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Post by tynimiller on Jan 3, 2023 9:00:52 GMT -5
Well made it home early Monday morning as I rolled out of camp Sunday night after dinner to get a jump on traveling...talk about a tough all nighter (did pull over and nap for two hours once).
Either way only truly saw three bucks worthy of trying to get footage of them. They're in the order of which I saw them...with the first being the most mature but I struggled to decide to shoot him as the place has a 140 minimum score or a penalty...now they don't penalize you if you shoot a mature buck (unless say it is a four year old on a no shoot list)...but I didn't come all the way to Iowa personally to shoot an awesome but short tined eight that would struggle to get above 130s.
The second buck had a frame that instantly made me grab my gun...when all I saw was his height he made my mind jump to a very similar high ten on that particular farm; but with zero left brow, a short right one I just didn't see a 7 pointer that would break 140. Again back at camp many of the other hunters couldn't believe I passed this one too...even one of the outfitter family members was. But I guess call me crazy I didn't see an old deer, I saw a deer that was borderline 140 (if he had that left brow still) that was a 2023 STUD walking.
The final buck was the final morning of my trip and his split G2 was cool, his G4 can barely be seen at end but shot sideways inward....if he had a left side on his head good chance I'm shooting him.
Unusually WARM (60+ one day, 50+ three days...only one day below freezing high) temps for late season hunting is just abysmal for movement.
Was still incredible...and I've never sat for as many hours as I did so fully attentive to every glimpse of movement, because I was legit hunting 170+ deer on every farm I was on and I've never experienced that chance. Iowa had been a dream I chalked up as just purely not happening ever...now I'm already thinking that around 2026 or 2027 I might try to have money saved up to justify it again.
Video of the bucks I passed is linked below...once I knew I wasn't shooting tried getting footage...the first buck guys walked from behind blind and was so close that the first thing I could see of him was just the tips of his antlers (he was three feet from blind below me).
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Post by genesis273 on Jan 3, 2023 9:29:39 GMT -5
I liked buck#2. That 3rd one would have been your guy had ne not lost his left side. Tough to pass on those deer I'm sure. But, having a certain type of deer in mind, and the possibility of penalties, makes it a little easier. All three will be studs next year for sure.
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 3, 2023 10:22:46 GMT -5
I liked buck#2. That 3rd one would have been your guy had ne not lost his left side. Tough to pass on those deer I'm sure. But, having a certain type of deer in mind, and the possibility of penalties, makes it a little easier. All three will be studs next year for sure. Buck #2's body screaming 3 year old at me personally in the moment is ultimately what made me not pull the gun up. His headgear's frame was special for sure, but without measurable brows I just didn't see 140 happening so elected to try and get some footage of him. Yea that last deer would have been cool. Matching left side he even doesn't push past 140 by a lot but I knew studying him he was mature and most likely I'd bet would have clear 140 |
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Post by genesis273 on Jan 3, 2023 17:00:21 GMT -5
The second deer's body definitely looked younger. But, I'm not always the best judge on age. Especially once they come out of the rut and have lost the weight.
If he had some brows to match the rest of that frame, I would find it hard to pass him up.
Thanks for sharing the videos!
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Post by esshup on Jan 3, 2023 18:00:15 GMT -5
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Post by genesis273 on Jan 3, 2023 18:22:58 GMT -5
I would say so! 140+
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 3, 2023 18:27:02 GMT -5
Agree. Shoot that one I passed have even brows like that I probably shoot.
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Post by parkerbow on Jan 3, 2023 20:00:23 GMT -5
I want to hunt Iowa at least once in my liftime. My buddy and I each have 4 preference points but he has been having some personal issues the last few years and we ahve not applied for a license yet. Maybe this year we can do it. It will be during archery season and probably on public land. He does know a few guys out there that may be able to help us get on soem private land. This fall would be good since our gun season does not come in until Nov 18th. I will probably set my goal to something around 160 or so.
