Nemont
Well-known member
Here you go
Midwest whitetails - Restart
- Thread starter Big Fin
- Start date
Stillookinfor200
New member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2008
- Messages
- 48
Why thank you, its magic. Two are Iowa deer, the wide one Buffalo Co Wi, just got news of the 265" whitetail shot last weekend in Iowa, what an amazing animal!
Thanks for the pic help.
Thanks for the pic help.
Stilllookin:
Those are smokers. I'm still lookin' for any of those. Hell, I'm lookin' for their younger brothers.
I spent the whole day in the brush, and finally saw what I was hoping to see. Don't want to jinx myself, and probably will jinx myself by posting this, but today I found a buck that is the type of buck you come to Iowa for.
Don't know if I could have shot him, as he caught me off guard while I was scouting for sign. I looked up and he was bounding off about seventy yards away. He ran straight away for a good distance. I know they always look bigger running away, but he was more than big enough, so hopefully from the side or front view, he is still big enough. Given how low my standards are, I am sure that won't be a problem.
Here is what happened. I noticed a small piece of the wildlife management area was across the river, almost unreachable, without permission via the private land to the west and north. I don't think it is more than sixty acres.
Having brought my waders, I thought what the hell. It is warm today, so if I go for a dunk, I probably won't die. Actually found a spot to cross where it is only up to my thighs. There was tons of big buck sign, and not a human foot track to be found. The size of the rubs did not look normal. Lots of them.
I am worried that this was his hangout and I boogered him out, and he will now find a new place to wait out this next shotgun season. He headed toward the private land that borders this. That property is mostly unharvested corn, and the locals tell me that deer will live in that unharvested corn. Maybe I will luck out and the farmer will harvest that corn tomorrow - NOT.
Did see about a dozen other deer, but nothing significant.
I will be surprised if I have any competition in this spot, but there may be some people as stupid as I am. Going to sneak back in tomorrow and set up a blind, then get out with as little disturbance as possible. Have to be in Des Moines for some business meetings by noon, so it won't be a full day of scouting.
I am worried that it is supposed to rain/snow the next couple days, which could raise the water level in the river to the point where I can't get across. Should have brought a canoe.
Trying to figure out how to hunt it with a south wind, which is the forecast for opening day. This place would hunt great with a N or NW wind. Had a NW wind today and was able to walk in without concern.
Looks like home is going to get a Siberian blast this weekend, so I am glad to be in Iowa (wife is not glad I am in Iowa, but hopefully Lawnboy will plow my driveway and allow me to stay married). But by Monday, the highs here are to be in the single digits. Whitetail hunting is too sedintary for those kind of temps.
Keeping my fingers crossed that things work out a little easier here than they did in Kansas. I am heading home on Thursday, with or without a buck, so I better get it done.
More later.
Those are smokers. I'm still lookin' for any of those. Hell, I'm lookin' for their younger brothers.
I spent the whole day in the brush, and finally saw what I was hoping to see. Don't want to jinx myself, and probably will jinx myself by posting this, but today I found a buck that is the type of buck you come to Iowa for.
Don't know if I could have shot him, as he caught me off guard while I was scouting for sign. I looked up and he was bounding off about seventy yards away. He ran straight away for a good distance. I know they always look bigger running away, but he was more than big enough, so hopefully from the side or front view, he is still big enough. Given how low my standards are, I am sure that won't be a problem.
Here is what happened. I noticed a small piece of the wildlife management area was across the river, almost unreachable, without permission via the private land to the west and north. I don't think it is more than sixty acres.
Having brought my waders, I thought what the hell. It is warm today, so if I go for a dunk, I probably won't die. Actually found a spot to cross where it is only up to my thighs. There was tons of big buck sign, and not a human foot track to be found. The size of the rubs did not look normal. Lots of them.
I am worried that this was his hangout and I boogered him out, and he will now find a new place to wait out this next shotgun season. He headed toward the private land that borders this. That property is mostly unharvested corn, and the locals tell me that deer will live in that unharvested corn. Maybe I will luck out and the farmer will harvest that corn tomorrow - NOT.
Did see about a dozen other deer, but nothing significant.
I will be surprised if I have any competition in this spot, but there may be some people as stupid as I am. Going to sneak back in tomorrow and set up a blind, then get out with as little disturbance as possible. Have to be in Des Moines for some business meetings by noon, so it won't be a full day of scouting.
I am worried that it is supposed to rain/snow the next couple days, which could raise the water level in the river to the point where I can't get across. Should have brought a canoe.
