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Giant Deer of Iowa are rapidly becoming a past memory

T

thecreedeer

Member
When I first started deer hunting in the mid 80's any magazine that had an article about giant deer Iowa was always in the forefront. As bowhunting became more popular so did the stories of the record class deer that were harvested here. Every serious whitetail hunter dreamed at a chance to hunt the legendary deer of Iowa. Without a doubt there is a steady decline of record class deer that were at one time much more abundant. I consider myself a Whitetail fanatic and seems that hunters of the same mindset all seem to know each other or recognize the names of the other serious whitetail hunters in our state. Being that my life revolves around whitetails, I never pass an opportunity to talk to hunters about deer hunting. The truth is, I have not spoken to a single hunter who does not share the same findings. The older deer hunters tell me stories of the 90's and remind that I have no idea how good it was in that time period unless you were here. The deer, plentiful food, picture perfect landscape that is made for growing the ultimate Whitetail. Why are the monster bucks disappearing? One could argue that a long period of EHD has taken its toll on our deer population and our bucks age structure has still not recovered. I know that a valid argument is simple BAD MANAGEMENT, but I do believe that is only part of the problem and it's really not that simple. At risk of sounded like part of the older generation with memories of yesteryear, we as hunters have to look at deer hunting in the year 2025 and moving forward. A whitetail deer to reach record class needs genetics, food, cover and more importantly the ability to reach the age of 5 or more. We have 3 of the 4 but the ability for a deer to reach the right age in this state is difficult. The odds are against a buck making it through a deer season and that is reality. I believe if we look at deer hunting today, we have firearms that are far more accurate than the rifled shotgun slugs Iowans were bound to, cellular trail cameras with live feed or real time connections, drones, electric bikes and I am sure I am forgetting a few things. The odds are the deer does not make maturity. I know that other states who are surpassing Iowa with trophy deer have the same access to technology but in most cases have more restrictive limits on bucks. I strongly believe that the only thing that can ensure the existence of the record class deer of Iowa is to limit the buck harvest to one deer for all hunters including landowners. The hunters of Iowa can still harvest does and have the opportunities afield, but a one buck limit would change the state rather quickly. I do realize that there are a large number of deer hunters that have no real interest in antlers, but the doe harvest and deer hunting is still available for those who want to hunt. I don't want to make my opinion seem that we are in a race to compete with other states, but I think we all have a bit of those whitetail dreams. I do hope this point hits home for some of our community.
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No doubt giant bucks are extremely rare now. It’s not just Iowa, it’s everywhere. I think technology is the biggest contributing factor. Mainly cell cams, crossbows(where legal), and long range muzzleloaders. It’s made hunting too easy and unfortunately most hunters want easy. I talk to serious hunters in Iowa all the time, on some of the best farms around. Almost all say I don’t have a good buck to hunt this year. I sure hope something changes and we can get that opportunity again some day.
 
If we get rid of cell cams we would regain a little momentum in the high end trophy caliber. It would take 15-20% of todays hunters out. It would make it harder and the small pieces would go back to being un hunted as the thought would be "there's no big deer in there anyway". It easy to throw a cell cam up and if a good up and comer is there he's not hiding anymore. It's a nice idea, however, it would be nearly impossible to scale back cell cams. Will never happen but it would help significantly.

It's important to remember most of the giants that were getting killed or seen back in early to mid 2000's didn't have huge head gear from year to year. It was the nice 165-170 3-4 year old bucks that would make an insane jump the following year. Now those 3-4 year old deer aren't making it to another year because cell cams have made it 1) tell the hunter he's there and 2) make hunters more efficient. I think people often view the early to mid 2000's and giant deer with over 200 inches of rack year after year. When in reality that just wasn't the case. A small percentage of deer have amazing genetics in them and in one growing year can make absolute insane jumps.

I use cell cams on my farms. I'm 100% the pot calling the kettle black here. But I do think Iowa's trophy deer herd would improve if he banned them.
 
Remember back then, when every woodlot had 3-5 hunters but no cameras.... now every woodlot has 3-5 cameras and no hunters. Everyone wants to talk about 1 buck, minimum parcel size, blah blah blah.. Cell cams NEED to go. I recently saw an article where a guy was going on a Elk hunt, but his cell camera went off so he drove overnight to kill a 200" deer...
My grandpa has a 200" on the wall from 91, and he still chuckles and says he was just meat hunting and didnt really care... now we all seem to care what we shoot because of... SOCIAL MEDIA... if I dont shoot a X size deer, oh my they are going to poke fun...
 
abell3 said:
If we get rid of cell cams we would regain a little momentum in the high end trophy caliber. It would take 15-20% of todays hunters out. It would make it harder and the small pieces would go back to being un hunted as the thought would be "there's no big deer in there anyway". It easy to throw a cell cam up and if a good up and comer is there he's not hiding anymore. It's a nice idea, however, it would be nearly impossible to scale back cell cams. Will never happen but it would help significantly.

