Iowa Bow Hunt
#42744
11/20/2014 04:41 PM
11/20/2014 04:41 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,596 Terre Haute
sticksender
OP
Site Administrator
|
OP
Site Administrator
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,596
Terre Haute
|
In '09 I started applying for a non-resident Iowa deer tag. I wanted to at least hunt there once, and experience what's considered to be one of the top deer states in the country. Their abundant deer population and good distribution of age classes provides for some of the best free-range whitetail hunting available anywhere. Part of Iowa's management is restricting non-residents to about 3000 archery deer tags statewide. Due to extreme demand for these tags, it can take 4 to 5 years to be drawn. And worse yet, it's the most expensive whitetail deer tag in the USA....by far! In order to help get the most bang-for-the-buck, my resident friend who owns a small parcel, also recruited his neighbor to allow us access to his land too. Although the total area was only about 80 acres, a late spring scouting trip revealed some great cedar-thicket bedding areas, and we even picked up a couple of decent sheds. I waited for the peak-rut time period, to make my bowhunting trip count. Notable in Iowa's management is that deer hunters may only use archery gear during the months of October and November. Commencing with the first Saturday in December there's a 5-day firearms season in which hunters may then use shotguns. This takes the bulk of hunting pressure off the herd while breeding is taking place. So the gun season was still 3 weeks away when I arrived on Saturday Nov 15th. After hanging a couple stands that evening, we took a drive around the general area to see what kind of activity was going on. After the spectacle I witnessed that evening, I'd have to say that Iowa is a "Deer Disneyland". The rut was in full swing with scenes like this frequently visible around this rural area.
--------------------
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42745
11/20/2014 04:43 PM
11/20/2014 04:43 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,596 Terre Haute
sticksender
OP
Site Administrator
|
OP
Site Administrator
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,596
Terre Haute
|
When going in to set up a tree-stand, we'd startled a doe nearby as she was being tended by a big mature 8-pointer. The doe bolted on seeing us, but we hoped they wouldn't go far, with the breeding frenzy that was afoot. That spot was where I hunted on Sunday morning. Over the course of the morning, several deer passed by my stand. One was a decent young 8-pointer that I passed on. The stand was in a small shagbark hickory overlooking a small opening off the edge of a cedar thicket. Most all of the deer were coming out of the small gap in the cedars, dead center in the picture below.
--------------------
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42747
11/20/2014 04:49 PM
11/20/2014 04:49 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,596 Terre Haute
sticksender
OP
Site Administrator
|
OP
Site Administrator
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,596
Terre Haute
|
After the snowfall Friday night, the weather was getting colder each day. The snow and cold temps made for perfect hunting conditions, and creating lots of deer movement. For the Monday morning hunt, I returned to the hickory tree stand. After first light, two different younger bucks cruised through, and a doe with fawns came by. Then at about 7:45, I heard a noise and turned to see a buck had slipped in behind me. It looked like the big 8-pointer from Saturday, and immediately I deemed him a shooter and got ready. This stand was situated below the dam of a small lake, and it looked like he'd come down to the spillway pipe to see about getting a drink. Pic of the spillway and pool is below. But it was frozen solid and he soon came up from the draw and headed my way, offering a fairly close bow-shot of 20 yards.
--------------------
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42748
11/20/2014 04:54 PM
11/20/2014 04:54 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,596 Terre Haute
sticksender
OP
Site Administrator
|
OP
Site Administrator
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,596
Terre Haute
|
The buck was mine and no ground shrinkage, just a good mature 8-pointer with a 20-inch inside spread, 5-inch bases, and the longest tine was 12 inches. We later roughly green scored him at 145 net, which I think is pretty dang good for an 8-pointer. So with the Indiana buck on 11/11, I'd been lucky enough to tally two P&Y bucks in 6 days! Never would have expected that, and may never repeat it, but it sure was a fun week while it lasted!
--------------------
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42749
11/20/2014 04:59 PM
11/20/2014 04:59 PM
|
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,794 Mooresville Indiana
Weedhopper
Hoosier Hunter
|
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,794
Mooresville Indiana
|
Thanks for sharing your adventure, Greg, Congrats !!
Brew coffee....not tards
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42751
11/20/2014 05:42 PM
11/20/2014 05:42 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,401 Angola
DEC
Hoosier Hunter
|
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,401
Angola
|
Excellent buck! Congrats!
Derek New Day Outdoors Productions - It's a New Day in the Outdoors Magnus Broadheads Take a child hunting. Wear a safety harness at all times ... TRUST ME!
