Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

2012 vacation

B

Bama Boy

New Member
Ok guys I know I am jumping the gun but I hope I get drawn next year for a bowtag (2pts). If I do I am looking at coming the week of Nov 5th thru 9th or the next week of 12th thru 16th. I know the full moon is 26th of October. I will be in Appanoose County on private ground. From you guys experience, which week would you choose.
If I come the second week, I could stay some extra days because the next week is Thanksgiving week and I am off work that week. I was leaning to the latter week because of that reason. But dont want to miss out!
Any thoughts or suggestions.
Thanks
 
Iowa

I would take vacation for the 5-9th and then call in sick and then come back or just stay here and hunt the 12th-16th!!
:D
 
12th - 16th is a better option. This way you wont be taking a chance on the weather. It is always cold and the rut is on full swing.
 
Whats a tag like 400 bucks? If it were me I'd be hunting the the 5th-9th or longer and then if you still had a tag come back the week you have off during Thanksgiving. Just think how long you will have to wait to draw again so whats the extra 300(no idea if thats even close to correct figure) in gas.
 
Jdubs said:
The more days in Iowa the better. I think you would do fine 12 - 16.
Click to expand...

Yep, it's a no-brainer...if you can string together some extra time via the holiday, that's what I'd do. You've waited for a mature buck, Plenty of big guys on their feet around thanksgiving.

There was a thread talking about this a few weeks ago.
 
Last edited:
I should add, that based on the way the days fall in 2012...I'll actually be hunting Nov2nd through the 11th.

How far in advance do you have put in for your vacation?...because if you're hunting private ground you can always have a buddy call you and keep you posted on the movement they are seeing.
 
turtlshell said:
Yep, it's a no-brainer...if you can string together some extra time via the holiday, that's what I'd do. You've waited for a mature buck, Plenty of big guys on their feet around thanksgiving.

There was a thread talking about this a few weeks ago.
Click to expand...

I would hope your boss would be forgiving, a week minimum in my opinion. I should draw next year and I hope to be there 2 weeks at least... should be fun!
 
thanks guys for the response. The reason I have the week of thanksgiving off is because I'm a teacher. So I can take 5 days off but I cant take two weeks off back to back. By waiting till the week of the 12th I could take that week off and have the week of thanksgiving to stay if I needed to.
I guess I could take the week of the 5th and come back during thanksgiving but its a 15 hour drive for me one way so that would be alot of windshield time, not to mention the extra gas.
So do yall think the week of 12th will be during the lock down phase and should I expect to see less movement than earlier in November. Does it pick back up around the week of thanksgiving?
I know I might be just wasting time but I sure hope I get drawn with two points. I'm going to be absolute crazy if I don't.
Again thanks for the replies and keep the advise coming!
 
Week of Thanksgiving is my favorite time to hunt along with first week in November. See more chasing first week in November, but see more mature bucks looking week of Thanksgiving. Also, put in a food plot next year and if you don't have one killed come back up during your Christmas break. Once the winter hits mature bucks will be hitting food plots or any food source for that matter.
 
If I were you, I would come 5-9...atleast then you would have the opportunity to come back if you had to. Plus, lots of bucks are locked down around the 15th....not always great hunting.
 
Deer and Deer Huntings rutt calandar predicts chasing through the 17th and tending after that through the week of Thanksgiving. I have had great expeniences the week of Thanksgiving.
 
What?

bigbuckhunter88 said:
Whats a tag like 400 bucks? If it were me I'd be hunting the the 5th-9th or longer and then if you still had a tag come back the week you have off during Thanksgiving. Just think how long you will have to wait to draw again so whats the extra 300(no idea if thats even close to correct figure) in gas.
Click to expand...

I wish it was 400 bucks!!!!!!

It's over $650 with all the fees now.


Come for as long as you can any time during the month of November. Length of stay is more important than timing IMHO.
 
Bama Boy said:
thanks guys for the response.
So do yall think the week of 12th will be during the lock down phase and should I expect to see less movement than earlier in November. Does it pick back up around the week of thanksgiving?
Click to expand...

You may experience less movement, but I can just about guarantee that the "quality" will be increased. if you want an action-packed hunt with 2.5-3.5yr old bucks flying all over hell, then come up the first week of Nov. If you want to whack a mature buck, come up later and put in some a$$ time. You might not see 20 buck a day, but "THE ONE" is more likely to be moving. Also, my experience around thanksgiving is morning hunts suck, but 10am-2pm can be awesome, so if i'm not seeing movement in the mornings I'll sleep in and hunt 9am-dark.

3year wait + 15hrs of driving & gas prices + $650 = a no-brainer. I wouldn't waste it on the frenzy of little bucks running a-muck at the first of Nov.

I have to put in for vacation every year and I've been burnt twice on the early Nov hunts by not seeing a mature buck, and both years the next time I was able to make it back home to hunt was thanksgiving. I wish I would've focused on those later dates a bit more because I've consistently seen the biggest bucks on their feet during the days leading up to Thanksgiving. Really makes a guy want to be back in college again, amongst other reasons:drink1:
 
Thanks for all the responses. If I am fortunate enough to get a tag I will probably wait till the 10th and come up and start hunting the 11th. I have taken a mid 130's the last time I got drawn and I hope to hold out for something a little bigger.
I just hope the weather will cooperate and the bucks will still be on their feet. Like anearlier post stated the first week is awesome with alot of chasin by younger bucks, but I would rather see less deer if they are the bigger boys.
Any other suggestions are welcomed and best of luck to you guys who will be hunting Iowa this year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom