Survival Mode

Another big storm has plowed right over Iowa and the next few days we'll feel the aftermath. Temperatures have tumbled, the wind is relentlessly chilling, and snowflakes are flying here and there. Conditions are pretty brutal with the coldest air of the season blowing in on strong northwesterly winds. Deer are switching back to survival mode with a bed-to-feed-to-bed pattern. Many deer will move into their out-of-the-wind sanctuary such as cedar thickets, blow downs and steep southeast facing draws close to food sources. These are all attractive options for the winter wary whitetail. While the 20s are nothing compared to the bitter-cold we'll see in a month or so, deer will still seek some additional thermal protection. They'll also be feeding. Burning calories helps the whitetail stay warm, and many herds will feed periodically throughout the day. Evenings should be good in those preferred food sources where the deer haven't seen too much hunting pressure. Typically, corn fields see more action but bean fields are still producing good numbers in the evening. This wind is rough, but it's enough cover noise for a stalk, and if your mobile you'll stand a better chance to see deer. It's not the best hunting weather, but with just a few short days before Iowa's first shotgun season, your time to arrow that trophy is running out. Good luck and stay warm!

Monday's a Must Hunt!

A lot of hunters took advantage of the November Antlerless season this holiday weekend. According to the Iowa DNR, last year, 10,000 licenses were issued and hunters reported harvesting 2,980 deer. This year antlerless quotas are higher and many folks have taken to the timber. Normally all the extra activity would have the deer hunkered down in sanctuary for a few days, but their need to feed is once again going to put deer on the move in central Iowa. Falling pressure and another very large storm system will be blowing in for Monday bringing more wind, clouds and rain showers. Temperatures will be mild in central Iowa with most of the rain shower activity around the midday hours and relatively light. So morning and evening sits should be as good as we could expect from the middle of a powerful November storm. I think the evening will be the best, with drizzle and fog likely, very low barometric pressure and an arctic cold front knocking at the door. That will make Monday a must hunt, so if you haven't filled your tag yet, a food source or travel corridor sounds like a good plan to me!

Cold Weather Feeding Pattern

Facing the polar chill is a tough sell with hot turkey and football at home. But now that the holiday is over it's time to hunt! Lows the next few nights will be in the teens and 20s, and highs in central Iowa will struggle for the 30s Friday and 40s Saturday. These types of temperatures can kick activity up several notches as more deer move during the daylight, feeling that urge to pack on the pounds before true winter arrives. East facing slopes will become a deer magnet, as they try to warm up in the sun while staying out of the westerly winds (which will stay on the brisk side except for at dawn and dusk). Still hunting these haunts should prove productive especially if your early morning spots didn't pan out. But watch out for the backdraft effect hills will have on wind currents (see the graphic on the upper right of the blog). Otherwise, good field feeding has been observed lately, sometimes several hours before sunset in areas that aren't pressured much. I expect that to continue so you should see good activity both Friday and Saturday evenings. So if Black Friday shopping isn't your thing, go grab the shotgun, muzzleloader or bow and take advantage of the special antlerless season for deer. It starts Nov. 26th and ends Nov. 28th. I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving, stay warm and good luck!

Good Evening, Bad Wednesday

With a Canadian high settled in, and some chilly numbers (Most of us still below freezing for highs), this evening will be fantastic to be out hunting. Hunt it if you can! Most areas the winds are light but turning southeasterly and the pressure is high, but starting to fall. Our next storm is gearing up out west and this one is going to be a doozie bringing some icy and raw weather conditions to central Iowa Wednesday. Clouds will move in overnight followed quickly by some freezing drizzle starting around 6am. Temperatures will be right around the freezing mark through mid-morning which will make for some slick spots as the precip. picks up. Between 10am and 1pm most of the freezing rain will become just plain rain thanks to temperatures warming above freezing. If you're reading this and you hunt north of Des Moines, the icy/nasty weather will last a bit longer up there. North of Highway 30 we will see ice accumulations from a glaze up to 1/4" thick. Travel will be a bit hazardous as long as temps are below freezing, and the treestand wont be comfortable or safe. Not to mention the wind will be howling out of the southeast at 17-25mph putting the windchill in the 20s and putting the deer to thick cover and bedding. Activity should be quite low with such foul rainy conditions, but if there is a break in the action I'd hit the fields for an evening hunt. Temps will be just above freezing, fog drizzle and mist will be whipping in the wind, pressure will be quite low and a few deer will use the break in rain to grab a quick bite to eat. Most will stay hunkered down for the storm which doesn't sound like a bad idea to me ;-)

