The Orion Syndicate (#12) - 2020 & 2021 Champions

It is always fun to find sheds. It’s funny the deer here don’t shed till February.
Good luck on the doe.

 

Have a safe night & happy new year to all


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Thanks Brett

 

Had this guy come by this morning. Young deer I almost think was a STUD two year old but most three. Massively height and a frame that if he fills in with brows and some stuff has IOWA giant written on him in 2024.

Still doubtful a shooter comes by but got faith in the chance is alive and well. Have been in a blind since sunrise and will finish it here too.
Tomorrow is last day if I don’t kill today…

 

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 160+ 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...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).

 

That first buck in the video was really nice and wide. I would have been paying the penalty on that one but it looks to be near or above the min with that width. Sounds like you had a good time to bad the weather wasn’t better for you. Good luck if you get back out there in a couple years.

 

So the first one I had confirmed by Max, wouldn't have been a penalty even had he not hit 140 as we all suspected - he was a mature deer and they rarely penalize mature deer. His width for sure should have held a 140 inch rack, but his G2s and G3s were so weak I don't think he does. Either way I'm hoping I made some hunter in 2023 (three actually) very happy when one or multiple of the ones I passed get taken out.

 

We have a 130 min where we are going in Missouri in 2023 I don’t see many of those in NY hopefully I’ll be able to hold off I don’t want to cough up the 500 beans.

 

Nice video with nice bucks Ty.

 

I've thought about what if the minimum had been 130 what I would have done...honestly I'm split on whether I'd have shot either. The first one from a maturity aspect was the most tempting, but I don't know. The 140 minimum was just another factor in the moment which made me hold steady with the decision....the thing which made me hesitate the most and think shoot was the weather was CRAZY bad, and there was a mature Iowa buck less than 10 yards from me.

In the end I'm happy I didn't shoot, and was able to grab some footage of them. Each of them offered chip shots to me (10 yards, 18 yards and 47 yards).

 

It looks to me like they are killing a lot more deer than they used to. Did they expand the operation, or do you think they might be killing a few more than they should for a trophy operation? To be honest, Schultzy saw more and bigger bucks on public when he was here. For private ground, I would be kind of disappointed. Maybe the very warm temps are to blame. The night time pictures should tell the story. Maybe the bucks are there, just did not participate.

 

I will be heading out some afternoons the next few days to fill a doe tag or two. Looks like we need a few deer killed to get back in this contest.

 

I've been going out since my last update, I went yesterday evening as well. All I've been seeing is empty fields or doe, we close on 8th and I'm trying to get something to put us back in competition again but nothing is presenting itself.
I'm still upset I lost that buck early season, I still don't know what happened, everything looked great from the stand. I think I screwed up tracking within the hour of the shot without finding blood. I'm pretty sure I unintentionally bumped him when I was looking for my arrow/blood in the dark.
I want to wash my hands of this season, but I also don't want to miss the 3-peat. I'll do my best until the end.

 

Talking Wicked specifically? There were active bucks I wanted to shoot at each farm I was on for sure, just weren't cooperating because of the warm temps while I was there primarily. I know they've added some ground but I don't have the historical context of their whole operation, @Lester would be more in tune with that.

I will say if I were them I'd up the penalty price personally. Most folks that go to an outfitter and are spending thousands, aren't like me who worked a second job and saved up to justify it... $500 to the majority of their clients is literally NOTHING to them. Personally, I'd start the penalty at $750 or $800 MINIMUM but that is just me (of course old mature deer don't penalize).

 

Have been hunting with the Jacklins at Wicked Whitetail Outdoors since 2004. They live and breathe big whitetail deer. Mike and the boys have put together a top notch operation over the years with incredible home cooked meals and a very comfortable lodge. From what I have heard it was a down year for growth due to the localized drought, but typically they are smashing giants left and right there. I got a good mature ten back in 2020 there, and can't wait to go back in 2025 with my bow again.

 

Dave this is the toughest I’ve seen it down here but we noticed all summer and fall there just weren’t as many giant bucks as usual. The only factor that has changed this year was the drought. I’ve heard of others in the area that have dealt with the same situation. They have more than plenty of land for the number of clients. The hardest part is A LOT of people just can’t judge the actual size of a bucks rack in the field. Too many guys are 20 inches off and are shooting bucks a year or two early.

 

I still believe you up the penalty folks will magically get better at this LOL

 

I have limited time but gonna need to go get an antlerless killed quick in reduction zone so I can then chase a buck a time or two for us.

 

The worse part about not winning a third year (in my opinion) would be breaking apart our team…down to three weeks & I for one think it was a hell of a ride


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Well said Brett. I feel like I $hit the bed this year. The deer just didn’t want to cooperate.