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.
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.
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