LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
That'd make for some even greater hunting!
Good hunting areas “come & go” & some interesting IA #’s & facts...
That'd make for some even greater hunting!
Will never know. I don't know a single person that puts their deer in the books. Zero. That's why I don't pay much attention to the stats .
Hawk32
PMA Member
A few years ago 4 of us went to OK hog hunting and our guide kept bringing up deer hunting in IA. He refused to believe that none of us lived in in southern ia and had never shot a 200 in deer. He had 2 on his wall along with a few other studs. I kept telling him I wasn't sure I'd even seen a 200 incher on the hoof and he just couldn't fathom that. He was your typical IA has 200 inchers around every tree guy.
Ha. I know exactly what u mean!!! Ive talked to so many guys from out of state - or even some that live here “if I owned 1000 acres in iowa I’d shoot 200’s every year”. Whatever. I remember saying this as a kid even into my 20’s “if we had 640 acres - shoot slobs every year”. It’s the biggest misconception known to hunters. I’ve seen some “big farms” in IOWA & it’s still hard to get a good genetic buck to full maturity. It happens easier & does happen but even in “the best areas” with “the best farms” it’s extremely rare. Folks don’t realize how hard it is anywhere to get a 3.5 year old 160” to 5-7 where he turns to 200”. The genetics exist but at 2-3 years old he’s not the sharpest buck out there & still has to outsmart a lot of guys who will shoot him. Iowa has way better chance it happens but it’s hard & rare.
Put it this way..... I know personally, a few folks with “very large farms” in general. Deer hunting dreams. Nothing specific - just “dang good farms”. Many of those farms have whole years where they really don’t have a buck they really wanna hunt. Some years - “ya, I got a good pool of 2-4 year olds” & that’s it. Some years it all comes together with a couple studs No doubt. I’m just saying - if anyone thinks it’s easy ANYWHERE- they are majorly mistaken. Those good genetic old giants are rare ANYWHERE!!!! Then- MOST the Times when the buck is located - it’s so hard & rare to get a shot at him if he’s old. They get so smart MOST of the time it’s crazy.
The guys who “see the most” imo are guys that spend all season hunting non stop & hunt MULTIPLE top notch farms & states each year. Or- spend all summer glassing area after area til they find one & get permission. I think anyone on here who has spent Enough time hunting will say seeing a 200” deer is extremely rare. Many haven’t even had a glimpse of one over years of hunting. The ones who have seen em or shot em- it’s just rare ANYWHERE
Last edited:
I hear all the time "well I'm gonna draw Iowa so I can go see 170s behind every tree." Majority are looking to go with an outfitter as knocking on doors is a thing of the past around me. I tell them good luck cuz if they are only planning on hunting a week then 150 might be a more realistic goal and just hope they see let alone get a shot at something bigger. Pretty sure they all think I am lying.... 
Last edited:
hesseu
Well-Known Member
I guess I didn't realize how many people believe they can kill a 200" deer if they owned a chunk in Iowa, or killed a 170" if they just hunted a week there. I've got my PP's saved, and I've driven through some incredible area's of southern Iowa where the hunting is top notch. However, my expectations and goals for coming up there are still a mature buck, and if he's 140+ he's a great deer.
Hardwood11
It is going to be a good fall!
This buck was shot in Todd County in Minnesota. It was his third Booner in 5 years. I know the farm because my Brother in Law lives within 2 miles of him. Great young kid, excellent hunter. They archery hunt only on 500 acres. Considerable management, tree plantings, habitat improvements, food plots...etc.
I am hoping for a land tour next spring.
It can happen, even in a high pressure state.
I am hoping for a land tour next spring.
It can happen, even in a high pressure state.
Daver
PMA Member
Totally agree with the above. ^^ Especially the bolded part.
FWIW, my son shot what we considered to be a giant on our farm last year, he grossed around 186" or so, still not even a magical 200". He was a 5 year old, of that we are pretty certain, but the only reason he was 5 was that my son and I had chosen NOT to shoot him in the previous years AND he just so happened to be a "home body". Unlike some other bucks we have known in the past, he spent about 90% of his time on our place and another neighbor's place. Had he been a "wanderer", he probably would have never made past 4 years old and maybe not 3 years old.
When he was a legit 170"+ 4 year old I passed him at 4 freaking yards and my son passed him twice one night at about 25-30 yards. (Incidentally, when he shot him a year later, it was from the same treestand and at the same distance as his passes the previous year. Yes, we knew where that guy lived and would go.
