If you were going to hunt in Iowa where there are a number of bucks between 125"-150" and some from 160" plus what would you hold out for on a 1 week hunt? What would you shoot on the last day?
I'd shoot the first 140"+ deer I had a chance at even knowing there is much bigger. No exceptions (taking something small) on the last day.
I wouldn't shoot a buck on the last day that I wouldn't shoot on the first day. I'd shoot anything I thought was 4 years old or older
First week would be 145+ Depending on the action I see. Last day would be 130-135 if possible. Last light 125+ would be the lowest I would go.
Well since id most likly be paying i wouldnt wanna just take a smaller buck i know i could get back home easy for all that money i was spending. But lookin at what ive killed i think my limit would be 135+.
I'll tell myself I would shoot nothing on the first maybe even second day unless I just knew it was a deer of a lifetime (that definition varies. For me I would call that 175"plus). The days 3,4,5 would get the 140 plus treatment last days would get the whatever's legal treatment. Not going to spend all that money and not even get some meat out of it.
I have never killed anything bigger than 110. Had some in range bigger just no clean shots but not many. Since it Iowa I would say I would say any mature 3.5 to 4 year old near 140 till Thursday. After that any deer that is mature, 4 year or better.
120" on a DIY out of state hunt would be quite an accomplishment in a week. I think for part two of the question, it sort of depends on what you have seen. Few years back I hunted in North Dakota (not a very good area, but it was short notice) and I passed tons of small guys, which I had no qualms about. The more we hunted, the more we learned that area was not great, and on the last day I was ready to shoot a nice 100" 8 point that had velvet still hanging on his rack, and I was gonna be darn proud of that buck had he walked on the right side of the bush...
well depending on the situation. Hunting private land and they want nothing but bigger deer killed, i would try and take the first good size deer that offered a clean shot that was within there expectations.
You don't go to Iowa hoping to come home with a 120" buck when you have a lease in SE Minnesota. Good luck and I hope you shoot a beast.
I would shoot any buck that is better scoring then the average sized bucks that I hunt in my home state. When I spend the money to go to Iowa, the buck has to better than what I shoot at home. But the only thing that would trump that is a old mature buck ( 5 1/2 or older) , then it doesn't matter what he scores!
I leave for Iowa on Friday and start hunting on Saturday. I am trying to decide what I want to hold out for before I get there. I don't want to have to make that decision spur of the moment. I want to shoot a giant like any one would, and to shoot a giant sometimes you have to pass really good deer.
The first one that makes you happy. You may not see another one the entire trip. Who has that happened too? >>>THIS GUY<<<!
I'd hold out for whatever I was intending on shooting. Outfitted would be different than a public or even private ground hunt. Add in late season and it throws another wrench into it. It's not like the rut where you're potentially going to have multiple encounters on a daily basis. During the rut you can be a lot more picky. I hunt for meat, but during the rut I have the option to be selective on antlers. Once the rut is over it goes back to meat hunting even if it is a lesser buck.
Depending where you hunt and the weather, late season on a food source could give you more opportunities than the rut.
