iowasportsman.com

Twin Rivers Media Purchases The Hunt Zone

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:27:28 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Twin Rivers Media acquires Outdoors Enthusiast Social Network �The Hunt Zone�. Des Moines, Iowa (August 1, 2009) - Patrick McKinney, Vice President of Twin Rivers Media, LLC (TRM) of Fort Dodge, Iowa announced that TRM has acquired the assets of the web based social network �The Hunt Zone� (THZ) from a private entity of Des Moines, IA. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Twin Rivers Media acquires Outdoors Enthusiast Social Network �The Hunt Zone�. Des Moines, Iowa (August 1, 2009) - Patrick McKinney, Vice President of Twin Rivers Media, LLC (TRM) of Fort Dodge, Iowa announced that TRM has acquired the assets of the web based social network �The Hunt Zone� (THZ) from a private entity of Des Moines, IA. �The Outdoor Recreation Market enthusiast is generally a highly interactive individual who loves to share stories and thoughts about their experiences, McKinney stated. TRM�s vision is to provide the outdoor industry platforms so they can interact and share their experiences. TRM has successfully launched other social networks and have become a leader in social networking platforms for outdoor enthusiasts�. A partner of the private entity offered the following observation, �The owners and leadership of TRM combine that rare mix of passion for the industry they serve and the work they perform. THZ is a robust web platform that will provide its members with an exciting, easy to use communication tool that combined with TRM�s current product portfolio will immediately propel them as the recognized leader in this area of social network platforms.� Twin Rivers Media is an Iowa based multimedia-company offering its readers and members interactive products that enhance their experience. TRM is a pioneering firm in the development of online social communities and are the owners of the Iowa Outdoors, which was recognized as Iowa�s best forum by Iowa Web Awards. Contact: Mr. Patrick McKinney Patrick@twinriversmedia.com (515) 574-2149

tedas

Wed, 06 May 2009 15:34:00 -0500

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First Season on The Ice

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 06:00:14 -0500

I think I�m hooked on ice fishing, are you�it�s still dark out as I�m pulling into the parking area near the boat ramp. It�s about 5:40AM and I�m the second to arrive behind my partner for the day. The outside temperature read 29 degrees as I parked my truck; the forecast for the day was for sunny skies and high of 35 deg. My fishing partner, Randy, is already making ready for the ice fishing derby, putting together all the gear we�ll need for the morning. I add the fishing gear that I�ve brought; we load up the ice hut and set everything down for the move to the ice. Twenty minutes pass by and we head on down to the tents that are set up for registration and inspections. Night is giving way to dawn and we can see the sun start to rise out over the frozen lake. We still have about and hour and a half before we are allowed to head out, find our fishing spot and drill the ice fishing holes. But with coffee in hand and good company, new friends to meet, and share the experience with, time passes quickly. As I stood in the cool morning temps, I began to reflect on my first season on the ice. I�ve been fishing for cold and warm water fish for most of my life. My father got me started fishing when I was just a toddler. He loved trolling for trout, and my fondest memories are of my brother and me sitting in a boat up on a mountain lake in South America, trolling for lake trout with Dad at the helm. Those were the beginning years of my love for the sport of fishing. My interest in ice fishing actually developed while reading posts on a local web site from guys in the area that loved the sport. One of my �stocking stuffers� this year for Christmas was a brand new Frabill ice fishing combo rod and reel. My wife along with my oldest stepson, experienced ice fisher, combined efforts and provided me with basically a startup kit for