iowa. It's not always about hiking in as far as possible as some guys may think.
The two bucks pictured below were both 20 yards off the county road and I can see the area from my living room. I never saw the flyer buck in person although I hunted him hard. I actually misidentified the other buck a few minutes after legal shooting light on November 18th. I thought he was a different (bigger) buck.
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