First Frost on the Horizon

Our first taste of Fall weather has come and gone... Persistent sunshine gradually warmed away that crisp early autumn feel from just a few days ago. Now we are forecasting summer heat and temps in the 90's to start this week. A quick glance at the upcoming weeks leading into Bow Season in Iowa reveal some really wild swings! We're likely going to go from 90s to 30s almost every week! While initially it will come as a shock to the system, we still expect these changes to happen in Fall.

Oddly enough people respond predictably to sudden changes in weather. We break out the jackets, turn up the heater's for the first time of the year, and we increase our outdoor activity. Simply, we react to the environment, and animals do too! If you have outdoors pets, you'll see this firsthand. In the summertime, animals are less active during the daytime. No surprise, they're wearing a heavy, warm coat... all the time. So when we get these first sharp blasts of cooler, refreshing air, animals move around more in the daylight hours because they are able to exert more energy without overheating. They also get downright playful and their reaction to cooler weather is often fun and exciting to watch unfold.

We're about to see this reaction as two wild swings in pressure followed by the coldest air so far this season... and yes, even freezing temperatures invade the state! If my forecast holds, Thursday morning could be the first widespread frost this fall for many north of I-80! This would be unseasonably cold and about 3 weeks ahead of schedule for the average first frost (see picture above). The rest of us should see temperatures bombing out in the 30s and 40s for morning lows! I'm expecting to see a sharp increase in activity on the trail camera's this week probably starting around the 13th and 14th. Now that the velvet is off, I expect bucks in their respective bachelor packs to start testing each other, sizing up their competition!

Chilly weather is on the horizon, but it will sure warm up your spirits for this Fall season!

'Tis The Season, but Bad News for Pheasant Hunters

'Tis the season to be hunting! Iowa's first Mourning Dove season off and flying, alongside Rabbit and Squirrel season. While those seasons started off quite hot, this recent refreshing cool weather reminds us the days of  Deer Season are close too. Soon we'll be sitting in a treestand or ground blind anxiously anticipating that tell-tale crunch of a Whitetail's hoof smashing a leaf within bow range. It's also time to get excited about the sound of a cackling pheasant exploding from the foxtails! Unfortunately for pheasant hunters, it appears the numbers of this popular game bird are at an all time low in Iowa. I came across this report from the DNR also viewable on myabc5.com 

"

ABC5 Newsroom

news@myabc5.com

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Pheasant numbers in Iowa have dropped to an all-time low and state environmental officials are saying another winter with above-normal snowfall and a wet spring are to blame for the declining pheasant population.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the state's pheasant population has fallen to an average of 7 birds counted for each 30 mile route driven. That's down from 11 birds per route in 2010. Officials with the DNR say last winter was the fifth in a row with above normal snowfall followed by a wet nesting season.

They say the drop in pheasant numbers isn't restricted to Iowa. Minnesota, South Dakota and Nebraska also have seen decreases in pheasant numbers. The pheasant hunting season in Iowa begins Oct. 29 and runs through Jan. 10.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. "

Another big problem hurting this game bird are feral cats and other opportunistic species like Opossums and Raccoons. Hopefully we can get a few mild winters followed by mild/drier springs to help rejuvenate the populations. Consider yourself lucky to bag a few roosters this season. I'll talk more about how this cool weather pattern is affecting the deer and deer scouting in my next blog.

Hunter's Safety Education

One great way to get ready and excited about the upcoming hunting seasons is to introduce someone to the outdoors! My grandfather introduced me to hunting when I was 16 years old. I shot my first buck with him and shared some great memories just a few short days before he lost his battle with lung cancer. My mother tells me she saw more happiness in his eyes in the weeks right before that hunting season than she had almost the entire time he was diagnosed with cancer and struggling with chemotherapy. Every year, that trip means more and more to me.

So for me, hunting and fishing is personal. And over the years, making memories afield has proven to be a priceless way to spend time with family and share experiences with friends. Not to mention all the joy you can have seeing the wild beauty of nature in Iowa's countryside or the thrill of the hunt when you're in close quarters with some of nature's keenest eyes. But getting started can be intimidating!

The Iowa DNR offers several hunters education and safety courses. I have the link setup on my favorites to the right. The process is quite simple, it just takes a bit of time. You need hunter's safety certification in most states to be eligible to buy a license and this is often the biggest hurdle beginner's need to overcome. So if you're an avid outdoorsman, be sure to help someone out with this process. Here's the link. The course takes a bit of time and isn't offered once hunting season is in full swing (which makes sense because most instructors are avid hunters themselves). Once you have your hunter's education card, you're set for life and only need to pay a small fee if you lose it. Take someone new hunting, and share some of your passion for the outdoors with them. You never know, you might end up with a new hunting partner, and bag a whole season of memories.

Summer's Still Here, but the Clock is Ticking 'Til Hunting Season

It's that time again, time to get ready for hunting season! Dust off the guns and bows, battery up the trail cameras, check the tree stands and scout where you can! The first season is mere days away with Iowa's first Mourning Dove season since 1918 which starts September 1st. Cottontail rabbit and squirrel season is just 2 days later on the 3rd and Youth Deer season kicks off September 17th.

For the rest of us, the big date is October 1st - the start of Archery Deer season. Between now and then there is a lot we can do to prepare and make the most out of the start of season. When it's hot, it can be the last thing you want to do, but preparing food plots and hanging tree stands early can often increase your odds of not disturbing deer patterns. One of the great things about pre-season scouting and early season hunting: deer are relatively predictable.

Diligent glassing and exploring your hunting grounds can really pay off this time of year! Deer are creatures of habit, and they will generally stick to patterns if they are undisturbed. So you can really put yourself in good position opening day if you do your homework now! But Whitetail are also intrepid survivors able to engage their instincts to evade danger. So it's very important to watch how much activity you do in the deer woods during the warm season. Everyone sweats when it's hot, and that can really leave a scent trail, broadcasting to the deer exactly where you've been. To pattern the deer without the deer patterning you, it takes some skillful scent control. I use deodorizing scent sprays, but I also use mother nature. Scouting before, during or after a rain can be a very helpful way of reducing your scent trail!

I'll have much more on pre-season strategy and how this weather effects the deer movements and behaviors in future posts. Until then, it's time to rouse from the summer routine and prepare for hunting season! Happy scouting!