ice fishing. So with new ice fishing gear in hand, and a bit of enthusiasm, we took a few hours on Christmas day and went out to a local lake to give it a try. I could not believe how much I was anticipating being out on the ice that day. To say the least, after that first day out on the ice, with a bit of coaching from stepson I was hooked. It was not long before I was back out on the ice, same lake and in the general location as my first time out. I borrowed the FL-8 so I could see the fish coming up towards the little jigs, and after drilling a few holes and marking fish, I was reeling in fish on the new rod. I started to laugh at the fact that there I was, sitting on my own bucket, sun on my back, hunched over this eight inch hole in the ice pulling small blue gill out, �never say never� I thought. I�ve taken my eight year old son out a few times since my first outing. He enjoys being out on the ice as well, but most of his enthusiasm is for the ice and not so much for the fishing. I had set up the icehouse one afternoon for a few hours and as he�s exploring the ice he�d say, �Dad, let me know when you catch one so I can through it back�. In the interim he would show me his ice sliding skills outside. �DAD! Check out this slide�! And I would watch him run and slide for ten or fifteen feet then praise him for the great effort and the perfect slide. He did come back in to warm up for a bit, toss back a couple small fish. On one occasion I handed him the rod and he hauled himself up a nice little fish. Rod Woten, coordinator of the Des Moines Winter Games Ice Fishing Derby, interrupts my reflections. He�s reminding everyone of the format and the start time. It�s now 7:30AM and we�re given the green light to head out on the ice and start drilling our holes and set up. This inaugural event was held on February 1st at Easter Lake in Des Moines. The format for this four-hour ice derby is one or two man teams, catch and release, biggest fish. I had been out earlier in the week and based on the fish that I had caught at that time, I figured that we were looking for a fish that could be close to a pound and probably win. The time was getting away from us and about 10:30AM with no fish, we decided to move. From our new ice holes we�d managed a couple small crappies and quickly had them at the weigh station, at least we were on the board. With about twenty minutes left I notice Randy setting the hook on yet another fish, except this time he�s not quickly pulling it up to the top, it�s actually making a run, �this is a better fish� he informs me. As he�s trying to pull the fish up toward the hole I can see the fishing line sliding between Randy�s fingers, he was hand lining the fish in. He�s leaning forward looking down the hole, �what is it?� I ask, he shrugs his shoulders, �don�t know, but it�s big whatever it is�. And with that he suddenly gets a glimpse of the fish, �get my Vex out of the way�! Randy�s able to turn the fishes head up towards the hole, he reaches down and grabs a nice walleye under the belly and then up and on the floor of the ice house. We look at each other in stunned silence. A couple of moments pass and then we�re laughing, giving each other high fives and doing the happy dance. �Woooohoooo�!! We approach the boat ramp area where the tents and scales are located, Randy walks up to the scales, moment of truth, the fish is weighed and tops out at 2.4lbs. There was a nice crowd around the weigh in tent, most of which were participants in the derby. As Rod started the ceremonies, he called out our team name, Fishheads2, first place. Grinning from ear to ear no doubt, we walked up and accepted the award. It was nice and sunny by the time we loaded up the trucks and headed back home. We each left with a great appreciation for all the efforts taken by Rod Woten, the city of Des Moines, Recycled Fish, The Iowa Sportman and host of sponsors to put this day together. As I drove home I again reflected on my first season on the ice. I�ve never competed in any kind of fishing tournament, yet this day will always be remembered as many firsts; first year on the ice, first place finish in my first competition.

