Yesterday morning into the early afternoon, a considerable rain storm pushed through Iowa bringing some instant cooling effects into the area with some 20-35mph winds. The week prior was extremely hot, like record-book hot. This rain and wind cooled it, finally, and things were shaping up to change... I was thinking, "is the switch going to flip to 'ON'?" We will see... When there was still cloud cover, deer were out moving well as I saw a few bucks with does in the middle of cut fields around noon, then the sun came out full bore which seemed to deter such. It was not long thereafter in the afternoon when the deer started appearing, 3:00-4:30PM. Bucks were pushing does with intent, and mature bucks at that. This is the first time I've seen it this year that early in the day. The does were not dead sprint running, nor were the bucks. The rut has started, and it will only increase in intensity.
Here is a text from about 30 minutes ago with one of my hunters...
This above hunter is part of a group of guys just getting in to hunt, and his buddy had an encounter with an absolute stud at 40yds but no good shot. It was his first sit and only a couple of hours in. He didn't want to piss on the fire just yet, but he's hopeful that wasn't his only chance. That's a guess that is as good as mine. No idea! Keep hunting and putting in the time. I'm estimating that deer 155-165 that he saw.
Also, yesterday, I had only one hunter not want to hunt because he said the wind was too strong. I disagreed, respectfully, but it is his choice. I decided to drive over to the farm entrance to see what I could witness from the road. As I turn around in our field entrance to head back toward other farms, I see a nice 4yr old pushing three different does in the middle of my neighbor's cut corn field next to stalk bales heading right up to our farm. I knew the wind was not an issue, but I can't make a hunter hunt if he doesn't want to. I have the video of the encounter on the road, but I won't post it due to some choice words I used while filming... whoops. I met with him at his hotel, and I assured him the rut was on, and he needs to be hunting...
Low and behold, my cell camera by my blind that the above hunter (not hunting) has been using showed me a stud while I was on the drive home before midnight last night, Nov. 5th.
Absolute hammer of a buck...
Another buck showed up later, one we actually know... the busted G3 10pt...
Another hunter, last night, had two shooters within 500yds of his tree in two different directions. One solid 5yr old 10 mid to upper 150s was 250yds west that I could see from the road from about 20yds, and a massively wide (22" I'm sure) short-tined 8pt that was about 400yds NNE of his stand in the neighbors that I saw from 75yds off the road. With the action around him, I didn't know if he would have anything happening closer to him... Well, that shouldn't have been a question. He sent me these photos... I then laughed.
I then responded back telling him that he should not have put peanut butter on his boots. Ha! He was not a shooter, but he looks healthy in size, at least 4-1/2 years old. Too bad the head gear was a little lacking. He ended up seeing three other bucks last night. I told him, the rut is on! Here we go!
Yesterday, a NR friend of mine from northern Missouri called me asking if he had a spot in Zone 6. I said I may be able to squeeze him in quickly if he wants to give it a go when it does not hurt my other current Zone 6 hunters. He was extremely grateful for anything I could do to help. We went to a little farm I have that I told him to meet me there. I had to pull a card there anyway. We walk in, and of course, I tell him to bring his bow just in case. He said he'd supply a Spartan cam and share it with me. We set that camera up, checked a blind to hunt nearby, and he liked it. I then said, "you should stay and hunt" or something like that. He said he didn't want to booger it anymore (he's use to Missouri deer haha!). I accepted and didn't push it. We get back to my truck, check that card, find 3 mature deer with 1 being a management buck, and he said he'd love to shoot him. Fast forward a couple of hours, that buck was in daylight coming from the blind to the camera pushing a doe. I can't make this stuff up! That is Southern Iowa bowhunting the rut! He could have maybe gotten him! We will see if he'll knock him out soon.
I could continue on with the stories and bucks, but you get the drift...
THE RUT IS ON IN SOUTHERN IOWA AS OF NOVEMBER 5TH!
The next week, sit your butt in a stand, put in the time, go through the grind, and you're bound to have a chance at a mature Iowa whitetail. After all, my favorite week to Bowhunter is November 5th - 11th, and that seems to be lined up perfect with this rut! I may actually know something about this deer hunting stuff. My favorite day, November 7th, is tomorrow. Something should die tonight or tomorrow. If it doesn't happen, I'd be shocked... We will see.
Stay tuned!
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