I have a old friend, who lives in Ames Iowa, who I would like to visit. He has been down on his luck for several years and is too proud for his own good, like me I'm afraid. Life has not been kind to him and he has made several very bad decisions. But he is still a friend, I think he needs a little support and I would like to see him, to see if I can help. Point is that I can not just stop by 600 miles away. So wife suggested I go shooting in the area and stop by then, while I am "in the area". Would have been nice if she told me to go buy another gun in the area but she failed to do that. What shooting avenues are there in the Ames Iowa area, plus of minus 150 miles. Clays, hunting or whatever. Even a dog breeder, who I can visit to get into the area. Time can be from now until early Fall.

Jon,
This is a question that I should be able to answer. I live about 12 miles from Ames and work on campus there every day. Besides myself, Larry Brown is a regional shooter and probably knows more about the shotgun shooting scene than I do. I'm mostly a rifle guy and it's a tough life for that.

Anyway, the Ames Izaak Walton League has a range that is essentially in Ames proper. Every Wednesday evening beginning at 5 pm and going until late (10ish) they shoot both trap and skeet, with lights as needed. It's a decent range for that. when I'm in town, a friend and I shoot two rounds or so early in the evening and then go out for a burger and beer at a local bar. You are certainly welcome to join us if hanging out with a couple of biologists might interest you.

Scattered around the Ames/Des Moines area are many other trap and skeet ranges. Indian Creek (Thursdays I believe), Boone, Ankeny and others all have ranges and some shooting, but I don't know the details. Also, there is at least one or two traveling sporting clays get ups that may be around. They visit some of the regional gun ranges at different times during the summer and you may catch one by luck or planning.

Dog breeders are abundant, but our last 4 have come from Kentucky, Oregon, Montana, and New York.. I know of no particularly good ones for the breeds that interest myself or my wife. I'm a field golden guy, and they are really hard to find anywhere in the nation, never mind Iowa.

For shooters, gunshops are sparse and boring. Gun shows similar (google Iowa Gunshows for a listing, the "best" are in Des Moines, but NOT Altoona and Cedar Rapids (2 hrs out)).

However, Iowa is home to Brownells. They recently built a huge store along I-80, east of Des Moines. Probably about 2 hrs from Ames. Coming from Kentucky you won't miss them if you drive here. I have yet to go there. They also have a pretty cool shooting range - but I haven't been there either. If you are interested in rifle shooting, especially more vintage rifles, there is a little of that, but very little now, where Schuetzen once was big. New Braunfeld Texas and Davenport Iowa argue about who has the oldest Schuetzen club. Davenport is over on East Coast and that's not an uninteresting stretch of Iowa, but about 3-3.5 hrs from Ames. I do some shooting with those guys in Steamboat Rock - maybe my favorite Iowa rifle range. Strike the maybe - it is.

What else? Dang, it's pretty boring here. I shoot a lot but I don't shoot much in Iowa. So far this year, I've been to Kansas and Tennessee once each. Weather permitting, I'll be back in KS this weekend, and I also shoot in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico regularly and a few others from time to time. All of this is with blackpowder cartridge rifles.

Other than that, you are welcome to come out to my place and split some firewood and drink a beer or three.

Squirrel hunting commences on Sept 1, pheasants on the last Saturday in October. Some folks shoot doves, but I don't, so I don't know the seasons. Maybe I should find out.

Miscellaneous other things, every county has a fair, every small town has their own "small town days" celebration. These are sort of interesting for 15 minutes or so... You can see, I am reaching for small change now.

So, those are the quick answers to your question. I'd be interested to know what Larry has to say and any of the other Story County lurkers that might chime in.

Meeee, one does not need shooting opportunities to visit great state of Iowa. I read someplace that Iowa is the best state in USA to live in might as well find out how them lucky folks live there.

You are welcome to come visit for your vacation, Jagermeister.

Anyone that claims that it is the best or even among the best of states to live in, hasn't lived here, or particularly values corn, pigs, and boredom.

You might notice that Iowa is not often listed at the very top of vacation states to visit. There may be a reason for that.

Now that the ice is broken I don’t feel as bad saying no wonder they call that area flyover country.

Maybe a tour of the slaughterhouse?


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https://www.wsj.com/articles/pepper-and-salt-1523812263

Well, Iowa is pretty boring but there are some upsides, if you know how to look. Bird hunting, in season, can be one of them. The whitetails run large, as do the turkeys. But that's hunting and probably not on Jon's agenda. And much of the rest of the middle part of the country, esp, the Western Tier (OK, KS, NE, SD, ND) is some of the finest country in the nation. The northern Tier can same much the same ND (again), MN, WI, MI, all have some really spectacular landscapes that you can't find anywhere else - please keep flying over - very high.

it's the middle of the middle that sorta sucks, starting with IL, IN, OH, IA.

I have zero experience with Iowa but I completely agree that the high plains are one of the most under appreciated areas of the country. I love it up there enough to have a hunting shack in SD. I spend as much of each fall up there as I can. Amazing country.