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42753
11/20/2014 06:23 PM
11/20/2014 06:23 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 253 The Banks of the Wabash
Cornfed
Hoosier Hunter
|
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 253
The Banks of the Wabash
|
Great buck! Thanks for sharing.
"Take your bow and a quiver full of arrows, and go out into the open country to hunt some wild game for me." Genesis 27:3 (NLT)
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42756
11/21/2014 01:30 AM
11/21/2014 01:30 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,089 The Swamps of South Ga!
BowBo
Hoosier Hunter
|
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,089
The Swamps of South Ga!
|
SWEEET! Congratulations Greg... another hoss! Definitely a good season you are having bro!
Just call me Bo! In the Spring I Strut ~ In the Fall I Rut!
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42758
11/21/2014 02:59 AM
11/21/2014 02:59 AM
|
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,449 Seymour
pav
Hoosier Hunter
|
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,449
Seymour
|
Heck of a year Greg!
Congrats!
There are none so blind as those who will not see.
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42760
11/21/2014 06:13 AM
11/21/2014 06:13 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 584 New Castle, In. Henry
gpd005
Hoosier Hunter
|
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 584
New Castle, In. Henry
|
Well done! And Iowa bow hunt is on my bucket list in the middle of the rut!
Team Freezer Fillers
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42762
11/21/2014 07:07 AM
11/21/2014 07:07 AM
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 204 Crawfordsville
Hunter Dan
Hoosier Hunter
|
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 204
Crawfordsville
|
Congratulations! Yes, Iowa is amazing! I have hunted there 3 different years. The amount of deer they have compared to Indiana is unreal. Iowa is definitely God's country. My buddy drove around one evening and took photos of some many mature bucks it was unbelievable. I wish Indiana would pattern their hunting seasons after the state of Iowa!
I've been hunting in Indiana for 35 years and keep meticulous records. Between EHD and the over slaughter of antlerless deer we have unfortunately almost eradicated the herd. I guess that is the desire of the state DNR. I'm sure the farmers and insurance folks are happy. Me, a serious hunter, not so much.
Hunter Dan - Connecting Kids to the Outdoors!
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42764
11/21/2014 11:05 AM
11/21/2014 11:05 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,726 Freetown, IN 47235
varmint101
Hoosier Hunter
|
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,726
Freetown, IN 47235
|
Excellent laid out story and great pictures, congrats!
"The bottom line is, if you shoot something, be proud of it. If you can't be proud of it, don't shoot it. God didn't create any "justs." Neither should bowhunters." -Dwight Schuh
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42766
11/21/2014 02:14 PM
11/21/2014 02:14 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,288 PlainField, IN
BREW...
Hoosier Hunter
|
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,288
PlainField, IN
|
Great write up and pics.... Thanks for sharing!!!! Congrats
Guardian Of The One Buck Rule & Gunseason "Some people just need a good *** whoopin. It keeps the planets aligned"
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42769
11/26/2014 10:42 AM
11/26/2014 10:42 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,873 Indiana
DawnPatrol
River Rat
|
River Rat
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,873
Indiana
|
2 p & y in 6 days.....is say....he!! Ya.....udaman stick!!!
Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping is where it's @!!!!!
|
|
|
Re: Iowa Bow Hunt
#42770
11/26/2014 12:25 PM
11/26/2014 12:25 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,595 Indpls,In US
jbwhttail
Hoosier Hunter
|
Hoosier Hunter
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,595
Indpls,In US
|
Good going Greg, "ride that wave"! People in Indiana who have not ventured to Iowa have no idea just how good deer hunting is there.
Iowa's goal is to produce so many whitetails that hunters can't kill all the bucks (not even dent the male population). Then they don't allow the general gun season until December. AND they have a very short gun season. The drawback of their season structure is deer drives. The normal gun hunting method is party hunting of family and friends drive blocks of land with standers placed to kill bucks ........mature bucks.
When I was there people didn't give a second glance at a dead buck until it was over 160".
Too bad they are now a CWD positive State, big deer reductions are on the horizon. They7 have a great deer biologist that will do her best to control the disease but, sportsmen in an infected area are not going to be happy for many many years.........
When science meets tradition there will be sparks.....
|
|
|
|
Forums35
Topics4,663
Posts49,845
Members2,909
|
Most Online188 Sep 19th, 2018
|
|
0 registered members (),
22
guests, and 2
spiders. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|