Are deer numbers down????

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:57:11 -0600

What are you seeing in your area? I have been getting piles of reports across the state that harvest numbers are down!!! While the numbers don't fully agree with that, many seasoned veteran hunters are not seeing the numbers they used to. Many are saying the population is declining to a scary level, while others are still producing good numbers. Remember as hunters, we like to see lots of deer, but the DNR is not looking for high sightings. What are you seeing? Contact your legislature and let them know what you think! Best of luck to those who still have tags!

Late Season Small Game Hunting

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:50:21 -0600

Late Season Small Game Hunting Andy Bartlett After the thrill of chasing deer and pheasants during the fall and early winter has expired, many hunters shove their guns and gear into the back of the closet and call it a year...... After the thrill of chasing deer and pheasants during the fall and early winter has expired, many hunters shove their guns and gear into the back of the closet and call it a year. They kick back on the cold winter days and reflect on the many adventures spent afield. Stories are told of big bucks shot and the thrill of a good pheasant dog on point just before a hidden rooster erupts from a fencerow. They recount all the good times had with family and friends and look forward to next fall when they can get out and do it all over again. However, opportunities still abound in the fields and forests of our great state well after the deer and pheasant seasons have closed. Rabbit and squirrel seasons stay open well into the late parts of winter. Cottontail rabbit season stays open until February 28th and squirrels may be pursued until January 31st of 2009. Not only do the late seasons provide additional hunting opportunities, but generous bag limits also offer the chance to make it an all day adventure. Hunting these little critters is vastly different in January than it is in early September, but there are a few adjustments that can be made to increase any hunter�s success. Early in the fall sometimes it can seem almost easy to go out into the timber, sit on a log under a big hickory tree, and wait for big bushy tails to come out and feed. It�s a great time of year to get out and scratch the itch to hunt before the deer seasons start. However, winter is a whole different story. There are still plenty of squirrels to be had, but the pursuit tactics change significantly. The major difference from early season is a lack of foliage. Squirrels have excellent eyesight and without leaves on the trees, they can pick off movement from much farther away. The slow spot-and-stalk method isn�t quite as effective during the late season. The best method might be to pick out a potential den tree and wait the squirrels out. In late winter food sources tend to be drastically depleted, which is the case for almost every animal trying to survive the winter. Squirrels are no different and finding the last few food sources in a given area is key to locating late season squirrels. Typically, by this time of year, the oak and hickory mast crop has been consumed or buried. One of the last few nut trees to check out is the walnut. Squirrels will usually hammer the oak and hickory nuts early as they are the most prevalent. As this food source becomes depleted, walnuts are the next best. Another great food source to hit up this time of year are picked corn fields. Spilled grain and missed end rows will attract squirrels as they are a great high-protein source of food. If the deer haven�t cleaned it all up, it can be bet on that the squirrels will be trying to take their share of the crop. Locations where crop fields and hardwood timber meet are great late season target areas. Hunting cottontails late in the winter can also provide an added challenge and a change of pace to the doldrums of cabin fever. Again, hunting rabbits late season is much different than hunting them early in September, but equally exciting. Cottontails are a cover species, meaning they prefer to seek refuge in thick cover. The benefit for the hunter and not the rabbit in late season, is that thick cover can be extremely hard to come by. A draw through a field might provide excellent rabbit habitat in September and October with thick brome or switch grass, but after the many winter snowstorms and strong winds have taken their toll, that same thick grass might look just as barren as your front yard. With depleted cover, cottontails will seek out the only available cover. Some of this stuff will be the thickest cover around to help protect themselves from the snow, wind, and subzero temperatures. To be successful hunting rabbits late season, you have to be willing to enter some pretty thick cover. Multiflora rose patches and dense brush piles will provide some of the best late season rabbit habitat. If thick cover in the late season is somewhat scarce, the cover that is available will attract and hold rabbits from a wide range. There are two significant signs to look for when hunting rabbits late season. The first being tracks. If there�s a fresh blanket of snow on the ground, finding tracks left behind by foraging rabbits can be easy. Depending on how fresh the snow actually is, the rabbit creating the tracks might be very close. The other sign to look for when searching for late season cottontails is small trees and bushes with the bark stripped off the lower eighteen inches. Early in the season, rabbits have literally a buffet to choose food from. Everything from grasses to leaves, most vegetation is fair game to cottontails. However, in the late season when these sources become scarce, they typically turn to stripping and consuming the bark off small trees, bushes, and twigs. Also, if there�s thick cover available adjacent to a picked grain field, rabbits can be found feeding in these fields as well. Pursuing small game such as rabbits and squirrels during early September provides a great opportunity to get out and start hunting for the year. Then many hunters switch gears and turn to bigger game such as deer. More often than not, once deer seasons have closed, many hunters will throw in the towel and stop hunting for the year. But the opportunity to continue hunting small game such as rabbits and squirrels still abounds and can fill the voids during a long hard winter. It is a great way to close out the hunting year. The tactics are different during winter than early fall, but not many hunters take advantage of the opportunity to continue hunting these small game species after deer season has ended. With limited hunting pressure, big bag limits, and plenty of game, late season squirrel and rabbit hunting can be a great way to beat cabin fever.

