Extreme Weather will Impact Iowa Archers

From late spring snow to early 100s then record cool this summer and back to an incredible heat wave -this year we've seen it all it seems. This is taking it's toll not only on area farms, our state's Whitetail population has been enduring all of these extremes.

As we approach the archery season, not only should Iowa bowhunters be prepared for just about every type of weather, we'll have to deal with some big challenges with the Whitetail habitat this year.

Heavy soaking rains flooded farm fields most of the spring. In addition, that record May snow retarded soil temps and the combination delayed planting. Many corn fields went in several weeks late. This will push harvest back into the middle of rut for some, and it means a golden jungle of crunchy cornstalks until then. Where standing corn may pose a giant road block for some, others see this as an opportunity. The extensive security habitat is going to make it tougher to see, but it also makes big bucks feel pretty darn comfortable. They may be patternable well into the pre-rut phase

This latest dry spell is now a full fledged drought. Drought conditions are often accompanied by extremely hot temps and whereas the Iowa State Fair was nice, the end of August will feature heat for the record books. Hot and dry weather take their toll, and water sources will turn back into a hot commodity for hunters in the early season.

Vegetation is also being degraded by this heat, and this is changing the preferred browse for Whitetail. Acorns are falling and have been in some areas since the beginning of August. That oak stand might just be dynamite by opening day... or it might already be cleaned out as the trees give up on this year.

As we sizzle outside with some serious late season heat in August and early September, it may be important to look back at this year's tendency and history in general. This year has been predominantly cool with Des Moines' average temp is 4 degrees cooler than the normal value. There have been several instances where late season heat reverted into early frost, freeze and even snow! Click here for more.

Whether it's an early season snow and bitter cold surge followed by a mini heat wave or just the standing corn that's hiding a herd of deer from your view - extreme weather will impact Iowa archers this year. It might be time to learn how to still hunt a cornfield!

Fair Weather

It's that time again! The Iowa State Fair is in full swing, and I'm very excited it's here.

It seemed as if the entire state was at the fair on Friday, August 9th.
This year will feature very enjoyable weather.

The excitement is partially because of the fun fair food, but mostly because that means it's time to gear up for another hunting season here in Iowa!

This year's fair will feature a below average temperatures along-side below average precipitation. Ironically not that much different from last years below average fair-time weather and we can thank the Jet Stream.

We are drying out again with many locations in central and
western Iowa 6" to 8" below average since June 1.

It all began during the 2nd half of July when the Jet Stream pattern shifted into fall gear. This has brought down weekly intrusions of cool air straight from the top of Canada! We've felt record cold lows mixed with mild afternoons, and to be honest, it's been rather refreshing. While we've been cool, northern reaches of interior Alaska have been baking near 90! Last week, Ft. Yukon topped 88F, and that extreme heat along the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains has tipped our temperature teeter-totter. The cold that is normally present in the northern reaches is pushed aside by that unusual northern heat, and it comes rushing into Iowa!

Although not unheard of, this early Fall pattern has brought unusually
cool air to Iowa.

I expect the pattern to continue for a little while, but that heat is on the move. It will take a week to 10 days, but it appears the middle to end of August will live up to the hot hype and summer will make another stand.

Like last year, acorns are dropping early in some spots. Whether its the
recent dry spell or the cool, this is sure to affect your
early season hunting spots.

Don't be surprised if this fall is as wild as last fall was! Iowa will once again be in line for some pretty extreme swings. We'll talk about that trend and I'll give this season's long-shot forecast within a few weeks. Until then, have a great time at the Iowa State Fair. Bow season is only 7 weeks away!

Livin' the Mid-Summer's Dream

Well now, I knew I had fallen off the wagon, but I had no idea it had been nearly two months since the last post! My apologies to the faithful readers who were forced to sift through the archives. I'll try not to let this happen again ;-)

Like the rain, my outdoors experiences have been in a dry spell.

