Slight Chance for Snow, Good Chance for Success

We've got one more chance for snow this week, but don't expect too much out of it.

This graphic is courtesy of the National Weather service and it gives a good general idea of where our next snow is headed. But I think this estimate is on the high side and if anything with this storm changes, it will be less snow as the storm tracks further south.

Regardless, the weather for the Second Season Opener looks fantastic. If we take a look back at November, rutting and breeding activity peaked the 11th through the 18th in central Iowa. Fast-forward and the secondary rut should peak 28 days later which would place it just in time for the end of shotgun 1 and opening weekend of shotgun 2.
Plenty of shotgunners are reporting rutting activity recently. Rubs, scrapes and mature bucks with their noses down after does suggest we're in a mini-chase phase of the secondary rut. From December 8th until December 15th bucks will be actively roaming and seeking out those last does. This combined with the cold temperatures and high pressure will make the first few days of Shotgun 2 really good hunting.

Here's a glance at the extended outlook for Shotgun Season 2. Our pattern looks seasonable and relatively dry. So expect deer to transition back out of subtle rutting activity and into a feeding pattern.