"Special" Iowa Deer Hunt

[Don K]

Well just got back from Iowa and I thought I would share the hunt with my fellow OYOA members. First off this may be a bit long to read but I would like to give some background on this hunt and then the hunt itself. This took place in Iowa on public land with my buddy Ken, and my father.

My father has been bow hunting for 55+ years and we have hunted deer, elk, and caribou together in the past. He has had a artificial leg for 47 years, a knee implant on his other leg for 15 years, multiple shoulder surgery's, carpal tunnel surgery on both hands, and also degenerative arthritis. In his 70's now he still loves to get out but every year seems to be tougher and tougher. He has gone from a recurve, to a high let off compound, and currently had to go to a crossbow in order to be able to get out in bow season.

In the spring we where deciding on what to do for a hunt this year and he told me he would love to go back to Iowa. We where out there about 7 or 8 years ago and had a blast together. Sitting on 4 points since the point cost went up we decided we would burn our points and head back out there and hunt public land. I was a bit concerned about dad getting to a place where pressure would not effect his hunt but figured with some work I could find something. My buddy Ken spent some major time there in the spring, shed hunting and scouting and assured me that we would get dad into some deer, and he had lots of great places picked out for possible stand locations.

About a week before our hunt dad called and told me he was having some major problems with his artificial leg and had been going in and out of the doctors office every other day to try to get his leg to fit right. He told me he wasnt sure how good he would be able to walk but he really wanted to try to go. I told him if I had too I would put him inside my deer cart and cart him out there if I had too.

Saturday morning we left and headed for our Iowa location. After a 6 and a half hour drive i was setting up camp next to my buddy Ken as he had been out there for a couple days already.

Here is our "Home away from Home" for the next week.
http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/picture.php?albumid=489&pictureid=3988

 

[Don K]

Saturday afternoon we did not have time to put up a stand, but decided to drive around and see what some of the public land lots looked like and see if any deer where out and about. We checked out a couple spots but darkness was upon fast and we where unable to see too much.

Sunday morning we slept in as we didn't want to mess up anyone's hunt when we went scouting and hanging stands. Eggs and Sausage on the Coleman stove, packed the stands in the back of the truck and we where off to meet Ken in one of the parking areas he had picked out. When we met up we where looking over a nice bean field that had just been harvested. Ken had seen deer in this field so he and I loaded up my dads ladder stand and headed out to find a spot to set it up. Some looking around we found what we felt was a great location to see the whole field, and maybe get a shot at a deer feeding in the field. It was a quick walk for Ken and I but on the edge of Dads limits as far as distance goes. We got the ladder stand all set up, headed back for lunch and told dad he was in a good spot. He told us he would be happy with a doe, and thanked us for the work on putting the stand up. After Lunch we headed back and I helped dad head out to his stand and carry his stuff out for him. After getting him all set up I met up with Ken and he gave me some insight and a GPS location for a good spot with the current wind.

Finding the tree I got all set up and really enjoyed the relaxing time for my first sit in Iowa. I saw a couple does off in the distance and had a good buck come in just before dark about 60 yards away. I watched him make four scrapes, rub a couple trees and move in no hurry never coming within my range.

My evening view.....

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/picture.php?albumid=489&pictureid=3985

After darkness set in I headed back over to dad to help him out to the truck and carry his stuff. He saw 4 does across the field feeding but they never made it anywhere near him.

 

[Don K]

One thing I forgot to mention on our Sunday Afternoon hunt.

When we arrived at our parking location we watched a truck come out of the bean field and park next to us. The guy grabbed his stuff and walked back down where he just drove out. Thing is there was a big sign right there " NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES "

I looked at Dad as he pulled his crutches out from the truck, but he did not say anything about what we just watched. Instead he started his slow walk to his ladder stand.

