Iowa Archery Buck, Halloween Morning

[IA Born]

Just over 3 years ago, a buddy of mine from Colorado and I decided to plan an archery hunt up in Iowa for those midwestern monsters its known for and that I remember from my youth growing up there. I never deer hunted growing up there, but I helped my dad process tons of deer after school every fall. I was also never into archery until about 8 or 9 years ago. I'd been working pretty closely with my "guide/advisor/dear friend" that I went to high school with about what all I need, how to hunt Iowa deer, etc. After 2 years of buying preference points, buying all new kinds of gear, and lining up family farms to hunt, my CO buddy calls me up last spring and says "We're going to have to postpone our hunt a year. Money is tight and I can't afford the NR tags". I stewed on it a while and talked to several other friends about my dilemma. I had been saving money and vacation time as well as buying bonus points in AZ just because of this planned hunt. Next year (2012) I have a genuine chance at an archery bull tag and a trophy mule deer tag in AZ. All roads came back to the same junction. I called him up and said "sorry, buddy, I"m going without you." He understood and encouraged me to go on. I went to Iowa up last March with my family for some family obligations and to start scouting my properties with my Iowa buddy.

 

This past summer, after buying 3 more tree stands and a trail camera, my IA buddy worked his tail off scouting my farms as he would hunt them, hanging stands, trimming lanes, marking aerials, and writing up descriptions of how to play the wind with each stand. I was shooting like a fiend to get ready and about 1.5 weeks before, I decided I'd better shoot my broadheads. That's when it all started to go south (so it felt). My broadheads were all over the place and not grouping at all, let alone hitting near my field points, which was the prior norm. A quick trip to my pro shop revealed my bow was in need of a tune up. Problem solved, so I thought. Still no groupings, so I went back to the shop and we suspected my hovering on the boarder of being underspined was now the culprit. He went to take my poundage down a few more pounds to match my spine and found out that my bow, somehow, was set to 75 lbs instead of the 71 I thought it was. Took it down to 69 lbs and problem was SOLVED! Big sigh of relief is an UNDERSTATEMENT!

 

So after a 19 hour drive last Friday/Saturday, I climbed into my first real treestand hunt this past Sunday evening with every intention of filling my doe tag first to get meat in the cooler and then concentrate on antlers. The winds were howling and I was thankful, again, for taking my IA buddy's advice and grabbing some hot hands to keep in my pockets. 3 does came out with 15 minutes of shooting light, but stayed 100 yards away. After getting out as quietly as possible to avoid busting them, I had my first tree stand hunt under my belt, but was nervous about doing all of that setting up in the dark for the first time.

 

Monday morning (Halloween) came here and it took me a while to get all set up and ready. I was sitting and ready by 0707 that morning morning knowing I was a little later than I should have been. I heard another hunter rattle in the neighboring timber and I looked up and saw a doe walking the fenceline on my side of the property, but she's too far away and not coming closer. About 10 minutes later, here comes another doe, within range. I stood up and got ready. When she was broadside at about 40 yards, I let an arrow fly only to hear the distinct sound of a miss. Strangely, she ran to about 30 yards from me, still broadside and let me nock another arrow. I settled the 30 yard pin right behind her shoulder and watched her jump at another clean miss. She ran behind me and apparently caught my wind and busted big time. A little dejected, I sat there stewing on it and decided to give a good rattle sequence of my own. As soon as I quit rattling, I looked up (about 0725) and saw a huge bodied deer standing there facing my direction, seeming to come out of nowhere. Somehow, I managed to hang my antlers up without getting busted. Then I managed to get my binocs on him without getting busted. I counted 5 good points on one side and he was just outside his ears. My heart jumped and I knew I wanted to go after him. I manged to get my bow off the hanger without getting busted and I sat there unable to move for what felt like eternity. I kept praying he'd walk to my left (south) so I could stay seated and get a good 20 yard broadside shot without having to stand up, feeling pretty confident I wouldn't blow one that close. This particular stand actually requires seated shots to the south because of a big branch that couldn't be removed to provide good cover in the stand. Low and behold, he starts moving to my left and when he went behind a particular tree I had ranged earlier, I drew and followed him. He paused for a minute and I let the Easton ST Epic/Shuttle T-Lock fly and saw what appeared to be a good hit and him bounding off, followed by a distinct crashing sound. I was freaking at what just happened. I sent my buddy a text saying "I'm pretty sure I have a buck down. Nice 10 pt." I waited 5 LONG minutes for him to call me back, got impatient and called him, risking ruining his morning hunt. Surprisingly he answered and we talked about what all happened. He was a such a good coach asking me all the right questions, except "How big was he?" I can't judge midwestern deer so I replied "I don't know. A nice 10 pt that I really liked." We talked about the hit, the buck's reaction, and all that, which kept me calm, except for me not being able to move beyond the crashing noise I heard 40-50 yards from me.