)He was also given multiple passes the previous year when he was 140ish" 3 year old. IMO, the best place to find 200"'ers...somewhere, anywhere that a given buck, with the right genetics too, can live until they are 5 to 6+ years old. But even then...MOST 5+ year old bucks are still never going to crack 200" in my experience. Also FWIW, with all that we do in terms of creating habitat, primo food and nutrition and passing young bucks, etc, that one 5 year old buck was really the only bona fide option on our farm last year. Some years...there may be 2-4, or even more, bucks "around" that are 5+ years old...some years, only one unless there is a "wanderer" or "move in". Bottom line...200"'ers ARE rare!
That buck IS A GIANT! No consideration needed!!! 5 & 186” is a pig. I think that’s the COOLEST thing on earth when u pass him as a monster 4 year old and get him the next year.
Passing a 4 year old is hard for most BUT by that age- those bucks “usually” survive as they r getting pretty smart. & they usually make a big jump for those who can pass em.
I had three amazing 2 year olds in one season that made it & found sheds. I called them “three amigos” as these 3 were ridiculiously big. Next seasons- one died EHD. One showed up across the road & made that his main home range. The 3rd is still around. He’s BIG & was BIG last year. So- there’s a fairly “average” of what I’ve seen passing bucks - u gonna lose some here and there. Especially if u notice em at 2. That’s a long time til 5+. But - fun to watch & follow!! Dudes that get a crack at buck that u passed up for years - I personally give major props to the dudes & think that’s incredibly rewarding.
Be frustrating being in states where darn near every young one gets whacked. MI was almost entirely 1.5 year olds! I went out whole seasons & hunted like a maniac & often didn’t even see one 2 year old. We dang lucky here!!!
HW- how that dude pulls that off in MN is INCREDIBLE!!!!!! Wow. Major props to passing & growing that caliber of bucks there. Unexpected for sure!
Agree with muskrat too!!!! Outfitted land usually has the place “top ended”. Guys don’t care about age of bucks usually. It’s all score and shooting buck u paid for. In a sense - I don’t blame em “not coming back to hunt the next year” but one huge thing I don’t like bout outfitting.
Passing a 4 year old is hard for most BUT by that age- those bucks “usually” survive as they r getting pretty smart. & they usually make a big jump for those who can pass em.
I had three amazing 2 year olds in one season that made it & found sheds. I called them “three amigos” as these 3 were ridiculiously big. Next seasons- one died EHD. One showed up across the road & made that his main home range. The 3rd is still around. He’s BIG & was BIG last year. So- there’s a fairly “average” of what I’ve seen passing bucks - u gonna lose some here and there. Especially if u notice em at 2. That’s a long time til 5+. But - fun to watch & follow!! Dudes that get a crack at buck that u passed up for years - I personally give major props to the dudes & think that’s incredibly rewarding.
Be frustrating being in states where darn near every young one gets whacked. MI was almost entirely 1.5 year olds! I went out whole seasons & hunted like a maniac & often didn’t even see one 2 year old. We dang lucky here!!!
HW- how that dude pulls that off in MN is INCREDIBLE!!!!!! Wow. Major props to passing & growing that caliber of bucks there. Unexpected for sure!
Agree with muskrat too!!!! Outfitted land usually has the place “top ended”. Guys don’t care about age of bucks usually. It’s all score and shooting buck u paid for. In a sense - I don’t blame em “not coming back to hunt the next year” but one huge thing I don’t like bout outfitting.
Last edited:
Daver
PMA Member
FWIW, the buck that my son got last year...was easily the stupidest big buck we have shot on our place in all of the years we have hunted it.
For real. Well, either that or he just happened to be more daylight active and regular on our place than any other "big one" has ever been. I think between my son and I we passed this dude up probably a total of 10-12 times, although 3 or 4 of those shot opportunities were on one night when he was a active(dumb) 2 year old. He came by me several times that one night and that is when we knew he would likely not plateau out around 150"-160" like a lot of older bucks do.Sometimes we have had bucks around that we are doing good to see them once per year, let alone get a shot opportunity. We saw this one many times each year and often in some spots for a clear archery shot. Oh well...here's hoping his offspring is stupid too!
Ishi
PMA Member
I personally like stupid big bucks that are very active during the day light...... makes life easyFWIW, the buck that my son got last year...was easily the stupidest big buck we have shot on our place in all of the years we have hunted it.
Sometimes we have had bucks around that we are doing good to see them once per year, let alone get a shot opportunity. We saw this one many times each year and often in some spots for a clear archery shot. Oh well...here's hoping his offspring is stupid too!
letemgrow
PMA Member
More like every 2 year old that is 130” gets smoked down here in MO. The genetics are still here as every year there are big 2 year olds that do not get to see 3 or better. They cover too much ground with too much headgear for most of the people down here to pass.
I know one 6x7 last year that covered 4 farms in one day (broken 3 made him easy to identify). All those guys passed him, but one did not with a rifle later on....