Late Season River-Fowl

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:49:37 -0600

Late Season River-Fowl By Travis Mueller As most hunters glide into December switching camo for orange vests, steel loads for slugs, and hunting boots for waders..... As most hunters glide into December switching camo for orange vests, steel loads for slugs, and hunting boots for waders, only I�m switching marshes and lakes to rivers and streams. Hunting waterfowl in the last few weeks can be very rewarding if you do your, oh, so famous, homework. Most of these birds have migrated, but there are always the birds that hold out. Birds who find those little secret spots where nobody looks or the weekend warriors that have found shelter in an ice shack dreaming of warmer weather thinking most ducks have begun their rice diets. These birds have one thing on their mind and that�s survival. No fancy tricks, no feeding one day and not the next. These birds sleep and eat. They waste no energy because they cannot afford to do so. So if you do find them, they can be very susceptible to calling and decoys. This is when you can have very memorable hunts. The first thing I do when scouting these birds is look for running water. Water is crucial when hunting late season birds; if they don�t have water, they will leave. I concentrate my efforts towards the city. Most larger cities will have factories along the river with warm water discharges. This warmer water will keep the water open far downstream and the birds know that. They may feed great distances, but if they know they have open water to come back to, they will do so day in and day out. Many of these rivers and streams will never freeze. These areas are great spots for setting up during the day waiting for ducks to come back from energy packed high protein meals. A sand bar can be a very successful ambush site and when set up correctly can yield some amazing acrobats with waterfowl shoving each other out of the way to land, drink, and sleep. That�s where decoy set-ups come into play. As you scout, you will see these birds do very very little. They will land, drink, and go to bed as they want to expend as little energy as possible. Mimic this. Avery Greenhead Gear makes sleeper and rester full bodies and shells as well as floaters. These mimic EXACTLY what the birds are doing and will help, without a doubt, when setting up and decoying these very smart late season birds. Late in the season, don�t be afraid to bunch them up either. The birds get very tight, conserving body heat as much as possible. They will basically sleep on top of each other to stay warm. Mimic this. This does two things. It imitates what real birds do, and also adds visibility. If you make a black blob on a sandbar, they will see this much sooner than if you scatter four dozen decoys among the sand. It actually does three things! The third thing bunching up decoys does is help you conceal the blinds. Concealment on these sand bars can be very challenging. There are three main things to focus on. We find driftwood and scatter that around our blinds. We also purchase a stone or sand spray for our blinds. This stuff when applied to your blind will make a layout blind disappear!! You can literally hide in the middle of a sandbar and look like nothing more than a bump in the sand. The last thing we do is make sure we have snow covers. Many good hunts and ideas have been ruined by a fresh snowfall. If you have snow covers and you do get new snow, your chances of decoying birds increase greatly. When hunting rivers and creeks late season, safety becomes a big concern. A lot of times temperatures have dipped into the single digits a time or two and that water is not forgiving for either man or his best friend. I will always have everyone in the boat wear a life jacket this late in the year. I will also have my dog in an Avery Dog Vest, no matter what. These vests keep the dog�s vitals and mid-section warm and protected from the weather as well as protected from the logs and sharp rocks. These can be memorable hunts, but do everything in your power to make them good memories!! Always bring extra clothes, blankets, heaters, hand warmers, and food. Snacks and water can keep the body warmer than people realize. Stay hydrated! The more water you have in your body, the warmer you will stay. Iowa has some very good waterfowling long after the teal and wood ducks have slipped below the Mason-Dixon line. Do your homework, scout, and maybe these late-season Iowa river hunts will pay off for you as well.

Rock Creek Lake

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:48:29 -0600

Rock Creek Lake By Todd Reed Rock Creek Lake is a large lake for Iowa...... Rock Creek Lake By Todd Reed Rock Creek Lake is a large lake for Iowa. It is known as the largest man-made lake in the state. It is a little over 600 acres and was built for Central Iowans to enjoy. Fishing is by far the most popular thing to do at Rock Creek Lake. The lake is nestled inside a large state park and offers many other things to enjoy besides the fishing. If you have not visited Rock Creek Lake, you may want to make plans to do so this winter or in the upcoming 2009 fishing season. Rock Creek Lake is located near Grinnell, Iowa, and is only about an hour from Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and the Waterloo area. Towns of Newton and Marshalltown are only a short 20-minute drive to the lake. When you drive up to the lake, you will notice it is a very large and a very long lake. You will also notice, at first glance, that there is no standing timber and most of the banks are very similar. Rocks are spread all throughout the lakeshore, and the water close to the bank is only a few feet deep. The lake is large, however no boat may be operated over the �no-wake� speed. The lake area welcomes all anglers as it offers a bait shop on the north end, several boat launching areas all of which are concrete ramps, several jetties to fish from, and hundreds of yards of rip-rapped bank for anglers to walk along. Whether you are fishing from shore or by boat, this lake is a great one to visit for a fish-filled day. The fishing at Rock Creek Lake is very popular with the locals because it offers a lot of species for anglers to target. The most popular species that I have seen anglers go after is the abundant crappie. Both species of crappie swim in the lake, the black crappie and white crappie. They are brothers and sometimes it is hard to identify exactly what species you have caught. It really makes no difference, as both types of crappie live in the same areas, are caught with the same lures, grow to be about the same size, and taste equally good. Crappies are a popular target at Rock Creek Lake because their numbers are very high. With a little bit of research, the right tackle, and the right bait, anglers can catch crappies in high numbers throughout the year. When fishing for crappies at Rock Creek, go shallow early in the year and then go deep to catch them suspending or hanging out by the brushpiles. A simple bobber and live bait setup is the most effective way to catch these tasty fish. You may also cast small jig heads with artificial tails. When you are getting good bites on live bait, try artificial as they may hit them just as well. When setting up a bobber rig, make sure and use small bobbers and small hooks. A big mistake that I often see is anglers using too heavy fishing equipment. Small bobbers will allow you to see light bites and the small hooks will help the hook get into the mouths of the fish so you can reel them in. Small minnows or a small chunk of worm will work the best on your hook. During the summer months, drifting a small jig with the wind in the deeper water, 10 feet or deeper in this lake, will find you some crappies. Bluegills, another species in Rock Creek Lake, can be caught in the same fashion and places on the lake as described for the crappie. These two species are often grouped together by anglers, referring to them as �panfish�. There are many bluegills to catch in Rock Creek, and you may know right away that you have one on as they fight a bit harder than the crappies. In all my panfishing experiences on this lake, spring, summer and fall are best for the crappies, but ice fishing is the best for bluegills as the most and biggest bluegills I have caught have been through the ice on this lake. There is something magical about Rock Creek Lake that gets those big bluegills biting when the ice sets in. Whether you are fishing for bluegills or crappies in any season, focus in on the brushpiles and the deeper water. The better concentrations of fish will be close to one of these, and if you can get both variables in the same place, I hope you bring enough bait, because you will need it! Bass is another popular species that is sought after at Rock Creek. Rock Creek has many bass tournaments every year, showing that the bass population is going strong. Bass can best be looked for at Rock Creek with crankbaits and spinnerbaits. This can be accomplished from shore or your boat. In the spring, just like the panfish, the bass can be shallow. April and May are the best times to fish from shore. If you do plan on walking the banks, make sure you stay mobile if you are looking to hook some bass. Take one rod and reel set up, a few lures and get ready to walk. Two great places to look for bass from shore would be just north of the beach, and along the campground on the northeast side of the lake. These two areas are great for two reasons. They both have rock, a few scattered trees in the water, and they are relatively shallow. A shallow running crankbait or a spinner-bait will probably get you hooked up with a springtime Rock Creek bass. Remember, all bass must be released if they are less than 15 inches long. Summer and fall fishing for bass can be hit or miss. One day you may go out and catch 20 bass, with several being two pounds or better, then later in the same week catch one or two fish. It can really be a Jeckle and Hyde type of bass lake. Don�t forget your topwater baits in the summer months, I have experienced catching over 20 bass on buzzbaits in a night at this lake. Go to the shallow, north end of the lake and slowly roll a buzzbait, you�ll fool those green bass into biting too. As you can see, the bass can be very cooperative at Rock Creek, and very picky at times too. Have a good variety of colors when visiting Rock Creek Lake, as the water color changes very quickly with area showers. Catfish are also present in Rock Creek Lake and have heard several reports of channel catfish nearing 10 pounds. Go to the large bays and use cut bait or prepared bait for these big cats. Catfish will relate to the shallow bays looking for dead fish to eat and forage on any fish that is injured. I do not fish for catfish in the lake, but the bays are where the reports will tell you to go to find big Channel cats! Those four species will keep you busy at Rock Creek Lake, there is the occasional walleye, and their numbers are increasing every year. Rock Creek Lake is a great lake to visit to keep your pole bending and your mind guessing at what might be tugging on the end of your line.

Looking Back at the Beginning

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:47:10 -0600

Looking Back at the Beginning Text and Photos by Thomas Allen With 2009 and cold temperatures upon us, I figured this would be a good time to reflect on how my 2008 hunting season started. I am not a big waterfowler, however, that is mainly because I cannot afford to jump into another obsession right now, maybe someday when I�m making the big bucks and only hunting every day. Who am I kidding? Basically, I mooch off of friends who take it seriously so I can get some shooting in! Historically, Iowa has had some sort of state wide or zoned early goose season in September with a liberal bag limit giving local hunters an opportunity to hunt uneducated Canada Geese. 2008 was different, as the early Canada goose season was restricted to a few select urban areas. The goose populations in these locations are very dense and many local businesses were complaining of damaged property as geese can be very hard on urban landscapes. Locating a spot to hunt was difficult and easy at the same time. Finding business owners who were willing to grant you access was the easy part, but finding a place conducive to a safe and effective hunt was not. Fortunately for me, I had a connection that could help out on all aspects of this opportunity. Guthrie and Audubon Counties Conservation Officer, Jeremy King was more than willing to help out when I told him I wanted to do a story and photo shoot revolving around Iowa�s early urban goose hunt! Calling him a die-hard waterfowler is an understatement and having one of Iowa�s finest CO�s do all the leg work and get a hunt prepared and set up would certainly assure success! If you know me, when I make statements like that it usually means things didn�t go as planned. Stay tuned. The evening prior to the hunt, we met up with Jeremy�s neighbor Brian who would also be hunting with us, as we had plans to cover our lay-out blinds with green grass to simulate the field we would be setting up in. I was amazed at what a few handfuls of green weeds pulled from the ditch can make a blind simply look like a clump of grass. I was fooled by the first one when I walked up to it, I can only imagine how easy it would be to fool a goose. The following morning found us setting up decoys in the pre-dawn darkness. The weather up to this morning had been cooler than normal and really had the geese moving, but the forecast for that particular day was hot�. The temp was supposed to be in the low 90�s by 10 am, so we figured the hunt would be over before that. This season allowed for each hunter to shoot 5 honkers making our goal 15 geese for the morning. Our set up was located near the Waterloo airport. There were several ponds and crop fields near this location making it very attractive for the local flocks. We had our blinds and decoys situated in a short grass field that was about 3 acres. Since this was a unique situation, we kept safety in the forefront of our minds and arranged our blinds in a manner that had us shooting over a large corn field. This was perfect as the birds had been observed flying low over the corn and landing in right in the center of this grass field. We decided to set up all the decoys we had as the day before there were over a hundred honkers feeding in this field, but it was also 20 degrees cooler so we were really unsure of what to expect. But we made things as realistic as possible with 6-7 dozen full bodies and 2-3 dozen silhouettes. It was a sweet looking spread, hopefully the honkers thought so too! As the sky started changing colors, the horizon began to fill with birds as they left their evening haunts and headed out to feed. The funny thing was many of the honkers we saw all few off in different directions, none of which were towards us. Finally a group got up and was headed in our general direction but not directly at us. Jeremy stood up and worked some magic on that Lynch Mob call of his. He managed to sound like a whole flock of geese and I decided to not even try to make any sounds on my calls, which was a good thing cause I don�t sound very convincing. Suddenly that group of about 20 birds eye-balled our decoys, turned hard and began their descent into a perfect bluff! As their approach shortened, it seemed as if their bellies were scraping the top of the tassels in the corn field. With wings locked and landing gear dangling, Jeremy yelled, �Take �em boys!� We popped out of our blinds and began firing. The first bird I aimed at folded up and tumbled to the ground and Autumn, Jeremy�s Chocolate Lab burst from his blind to retrieve the bird. My other shots just put holes in the sky, and my partners ended up missing sending the flock off in a different direction. As you can imagine, being the �rookie� of the group, I was handing out some serious smack talk, which was sure to be sent back my way with the next group of birds. Just as Autumn was bringing back my goose, Jeremy yelled for us to get back in the blinds as another smaller group was headed our way. With the same committed approach, these honkers were completely fooled by the flawless decoy set up! �Take �em,� came the order. We came out of our blinds guns blazin� and all I did was embarrass myself with a poor display of shooting, which as you can probably guess, I was reminded of how LUCKY I was to shoot that first bird. Out of that group of scattering geese, two more hit the dirt and we watched as Autumn made another perfect retrieve. I was admiring my goose when I noticed it had a certain piece of coveted jewelry. I have shot plenty of geese, and scared even more in my time, but never had I acquired a band. To say I was elated was an understatement. The amount of �wear� this band apparently had showed that it was aged somewhat, and I couldn�t wait to submit the info and learn about this bird and how far he had come. As the sun got higher with each minute, so did the temperature, in fact it got downright hot quick! We watched several other flocks take flight a good mile away and head to some other unknown location. Even though we were a �few� birds shy of our limit, we figured we did as well as we would, and spent another hour waiting just in case, but rather enjoyed each other�s company and poked fun at my shooting. It always seems to come back to me, I don�t know why; I defiantly don�t deserve such harassment! We decided our action was over and began cleaning up our spread. As things were loaded into the trailer, I figured it would be nice to see where the geese had all landed, and since that was on our way home it was quite convenient! We found a few dozen birds taking advantage of the shade they found under some semi trailers at a nearby transportation depot. A few were under trees, and a few others were bathing themselves in a decorative pond in front of a builders supply business. Basically, it gave me a firsthand account that these birds had been completely urbanized and knew how to adapt to the city around them. Large numbers of them lived in small areas and were very capable of damaging property in a short amount of time. We didn�t exactly put a dent in the population, but got a good look and better understanding of the need for such a season, took home some tasty meat and had a little fun in the process. So it was a complete success! Once again, I was humbled as I thought this would be a fish-in-a-barrel shoot, but rather these urban birds displayed resemblance to the urban deer I had hunted in years past. They are still wild animals and are capable of getting the upper hand in hurry. Three out of a 15 bird limit clearly displays who won the game. However, that is 3 less geese out of the urban flock. A special word of thanks to Jeremy who took the time to organize this hunt and bring this story to The Iowa Sportsman and women across the state! This would not have been possible without you. Thanks to Brian for letting me borrow his blind for the morning, the nap I got was great. Regardless of the lack of carnage we had anticipated, it was still an exciting yet educational hunt! I will look forward to it next year, guys! I hope this look back into the not so distant past warms you up a bit as I was hunting in shorts, and I also hope you are able to reminisce about your first trip out this past fall as it was an exciting and successful season! Get out there and experience Iowa! Live it Up!

Last Chance with the Smoke Pole

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:45:31 -0600

Last Chance with the Smoke Pole By Thomas Allen As quickly as deer season got here, it is now almost a memory. For many of us, bow season is a 12 month activity and requires hundreds of hours of dedication. As things can so often go, frustration tends to be a large part of our obsession, but as seasons change there is a way to even up the score with that big boy who has gotten so good at evading your sets. It seems like he was always one step ahead or would evade you just past your effective range, almost as if he knew�. Well, Iowa has the solution to cure the Bow Hunting Blues. If you want to be on a level playing field and become the supreme predator in the winter woods, Iowa�s Late Muzzleloader Season is just the break you have been waiting for! With today�s modern front stuffer equipment, making 75, 100, 125, 150 and even up to a 200 yard shots are very possible. Shots at those long distances are not recommended but a practiced, seasoned veteran can be capable of making such a shot. So if that wily old buck has totally avoided your efforts and left you wishing for more range out of your pea-shooter, this is your chance! At times the late December or early January weather can be downright miserable, but that can be used to your advantage! As the rut has come to an end and the blaze army is back at home, these deer get on a late season pattern that is very similar to early season pre-rut phase. These big bucks can easily be nailed down and as long as you take enough precaution, Iowa�s late muzzleloader season is as close to a walk-in-the-park as you will ever find in deer hunting. Don�t get me wrong, this season and type of hunting can challenge even the most experienced hunters, but if you spent your whole fall chasing these critters with a bow, you will feel as if this is a task you can handle. The following are a few tips that I have learned through mistakes I have made which I hope will make your late loader season a breeze! Gear Obviously, this section might go without saying, but there are a few things that really make the long cold sits easier. Late December and early January are typically pretty cold and put the deer on a regular pattern, but it can wear on the hunter and make the long sits almost miserable. Wearing a dependable set of long-john underwear, wool socks and comfortable outer layers will ensure longer hunts in the cold. Also having hand warmers really could make the difference in lasting through the day. One of the most important pieces of gear you can have is a warm pair of boots, as cold feet will drive you out of the woods faster than anything. I can say this from experience! This time of year it is a safe bet that there will be snow on the ground, and having a set of snow camo might help break up your outline. Even a set of whites will make you disappear. Blaze orange is a requirement by law, a solid blaze vest is the bare minimum, but a hat is recommended as well. Don�t skimp on an item that ensures your safety. It is a good idea to take a few speed loaders to reload your muzzleloader in case of a missed shot, this I can also say from experience. Make sure to have your �Loader sighted in and are confident out to your ethical range, and DO NOT take risky shots past that range! Pin-Pointing the Pattern As I mentioned earlier, the deer have basically taken up a late season pattern, and will stick to it especially if the weather is cold. After a rigorous rut which takes quite a toll on a buck�s body, and the masses of shotgun hunters across the state pushing the deer all over the country side, they are looking for as little stress as possible. This combined with the weather often forces the deer on a very distinct pattern, bed to feed. Very similar to the pattern they started the hunting season with. In many cases, your October treestands that seemed to dry up as November approached might become hot again. Destination food sources are essential, but not the whole piece of the puzzle. Let�s break this down even further. If you have located an intense feeding pattern, it is essential to determine an access and exit route that will not push these deer off of this pattern. Late season deer tend to be pretty spooky as they have seen it all and most deer in Iowa have been shot at or witnessed a deer drive. Finding a field edge stand that you can get in and out of without spooking deer will increase your chances during future hunts. If they feel any kind of pressure, their pattern could be swayed drastically and might actually reduce your chance of killing a mature animal. In most cases, late season deer do only three things: -Avoid predators -Eat -Sleep What is important here is that the area they travel through on a bed to feed pattern will be constant, IF predators don�t change that. As bow hunters many of us try to set up stand sites to put the deer as close as possible. You will want to readjust this tactic and take advantage of the longer range you have with a muzzleloader and set up just inside your effective range. I usually employ two types of set ups for late muzz, my favorite is to sit on a field edge at least 50-75 yards from a major travel corridor that dumps into the field. Sometimes I will even set up at further distances and let the deer come to me if their pattern has them doing so. This way the deer can enter the field to feed and feel safe. As in most late season scenarios, mature bucks that have survived the rut and shotgun seasons will most likely be the last deer to enter the field. As a part of their post-rut phase activity, they will remain in staging areas just off the field and will occasionally scent check the does as they file passed him just in case there is one last chance for some love. The mature bucks will also use the does to determine safety, for example if the does and younger bucks display comfort while feeding, he will also then feel safe to enter the field. So it is imperative to keep the deer feeding in the field in anticipation of getting a shot at a buck later in the evening. The other tactic I use is pretty aggressive. I will move into this staging area in hopes of catching this buck earlier that I would if I were on the field edge. Many times the mature bucks will show up in this area as soon as the does do, but will often wait till dark or immediately prior to entering the field. The down side to this approach is most likely you will be spooking deer off the field as you leave, unless you can back out in a different direction which very seldom occurs. I will generally save this tactic as a last ditch effort and plan on tagging out that first time in the area. In these situations, my sets are usually in the woods and have tighter quarters. So I choose to be a maximum of 50-60 yards from an anticipated shot. The trees will break up your location and many times will allow you to move into position. Often times, deer will bed near where they feed as they exert as little effort as possible to conserve energy when the temps are cold, so I would not recommend moving more than 100 yards deep into the timber when setting up. Focusing on the Food In Iowa we have two major destination food sources to focus on, soy beans and corn. In most cases, the deer will prefer a cut corn field that has not been turned over to a picked bean field. The exception is if the farmer did a sloppy job cutting the beans and left a lot of spillage on the ground, then I feel the deer will prefer beans. The thing to keep in mind is when it is cold, the deer burn more calories to stay warm, and will be in need of a high protein food source such as beans and corn to replenish their energy. Like clock-work, these deer will move and feed during the coldest part of the day; evening through early morning when they will return to their bedding areas. I also prefer to skip morning hunts this time of year. It is nearly impossible to get to a field edge set without spooking deer. There are exceptions yes, but if you are hunting in the timber near bedding areas, getting out of there after a morning hunt without spooking deer from their beds is difficult. Not to mention, this gives me an excuse to sleep in and consume a hearty breakfast! Late season can be an exciting time to be in the woods, not to mention very rewarding after a frustrating bow season. Keep in mind that hunting the bed to feed pattern will produce the best results, and still play the wind as it is as important now as it was during November! Get your Front Stuffer prepped and ready for the late season and when we get that first, hard Arctic blast be sure to set up on a destination food source and you will find the deer. You can bet that I will be out there freezing till I get my tag filled! Good luck! You gotta love late season in Iowa! Live it Up!!

