01/02/2022

Lily had an awesome hunt. We saw a ton of deer and last night she nailed a brute mature buck we called Buster. With her still in camp, I told Amy she needed to go with me and keep the hunt going. She’s been going this late season with her bow but we just didn’t have any spots where we were at all confident in her getting close enough with archery equipment. I knew…and I mean I just knew tonight would be another great night. The temps today were single digits and at quitting time it was forecast to be near or below zero. There was no way deer wouldn’t be congregated around standing grains. And we had standing grains.

I decided to take Amy to the farm where Lily and I have been getting “beefed” with all the loose cows. We had moved the blind the last time we were there and even though the cows were screwing things up, deer still had to come pouring into those beans tonight.

We got in the blind around 3:00. The temps were near zero, and there was no wind. Any wind that was around was from the west. That wasn’t so good. The soybeans we were hunting over were directly down wind of us….that’s something I avoid at all costs. But, with the season coming to an end soon, and the fact that we had an enclosed blind on that farm, I thought the plan would be to just keep everything buttoned up until it was time to pull the trigger.

Shortly after getting settled in deer started pouring in. Does and fawns and little bucks from just about every direction. They gorged themselves similar to what Lily and I saw the night before. But, they were nervous. It wasn’t our scent…it was them damn cows again. Every time the cows would move in the timber, the deer would spook a little. Some would even leave then come back. About 4:45 Amy saw a big deer in the draw to our west across a deep ditch that bordered the soybeans. It too was nervous and making his way away from us in that draw. MORE DAMN COWS! I was really getting disturbed now. But just as that first big deer went away, another appeared closer to us and started to cross the big ditch. “He’s coming right in Amy, it’s early, your gonna get a shot”. Then, the first big deer turned and came right at us too. It was the big 8 Lily and I had been hunting. So…we had a buck we call Crabby coming in and the big 8. Both bucks are mature. We glassed each deer, which is bigger? Does it really matter? Both are great deer…we decide which ever deer gives us the first good shot she’s going to take it.

Crabby crossed the ditch and is now on our side. He’s within range, maybe 125 yards, but in thick tall weeds. He needs to enter the soybeans. No doubt he will. As he walks toward us more he also turns west…now he’s directly down wind but the blind is holding our scent. At least for now. “When he steps into the beans, if he’s open Amy and broadside, I’ll lower that window. You need to be ready to kill him if he smells us”. She nods and knows the plan. Just then he turns and enter the beans and also turns broadside. He’s now just over 100 yards but in perfect position….the window is lowered…gun out! I hear the CLICK of the hammer on the muzzleloader and ask “Are you on him?” “Yes”….the buck is still walking so a stopping grunt is in order…meh..meh…MEH. Crabby stops CAPOWWW

Tonight was all together different than last night. Total smoke out. Deer were running everywhere. We lost him. “I was steady and right on him” Amy says. “He’s yours, You got him”

We went to the spot of the shot and there was good blood…and there he was. He tried going back in the direction he had come, but didn’t make it 20 yards. Crabby was down and Amy has her first Iowa buck!