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Post by esshup on Jan 4, 2023 0:41:14 GMT -5
Agree. Shoot that one I passed have even brows like that I probably shoot. I had a chance to shoot him during muzzleloader season @ about 200 yds. He was standing facing away from me, then turned and started to walk to my right towards some does. He stopped and just about as I was about to put enough pressure on the trigger to break it I noticed a shadow in my scope. I looked up, noticed that I would have sent the bullet/sabot right next to a big Oak tree and moved the bipod to the right, expecting him to continue walking. Nope. He walked behind the Oak tree and then turned, walking straight away from me. I never saw him again. I was worried that the bullet/sabot would open up and graze the tree, sending the bullet off into never-never land. On retrospect, I could have done a Texas Heart Shot but at the time I thought he deserved something better than that. |
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Post by greghopper on Jan 4, 2023 6:56:17 GMT -5
I liked buck#2. That 3rd one would have been your guy had ne not lost his left side. Tough to pass on those deer I'm sure. But, having a certain type of deer in mind, and the possibility of penalties, makes it a little easier. All three will be studs next year for sure. Buck #2's body screaming 3 year old at me personally in the moment is ultimately what made me not pull the gun up. His headgear's frame was special for sure, but without measurable brows I just didn't see 140 happening so elected to try and get some footage of him. Yea that last deer would have been cool. Matching left side he even doesn't push past 140 by a lot but I knew studying him he was mature and most likely I'd bet would have clear 140 Was there a minimum size you were allowed to shoot or pay more money as a penalty? What outfitter did you use? |
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 4, 2023 7:36:39 GMT -5
Buck #2's body screaming 3 year old at me personally in the moment is ultimately what made me not pull the gun up. His headgear's frame was special for sure, but without measurable brows I just didn't see 140 happening so elected to try and get some footage of him. Yea that last deer would have been cool. Matching left side he even doesn't push past 140 by a lot but I knew studying him he was mature and most likely I'd bet would have clear 140 Was there a minimum size you were allowed to shoot or pay more money as a penalty? What outfitter did you use? They have a 140 minimum or you're subject to an additional $500 charge. Now they don't typically charge you if you shoot a four year or older buck. Wicked Whitetail Outdoors. I've had a few friends I trust go wit them and 100% was a solid outfit. Lodge was awesome, food was amazing, farms were stellar...weather just sucked plain and simple which they cannot do anything about. |
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Post by steiny on Jan 4, 2023 13:10:47 GMT -5
I'm a couple years into building Iowa points. Might get to go next year?
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 4, 2023 13:49:47 GMT -5
I'm a couple years into building Iowa points. Might get to go next year? Depends what weapon and zone. Odds illustrated from 2022 are here: www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/Hunting/nrd_draw.pdfPretty much the two hot zones (4,5) you now may not draw gun with just one preference point and need two to be 100%. You also now are not guaranteed to draw with 4 points for bow. Now of course these could swing back a touch or forward but this last year was the first year I heard a lot of archery hopefuls with 4 points didn't draw and a lot of 1 didn't draw for gun. |
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Post by steiny on Jan 4, 2023 14:21:56 GMT -5
Yea, was figuring we wouldn't get drawn to shotgun hunt till third year.
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 4, 2023 14:27:58 GMT -5
Yea, was figuring we wouldn't get drawn to shotgun hunt till third year. Oh it is worth putting in with one if in zone 4 or 5 but maybe not a guarantee. zone 6 is still a guarantee with just one...or it appears as such if 2023 is similar to 2022. |
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Post by pigeonflier on Jan 6, 2023 5:39:43 GMT -5
Why do they have such regs to get a tag there. Think maybe that kinda system in place here might benefit us?
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 6, 2023 8:21:55 GMT -5
Why do they have such regs to get a tag there. Think maybe that kinda system in place here might benefit us? They have some of the best trophy buck hunting in the states, large parcels - lots of leases and outfitters which already minimizes pressure and such naturally. Indiana doesn’t have the massive swaths of deer habitat like they do and isn’t nearly as attractive or appealing to a hunter. Our largest tracts and chunks of land are closed canopy forests in the southern part of the state. |
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Post by greghopper on Jan 6, 2023 8:32:55 GMT -5
Why do they have such regs to get a tag there. Think maybe that kinda system in place here might benefit us? They have some of the best trophy buck hunting in the states, large parcels - lots of leases and outfitters which already minimizes pressure and such naturally. Indiana doesn’t have the massive swaths of deer habitat like they do and isn’t nearly as attractive or appealing to a hunter. Our largest tracts and chunks of land are closed canopy forests in the southern part of the state. They are also NOT the smallest state (land mass) west of the Appalachian Mountains and the "Crossroads of America" like Indiana is! |
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Post by parkerbow on Jan 6, 2023 18:52:45 GMT -5
They have some of the best trophy buck hunting in the states, large parcels - lots of leases and outfitters which already minimizes pressure and such naturally. Indiana doesn’t have the massive swaths of deer habitat like they do and isn’t nearly as attractive or appealing to a hunter. Our largest tracts and chunks of land are closed canopy forests in the southern part of the state. They are also NOT the smallest state (land mass) west of the Appalachian Mountains and the "Crossroads of America" like Indiana is! They also have shorter gun seasons out of the rut, their gun season does not open until 1st weekend in Dec. We just have a different gun season "Tradition" then some neighboring states that will not change. |
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Post by greghopper on Jan 6, 2023 19:17:42 GMT -5
They are also NOT the smallest state (land mass) west of the Appalachian Mountains and the "Crossroads of America" like Indiana is! They also have shorter gun seasons out of the rut, their gun season does not open until 1st weekend in Dec. We just have a different gun season "Tradition" then some neighboring states that will not change. There’s no way we could sustain a herd the size of Iowa or many of our neighboring states……. That’s what a different gunseason would equate to! |
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