The Cold & Calm Before The Storm

Our chilly grey overcast and scattered pockets of drizzle and mist might make it a little miserable outside, but the deer are still moving. I've noted outstanding nocturnal movement on both my trail cam and just in front of the hood of my truck the past few nights. I'll credit the bright moon, low pressure and rutting activity. The Waning Gibbous moon (still 98%) full has been shining through the clouds casting a dim bluish light over the fields at night. Several low pressures are tracking overhead which is also stirring the pot, encouraging the deer to feed and prepare for the storm. And the rut may be locked down, but its not out! Big bucks are still jumping from one spot to another although the weather and any remaining hot does may have been limiting their movement recently. But great news is in the forecast, a Canadian high pressure is building in signaling the end to this storm. Light northerly winds will turn easterly by evening and with near freezing temps, Tuesday will be a perfect day to go afield. I'm expecting great morning activity with thick clouds eventually breaking apart. But the evening will be decent as well. The Iowa crop fields will be filling up with deer as our pressure plateaus and then begins to fall. The next storm system will be bigger and badder than the one we just saw and the clouds filling the western sky will tell the deer its on the way. This active weather pattern means good deer movement, and a great time to be in the woods!

Foul Weather Hunting

Low pressure is tracking across the state today, and this unsettled weather can have adverse effects on both the hunters and our game. But if you can brave the chilly, drizzly weather, you might snag this season's trophy. Lately, I have seen most of the does on a feeding pattern and this is being enhanced by the stormy weather overhead. As low pressure moves in, we hunters usually stay indoors thanks to the uncomfortable conditions surrounding the storm and the gravitational pull of football and a comfy couch. But the next few days we will see most of the precip missing us to the north (drizzle/Freezing drizzle) and east (strong to severe storms), meanwhile the overall storm system stays right on top of us and that should make for decent hunting weather. A cold front has pushed through and deer are switching from breeding to a feeding pattern. The bright moon is really enhancing the nocturnal and morning activity as well. Many mature bucks are still locked down, but immature bucks are running around like crazy searching for leftovers and pushing a lot of young does. This time of year will test your patience, but if you've got a good area near some doe bedding or a good food source where a big buck has been seen, that's where I would hunt. Calling has also been quite effective the last few days. Good Luck!

November High Pressure = Happy Hunters

"It was 11 degrees as the sun emerged on the horizon. A thick frost blanketed the foxtail and turned the bent over brome a silvery white. The CRP field behind the stand looked like a picture and the timbered valley lay frozen in silence in front of the stand. Suddenly, the quiet was shattered. A wide, old,  8 pt carelessly crashed through the brush after a doe, cutting diagonally across the trails and plowing through some of the thickest multiflora rose bushes. He slid to a stop broadside at 8 yards from the base of a Hackberry tree where I stood at full draw 15 feet above. He wasn't the one I was after, but here was an opportunity at a mature Iowa Whitetail." - Nov. 18th 2008. 

That is from my journal and a testament to productive hunting with November high pressure. Good news for hunters, that is exactly the weather pattern settling in for the next few days here in Iowa! A compact storm system will completely miss the state Wednesday, sliding to the south, and making room for a high pressure in the Midwest. As a result we will all enjoy, light winds and relatively clear skies, especiall Thursday. Mornings will be cold, crisp and frosty, and afternoons will be cool but pleasant. Deer have been flooding the fields at night and lingering well into the morning hours. I'd find a food source, some bedding and hunt in-between. Might want to buckle down for the ride; the weather will be quiet, but the hunting shouldn't be!

