Hi guys, I got my buck entered in the contest this morning. Grossed 156 1/8". This deer grew a LOT in body size and zero in rack size from last year so he was on my mind to take out if possible. I got his picture that morning entering a bedding area following a doe and decided to make a push in for an afternoon sit to see if I could find him. As it turns out, the doe came sneaking through the thickest brush right under my stand just a little after 5pm in the broad daylight and he was 20 yards behind her. I took a quartering away shot that I thought looked perfect, but was surprised to see him make it to the other side of the field and duck into the timber. (I was just a bit too far back) I knew he was struggling but decided to wait for friends to finish their evening hunt and give him about three hours before taking up the trail. As soon as the three of us met up it started to light rain and we made the decision to go immediately. We found a good blood-trail and he was only about 20 yards from where I saw him last and had crashed as soon as he made thick cover. Not the main buck I am chasing, but with two tags and not a lot of time to hunt, he made for a good buck for the contest and to get off the farm. I am beyond blessed to hunt in a target rich environment and luck has definitely seemed to be on my side the last 4 years. It must have been 5 years ago that tynimiller and I were on the same team and he wanted to choke me for passing some great bucks. The next 4 years I entered a 176, 151, 181, and 156. This one is for you buddy! lol Yes, I will shoot a doe at some point.
I didn't see any deer last night. I believe that our property goes through a transition in mid to late October that if you have a property that is primarily gun hunted called "it's time to get into the woods a start scouting, thinking about deer hunting and oh this looks like a good place to build an old fashioned deer stand, lets get the truck back here with a table saw and hammer together a stand." It's a phenomena I experience every year 2-3 weeks before the MN gun opener. The cameras have all changed from consistent deer travel to family members in the pictures and scarce deer pictures. It happens to me every year and I'm sure there are many that are in the same boat. Not a serious complaint because I do share the woods with the whole family and they have every right to be on whatever inch of ground they want to be on also. Sometimes it's frustrating but I love them all the same (for the most part outside of deer season) kidding aside I am fortunate for the opportunity. Now its time for me to change up some tactics and get in to places that others are not willing to go. The next 11 days are going to be exciting!
Fletch, great hunt! What area of Iowa are you in? I spend a good amount of time in Knoxville/Pella/Oskaloosa in the summer with racing and I am always day dreaming about hunting looks like down there.
Congratulations again, Fletch on a Great Buck. Cool story and so glad you found him near last sighting.
You wouldn't happen to know Jamie and Larry Ball in Knoxville? I graduated high school with Larry. I know they are big into sprint-car racing. I just built a new home in Norwalk, Iowa, but I have a place about 25 minutes from K-ville and my farms are another 10 or 15 minutes on down the road. I graduated from Central College in Pella and just had a friends reunion two weekends ago over at Red Rock lake by Pella. I am definitely familiar with all the areas you mention. You will have to hit me up next summer to meet for a beer.
Small world Fletch! I did kart racing in the mid 2000's with Jamie and got to know he and Larry pretty well, bought an engine and lots of hoses from them years ago. I camped at their place many times while in kart racing south of Knoxville. I did a little sprint car racing down in Knoxville when I was a driver, but I wasn't very competitive with the high level of competition down there. I spend much more time that way now that I am in a team helping role. I always had great chats with Larry as he was involved with tool and die/metal stamping which overlaps into my career in the manufacturing world.
lol for the record it was all in jest but you know that! Just a killer body and frame on that sucker! Some of them just don’t grow the tines for more. Doe or second buck, I have no doubt something else will die to your hands!!! congrats again brother, add another beer on me to when I visit Iowa again some year
Well fellas I believe I shot Benor, the mature eight that isn’t anything crazy special. He pushed a young buck off the plot twenty minutes ago. Shot looked and felt great but main camera only had half his body on it and second angle camera is downloading onto app - it should have shot. gonna sit tight and wait till dark. Try to shoot a doe if chance happens and see when a second buck tag on my reduction property and fifty points for us. Be patient as I likely won’t update thread till after dark…
Ty that’s awesome!!! I’m in my stand typing this……just a few does so far grazing on the oats. Fletch as always…….tip of the cap to not only what you do but how you do it. First class all the way. My vacation starts today so it’s game on for me