Trying to figure out how to hunt it with a south wind, which is the forecast for opening day. This place would hunt great with a N or NW wind. Had a NW wind today and was able to walk in without concern.
Looks like home is going to get a Siberian blast this weekend, so I am glad to be in Iowa (wife is not glad I am in Iowa, but hopefully Lawnboy will plow my driveway and allow me to stay married
). But by Monday, the highs here are to be in the single digits. Whitetail hunting is too sedintary for those kind of temps.Keeping my fingers crossed that things work out a little easier here than they did in Kansas. I am heading home on Thursday, with or without a buck, so I better get it done.
More later.
Stillookinfor200
New member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2008
- Messages
- 48
Sounds like you have hiding spot picked out with some potential, if you jynxed yourself out of the one you bumped, maybe theres a bigger one to be found (hoping)
Good luck, you never know what youre gonna get in Iowa.
Good luck, you never know what youre gonna get in Iowa.
Done with my scouting for today. Heading to Des Moines for the afternoon. Need to work and make a few bucks for gas money to get home (if I have a home to go to).
Went in to set up a blind this morning. The wind was from the south, same as it is forecasted to be tomorrow. Made it easier to gauge where is the best spot for that wind. Still no great places, but found one that "will do."
After setting up the blind, I decided to sit and determine what lanes I had available, what obstructions needed to be moved, etc. I climbed out, and readied to do some trimming.
I heard something rustling the oak leaves. Seemed too big to be a squirrel. Then I heard a splash in the creek. I looked up and a doe was coming down the trail, right in front of my blind. I stood as still as possible.
She looked at me for a few minutes, trying to figure out what I was. My legs were cramping from being in a crouched position for so long, so as she fed off, I stood to get some circulation. That gave me a view of the other side of the blind.
There was a nice buck making a scrape about one hundred yards out, almost on the exact same trail the doe took. He was not the big buck I saw yesterday, but will be tempting.
As he made this scrape, a small forkie came running past toward the doe. This buck darted at him and the forkie bolted back up the hill. I had now lost sight of the doe, though she had been in the brush only eighty or ninety yards out in front.
I was trying to stay as still as possible. Just like the doe, this buck looked right at me, knowing something was not right. In short order, he continued on the trail toward where the doe had disappeared. He no longer paid any attention to me.
He walked to the edge of the brush where the doe had disappeared and decided it would be a good place to take a break. He bedded down about a hundred yards from me.
I watched him for ten minutes, hoping the wind, squirrels, or something would make some noise to disguise the sounds made during my exit. He laid his head completely down on the ground, as if he was sleeping. Not sure if he was sleeping, but when the wind picked up, I used it as a chance to sneak down the draw, away from the bedded buck.
I think this doe was a yearling, and she had the attention of two bucks, though neither was a whopper. I hope this is the bedding cover and any does coming in will bring bucks with them.
Did bump one other deer this morning that I never did get a good look at.
Looking forward to the opener tomorrow. Forecast is 30 mph winds with rain and snow. Would normally be frustrated with that wind, but given I shot the Kansas buck on the windiest day of the hunt, I am just going into the thick brush and sit it out, hoping the Gods of Deer Hunting shine upon me.
Went in to set up a blind this morning. The wind was from the south, same as it is forecasted to be tomorrow. Made it easier to gauge where is the best spot for that wind. Still no great places, but found one that "will do."
After setting up the blind, I decided to sit and determine what lanes I had available, what obstructions needed to be moved, etc. I climbed out, and readied to do some trimming.
I heard something rustling the oak leaves. Seemed too big to be a squirrel. Then I heard a splash in the creek. I looked up and a doe was coming down the trail, right in front of my blind. I stood as still as possible.
She looked at me for a few minutes, trying to figure out what I was. My legs were cramping from being in a crouched position for so long, so as she fed off, I stood to get some circulation. That gave me a view of the other side of the blind.
There was a nice buck making a scrape about one hundred yards out, almost on the exact same trail the doe took. He was not the big buck I saw yesterday, but will be tempting.
As he made this scrape, a small forkie came running past toward the doe. This buck darted at him and the forkie bolted back up the hill. I had now lost sight of the doe, though she had been in the brush only eighty or ninety yards out in front.
I was trying to stay as still as possible. Just like the doe, this buck looked right at me, knowing something was not right. In short order, he continued on the trail toward where the doe had disappeared. He no longer paid any attention to me.
He walked to the edge of the brush where the doe had disappeared and decided it would be a good place to take a break. He bedded down about a hundred yards from me.
