There is Hunting Happening Here

Visibility was limited this morning.The fog being brought to this neighborhood by changing temperatures. The guns started going off a little before 7:00 A.M. according to the clock. Early Muzzleloader started this past week and a second Duck season started this morning. I had the opportunity to make an acquaintance yesterday. Spoke with our districts Conservation Officer, Bill Fribley. He has a wide territory to cover in his responsibilities of enforcing the Department of Natural Resource's regulations. Made a contact with him because of some activity I felt was outside of the guide lines for hunting the Whitetail at this time. According to the renter of the property next to us he has only granted hunting rights to one individual, but the two individuals here this week didn't include that person. So, I am wondering today if that is the same scenario with the Muzzleloader activity that has taken place. I don't open up our timber to hunters from the outside because of past dealings. However, according to the law an injured animal may be retrieved off of our property. It would be best if those hunting on the bare field would let us know they were going to be there. Of course they don't seem to have the same train of thought... Sadie and I have been serenaded by gunfire on a few of our treks outside. The 11:30 A.M. jaunt seemed to herald in another barrage of blasts. The fog having lifted has left us with a cool and sunny day. It is now early afternoon, there is still a lot of time for both the deer and hunter to regroup to try everything all over again. When the day comes to an end we will go see how many of those blasts ended a deer that had to be field dressed,like the one on Thursday night, on the Timber Life side of the fence...;)

End of Shotgun Season II

Today ended another season for deer shotgun hunters in Iowa. The temperatures started off around 10 degrees this morning, wind speed was almost nothing, left over attached oak leaves lightly rustled when a breeze passed. I didn't go out before sunrise because I was headed for an area with dense brush and didn't want to trip over fallen trees. Made it to my new location around 8:15. My decision to go out was spurred by seeing a buck and some young moving around 7:30. There wasn't any disappointment when it came to seeing deer. Several close calls. One occasion occurred when someone in the neighbor's field sent a bunch of deer running somewhat in my direction. A very small fawn came within 20 feet of me. The others, including a 10 point buck, were probably in target range if the brush wouldn't have been so dense. Trying to head them off before they all took off for far away destinations wasn't successful. I went back to my original position for awhile longer. Hoping they would re-group and pass either closer behind me or on a well worn path to the front of me, neither of which happened. While I was out there were two separate times a shotgun was fired to the south of me, the second closer than the first. I always wonder just how far away they actually are from my locations. Since I came away without a deer, according to the new ruling by the Iowa DNR, on Friday, December 21st thru Sunday the 23rd, I can use my tag to attempt to gain a doe. Family holiday plans are scheduled during that time period, but you can be assured I am looking for some time in the timber again. Don't want to wait another year to try again. Who knows?!? Could be if there were more guys on the other side of the ravine, and somebody to the north, the deer would find their way in front of me... The muzzleloaders will be out and about to start their season tomorrow, December 17th. Happy Hunting !

Additional Deer Season Declared by IDNR

December 13th, at their meeting in Des Moines, IA., the Commisioners at the Department of Natural Resources added an additional deer season to run December 21- 23. This season will be anterless-only and will run concurrently with the second muzzleloader season that begins on December 17th and was to have ended January 10th,2008. Now, the muzzleloader hunters will have an extension of three more days because their has been some opinions of feeling slighted by the timing of this new effort to manage the number of deer. They sited the reason of lower reported deer numbers taken since the beginning of past seasons ,starting with bow. Weather too has been a factor in people not getting out to ply their skill or desire to fill the tags. It appears the management is considered crucial for them to declare more days. Some concerns that have already been voiced by all hunters is the safety factor with bow,muzzleloader, shotgun, and handgun all legal in this short concentrated time span. If you should be apart of this hunting season please watch out for yourself, and the other person who may not be looking out for anybody but themselves.