Mature Buck Movement.

[loneranger]

Greetings, Distinguished, Gentlemen, and Lady Hunters. I will be hunting in Iowa for the first time this Fall. I purchased 40 acres last witner, from a guy who Bow Hunts like mad, all over Iowa. He has told me repeatedly, that I will see many Bucks on this place. It has brush choked ravines,and definate travel routes, besides I had 3 acres of clover planted, and 6 acres of Alfalfa. There are two main stand placements on the land. One on an old fence line along the Alfalfa, another up between ravines leading past the clover. I am used to hunkering down in thick cover, where I live, and then only seeing bucks in twilight. He tells me bucks in SE Iowa are far different. Especially during the rut, I should see them crossing openings any time of day. I read articles about "Stageging Areas", and "Buck Travel Lanes", but this guy says they will travel right across general open areas. What are your experiences, out there, You have a wealth of information. I have already enjoyed reading your comments, on stand placement, etc. Thank you all for your time, Sincerely, The loneranger.

 

[Guest]

Iowa deer are not bashful.The places I hunt are the same way.Acouple of them though they are only out during the middle to late afternoon which is great during the week when I get off of work.The others they are visible during all hours.Most are in the areas where stands are already up.Hope ypu enjoy your time in Iowa,the best deer country around these parts.you will get various opinions on that one.

 

[Tall_Tines]

i think behaviors vary a lot from location to location. hunting pressure and any human activity in general has a major impact on deer movement. on my personal experiences, the deer are not shy at all about moving in fields that are hidden away and surrounded by trees. i think that if they feel they are not at risk of being disturbed they have no reason not to move out in the open. if your property is not overhunted and the adjacent properties dont recieve heavy traffic, their is no reason you wont see deer activity in the open.

 

[Crockett]

The big boys will move in the open! I have seen 140 inchers all the way up to what were probably B&C bucks crossing 700yds of open field,crossing a gravel road, and walking 15 yds from my neighbors house along a field road that borders his yard ! In broad daylight. And not always at rutting time. THEY WILL AND DO !!!

 

[5465]

i know this is not a question i should be answering being from ohio and all but this question blows my mind! THEY CAN BE SEEN ROAMING IN THE OPEN!

just don't seem right. if you ever see a big one in the wide open here, after summer that is, you can bet that he's being chased by dogs or something. that never happens here not even during the rut. different terrain i guess!!!

anyways it sounds like great news for your hunt this year

 

[Guest]

They are strange like that.I saw a monster 10 in somebody's front yard.I was that guy I would set the bow by the front door.Out of reach of the kids and the wife of course.

 

[jdavis]

Loneranger-
Yes, there are some good bucks here in Iowa but too many times others hear that and think that all a hunter needs to do is come to Iowa and they will harvest a monster buck. I wish that it was that easy, after years of bow hunting Iowa I can tell you it's not as easy as the magazines and t.v. show make it out to be. Bucks are not hard to harvest but monster bucks are a whole new ballgame. Good luck with your new land and play the wind!

 

[Shredder]

I have to second QDMer....ALthough the bucks are visible at times does not mean they are easy targets. The mature bucks in Iowa (or Illinois for my sake), are just as tough if not tougher than most bucks in the country.

 

[boatman]

I see a few bucks roaming during the day out in the wide open, but the MATURE bucks will stay in the timber on the edge and push the younger deer out in the open first. Then wait until just before dark to move out in the open. Once again, it probably varies with location and hunting pressure. One thing that needs to be remembered, here in IA the bucks dont get shot at with rifles. I would venture to say they probably are not quite as shy as in the states that have a rifle season.

 

[PAHunter]

For those who see mature bucks in the open during the day are very fortunate.I'm not saying their easier to kill,but visual contact got to boost your confidence some,and aid in how to go about hunting him.Nothing worse than hunting them phantom bucks here,you know exist only from spotlighting or knowing one got through last year.It's not often you see any bucks during the day in the open here,let alone a mature one.Only exception would be during the rut,and even then it's rare.The only mature bucks I see in the open during daylight here, are within the bounderies of Air Operations at Pitt.Intl.Airport.And it's off limits to hunting and these deer know it.Like Tall Tines stated it probably varies from place to place within the state depending on the pressure.But for the lucky ones that witness that behavior take advantage of it,to plan your ambush.There's a good article in Oct's issue of Petersen's Bowhunting that pertains to this subject.It's titled Nocturnal Bucks In Pressured Areas.It basically said how deer differ from place to place due to pressure,and considered them to be almost a different breed of animal.