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
4 Buck
Active Member
Ishi
PMA Member
Nice to see you back 4 Buck!
4 Buck
Active Member
Behaving?!?! That’s NEVER going to happen. Sorry!!!
2 ideas for MO.... for folks who “can’t allow gun to move”...... do like iowa & break it up & only allow 1 buck. You choose the gun season. “Early ML”, a much shorter “rifle 1” that’s at the STUPID & insane time it’s at- early Rut ( when we still get 3 more weeks of quality bow hunting!!), rifle 2 in dec & late ML. That would at least be a STEP in right direction while accommodating the cry baby status quo folks who refuse to see facts & quality across their border. Those guys who can’t move the gun season would still have a choice. Give people one option to choose from & spread em out. Random one idea.
Second Idea (& ya, hard to reason with ignorance- sorry - I know any changes need a miracle )..... do like CO or out west units do for elk...... see if folks in certain counties would “vote” or accept trying their county as a late gun season county. Basically MIRROR iowa regulations/management. Let some counties vote on this & try it for 3-5 years. Just like elk hunting - some zones suck - get blown to bits - some are managed for quality & better management. All within the same state. Do something like that in MO. Not the stupid antler restrictions - do a major shift of late gun (mirror IA) in some counties & see what happens. We all KNOW what would happen 3-4 years out!!!!!!
Or- since cwd is there & can possibly kill deer - shoot every last one so there’s no deer! Keep deer from coming back & no deer can get cwd! Then- import stuff to hunt instead like wolves, feral dogs, cougars, bears & anything that will keep deer out!!
Not behaving tonight. Sorry.
2 ideas for MO.... for folks who “can’t allow gun to move”...... do like iowa & break it up & only allow 1 buck. You choose the gun season. “Early ML”, a much shorter “rifle 1” that’s at the STUPID & insane time it’s at- early Rut ( when we still get 3 more weeks of quality bow hunting!!), rifle 2 in dec & late ML. That would at least be a STEP in right direction while accommodating the cry baby status quo folks who refuse to see facts & quality across their border. Those guys who can’t move the gun season would still have a choice. Give people one option to choose from & spread em out. Random one idea.
Second Idea (& ya, hard to reason with ignorance- sorry
- I know any changes need a miracle )..... do like CO or out west units do for elk...... see if folks in certain counties would “vote” or accept trying their county as a late gun season county. Basically MIRROR iowa regulations/management. Let some counties vote on this & try it for 3-5 years. Just like elk hunting - some zones suck - get blown to bits - some are managed for quality & better management. All within the same state. Do something like that in MO. Not the stupid antler restrictions - do a major shift of late gun (mirror IA) in some counties & see what happens. We all KNOW what would happen 3-4 years out!!!!!!Or- since cwd is there & can possibly kill deer - shoot every last one so there’s no deer! Keep deer from coming back & no deer can get cwd! Then- import stuff to hunt instead like wolves, feral dogs, cougars, bears & anything that will keep deer out!!
Not behaving tonight. Sorry.
Tim Hull
PMA Member
The Hunters or the Deer? lol
I've heard for years that if the law changes to provide one any sex tag to NRLO's that there are hundreds of guys who would buy immediately. Really. I think the rush has come and gone and that NRL ownership would not change that much. I know folks who have bought in Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, etc. and would not change to Iowa if the law changed. NRLO's have figured out the party system and hunt every year anyway while compiling archery points.
I find the entire argument a catch 22. For those R's and NR's who can own land, they do. Those who cannot still must seek permission whether it's from a R or NR to hunt. I gladly give permission to my R neighbor. On the flip side I have two R landowners, one who owns 600 acres and another who owns over 1000 acres, of prime deer country that allow zero hunting. I'm not the problem in my neighborhood.
For those who are hoping prices will come down, don't. Real estate is fairly constant. I guarantee if you don't find a way to buy a soon as you can in 5 years you will say I wish I bought 5 years ago. I can assure you I'm not wealthy but I found a way. You can too!
That said keep the current regs in place.
I find the entire argument a catch 22. For those R's and NR's who can own land, they do. Those who cannot still must seek permission whether it's from a R or NR to hunt. I gladly give permission to my R neighbor. On the flip side I have two R landowners, one who owns 600 acres and another who owns over 1000 acres, of prime deer country that allow zero hunting. I'm not the problem in my neighborhood.
For those who are hoping prices will come down, don't. Real estate is fairly constant. I guarantee if you don't find a way to buy a soon as you can in 5 years you will say I wish I bought 5 years ago. I can assure you I'm not wealthy but I found a way. You can too!
That said keep the current regs in place.
Last edited: