I spent the majority of my break either hunting Big Marsh with Micheal Parker, or working up in the man cave on random projects. I finished the first round of gun stock for Uncle Al,
And I finished a couple of mounts for my brother's landlord.
153"
151"
Christmas was wonderful as expected, and I got to spend a lot of time with my lovely wife, as well as our two nephews Ryker and Daxton. Baby time is always a good thing.
Even though I am a putz, no pictures prove that I spent New Year's Eve with Rachel at Ben and Megan Rottinghaus's place in Charles City. This was super fun, as we knew it would be, and spent the next few days nursing that hangover....
In that process I was able to acquire Megan's forky that was harvested during second shotgun. I worked on boiling it my last day home.
I should have that thing mounted up in no time...............
I waited the majority of break for Nick to call me up and give me the good word and we would spend a few days in Southern Iowa trying to fill a deer tag. Micheal and I hunted hard when I was home, and in all honesty, harder than I had ever intended. We couldn't connect with one let alone see one during daylight hours. I finally got the call from Nick and told Michael I was to bail on him. Michael said he was not concerned and he would likely end up in another place anyway. On I went. Friday morning got me back to Ames and by Friday evening I was sitting in a fenceline with my new muzzleloader. Nick and Lisa saw three shooter bucks on the opposite ridge well out of range and I saw a couple hawks. It was nice to get out but I was ready to drop a hammer on a deer. Nick said juice spots are for him and Lisa. He had a tag and she was toting her first. It's still late muzzle, but southern Iowa was the place to connect with one. Nick spent the entire break trying his best to recuperate from a nasty cold and coughed pretty much the entire trip. Bummer.
Morning hunts were sparse as I hunted behind the house while Nick and Lisa slept in. The longer Nick slept the better we all felt the remainder of the day. Saturday evening hunt Nick dropped me off at a spot that was absolutely pounded and I was going to sneak my way into staging area. They were going after those bucks from the previous evening. I sat behind a multi-stemmed honey locust that was completely covered in thorn bunches. They would never see me......I saw nothing until 10 minutes before end of legal light. A doe came out on the other side of the fence about 150 yard out. I knew she would not cover that distance in any amount of time. It took her a little over a minute and was across the fence and at 60 yards to my left. I waited for her to clear some brush before I threw sparks at her. That new gun is loud! She went less than 30 yards before keeling over backwards. I started the calling and as I am on the phone with Rachel I see a light in the fenceline directly east of me, and then an engine. Someone was in the property next to me and I had no idea he was there. I never saw blaze orange and I never even noticed the four wheeler. Because my doe ran back onto that property, I pretty much flipped shit. I went to retrieve her and ended up walking within inches of her. I was literally, inches from kicking her and never saw it laying in the snow. I doubled back because I was convinced she got back up only to find my boot print next to her head. I dragged her back across the fenceline and began my trudge. Nick and Lisa were on their way by well before I started dragging but because of this other guy I had the ungutted deer dragged almost completely out of the place. The guy kept pacing back and forth on the gravel road and I knew he was pissed. Even time he drove by I laid belly down in the snow. I was a mess. Nick pulled into the field approach just as I walked up. I threw the deer in and said let's get out of here now. He had no idea what was going on and was confused. Then the guys pulled in behind us....Shit.
"So did you get one?" "We heard a shot and had no idea there was another guy in here."
"Yeah, just this little doe with a bunged leg."
"Ok. Cool. Well we just wanted to see what you got. Scared the crap out of me when you shot too. Thought I was the only one in that section."
"Yeah sorry about that, I never even saw the four wheeler, and I freaked when you left because I didn't know you were in there."
"Aw, no worries. Just wanted to see if you shot one. Alright see you later."
I took a deep breath and suppressed another ulcer....Nick explained that Southern Iowa people are curious, not malicious. I fabricated awful things in my head and expected the worst. These guys wanted to see a dead deer, that's it.
We made our way back to the house and Lisa granted me a free gut job. I will never turn down a free gut job.
After that we ate pizza and watched a few movies before retiring for the night. I still had my regular tag to fill as a bonus tag went on this doe, but none of us were getting up early for a morning hunt.
The next morning turned to late morning before we even moved. Nick decided that we would pack up now, and leave from our last hunt. I was going to walk in like I did the night before, and Nick and Lisa were going to walk in the opposite side and shoot deer if they run by. Game on. They found the herd when they walked in and pushed them out. No big deal, the walk felt great. We packed up and headed home.
Being that I still had a tag to fill I figured I would give it one last hoorah before I called it my season. Sunday night would be my last shot at anything. We pull around the corner by their place and there are two does standing in the prairie behind the house. We just spent three days hunting pretty hard in Southern Iowa, and there are deer two hours before sundown, right behind the house. Funny how shit goes down sometimes. Nick and Lisa suit up and walk down the gravel road to the gate. I see them prop up and a crack and cloud of smoke. They got pegged out right, and that was the shot they had. They came back for me, and we collectively went to look for blood. 202 yard shot. That is a poke for any gun let alone a new hunter to the game. I commend Lisa for trying but not kill was made. No harm no foul, but she said her nerves were shot and she want to go sit on her couch in her own home. Understandable nevertheless. I asked Nick if I could go down and hunt and he said that was fine with him. I walked step by step to the base of the ravine before the deer broke out. A decent herd had collected behind there house and my opportunity was running away. One stopped. Hammer back. She walked into a small opening in the woods. Hammer down. Again, holy shit that gun is loud. She went ten yards and piled up into a downfall tree. 104 yards, through timber, freehand, on the fly. I may suck with a bow some days but I am deadly with a muzzle-loader. :) Nick called seconds after I shot. He knew it was me before I knew it was me. He and Lisa came back out to help me drag her out. This time she was a large mature doe.
I got my doubles pictures and I can cross that one off the bucket list. I spent the next two days processing in the postage stamp that is Rachel's kitchen. Do-able but not ideal. Regardless, this season was good to me. It may have all happened in the final 24 hours of my season, but it's not over, until it's over, and with that;
Yesterday Nick went back behind his house, in the same area I shot my doe and plugged another mature doe.Running thru the woods as every deer was, this one slowed enough, and was in an area clear enough to lobe lead. He connected quite well, and she only ran a few yards before piling up. I was exhausted after work as was in no mood to drag deer out. Nick called me: "Help please?" Rachel all but thumped me for questioning the idea. Nick dropped everything to help me drag one out, there was no reason for me to not do the same. We both went out and had dinner with them. Nick and I gutted and dragged her out. It was honestly wonderful. Even though I was tired, I am so happy I went out. This is why we hunt. It was the last three minutes of the season when he shot.
Stay Tuned
