So this hunt has a pretty cool story. A few days ago I detailed how I got permission on a neighbor's property and saw a couple big deer. The day after that hunt I went back. The wind was completely different so i went to a different spot on the farm. The deer were moving super early. I jumped 3 doe fawns walking in at 2:40pm. I was sneaking down the far east fence line (with a WSW wind) towards a fallen tree where I intended to sit watching a big valley below. I didn't make it. There is a big patch of horseweeds along the fence halfway to the fallen tree, and as I got close the doe fawn busted out of the weeds. I knelt down along the fence as they bounded a few steps and looked back. They hadn't seen or smelled me. The heard my steps on the very frozen crusty ground. After a couple minutes they went back to milling around. I was trying to decide what to do because I needed to get to my spot and I was out in the wide open, but I did not want to spook the deer and have them run into where I thought all the other deer were. While I was contemplating, more does started walking over the hill right past the fallen tree I was hoping to sit by. they all bee lined straight for the horseweeds in front of me. Within another couple minutes, there were 15-20 does heading right for me. Then I saw a small buck coming, then a basket 8 pt, then a good looking 3 yr old with double split g2's and both g3's broken off. The first does were within 30 yards of me at this point so i was frozen. Then I see my buck pop over the hill with a couple more does. He was very interested in one particular doe fawn. She had to have been in heat because he was glued to her. He actually walked in front of me wide open at 50 yds but I couldn't move. he went into the horseweeds with the doe fawn and all i could see was his rack in the weeds. One mature doe was now at 15 yards and she saw me hunkered along the fence. She started the head bobbing foot stomping routine. The other does were looking at her waiting to see what she did. I knew I was gonna get busted. The doe blew and instantly the whole herd took off running. The buck busted out of the weeds and shot across in front of me at 50 yards again but running, so no shot. The herd went down in a thick draw. Then I saw them start popping out of the other side and going up the opposite hill. I ranged the hillside at 245 yds and got my shooting sticks up and my muzzleloader ready. My buck, as luck would have it, came out of the draw and stopped to look back at the exact spot I had ranged. I settled my crosshairs and squeezed it off. At that distance I couldn't tell if I hit him or not with the smoke from the gun. The whole herd kicked it into high gear and looked like they were gonna leave the county. All the deer were super spooky. I think this farm had sucked in a bunch of deer because it wasn't getting pressured, but the deer it pulled in had obviously been pressured elsewhere. The herd ran over another hill and dissapeared. I reloaded and hiked down into the draw and over to where the buck had been standing. No blood. I wasn't super surprised as muzzleloader shot deer I have often seen not bleed much at the start, and sometimes not much at all. There was a well defined deer trail going up the hill so I followed it. I actually picked out the buck's tracks a few times as it stood out from all the doe/fawn tracks. no blood for 75 yards. I got a little nervous, as now the pasture opened up and wasn't a defined trail any more. I zigzagged the hillside looking for blood and found none. So I then started walking the edge of the trees checking exit trails. I made almost a complete circle and then I saw a spot of blood on one trail. I thought Holy Crap I did hit him. I picked up that blood and followed it through a patch of cedars, which was littered with giant 8-10" rubs and big hub scrapes. I came out of the other side and blood petered out again, but I had a general direction of travel. I hiked to the top of the next hill and looked out in the picked bean field. about 400-500 yards away I saw the big group of deer standing out in the field, and my buck was till with them! He was laying down in the bean stubble and all the other deer were up, so he was obviously hurting. I didn't want him to suffer so I looked and saw a waterway drainage that I could sneak down and get to within 120 yds for a follow up shot. So I snuck back through the pasture and cam around to the water way and took my time sneaking down towards the deer. This took probably 20-30 minutes. By the time I got to where I could see the buck again, his head was down and he was dead. I hit him mid body...not ideal by any means, but for basically a snap shot at 245 yards I'll take it. Interestingly, he had been shot once already in his back ham; likely during shotgun season. This must have accounted for his body being really worn down. Smallest bodied Iowa buck I've ever taken. But he was still full of testosterone chasing doe fawns. I have zero history with this buck. Zero pictures. I have no idea how old he is (although my guess is 4 1/2). I had never seen him in my life until he popped over the hill. Building history is cool and something I really enjoy, but I have to say this hunt was an overall blast. And I have a new farm to start really figuring out for future years! I haven't updated this thread after every single hunt because I have honestly been worn out. i have put in over 70 hunts this season. I'm very happy to have finally notched a tag. AND...There is still a week left of season so maybe I can fill an archery tag yet!