Much like the blogging, my outdoors experiences have fallen victim to the ruthless nature of "life" in modern America. That camping trip, those fishing plans, the deer scouting all has taken a back seat  to home improvement, family vacations and the dreaded responsibility. I keep wondering, is this what happens? Is this what takes hunters out of the tree stand, and anglers off the bass? Is this what growing up is going to be for me?

Boaters recreating on a sandbar. A little slice of the outdoors right here in the Metro.

After much consideration, I'll have to admit -I don't like it. I've decided to make more time for the outdoors experience, because that perfect day on the water isn't just going to magically fit into my schedule. That means I'll have to tackle that rainy day and brave the inclimate outdoors on the next trip. If I don't, I'm afraid the rods and tents will just sit in the corner collecting more dust. So I made time for fishing last Saturday and was blessed with a mid-summer's dream.

Beached and bottom fishing while I re-rigged my neglected tackle.

Fishing can be slow in the heat of an Iowa summer, so I slowed down to enjoy it. Drift fishing past log jams and rock piles, I finally locked onto a pattern. I had gone through the stinkbait, shad and turned to spinners. It turns out a beetlespin with an over-sized dark body and a Colorado blade slow fished with the current is irresistable to smallmouth and largemouth on the river. The bite didn't heat up until the sun went down and the shadows of the trees stretched out into the river. Once it was on, it didn't stop until the setting sun shut us down. It was so relaxing and rewarding to be reunited with the river and the trees, I can't wait to return.

Heather dragging me out of the outdoors as the summer sunlight wanes.

So please get out there and enjoy your own mid-summer's dream. There's no time like now and Fall will be here all too soon. October 1st is on my horizon so it's all good to me, but I'm still aiming to make s'more summer memories before this one slips out of my grasp!

Changing Seasons

Memorial Day Weekend was a soggy "start" to summer with some areas topping a foot of rainfall! This prompted flash flooding and even stranded campers at Rock Creek and Springbrook.Thankfully the waters are receding, and the season is changing closer to a true summer pattern.

Summertime brings about an end to morel season, but a beginning to fishing season! A few weeks ago I was able to blend the two quite nicely with a few sunset crappie ahead of one of those rainstorms. Some of the best weather I have fished happens in the hours or even minutes before a storm. This seems like an appropriate time to remind ya'll that if you can hear the thunder, you can be struck by lightning and it is not safe to fish in a thunderstorm.

When either a large scale storm, or a smaller band of thunderstorms is working closer, barometric pressure levels often fluctuate. I am a firm believer in most wildlife having an acute sense of changing barometric conditions. Whether it be Whitetail or Black Crappie, game seem to move and forage heavily when a storm moves in. Fish in particular respond to changing light levels with an increase in activity. Lower light levels tend to help fish move further from structure and up off the bottom increasing their catch-ability.

Crappie caught on a slow retrieved beetle-spin
with a big Colorado blade.

Heather and I tested this theory last weekend with that slow moving storm. Once we patterned the fish, we couldn't keep them off the hook. Under low barometric pressure and considerable clouds; White Bass, Channel Catfish and Walleye all were biting below Red Rock on the Des Moines River.

14" to 16" Whites, Walleye and a small Channel tasted great next to the campfire!

We threw a lot of lures, but finally found that crankbaits thrown cross-current or up-stream especially silver or blue were just irresistible. We also discovered that drifting minnows or worms on a bobber in the eddies or backwaters were sure-fire fillet finders for Channel Cats and Gar... if you're into that sort of thing. If what you're trying doesn't work, take five and watch the old guys. Then copy what they do... it works ;-)

A 16" White bass is one tough fighting fish!

I encourage everyone to spread the word about the state-wide free fishing weekend. It's this weekend, June 7, 8 & 9. Take a neighbor or a friend who doesn't have a license and introduce them to the fun of summer fishing in Iowa. Good luck!

Ah, yes... Summer fishing in Iowa!