Iowa Deer

I just got back from Iowa last night. I shot a hammer of a buck on Wed evening.. the last 20 minutes of the last day. Weather was warm the first two days...then it was wet and windy the 3rd day...cold and windy the 4th day ..and then just cold and sunny on the fifth and last day.

He is very wide and tall...scores right at about 170 inches gross B&C. He is a mainframe 10 point with a huge kicker off is right brow tine and a small split G3 on the left side. Tines are really long and the brow tines are very long and heavy as as well. Inside spread was right at 19 6/8 inches. The body was immense. I have shot deer in Iowa that were about 270 pounds and this guy was every bit as big. The outfitter is suppose to send me field pictures as it was dark when he came to pick me up so we used the spotlights on his truck..

He came out walking slowly behind a doe....not sure she was in heat or not. The shot was 123 yards and I was using my Thompson ProHunter with a 250 grain Barnes tipped expander and three 50gr WhiteHot pellets. Dropped him in his tracks with a high shoulder shot which is what I typically aim for with these big Iowa deer if the shot is under 150 yards. It anchors them on the spot.

I will post more pictures when the outfitter emails me the field photos.

BTW, the week before they shot a gross 191 net 184 out of the same ground blind....so I got the little guy.

Outstanding buck!!! Congrats

What a buck! Congrats

Wow. Great buck man. Congrats to you. Nothing like hunting those big Midwestern deer.

Congrats on great buck

Great buck!

Boy he looks a lot bigger with you holding the rack. Congrats..

Very nice deer!

Great buck! Congratulations! I'll take the small ones like that every year....

Hell of a deer congrats!!!!

Congrats on a great buck How cold did the temps finally get? It was really warm when I was in western Kansas for a couple of days at the start of rifle season. Weather very mild and along with the bright moon had deer shut down to mainly night movement.

great buck

Thanks to all for the nice comments....I will post a field shot when I get it from the outfitter.

This year I hunted the second shotgun season (I usually hunt the late muzzleloader season but this year there was some confusion so I ended up going out earlier) but I was using my muzzle loader. Dates were 12/13 -12/17.

First few days were in the 50's..... and in Iowa it is ALL ABOUT THE WEATHER. It finally got into the teens at night and 30's during the last two days.

I have an outstanding outfitter...very low pressure and he doesn't take a lot of hunters. He's booked through 2017 as I recall. I am booked for life in the late muzzleloader season... so my spot opens when I die. Last year took a 157+ and it was a bad year for most of the hunters ..... really unusual. The year before I shot a 170+ (with wind chill it was about 20 below) and they shot several deer that year over 165. The deer there are brutes in body size. I hate the cold, but you "gotta do what you gotta do."

Iowa Trophy Whitetail Outfitters

http://www.juddcooney.com/

Wow, heck of a deer. That second pic really brings out the true perspective, first pic doesnt give it near the justice it deserves..

Congrats.

Looks like a great place. Rates aren't that bad either.

They refuse to take a lot of hunters ... only 6 the first shotgun season, 6 the second shotgun season and then two groups of 5 during the late muzzleloader season. In Iowa bow tags are hard to draw so maybe 3-6 bow hunters for the season. They run an outstanding operation.

Here is another picture of the deer..still waiting for the field pics.

Congrats on a great buck!!!

Wow

What a great buck!

Awesome buck

Congrats on the monster!

Any idea what he weighed? I remember seeing at least one or two Iowa bucks weighing over 300 back when I lived in Missouri and covered those two states.

We did not weigh him. I have shot deer in Virginia that I have weighed on a scale at 175 pounds and 190 pounds dressed....these Iowa deer dwarf them. In Dec 2012 and Dec 2013 I killed the ones in the pictures below in the same area with the same outfitter. The outfitter who is pretty knowledgeable (you may recognize the name Judd Cooney) figured they were both about 245-250 dressed. This 2014 deer was every bit as large and the neck was huge...the picture of the deer in the sled is very deceiving.

Here is a pic off the deer they shot during the first Iowa shotgun season...grossed 191 and had 6" bases.

He's a great buck...he definitely would be getting a shoulder mount if I'd shot him ...