My 2023 Iowa season

[duckhunt]

Time to wrap this up. Sorry to disappoint but there was no more action the rest of the season. I hunted 2 different stands between Saturday and Sunday both morning and night. Had alot of fun but wish I had some meat in the freezer. Devon also had an unpunched tag for the season. I'm still going to archery hunt and possibly late muzzleloader doe tag.

 

[Gellar]

Are you going to go out again in the late muzzleloader season?

 

[duckhunt]

Are you going to go out again in the late muzzleloader season?

I think I will. Probably be up that way most of my Christmas break.

 

[duckhunt]

Went out after work yesterday with bow in hand for the first time this season. About 20 minutes into the sit I hear leaves crunching to my right. There's some thick brush where the noise is coming from so I can't see anything. Crunch crunch, silence, crunch crunch crunch, silence. So I stand and turn just waiting and waiting. The beast finally shows itself. A freaking squirrel works his way out if the brush. How is it a squirrel sounds exactly like a deer in dry leaves.

Thinking back to early muzzy season I know there's 2 squirrels that call this area home. About a half hour after that excitement I hear leaves crunching behind to my left. Thinking it's another squirrel I don't get to excited. As it gets closer I slowly turn and look. OH YEAH I see a nice 6 point coming at 35 yards.

Now the wind is out of the south which is the way my stand is facing. He decides to angle right behind me( right into my sent path) so I slowly stand and try to turn. He stops and knows something is up. I don't know if he caught movement are my sent so he just looks my direction and stomps the ground a little bit.

At this point he's right at about 20 yards directly behind me. So I'm just slowly peeking around the tree to see if there's any kind of shot opportunity. No dice on a shot so I watch him skiddishly turn and go back the way he came. I don't believe he knew exactly what was going on so hopefully he didn't bust out for good.

I did get to enjoy a peaceful sunset on a gorgeous evening in the woods.

 

[duckhunt]

Two weeks back I made it up to the big miss for the last trip with the boat. That Friday evening i went to genoa a couple hours before dark. Right away landed a dandy perch and a small walleye. Missed a few other bites. Saturday morning I put in below lynxville dam and again a short sauger right away. I definitely was not on my game and missed atleast a dozen other bites. That afternoon I pulled the boat home and put her away for the season.

 

[duckhunt]

I've only been out deer hunting with my bow twice in the last two weeks. First sit was very uneventful. The second sit I got to watch muskrat swimming around for awhile in this pond.



The last twenty minutes of shooting light a deer came around from the far side of that pond and circled back around me at about 60 yards. I never did get a good look at it. Planning on a little hunting over Thanksgiving weekend a bit. This will be it for my archery season.

 

[duckhunt]

Made it out twice pheasant hunting over Thanksgiving weekend. First day walked three hours with no birds seen. Second day walked two hours with a bunch of birds flushed way out of range. On the way back to the truck my buddy got a shot at one rooster that he missed. After work today I took the 20 gauge for a walk around my property but no birds, rabbits, or squirrels to be seen. The last couple years have been tough bird hunting for me. Now it's time to get the muzzleloader and ice fishing gear ready for Christmas break.

 

[duckhunt]

Just now thinking about it I've been to Wyoming antelope hunting, Iowa early muzzleloader deer hunting, Iowa archery deer hunting, and pheasant hunting and haven't pulled the dam trigger once yet. Hopefully late muzzy and ice fishing treats me a little better.

 

[trackerbacker]

Just now thinking about it I've been to Wyoming antelope hunting, Iowa early muzzleloader deer hunting, Iowa archery deer hunting, and pheasant hunting and haven't pulled the dam trigger once yet. Hopefully late muzzy and ice fishing treats me a little better.

I took a new guy out on gun 1...seen 12, shot twice, missed twice. I'll get him to connect just yet.

All I've done is teach this year yet, kill a squirrel with the bb gun, and scope and scout.

Doing much the same, checking ice fishing gear, scouting for late muzzle (for/with new guy), and counting down to bonus late deer seasons for myself..

We'll get there together.....gooosfabra....

 

[Gut Shot]

Just now thinking about it I've been to Wyoming antelope hunting, Iowa early muzzleloader deer hunting, Iowa archery deer hunting, and pheasant hunting and haven't pulled the dam trigger once yet. Hopefully late muzzy and ice fishing treats me a little better.

I've had seasons like that. Don't worry, even if you end up skunked this year it'll just make success taste all the sweeter next year when you bag one.

 

[duckhunt]

Gear is ready for the late season muzzy doe hunt. Have some errands to run in the morning and then heading northeast.

 

[duckhunt]

Last week of 2023 was very busy and I pretty much didn't accomplish much. Made it out for 3 afternoon hunts with alot of fresh sign but no animals harmed. That's a wrap for that season and hoping for a great 2024.