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What would you guys do?

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I have a 9 day hunt beginning halloween through the 9th. My first chance to hunt IA. I picked some spots in what looks to be good area in area 5 and plan on hunting every opportunity that I dont get blown out of the trees.
I have heard from some folks that hunt shotgun season that harvesting a 125 class animal is pretty common. What would you guys do?? Should I hold out for something bigger having that kind of time on my hands during prime time? I know there are never any guarantees, just looking for some input on the likelyhood of getting a shot at that trophy class animal.
 
I would hold out til the bloody end...that's just me. I hate tag soup, but I ain't afraid to eat it.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JakeWym</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would hold out til the bloody end...that's just me. I hate tag soup, but I ain't afraid to eat it. </div></div>

I would too but a if its a trophy to you then thats all that matters. Shoot what you would be happy with.
 
Honestly the % will say wait, wait, wait. It's IOWA.. It's not too hard to see a big buck in 9 days. BUT, I myself have never sat in a stand more than 2 hours..(besides bear hunting). I hate sitting! I would think that if you havent seen something worth staying around for by the 6th or 7th day.... start let'n arrows fly!
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Typical250</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Honestly the % will say wait, wait, wait. It's IOWA.. It's not too hard to see a big buck in 9 days. BUT, I myself have never sat in a stand more than 2 hours..(besides bear hunting). I hate sitting! I would think that if you havent seen something worth staying around for by the 6th or 7th day.... start let'n arrows fly!</div></div> WAIT!!! You won't regret it but this is Iowa so the weather this time of the year is unpredictable. Could be 55 out and rainy one day and 85 and sunny the next, and i hate to hunt when it's hot. Good luck on your vacation and hunt. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif
 
Never hunted deer in Iowa. But if I was in your shoes. I would play it by ear on the first 3 days. Sit back and judge what your seeing and what for size. In the first 3 days if the biggest buck you see is 100inches. Then maybe the first 125 that walks by maybe you should deflate him. On the other hand, if you have 110-120in buck cruising by every hour that your on stand I would wait till the second to last day before I thought about shooting a 125in buck.

Now the tough situation. Your on stand first day and you see a 150+ but you dont get a shot. The only other bucks you see the rest of the time are under a 100inches. Day 8, a 120inch buck comes by...Do you shoot him?

Goodluck.

Dean
 
Thats the easiest question in the world to awnser...If a deer comes by that gets your heart pounding, get an arrow in him.
 
I would shoot what appeals to you (sometimes a smaller rack might have some cool character, drop, stickers, etc). I have eaten tag soup too and I personally don't like the taste of it. Therefore if you use my method you may really like the buck you shot even though it isn't king kong. my 2 cents-

Good luck whatever you do!
 
Shoot a deer that you want. If a 120 walks by you and you want him, then take him. If you want to hold out for a 160+, then by all means wait. Sometimes the tag soup tastes better when you know you just didn't get presented the right opportunity.
 
Passinthrough, when you say area 5, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is the Monroe County area, and a good chunk of south central iowa. ??? If so, I hunt quite a bit in this area. My advice, shooting a 120 inch deer would not be worth the trip, especially during that time of the year. I would for sure give yourself a shot at something over 140". Now, nothing is to say you'll get that, but you've got a great chance.
Now, that being said, everyone on here is saying the right things. If he'd make you happy, and you would want to mount it, then SHOOT! A friend of mine passed on a 130" deer this past week, (would have been his first deer ever) and now is REALLY regretting that. You don't wanna be in that spot.
 
I'll just state fact for your peace of mind....
I don't care what property you are hunting (except maybe state land), there's several 120-130" bucks there and likely a few over 150". Possibly more that are far bigger. If your goal was 120-130; they are there in good numbers and it should be quite do-able. It's up to you whether or not you want to try for the older bucks that are surely there as well.
 
Depends on what land is like you are going to hunt. I bought 40 in Iowa and have hunted 4 bow seasons. Have had two wks during prime time just about each of the 4. I have travel corridors,food plots,bedding.Have two stands. Put in quite a few hrs. I see about 2 or 3 21/2 yr olds each season. One yr a 3 1/2, which I took. I didn't know what to expect in IA either. I know other properties that see much more, Mine is in southern IA. But it depends on your land,your neighbors,hunting pressure.Everyone around me is bow hunting so the deer see quite a bit of pressure. Still better than where I came from.
 
I mispoke about the area. It is area 7. I will be hunting north of coralville. I guess I ask the same question you guys face every year. Shoot or don't shoot. I think I have decide to take the advice and hold out for a few days to see what I can find in the area. Pretty much I am sure the hunting will be tons better there than in my home state. Not to say, if something comes through earlier that there is no question about I won't take a poke at him /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif.
Mostly just wanted to get an idea what to expect. Unfortunately where I normally hunt a good day is seeing 5 to 7 deer in a day 2 of them bucks, and usually 1 1/2 year olds spikes to 6 points. A 2 1/2 old is really rare, and a 3 1/2 year old is non-existant.
Thanks for all of the help.
 
monroe??? is'nt that east of Des Moines??? county or town? I'm lost... If I'm right, I killed a mid 170's buck there on my second sit.. and it was a new farm... so it goes to show ...you never know whats around that corner.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Passinthrough</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a 9 day hunt beginning halloween through the 9th. My first chance to hunt IA. I picked some spots in what looks to be good area in area 5 and plan on hunting every opportunity that I dont get blown out of the trees.
I have heard from some folks that hunt shotgun season that harvesting a 125 class animal is pretty common. What would you guys do?? Should I hold out for something bigger having that kind of time on my hands during prime time? I know there are never any guarantees, just looking for some input on the likelyhood of getting a shot at that trophy class animal. </div></div>

Pending the requirments of the landowner I'd follow the old statement "Never pass a deer that you would take the last day of your hunt." A trophy is only important in the hunters view who takes him as long as its within what the landowner wants harvested.
 
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