Kenetrek Boots

My 2024 Iowa season

Up early Saturday morning all ready to go. I walked a logging road up on the ridge but I set up about 200 yards farther down than I set up the night before. All I saw or heard was squirrels, squirrels, and more squirrels.

Snack of champions.
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During the day we did some running around in Wisconsin. Visited some old friends and I took my wife to the apple orchards in Gays Mills. Hoping to get back out hunting for the evening I'm in a hurry but am patient with the wife. Everyone knows how important that is. About 15 miles back from the orchards my wife can not fund her phone. We turn around and just so happens someone turned it in at the first orchard we stopped at. OK back towards the cabin we stop at DQ for supper and on the road. By the time we get back there's only about an hour left to hunt so I just chalk it up to an evening watching crime shows with the Mrs.
 
On to Sunday morning, the last day. Either sex tag so anything goes. I walk up the logging road again in the moonlight and get busted by a doe across the drainage. I get set up on the same spot as the day before about a half hour before shooting light. The doe that busted me stood over on the other hillside blowing at me up until 5 minutes to light. Plenty of squirrel action again but then I see a deer moving my way. Gun up looking through the scope I think it's a doe. Doesn't matter, I'm shooting this deer either way. Qaurting to me I put it through the shoulder and it did the job. Only went about 50 yards and piled up. Turned out to be a little buck but that's OK with me.

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That's as it lays, I didn't think about any more pics as it's time to start cutting. Only maybe a half mile down the trail and up the road to my place I carry all my crap back then back up the hill to pack out the meat. That concludes my big game hunting for the season. Off to chasing some pheasants next on my list.
 
What a successful season for you guys! How are the numbers for pheasants in central Iowa? know around here if there’s habitat there is a few birds.
 
We got to the public land at 5 30 to get our spot. Well somebody already sitting in that parking area so we head over to another open area. Shooting time is 8 00 so we have a bit of a wait. Over the next couple hours we can see trucks filling up a lot of the other areas.
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Beautiful morning
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Theo and Toby ready to go

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A quick 10 minutes into our walk a rooster gets up but I'm starring into the sun so no shot but my buddy Ray misses twice. Further into the field we bust out some hens and one rooster just out of range. Then up comes another rooster we both miss twice.

Dogs are working really well and bust up another rooster that I put down. Must have been a bad shot because between us and the dogs we can not find it even though the dogs were on the spot right away. I'm guessing he hit the ground running. After a little more walking and busting hens we head back to the truck for a snack and rest the dogs.

As we are taking a break we see some birds light in to some cover that we planned on hitting next anyway. AWSOME off we go again.birds start busting out but I'm being careful not to shoot hens, I hesitated a couple times and missed a couple. Ray bagged one rooster and missed another. I guess I have nobody to blame but myself since I didn't practice with the shotgun before season. Did a loop and saw a few more hens. Decided to call it a day after a few hours and 4.5 miles logged. The dogs were plenty tired for their first hunt of the season. Really a great morning being out except my shooting skills need some improvement.

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My son Connor that lives in Colorado decided to head back to wyoming for the last weekend of his antelope season. Missed a buck today, estimated 200 yard shot. Probably can't find his range finder. Tomorrow is his last day.
 
Made it out fishing yesterday on the northern end of pool 9. Fishing was slow but did catch a short walleye and a short smallmouth. Idling around a rock shelf I managed to smack a rock pile with my motor, oh crap. Raised the motor and no damage.

2024 seems to be going by to fast. Between the wet spring and setting up the acreage I didn't get out as much as I would have liked. I believe that I'm pulling the boat home for the season tomorrow morning. I still plan on some pheasant hunting and will be getting the ice fishing gear organized soon.
 
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