Lake Rathbun hosts 800,000 visitors each year that contribute a lot of money to the local economy. A 2003 survey of businesses found Lake Rathbun has a big impact on the ability to attract businesses and employees.

Lake Rathbun has been the focus of a DNR study to see if the area could draw enough visitors to support a larger, resort-type state park. Park plans include an indoor water park, 18-hole golf course, lodge, cabins and conference center. With full development of Honey Creek Resort State Park, visitors will be provided a wide range of overnight accommodations from primitive tent camping through camper cabins, full-service cabins, upscale RV camping and rooms/suites in a 108-room lodge.

“The future of economic development here is Lake Rathbun. That makes us unique versus other counties in Iowa, especially other rural counties,” said Jason White, director of economic development in Appanoose County.

Impacts of increased tourism and recreation would be felt in several of southern Iowa’s rural counties where farm economies have suffered in recent years. Land in much of southern Iowa has changed hands in the last few years as non-locals and nonresidents are buying up the pastoral countryside for its nature-based recreation potentials.

The tourism season pauses briefly when the boats are put away for the year, but resumes in full force when turkey, deer and pheasant hunting begin.

“They (deer hunters) come from all over,” said Jeff Meng who has tailored his Motel 60 and Villa in Centerville to meet the needs of hunters and anglers for the last 14 years. He offers a small room for fish and game cleaning, and has a freezer for use by the guests who come from 10 to 12 states, including Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois. Meng is also a host motel for Crappie Masters and for local walleye tournaments.

But not everything has been rosy around Lake Rathbun. Since Meng has owned the motel, he has seen pheasant and quail hunting decline dramatically. He said the opening weekend for those species was once popular as deer is today, but with the numbers in the area down so dramatically, hunters are going elsewhere.

The motel fills with deer hunters who generally stay three to six days. They spend time scouting the land, then hunting once the season opens.

Deer hunting helps rural communities economically from hunters buying gas, eating in the local restaurants and staying in motels. And they continue helping small businesses after they harvest a deer.