 

My buddy wasn't hunting that morning due to the wind and his stand for that wind coupled with family obligations, but glassing from his truck. By the time we got off the phone, he was headed my way. After a couple of more calls between us, we agreed that I should climb down and wait for him near my stand. I tried to find my 2 doe-miss arrows, but couldn't so I walked over to where I hit the buck and found my arrown covered in blood from tip to nock and that really got me excited! I got out to the timber edge and there was my buddy walking down to me. He stopped halfway down the hill, put his binos up and I could tell by his reaction, he found my buck! I hustled that way, looked in that direction and was ecstatic at what I saw laying there near a tree. Laying right there about 50 yards from my stand was my first archery buck ever. It turns out the shot was a little far back and high, but I cut his artery and he pumped out quickly. Someone once said, its better to be lucky than skilled sometimes! We got him field dressed and then spent the next 30-40 minutes taking trophy photos. He's a 10 point (barely, but it counts) with a very nice bladed left main beam, a dark face, and a beautiful cape! I've never had a hunt go this smoothly, especially involving a true trophy! Almost forgot, my buddy gross scored him at 144 5/8"! Enjoy!

 

 

None of this would have been possible without all of my buddy's hard work and willingness to help a friend; the support of my loving wife who let me miss our 11th anniversary (I actually got back that morning); the love of my kids who had several fishing trips put on hold so I could get ready for this hunt; my cousins who let me hunt their family farm; my mom for keeping my room and being just as supportive of my passions; and, of course, God and that crazy guy next to Him up There, my dad, who I know was also watching over me!

 

 

P.S.: I went and shot my bow the next afternoon before trying to fill my doe tag to figure out the problem and found out my sights were off by 4" to the right at 20 yards. Dumb move on my part not checking my sites before hunting after traveling, so now I know just how truly blessed I am to have harvested this buck!

[DubTee]

Very nice buck and good story, I just got back from the midwest myself, I sure love hunting those big midwest boys in the rut!

[lucky2hunt]

Congrats on the great looking buck! I enjoyed your story, did you ever get a doe?

[cramerhunts]

Congratulations on a very nice buck! Great story as well and well written.

[SunDevil]

congrats on a fine buck. man those midwestern deer are big, have fat necks and big heads.

[IA Born]

Congrats on the great looking buck! I enjoyed your story, did you ever get a doe?

 

I had all kinds of last minute, unplanned family obligations the next day and the temps were in the 70s. I decided to take the day off after a long travel and full day Monday caping him, getting him to the taxidermist, etc. I went out Wednesday (2 Nov) sat in the rain and cold for about 3 hours and missed another doe at 30 yards. At that point, I started laughing, got cold and went in for a hot lunch and coffee. The weather report back here in Flagstaff called for lots of snow so I decided I got what I really came for and packed my stuff to hit the road and beat the storm. As much as I would have loved to fill a doe tag, I still had 125 lbs of meat (boned out) and an unfilled archery tag back here. When I get drawn up there again in 2-3 years, I will most certainly be going after some good, tender, doe meat! I actually got into town up here on the morning of our 11th anniversary and was able to spend the day with my lovely wife!

[gotcoues]

I'm jealous, very good deal indeed.

[Hunting6]

That's a nice Deer, and a good story

[Timberghost]

Awesome! That's a sweet looking buck. Congrats!

[CouesWhitetail]

Awesome! thanks for sharing your hunt story...I missed this post back in Nov, glad I found it now though!

[Zackman]

Nice buck! congrats

[DCS]

Nice Buck,what part of Iowa?

[IA Born]

Nice Buck,what part of Iowa?

 

Newton, Iowa where I grew up. Its about 30 minutes east of Des Moines. The farm was a whopping 6 minute drive from my mom's house. It was nice to have an actual bed to sleep in for once and hot daily showers..and warm food, good coffee...!