Great Stretch, Go Hunt!

On my way into work today I spotted no less than 22 deer amidst the frosty fields. Only a handful were bucks, and small ones at that, but after a stormy weekend it looks like we should see a great stretch of hunting weather! Here's what will make it so great; rut activity, high pressure, chilly nights, weak weather disturbances casting clouds, and a bright moon. Hunters in central Iowa are reporting spotty great movement with big buck sightings and all out chasing in the fields a few days ago. More signs are pointing at 'lockdown' in central Iowa. And this can be tough to hunt, especially if your idea of a trophy is 150 or better. But the weather for the next few days will cooperate as the rut continues and chilly nights should prolong morning activity. Fields should be smokin' hot in these cool conditions as will pinch points between them. Big woods ought to be a good bet for random midday activity, especially if you can find a preferred doe travel route. The moon is coming back around to a waxing gibbous and in my notes, I have seen muted evening movement when it hangs bright in the afternoon/early evening sky. But one thing we all have going for us is the high pressure which is giving us relatively comfortable, quiet weather. Weak disturbances at the roof of the atmosphere will cast clouds suggesting a storm is brewing on the horizon. So, does will be instinctively switching to survival mode and feeding more to prepare for this, while the bucks' attention will be on them. You wont want miss the mornings this week. Go hunt!

Storm Moving Out, Good Hunting Moving In!

Our first winter storm of the season is spinning through Iowa right now! The foul rainy weather on the front side has cooled just enough to fling snowflakes across parts of the state. I will attest firsthand to the difficulties of hunting in rainy foul weather on Friday, and most deer were hunkered down for the storm. Rutting activity was about the only thing pushing them to their feet and that will likely be the case for most of Saturday with wind and snow showers. But strong winds and wet ground is nearly the perfect weather combination for spot and stalking a big rutting Iowa Whitetail! Slink around the thick bedding cover and you might score an opportunity at a big bedded buck! A dead giveaway for this setup is an immature buck who refuses to leave a particular area, his attention will be on the doe the big buck is guarding. If stalking isn't your thing, this evening will be great to hunt the fields as bedded deer get to their feet to feed. Many does will be dragging bucks with them even though a lot of big bucks are already locking down with ready does. High pressure will build in this evening, winds will relax, and conditions will improve for hunting. But tonight pails compared to tomorrow. Sunday might be the best day of the year for a bow hunter! High pressure will settle in, and after being cooped up for a few days of foul weather, deer will be very active. Rutting activity should be very high, and if you're not seeing anything either be patient and wait for a cruising bruiser, or go stalk the bedding. We'll have a light westerly to southwesterly breeze and highs wont break 50! For any outdoorsman who has a chance, Sunday will present amazing conditions afield. I hope you're able to enjoy it!

Colder Conditions, Hotter Hunting!

Warm weather has been suppressing the rut for many areas in central Iowa. A lucky few are seeing the big boys moving, but overall, activity has been low. The moon says the rut is here and with a little forecast good fortune, deer activity is about to be kicked into overdrive!

This should start Wednesday evening as a cold front moves in from the west ending a warm sunny day with a few scattered storms. Thursday morning, a stout west wind will blow cool air in from Nebraska heralding the new weather pattern and keeping deer on their feet most of the morning. Thursday evening round two begins. A new storm gathering strength over Kansas and Missouri will drop the pressure and switch our winds to the northeast. Hunting should be good as the does head to food sources with big bucks in tow! Friday will be just what the deer doctor ordered as rain showers change to rain/snow showers central to northeast Iowa by Friday evening. Saturday will be breezy & colder with clouds and flurries the first half of the day. Deer might bed down during the worst of this storm, otherwise I am expecting almost non-stop movement Friday and Saturday. Cold, calm conditions will grip Iowa Sunday morning and make for another perfect day of hunting. Based on where we are in the rut, and the sudden plunge to cooler/wetter weather, Thursday through Sunday should be the best days to hunt this year! Bag a big one!