Post Rut Whitetails

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:09:50 -0600

As the rut is winding down switching tactics and approaches might be what you need to do to capitalize! As the rut is winding down switching tactics and approaches might be what you need to do to capitalize! The peak of the rut has come and gone and many of our rut specific stands might have dried up. Deer sightings have gone down and there has been a definite shift in activity. The deer have not vanished nor have they moved to another property. Rather, they have just adjusted their habits some. As colder weather approaches and shotgun season is just a week away, many hunters are scrambling to fill that bow tag in a last-ditch effort! You will still see some rutting activity as some does will come into estrous late, but the majority of the does have been bred. At this time the momentum shift has gone from the rut patterns back to the bed to feed pattern. If you had a stand that was producing a lot of sightings early in the season, get back to it! After the rut the bucks in particular are pretty worn down and in need of rest and food, thus the bed to feed pattern. At this time I'd still recommend calling and rattling but not to the degree you would have a few weeks prior. I would primarily keep calling to sighting specific circumstances. If you choose to blind call, keep it to a minimum as deer are no longer looking for a fight, but might rather investigate out of curiosity or in hopes that the last doe in heat is alone! Take a buck�s temperature if you see him. Try some subtle calling and if he reacts great, if not, put the call down. In my experience an estrous bleat is the deadliest call in late season. It will perk his curiosity more than anything and more often than not, it will be his demise. Food sources are key to late season success, if you can locate a hot food source, your chance of killing a good buck have almost doubled! As the cold winter weather approaches, deer of all types do their best to pack on the pounds in preparation of surviving the rapidly approaching winter. A couple sources to consider. Alf-alfa will have been almost totally abandoned at this point as they will be seeking high protein food such as corn and soy beans. Corn- If the landowner/farmer does not till under his harvested corn this will probably be your best option. The deer will dump into this field and heavily feed here. Find a place just off of the field with a shot to the busiest trail in the area. This is a great option to fill remaining doe tags as well as buck tags. Be aware though, at this time of the year, the bucks will generally be the last to enter the field! Beans- If you can find a field that has been harvested quickly with lots of beans remaining on the ground, deer may prefer soy beans over corn if there is lots of spillage. Same applies here, get off the field edge and adjacent to a popular trail! It is not too late to kill your buck, and in many cases this is when the biggest deer fall to hunters as they tend to be tired and have their guard down! Take advantage of their habits and you will find success!