I watched him for ten minutes, hoping the wind, squirrels, or something would make some noise to disguise the sounds made during my exit. He laid his head completely down on the ground, as if he was sleeping. Not sure if he was sleeping, but when the wind picked up, I used it as a chance to sneak down the draw, away from the bedded buck.
I think this doe was a yearling, and she had the attention of two bucks, though neither was a whopper. I hope this is the bedding cover and any does coming in will bring bucks with them.
Did bump one other deer this morning that I never did get a good look at.
Looking forward to the opener tomorrow. Forecast is 30 mph winds with rain and snow. Would normally be frustrated with that wind, but given I shot the Kansas buck on the windiest day of the hunt, I am just going into the thick brush and sit it out, hoping the Gods of Deer Hunting shine upon me.
JoseCuervo
New member
You have your camera with you today?
ashersdad
Well-known member
Very exciting stuff. Good luck tomorrow.
Day 1 from Iowa:
Waded the river in the dark this morning. Snuck in to my blind before daylight. Sat there until noon and didn't see a single deer. WTF.
I am about ready to give up on this midwest public land whitetail gig. I heard more shooting today than I usually hear on opening day of waterfowl season. Didn't know guys carried that much ammo into the woods.
I would have thought with all the shooting, someone would have run a deer past me. Nope.
So, I moved locations. Went to another spot where I knew some private land nearby held some unharvested corn. Didn't even get to my spot when deer were running by - and I mean RUNNING.
Dinkshooter told me to get ready for deer being moved around by guys making drives. Man, was he correct.
These drives are pretty effective. Effective at killing deer and getting a lot of shooting.
The neighboring property had one of the signs that say "We practice QDM on this property." I heard over twenty shots on that property this afternoon, so they are either keeping the does in check, or there are a hell of a lot of "cull bucks" on that ground. It got to be quite comical after a while.
I had a blast today, even if I didn't see a single buck. It is hard to keep your spirits up when you scout like hell, hunt hard, do everything you think should be done, and don't see a buck for all your efforts. Oh well, that is the challenge I asked for. Guess I am getting what I asked for, and more.
Tomorrow is supposed to be mild temps, with things going to hell tomorrow night. Not sure if I am tough enough to stand a full day our there in single digit temps. Hopefully I can put the deal together tomorrow.
More tomorrow........ I hope.
Waded the river in the dark this morning. Snuck in to my blind before daylight. Sat there until noon and didn't see a single deer. WTF.
I am about ready to give up on this midwest public land whitetail gig. I heard more shooting today than I usually hear on opening day of waterfowl season. Didn't know guys carried that much ammo into the woods.
I would have thought with all the shooting, someone would have run a deer past me. Nope.
So, I moved locations. Went to another spot where I knew some private land nearby held some unharvested corn. Didn't even get to my spot when deer were running by - and I mean RUNNING.
Dinkshooter told me to get ready for deer being moved around by guys making drives. Man, was he correct.
These drives are pretty effective. Effective at killing deer and getting a lot of shooting.
The neighboring property had one of the signs that say "We practice QDM on this property." I heard over twenty shots on that property this afternoon, so they are either keeping the does in check, or there are a hell of a lot of "cull bucks" on that ground. It got to be quite comical after a while.
I had a blast today, even if I didn't see a single buck. It is hard to keep your spirits up when you scout like hell, hunt hard, do everything you think should be done, and don't see a buck for all your efforts. Oh well, that is the challenge I asked for. Guess I am getting what I asked for, and more.
Tomorrow is supposed to be mild temps, with things going to hell tomorrow night. Not sure if I am tough enough to stand a full day our there in single digit temps. Hopefully I can put the deal together tomorrow.
More tomorrow........ I hope.
Fin, ironically I was talking to a college buddy of mine that grew up on the MN/IA border and he sent me some pics this evening from a recent hunt in IA. He said it was some family members and others that made up a group of 40 hunters. Apparently drives and lots of people work well.
Not exactly my thing, but to each their own. He said they took out 81 deer.Attachments
Dinkshooter
Well-known member
In 4 falls living in Iowa, I never went shotgun. I always chased roosters those 3 weekends. I saw enough to know I didn't want any part of that.
Iowa is strange state and allows party hunting for deer shotgun. I never really wanted someone else to use my tag. The party hunting is probably just a product of the deer drives, once the shooting starts at running deer, they need all the tags they can get.
BUT!!!!!!!!!!! Iowa throws out rippers every year. Some of the bucks are not dumb enough to get driven. They are there. I saw whoppers every year. Go get one of them.