Midday Movement

Our warm weather this weekend hasn't helped the rutting activity any! While the high temps might be lying to us about what time of year it is, the calendar is still getting closer to the peak of the rut; November 9th-10th. Temperatures the next few days will be 15-20 degrees above average and weather that warm often restricts movement to dawn and dusk. Sometimes it can even turn animal activity nocturnal. Mornings will still be reasonably cool and this will be the best time to see deer movement. One thing I've been noticing the last few days is some great mid-morning to midday buck movement. This secondary surge is peaking from 9-11am with predominately mature bucks wandering during this time frame. The warm weather for the first half of this week will likely put the does to bed quickly, but the rut cycle will still push bucks to cruise from one doe group to another. Hunting will likely be feast or famine and not seeing a deer for several hours after the morning rush will test your patience, but if you've got a stand playing a southerly wind along a travel route you're in great shape! Not to mention, deer hunting in the 60s and 70s makes for a pretty comfortable sit in the woods. Get out there and enjoy it!

Hunt Strong Winds and Wrong Winds on Purpose

That windy storm system we have been talking about is blowing in, and winds sure can be a pain! It's a hassle to fight the gusts, you can't hear the game as well and can you say; w-w-w-wind chill? An even bigger problem; swirling winds! It happens to all of us, you go to your favorite valley and the wind is backwards, busting the game and re-inforcing your desire for couch-hunting on VS. But even swirly winds in the hollows happen predictably, so here's how to hunt the wrong wind on purpose! Remember three key factors; overall wind direction (what the forecast calls for), direction of the valley your hunting, and stand placement on the hillside. When the forecast calls for strong winds in a direction oriented the same as your valley, hunt ridge tops and the side of the hills facing the wind and you will be fine. The winds really get squirrly when strong winds cut across your valley. On windy days, hunt the ridgetops if your a glutton for gusty punishment - your reward will be a true wind direction. But if you want to get out of the wind, hunt anywhere from a bench just below the top of the ridge to the middle of the hill on the side of the valley the wind is coming from (west side of valley and a west wind), and then plan for the wind to actually be backwards from what is forecasted. It works best with valleys 100-500 yards wide, at least 100 feet deep from ridgetop to valley floor and homogenous cover around your stand either all pasture, all hedge thicket, all oak trees etc... I also try not to hunt the very bottoms or halfway up the windy side since the flow is usually inconsistent. This trick will put you out of the wind and give you a shot at a big buck doing the same thing! Check out the diagram on the right and give it at try. It works!

It Has Begun

The Whitetail rut is under way and the next two weeks could be your best chance at a big Iowa deer! Our recent plunge into regular frosty mornings and cooler afternoons in the 50s has been the spark igniting some serious wildlife movement. Central Iowa has seen a substantial increase in buck movement sighting many new (and mature) bucks during daylight! Bucks are bumping does, pushing them a couple hundred yards then leaving them alone, and we are on the threshold of the seek-and-chase phase. The most prolonged activity seems to be on the frosty mornings with high pressure and clear or partly cloudy skies. I've been focusing on travel corridors right outside the bedding areas and I have seen twice the numbers of deer.  Rest of Monday Nov. 1st: High in mid 50s, light ENE winds 5-10mph, high pressure overhead and mainly clear skies. There is a cold and windy storm system brewing, so if you like quiet and comfortable sits get out the next two days! There will be good deer movement tonight, great movement tomorrow morning!
Deercast for Tuesday:
Sky:          Rise; Clear          Noon; Sunny      Set; Mostly Sunny
Temp:       Rise; 29-32         Noon; 48-52      Set; 54-56
Winds:      Rise; ENE 3-6       Noon; ESE 4-7       Set; SE 2-5  
Pressure:   Rise; Hi Steady     Noon; Hi Steady      Set; Hi Falling