 

[Don K]

Monday morning we awoke to a steady heavy rain falling on the tent roof. After some conversation we decided to go back to sleep and rest up and head out for a earlier eve hunt if the rain quit. I don't mind hunting in a light rain, but it was raining pretty hard and tracking something after you arrowed it would be tough.

The rain quit late morning and we packed up and headed to our parking area. On the ride there I reminded dad that Ken had talked to the local CPO about his condition. The CPO told him that if we wanted to get into a area that had no gate and drive dad in to call him on his cell and he would meet us there and possibly give dad a permit to be able to do this. Even know dad was limited to a couple hundred yards from the parking area he did not want to.

We headed out to his stand again with me carrying his stuff and helping him in. I then headed back over to my stand and saw a couple does through out the afternoon but nothing else. Dad saw a couple real small does way across the field but that was it. Also more trucks where starting to show up in the lot putting more pressure on where he was sitting due to him being so close to the lot. I was not getting a good feeling about this.

 

[Don K]

Tuesday morning got us back to the same spot, doing the same slow walk to his stand. After I got him in I headed back to where my stand was set, pulled it down and went in a bit deeper to the west and set up. This sit would be a wash as I did not see anything moving at all, but was still enjoyable none the less.

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/picture.php?albumid=489&pictureid=3992

 

[Don K]

I got down, headed to dad with hope he had a enjoyable morning. Upon getting there he told me he did not see any deer, and even had a guy walk by 15 min after light with a stand on his back heading deeper in to hunt. In the back of my mind I knew I had to do something soon as dads spirits where starting to drop big time and the pressure near the lot was not helping matters at all.

Here we are headed back to the truck.

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/picture.php?albumid=489&pictureid=3987

 

[Don K]

On our ride back to camp I could tell dads spirits where way down. He was having a very hard time getting around and not seeing much except for other hunters now was getting to him. I asked him if he minded if we took the rest of the day off. He did not have a problem with that so once in camp we grabbed a sandwich, and I grabbed the map book of public land. Off we went, I was going to drive to numerous spots, do some speed scouting within a couple hundred yards of the truck as I was determined to find a new and better spot for dad.

My first spot to check was one we had hunted last time in Iowa. When we got close to the lot dad spotted a small buck just off the road. This looked promising I thought as I parked and headed out across the field to see if there was any other good sign. Walking along the field edge looking into the hard woods the deer sign looked pretty decent.

Then I saw this...........

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/picture.php?albumid=489&pictureid=3986

 

[Don K]

When I saw the chicken hanging from the tree thoughts where flying though my head. What in the heck I thought....... Did someone put this here to warn others to stay away?

Walking back to the truck I was greeted by a guy heading out and he was carrying some trapping equipment. Ah, now that is what the chicken was for. A brief conversation confirmed that they where trying to trap bobcats with the chicken.

Driving and stopping at numerous places I kept heading farther and farther west away from where we camped. Running the gravel roads I continued to zig and zag. Parking and doing a quick check of each area that looked good provided nothing so far that really stuck out.

Getting later and later my hopes of finding dad a new spot where diminishing. I then found a small parking area that had no tire tracks and I proceeded to park there and scout. A short distance from the truck things really started to look real good, real fast,

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/picture.php?albumid=489&pictureid=3991

 

[Mudranger1]

your pictures are VIVID only they are not there

 

[Don K]

After some good scouting I found what I thought a great spot to put dads other ladder stand up. I then headed deeper in to look for a spot for myself. If dad was going to be set up here I wanted to be within walking distance so I could help him get in and out. Getting to the back of the field I was scouting I jumped a couple does, then a nice buck. Scrapes, rubs, and trails where all here and the sign looked amazing. I found a good spot to sit, but I wanted to make 100 percent sure I was still on public land so I marked the spot with my GPS and headed back to the truck. On the way back I passed some scrapes that just smelled like someone dumped bottles of lure into them. In all my years of bow hunting I cant remember scrapes that smelled this powerful.