Iowa is strange state and allows party hunting for deer shotgun. I never really wanted someone else to use my tag. The party hunting is probably just a product of the deer drives, once the shooting starts at running deer, they need all the tags they can get.
BUT!!!!!!!!!!! Iowa throws out rippers every year. Some of the bucks are not dumb enough to get driven. They are there. I saw whoppers every year. Go get one of them.
Day Two from Iowa:
Started quite nice this morning. Was in the forties, though the wind was blowing hard.
At about ten o'clock, the wind switched to the NW and temp dropped into the teens. Damn cold with the wind. When I came in this evening, it was 6F with at least a 30 mph wind. Not sure what windchill that is, but my nose and cheeks are stilling stinging.
Saw nothing this morning. Moved to a new spot this afternoon. Saw ten does/fawns and two bucks. One was a nice 4X4 and the other was a forkie. Both were too far away for a shotgun, if I had wanted to shoot them. The cold front must have them up and moving, as this was the most activity I have seen.
Not sure what to do in the morning. Going to wear everything I own and hope the wind doesn't get any stronger. Highs for the next three days are between 10-12F. I have to leave by Thursday morning, with or without a deer, so looks like I have no choice but to tough it out and hope for the best.
Much easier to stick it out when you are seeing a lot of deer activity. When it is slow, the cold and wind cause you mind to find reasons not to hang in there. I mean really, how cold can a guy get in the next three days? It ain't gonna kill me.....I hope.
Wish I had more to report, but I doubt anyone is interested in hearing a report of sitting in a blind, or about me walking through the oaks and creek bottoms. Some pics would be nice, but I have been hunting every spare minute and have not taken any time to take any pics.
More tomorrow.
Started quite nice this morning. Was in the forties, though the wind was blowing hard.
At about ten o'clock, the wind switched to the NW and temp dropped into the teens. Damn cold with the wind. When I came in this evening, it was 6F with at least a 30 mph wind. Not sure what windchill that is, but my nose and cheeks are stilling stinging.
Saw nothing this morning. Moved to a new spot this afternoon. Saw ten does/fawns and two bucks. One was a nice 4X4 and the other was a forkie. Both were too far away for a shotgun, if I had wanted to shoot them. The cold front must have them up and moving, as this was the most activity I have seen.
Not sure what to do in the morning. Going to wear everything I own and hope the wind doesn't get any stronger. Highs for the next three days are between 10-12F. I have to leave by Thursday morning, with or without a deer, so looks like I have no choice but to tough it out and hope for the best.
Much easier to stick it out when you are seeing a lot of deer activity. When it is slow, the cold and wind cause you mind to find reasons not to hang in there. I mean really, how cold can a guy get in the next three days? It ain't gonna kill me.....I hope.
Wish I had more to report, but I doubt anyone is interested in hearing a report of sitting in a blind, or about me walking through the oaks and creek bottoms. Some pics would be nice, but I have been hunting every spare minute and have not taken any time to take any pics.
More tomorrow.
At least it is warmer there than at your home. Of course the wife may have already pointed that out to you.
Doesn't sound like fun weather to hunt. The good news, ice fishing will be available when you get home.
best of luck....
Doesn't sound like fun weather to hunt. The good news, ice fishing will be available when you get home.
best of luck....
Dinkshooter
Well-known member
I never saw a ton of deer at any one time in Iowa. Even when I was on private ground.
In 1998, my first year living in the flatlands, I hunted every weekend from Oct 1-through the weekend before Thanksgiving, plus several extra days. All public land, all places I had never seen before. Finally, on a day so windy I though I was gonna get thrown out of the tree a couple times, he finally came by. 24 inch inside spread, 11pt.
One of the critters I am most proud of because, I did it all myself, in a brand new place, my first fall there.
In 1998, my first year living in the flatlands, I hunted every weekend from Oct 1-through the weekend before Thanksgiving, plus several extra days. All public land, all places I had never seen before. Finally, on a day so windy I though I was gonna get thrown out of the tree a couple times, he finally came by. 24 inch inside spread, 11pt.
One of the critters I am most proud of because, I did it all myself, in a brand new place, my first fall there.
Attachments
Dinkshooter
Well-known member
Nice denim jacket too.
Come on man, that is a Carhartt, the pleather collar threw you off
If you are gonna be a smartant about something...................what about those catapillar looking eyebrows
Good thing I had a steady(yet crazy) girlfriend.Living in Iowa is tough on on guy.
