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Southeast Iowa Live.....Come Along for the 2021 Season

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    Southeast Iowa Live.....Come Along for the 2021 Season

    I started last years post of my Iowa season one year ago yesterday on October 19th. There is a reason for that. The bucks here in Iowa start showing pre-rut signs about October 15th to 20th. The bucks are almost 100% nocturnal until then. Some scrapes started showing up in early October, but now they are exploding. If you walk a field edge there are branch tips chewed and broken off everywhere. Even if there is not a scrape there you know the bucks have been working the licking branch. It is tempting to hunt early October and some hunters are successful, but by in large you are just educating the deer with your movements to and from your stand locations.

    I have been waiting for gray light or day light pictures which for me is the sign that it is "go time". The only problem is that I have been finishing up some fall farm projects and have not taken time in the last few days to go pull SD cards. This evening at 5:30pm I jumped off the lawn mower and did a little scouting. I will elaborate with pictures in a post below.

    It is time to at least start carefully hunting evening stands when the wind is right. The "October Lull" is winding down and pre-rut is in its beginning stages.

    I hope to take you thru my season here in Iowa. I will be hunting our farm and several of my neighbors farms. I will be hunting most everyday at least some (weather and my 67 year old body permitting). I still have a lot of chores around our farm heading into the winter. I have been having some health issues, but I am going to do my best to keep after them.

    Despite what you see on TV and have heard, Iowa hunting is not easy. There is abundant food sources everywhere. A lot depends on crop rotation, harvest schedules....generally what the farmers are doing. You try to set up using the intel from scouting, game cams, observation at dawn and dusk, etc. You never really know which trail the deer are going to come from. Then you have to be fortunate enough to stop them in your shooting lanes and make the shot.

    If you have ever hunted Hagerman you will know what I am describing. This is like hunting Hagerman everyday. The potential for a huge buck is always there. You got to be on your toes every second and you also have to have some luck.

    I will do my best to keep this thread updated throughout my season.

    Here is a link to my season last year here in Iowa.


    #2
    Tuned in.

    Wish you the best…

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      #3
      This is going to be great, good luck!

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        #4
        In. Enjoyed last years thread. Good luck to you

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          #5
          This evening at 5:30 I jumped off the zero turn and walked across the road and sat down on the edge of a bean field. I call this spot the "Stadium". It's a little timbered hill with a bean field (this year) in a bottom along a feeder creek that flows into the North Fabius River. I walked along the field side of the hill looking for scrapes and then sat down with a cedar at my back. The spot where I was sitting is only about 40 yards off the County Rd. I was in my work clothes and all I had with me was a pair of binos.

          At 5:45 I saw a buck on the far side of the "Stadium" bean field. The buck stood at the field edge for several minutes, worked a scrape then headed straight for where I was sitting. I laid down on my back as the buck crossed the bean field. I raised up and took a few pictures. Finally the buck came up over the grassy knoll that separates the bean field from the timber. He saw me and knew something was not right. He circled below me and then went on his way.

          This was much better than a day light trail cam picture.

          I think....It's Go Time.


          Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
          Last edited by Arrowsmith; 10-20-2021, 08:24 PM.

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            #6
            Another one of my favorites to follow every year

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              #7
              Looking forward to this Mike ! Good luck to you and the cats !

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                #8
                Oh yeah, this is gonna be good!!!!!!!!!!!!

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                  #9
                  Will be following. Good luck Mike. What's the weather going to be like this next 7 days?

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                    #10
                    I'm all in

                    Sent from my motorola one 5G UW using Tapatalk

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by Pstraw View Post
                      Will be following. Good luck Mike. What's the weather going to be like this next 7 days?
                      Real good for hunting. We should have first our first frost in low areas Friday night.

                      Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

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                        #12
                        In for the stories! I hunted Iowa for the first time last season. Can’t wait to go back next year. I’ll have to live vicariously through your posts for now! Keep em coming!


                        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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                          #13
                          Good luck!

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                            #14
                            Tuned in.

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                              #15
                              In

                              Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

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