I would say he is the same age class as the buck your neighbor kid killed on his grandpa's farm. Nice buck, with a lot of potential. They always look giant at the end of a long year.
It's hard to say based off that pic alone but it doesn't have that old buck look to the face and the rack also looks more like 3 1/2 for Iowa. Based off what you have shot in the past and deer you have talked about passing...is it possible you shot this buck because you have your own thread in here for people to follow and a Facebook page as well?
It doesn't appear to be a class of buck booner would have taken the 1st week of September. Im sure he passed on similar size deer, as did I, as did many of us im sure.. But even for myself as the season wore on, so did the frustrations.. This year just seamed to get harder and harder.. with quality bucks showing up less and less, even the last day of my season i didnt see a whitetail come to my bait..! And I would have nearly taken anything at that point.. I can't speak for Booner or any others, and I am certainly not going to shoot a spiker, but at the end of the season.. a LONG season, I think taking a deer like this is a huge success, I realize we all have standards when it seams like we can just "Choose" which deer we want to kill, but its hunting..not killing.. Whether or not the buck had "potential" or whatever.. The guy hunt's 20 different locations, you can't expect him to try to hold off on all the deer until they are 6 or 7 year olds, or believe any other weekend warrior would do the same..! that's ridiculous! If I were booner I would have shot the deer, and I don't suspect the pressure of bow hunting thread or Facebook page held much weight.. Anyway, nice deer Booner.. the photos are really awesome.
If I remember correctly, booner was launching a YouTube series or some type of hunting show. If that's the case, you need kills for the show. I agree that deer looks 3.5 and normally I would say good job but when he was all upset that someone shot his up and comer 3.5 year old, that's what drives me nuts. Also love how he looks to be extending his arms in the photos.
So he's gay for pointing out he complained about someone shooting an up an comer only to do the same thing and start a hole jealousy thread about that family...LMFAO
At least try to be accurate if you’re making assumptions. If you actually read my comments I didn’t demonize anyone for shooting a deer regardless of how I felt about it personally. I actually defended the kid when others went on the offensive. Also, not sure how you inferred that kid had anything to do with jealousy thread. That farm isn’t even in the same county. As pointed out earlier, I hunt a lot of farms...not 20, but a lot. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
To be clear I will never shoot or not shoot a buck because of a camera. I hunt for myself. If I want to pass a deer, I’ll pass it. If I want to shoot it, I’ll shoot it. The camera plays zero role in that decision Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Got this pic on one of my cell cams a couple hours ago...craziness! You can actually see blood running down his head. It is taking a lot of willpower for me to not go find the antler right now. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
No just over everyone calling people out for stuff that doesn’t concern them, deer they shoot, how they hold a deer, what camo etc. the list goes on and on and pointing things out that they don’t even know (not saying I do). Guess this should be in the rant thread.
Well I’m heading out for one of my final hunts this Season. I’m heading to a blind I called the well. I have killed three big bucks here in the past. It is pretty much a crapshoot because it is set up to basically gun hunt out of, but my remaining buck tags are archery tags. I’m bringing a buddy with me that has a doe tag and wants meat, So if A doe gives us an opportunity towards last light I’m gonna let him shoot one. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Funny you mention that. That video camera thing goes both ways. Turns out the neighbor did his walk the fenceline smoking a cigarette and making noise routine tonight while I was in the blind. I videoed everything and called it in. He was still there doing it when officer arrived. He got cited for hunter harassment tonight. Unfortunately the deer activity was zero...obviously. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That will get tossed in a hurry, but your reputation will I will be shocked if those charges don't get tossed out. The guy can pretty much do whatever he wants on his own property. Walking around while smoking a cigarette and singing Hells Bells at the top of his lungs would be well within the bounds of his rights as a landowner. Most guys around here just fire up a chainsaw and do a little "maintenance". What happened to not wanting to cause problems for the older lady that owns the ground where you have permission? Crap like this is exactly what shuts down thousands of acres of private ground to hunting. Either hunters fight amongst themselves, or they cause a problem with the neighbors and the last thing anyone wants is a war with a neighbor. Well, congrats, you have driven an old lady's neighbor insane by pushing and pushing until it became a dumpster fire. This went exactly where I figured it would. You could have backed off a little and probably hunted there for years, with no worries. But, that wasn't enough. Enjoy being right. Also, you never did answer the guys asking about why you deleted the videos of you shooting a deer across the fence?
seems the State of Iowa disagrees with your assessment of what a guy can do on his property. when it's on video it's much different than a he said/he said situation. He can say he was out for an evening stroll, but 2 1/2 hours of video shows intent. https://www.animallaw.info/statute/ia-hunting-chapter-481a-wildlife-conservation
