Pucky Freak
Well-known member
Last chance is the weekend. It will be almost t-shirt weather so I'm anticipating a couple of armed hikes and tag soup so we will be enjoying the exercise, if nothing else.
Fall 2019 Iowa Deer and Turkey
- Thread starter Pucky Freak
- Start date
duckhunt
Well-known member
Good luck
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
The wrap from the last weekend -
Sat AM still hunting through some feeding areas. It worked and I spotted a buck on the other side of some brush. My buddy and I set up and waited to see if the deer would come out in the open. He fed away from us out of sight, but then my buddy spotted a bigger buck! He was feeding towards us. I told my buddy to get his gun ready, then flip the safety off, then raise the gun slowly. The buck needed to take about four more steps and would have a clear broadside shot, 45 yards. As soon as the vitals were clear I whispered, "SHOOT HIM!" But...no shot. About five seconds melted by, the buck took a few more steps, saw us, and took off. I asked my buddy what happened - he said he wanted the deer to clear the last little bit of thin brush and grass before taking the shot. He said all he sees when he closes his eyes is that tall rack, taunting him.
Sat PM. We set up and glassed a sea of cockleburs. We had both scrutinized a small copse of dead trees about 165 yards away at least 15 times over, but then at very last light a doe stood up from her bed and ambled away.
Sun AM - Still hunting, no dice
Sun mid-day we went to try and shoot the bedded doe out of her bed. The wind had picked up enough to make a stalk through the cockleburs. We were not able to glass her bed, but we crept in there over the course of about an hour, then I hit the fawn distress call to try and get her to stand up. No response. We gave up on stealth and walked the last 25 yards to her bed from the day before. She stood up, having made a different bed about 70 yards away. I did not take my time on the shot and missed - still kicking myself for that one...
Sun PM - Set up in a transition area - each posting on a ridge. My buddy had a young buck come along a third ridge, sky-lined, then it came down the bottom, but when my buddy got in position to shoot it saw him and took off. When I got to my ridge, the deer were already bedded there. I heard them stand up - 3 does at just 20 feet. Clicked the safety off and brought the gun up to smoke one at point blank range, but at my movement they bolted out of there.
Tag soup for gun season, so it's back to bow hunting
Sat AM still hunting through some feeding areas. It worked and I spotted a buck on the other side of some brush. My buddy and I set up and waited to see if the deer would come out in the open. He fed away from us out of sight, but then my buddy spotted a bigger buck! He was feeding towards us. I told my buddy to get his gun ready, then flip the safety off, then raise the gun slowly. The buck needed to take about four more steps and would have a clear broadside shot, 45 yards. As soon as the vitals were clear I whispered, "SHOOT HIM!" But...no shot. About five seconds melted by, the buck took a few more steps, saw us, and took off. I asked my buddy what happened - he said he wanted the deer to clear the last little bit of thin brush and grass before taking the shot. He said all he sees when he closes his eyes is that tall rack, taunting him.
Sat PM. We set up and glassed a sea of cockleburs. We had both scrutinized a small copse of dead trees about 165 yards away at least 15 times over, but then at very last light a doe stood up from her bed and ambled away.
Sun AM - Still hunting, no dice
Sun mid-day we went to try and shoot the bedded doe out of her bed. The wind had picked up enough to make a stalk through the cockleburs. We were not able to glass her bed, but we crept in there over the course of about an hour, then I hit the fawn distress call to try and get her to stand up. No response. We gave up on stealth and walked the last 25 yards to her bed from the day before. She stood up, having made a different bed about 70 yards away. I did not take my time on the shot and missed - still kicking myself for that one...
Sun PM - Set up in a transition area - each posting on a ridge. My buddy had a young buck come along a third ridge, sky-lined, then it came down the bottom, but when my buddy got in position to shoot it saw him and took off. When I got to my ridge, the deer were already bedded there. I heard them stand up - 3 does at just 20 feet. Clicked the safety off and brought the gun up to smoke one at point blank range, but at my movement they bolted out of there.
Tag soup for gun season, so it's back to bow hunting
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
A couple hours on the stand this AM and the big bruiser shows up 2nd time in a row now. 45 minutes before sunrise and came to 10 yards before winding me. Was hoping some does would filter through later and no dice. Tomorrow night I might set up on the ground in a staging area.
duckhunt
Well-known member
Good luck
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
Hunted 3 more times, all in different spots. Groups of does I followed late rut all appeared to have departed and met up with other does for the late season. I observed 4 new roadkill deer within 1/4 mile of my treestand. One was a buck with antlers sawed off, and I really hope it wasn't the big 11-pt - may know soon after shed hunting in Feb/March.
2019 concluded with the most hunting hours and scouting hours to date. Had tons of fun enjoying the outdoors, raising my daughter in the hunting lifestyle, making multiple stalks, taking my first bow buck, and my first fall gobbler. Projects around the house have suffered, but on the plus side we've been feasting on wild fish, birds, and venison all year.
Closing out this thread. For 2020 I'm planning to get out and fish more in the summer, plus a very likely September archery elk hunt in WY (just submitted the online application). Unlikely to match 2019 time spent outside as my wife and I are starting foster care classes next month, and also any week now might have twin baby boys be coming to live with us temporarily.
Thanks for following along, and Happy New Year!
2019 concluded with the most hunting hours and scouting hours to date. Had tons of fun enjoying the outdoors, raising my daughter in the hunting lifestyle, making multiple stalks, taking my first bow buck, and my first fall gobbler. Projects around the house have suffered, but on the plus side we've been feasting on wild fish, birds, and venison all year.
Closing out this thread. For 2020 I'm planning to get out and fish more in the summer, plus a very likely September archery elk hunt in WY (just submitted the online application). Unlikely to match 2019 time spent outside as my wife and I are starting foster care classes next month, and also any week now might have twin baby boys be coming to live with us temporarily.
Thanks for following along, and Happy New Year!
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TheBenHoyle
Well-known member
Thanks for sharing your hunts with us. I really have enjoyed following along and I feel like I have learned a bit from the things you have done and/or been successful with. I wish you the best in 2020.
MN_Bowhunter4
Well-known member
Thanks for taking us along! I enjoyed reading about your happenings all year. Can’t wait to see what next year brings!
teej89
Well-known member
Just read your post about being winded by the bruiser buck, ever try smoking your clothes up? When I lived back east I'd use a bee smoker and cover my clothes in it, you can't believe the deer I'd have downwind that were scent checking but couldn't find any reason to be alarmed.
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
Have not tried it, but thanks for the idea. I've had the best luck just hanging up my clothes outside, then using scent killer spray on my boots/pant cuffs...obviously didn't work well enough to fool the big buck though
teej89
Well-known member
Scent Smoker - Scent Elimination System
• The Scent Smoker uses the most basic tool known to the earliest hunters to mask human scent - smoke. More specifically, hardwood smoke. Smoke is a very common scent in the wild. From a forest fire in the Rocky Mountains, to wood-burning farmstead in the midwest, smoke is omnipresent and does...
www.lancasterarchery.com
It's crazy insane how well it works, you have to prep for about an additional 10min before every hunt tho to get the smoker started and apply. I'm not a gimmick person but I loved mine when I used it.
Crossbowguy
Well-known member
Thanks for letting us follow along with you on your journeys!