Back to the truck it was close to dark and I told dad what I had found and how excited I was about this spot. We headed back to camp and I told dad after the morning hunt we would head back here and I would set up the stands and we would hunt that afternoon. Meeting Ken at dinner I looked on his laptop to see what the area looked like on Google Earth. A quick look at this I also pulled up the spot on his HuntingGPS program so I was certain we would be set up on public land. Things looked real good, and I was excited what the next day would bring. Only draw back on this new spot was that it was a 40 minute drive from camp in the complete opposite direction we have been hunting.

 

[Don K]

Wednesday morning we headed back to our usual location. I brought my climber along and would set up closer to dad as we planned on just a couple hour sit. From there we would head out to our new location, I would hang stands, and then hunt the afternoon there.

My morning view.........

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/picture.php?albumid=489&pictureid=3984

 

[Don K]

The morning hunt I saw a couple bucks (nothing big) and 4 does and dad saw nothing. We had a quick bite to eat, and we where on our way to the new spot.

Pulling in our new location we did not see any other tire tracks and things looked positive. I pulled out the deer cart loaded up dads ladder stand, my climber and headed to where I wanted to set him up. A short time later I was back at the truck and changing into camo for the afternoon hunt. Dads stand was 195 yards from the lot and it took him about 30 minutes to travel to his new spot. I helped him in, grabbed my climber and headed to where I wanted to set up. I found a couple real good trails coming off the CRP into the hardwoods I found a good tree so set my climber in.

I got up to 20 ft or so and got settled in and set up. Sitting there I noticed a branch that was dead and looking closer a nail sticking out. Wow, someone had hunted here many years ago maybe before it was public land? I thought it was pretty neat to come across this......

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/picture.php?albumid=489&pictureid=3989

 

[Don K]

The afternoon was fun as I watched two bucks, and 3 does travel in and out of the CRP. I had a spike buck walk right up to my stand but nothing big and in range. I headed back to dad and again smelled the scrapes as I headed across the field to him. He thought he heard some deer behind him, but saw nothing that night. We headed back to camp and where thinking something has to happen sooner or later.

 

[idnative1948]

Don, somebody can help you with pics. Just reach out, help is on it's way.

 

[Don K]

Thursday morning we woke up to a bit of frost and low wind. Things looked, and felt good as we did our 40 min drive to our spot. Getting there early enough we began dads 30 min walk to his stand. He was having some real trouble with the darkness trying to get his crutches into position to use going through the CRP. Slow going and some positive influence I carried dads stuff as we headed to his stand. Helping him in I then headed off to my climber and got ready before shooting light.

At 7am I see a nice buck working his way along the CRP. This buck stayed out of range for me and had no interest in my grunting. He walked in dads direction and I sat there thinking... We where a good distance apart, but it would be so cool if this buck made it to dad and with-in range.

7:15 my cell phone vibrates and I see its dad. I knew right then he shot something and answered his call. " I just shot a nice buck. I hit him right behind the shoulder.... and I'm shaking" I told him to relax and lets give him a hour and I would be there.

The next hour It was very hard for me to sit there and wonder. I did have a couple small bucks go by, and had a doe feeding 15 yards away. The bucks where small and I wasn't going to arrow a doe right now with dads deer needing to be tracked and found.

 

[Don K]

The hour went by fast and I headed to dads stand to find him sitting below it just waiting for me to get there. We found his arrow right away, but there wasn't much blood. Slow tracking we worked our way along and the buck was headed in the direction of the truck. After a bit of time I could see the antlers sticking out of the grass and "joy" set in for both of us. What a buck indeed........

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/picture.php?albumid=489&p

 

[Don K]

Not sure why the pictures cant been seen. They show up when I go though this?

 

[Zach]

Great story, can't wait to see the pics.

 

[bigeasygator]

I can't see 'em either...

 

[pointingdogsrule]

no pics. great story

good luck to all
the dog