Outside Iowa: Iowa’s Late Muzz: Bring on the bad weather
Maybe I’m a glutton for punishment, no wait – I am a glutton for punishment, no question about it! Either way, when it comes to Iowa’s late muzzleloader season, the nastier weather the better. I learned this lesson a few years ago when I went toe-to-toe with Mother Nature and came out on top.
I left the truck with the thermometer reading a balmy -16 degrees with a slight Northerly breeze making it feel even colder. I found a smoking hot standing cornfield that was attracting 60-80 deer nightly, including some nice bucks. There was an average of 12-18 inches of snow on the ground not including drifts and I knew these ingredients were perfect for catching a late season giant with his guard down.
I was prepared, both physically and mentally for battling the elements and managed to cut that frigged evening short by whacking a beautiful nine-pointer with just a few minutes of light left.
It was one of the coldest days I have ever spent in the woods, but it was still one of my favorite hunts of all time.
During the late season here in Iowa, the weather is the dominating factor for deer movement. The key, just like any type of whitetail hunting, is based on the effort you put into your preliminary preparation.
I really believe if you do your homework and patiently await the perfect conditions to move in and hunt, you could tag out after one or two hunts. I suggest hitting the road looking for an out of the way standing crop field and spend a couple of evenings watching what kind of deer show up.
Get permission, if you don’t already, and once you have the perfect wind, move in and set up early.
You’ll be surprised at how determined they are to get on the food during the evenings, but their pattern is still very sensitive and they won’t tolerate much intrusion. Keep the wind in your favor!
The way this season is shaping up, we might not even have much snow! It’s crazy to think about having a mild late muzzleloader, but I guess we are due for more mild conditions. For as long as I can remember, most of Iowa’s late seasons have been brutal but the hunting has been tremendous. After spending nearly every night of first and second shotgun scouting from the cab of my truck, the deer are still hitting the food pretty hard.
I have found that when daytime highs are fairly mild, you will see significant movement increases when the forecasted lows are in the teens or single digits. To say warm, they must maintain or increase their caloric intake and will be on the food if substantial cold is coming.
I have also learned that they won’t move as far to find a higher quality food source if there isn’t too much snow. This will keep some of your traditional bedding and rutting areas good for the late season. I will typically give these spots a week after shotgun season ends before I go back in there to let the deer recover from the pressure. Once things have settled down, those late season timber sits can be outstanding.
The more scouting you can put in, the better off you will be. I know that can be easier said that done sometimes, but the cliché “scout twice as much as you hunt” really rings true this time of year.
If the weather turns ugly, bundle up and prepare yourself mentally for a cold sit and you will be rewarded. Cold nasty weather is a late season hunter’s best friend. But, if we get milder conditions, revert back to your productive bowhunting sets and you should be in the money!
From my family to yours, have a Merry Christmas and remember Jesus is the reason for the season!
Live It Up
Thomas resides with his wife and two children in Guthrie Center, Iowa. He is a professional outdoor writer, photographer, videographer, and outdoor talk radio show host; for more information visit www.outdoorpursuitsradio.com. If you have questions or comments feel free to e-mail Thomas at tha481@gmail.com