BrentD—you did a very fine job of detailing what’s available for a visit by KY Jon. I’m sure it’s most appreciated. I don’t have plans of being in Ames Iowa anytime soon, but enjoyed reading your post! Well done.

Brent pretty well nailed it. The Ikes run a good club in Ames. Trap, skeet, and a game they call wobble which is sort of a combination of the two.

For a pretty long stretch at the tail end of the last century (now getting further away in the rear view mirror), Iowa was the top pheasant state in the nation. Pretty big deal for shotgunners, but Iowa has never promoted its pheasant hunting like the neighbors over in South Dakota. And does not have a lot of public land, and only a very small program that offers public hunting access to private land. And pheasant hunting, compared to the late 1980's/90's, has fallen on hard times in Iowa. But I was fortunate enough to live in Iowa back then. And, to paraphrase George Bird Evans, I had a dog, a gun, and time enough to do a lot of pheasant hunting. Looking back on those years, it really was pheasant heaven.

Brownell's is definitely worth a stop if you're coming across I-80. You won't find a lot of nice used sxs there, but you're likely in luck if you're looking for anything related to guns.
Also coming across I-80, the Scheels store in Coralville (Coral Ridge Mall) occasionally has a few interesting doubles. Otherwise, agree with Brent that Iowa is not fertile ground if you want to look at interesting sxs.

Pigs, corn and boredom. No wonder Jon’s friend is depressed.

Hi, Larry!


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I’m just laid up here in a country state of mind.
https://youtu.be/WwswZXZQHMI

KY-J: don't let the "open" of Iowa scare you off. Get out and TRAVEL, anyway.
Stopped into Brownell's in Montezuma on my way from eastern Ontario to a Des Moines family funeral in July 2016 ... and there they were: GONE!!! Spoke with a local and found they had recently moved closer to Des Moines just off I-80 West. Ended up touring old downtown Grinnell Iowa - as I had missed the almost immediate left turn (after taking I-80 Exit 182 north to Grinnell). Undoubtedly Brownell's has much better signage BY NOW to their store.
This new Brownell's is a touchy-feely large store with examples of cataloged stock displayed, and an uber-MODERN massive computerized warehouse facility. After I hit "SEND" on one of their order computers, I wandered over to their plush waiting/reading room an awaited their call. 10 minutes later I had the various ordered goods in hand, paid bill in hand, and walked out of their store. This Brownell's facility is a MAJOR ATTRACTION all by itself - and well worth yer time.

A different approach is to bring him something you think he would enjoy, that you can call "surplus".... full boxes of shotshells, frozen venison, home canned fruit, new hunting hat or vest, etc.

Finally someone who gets it.

I might add a one way ticket to Vegas. Hell, Nova Scotia sounds better than Iowa.


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Pretty good hockey team in Vegas.

I don't know who you are or where you are from, lonesome roads, but I damn sure hope you stay there. You seem to be determined to run folks down.

Jon, I should add, if you decide to fly here or travel w/o a gun, I have a double or three you are welcome to borrow.

I guess you could drop by the research center and see how the Ames Strain Anthrax spore production is coming along?...Geo

Jon: You're a good man and I'm sure your friend will really appreciate the vist no matter how you get there or how long you stay. Gil

Well I am going out next week, even if I can’t come up with some lame shooting reason for being in the area. Bill needs help I’m afraid and if I don’t try to do something ASAP and he gets worse, I won’t forget my mistake. I’m counting on his pride not being greater than his knowing he needs help now. Funny how simple and easy life seemed at 20 and how damn complex it has gotten now. Getting old is not for whimps and I hope I’ve got a long ways to go yet. If the weather cooperates it should be a nice drive across some pretty country.

If you run into BrentD, tell him I said hi.


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Life ain’t for wimps. Lonny Rhodes

I spent way more time than I wanted to going to school in Ames. Finally got out and enjoyed the country.

driving my 60 Ford convertible with the top down and having buddies sit up on the back shooting squirrels in the numerous woods.

The Skunk [I think] river surprisingly had decent small mouth bass fishing.

In season it was either Big Wall or Little Wall Lake that a lot of slough ground and ducks were plentiful , wearing chest waders when hunting.

Ledges State Park had good river floating.

Henry's hamburgers were 15 cents, but probably not now .

Bar in Huxley had topless dancers and so did a bar in Boone.

Sorry , I got off track a bit. That was long ago.

https://www.claytargetsonline.com/iowa/

KY Jon, I run the Ike's Trap and Skeet in Ames. Send me a pm and I will try to answer any specific questions you may have. The Maxwell Ike's have a pretty nice sporting course they run once a month. I am trying to convert as many people as I can to shooting shotguns with the proper orientation to there barrels. If I know when you are coming for sure, I can probably set up an informal shoot. I'm also an adjunct instructor at the only gunsmith school in Iowa. Get in touch and I'll help as much as I can. Mark