It's important to remember most of the giants that were getting killed or seen back in early to mid 2000's didn't have huge head gear from year to year. It was the nice 165-170 3-4 year old bucks that would make an insane jump the following year. Now those 3-4 year old deer aren't making it to another year because cell cams have made it 1) tell the hunter he's there and 2) make hunters more efficient. I think people often view the early to mid 2000's and giant deer with over 200 inches of rack year after year. When in reality that just wasn't the case. A small percentage of deer have amazing genetics in them and in one growing year can make absolute insane jumps.

I use cell cams on my farms. I'm 100% the pot calling the kettle black here. But I do think Iowa's trophy deer herd would improve if he banned them.
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I don't think it would be impossible to roll back cell cams, I think it'd be fairly easy. The way the law currently reads, I think they are already illegal to use in aiding of taking a deer, it just needs to be enforced. If you make the fine stiff enough (loss of hunting privileges for a year as an example) most will not risk it. I think the biggest barrier to limiting cell cam use is companies that sell trail cameras and cell plans using their clout to influence law makers.
 
The biggest problem I see is the increase in hunters that shoot bucks based on inches.

Your biggest 2-3 year olds just aren't surviving in the numbers that they used to while bucks that will never surpass 130" are getting the pass.
 
Two words: High Grading. There's is one thing about deer that I wished I never learned and that is the fact that only 3 out of 10 bucks are above average from an antler standpoint. The book, Strategic Harvest System: How to Break Through the Buck Management Glass Ceiling, outlines this fact and how a herd should be managed if you want next level bucks. Concept is easy, but not realistic in all but the largest management blocks IMO.

Bucks are definitely getting to 5 years old, even in MO, which has far more pressure than Iowa. I’ve been hunting in extreme Northern Missouri since 2005, and we still have plenty of bucks reaching 5 years old. The problem now, is it’s far more of the “wrong” ones getting to 5. I haven’t had a next level buck to hunt in MO since 2018. High grading!
Everyone is selective now, BUT not selective enough. They select the 140’s plus 3 and 4 year olds when they used to shoot the first decent buck and be done. Hunters are too good at killing them now: cell cams, everyone now has standing grain for late season, improved weapons, EHD, youth seasons, and in MO you can add crossbows, longer gun seasons, multiple youth seasons, over the counter tags, DNR sharp shooting, etc.

Twice in the last 2 days I’ve had Youtube videos on my feed where guys got cell pics of their target one night, packed up and drove hours from another state, then killed them the next day. I’d support banning cell cams.

I believe MO is a lost cause, but IMO, if the population in Iowa was allowed increase significantly, the numbers game becomes a win for the bucks. Iowa is killing ½ as many deer now days as they killed back around 2008 which translates into about ½ as many deer on the landscape today. With all else equal, more bucks = more of the right bucks getting to 5 and 6.
 
MN Slick said:
Two words: High Grading. There's is one thing about deer that I wished I never learned and that is the fact that only 3 out of 10 bucks are above average from an antler standpoint. The book, Strategic Harvest System: How to Break Through the Buck Management Glass Ceiling, outlines this fact and how a herd should be managed if you want next level bucks. Concept is easy, but not realistic in all but the largest management blocks IMO.

Bucks are definitely getting to 5 years old, even in MO, which has far more pressure than Iowa. I’ve been hunting in extreme Northern Missouri since 2005, and we still have plenty of bucks reaching 5 years old. The problem now, is it’s far more of the “wrong” ones getting to 5. I haven’t had a next level buck to hunt in MO since 2018. High grading!
Everyone is selective now, BUT not selective enough. They select the 140’s plus 3 and 4 year olds when they used to shoot the first decent buck and be done. Hunters are too good at killing them now: cell cams, everyone now has standing grain for late season, improved weapons, EHD, youth seasons, and in MO you can add crossbows, longer gun seasons, multiple youth seasons, over the counter tags, DNR sharp shooting, etc.

Twice in the last 2 days I’ve had Youtube videos on my feed where guys got cell pics of their target one night, packed up and drove hours from another state, then killed them the next day. I’d support banning cell cams.

I believe MO is a lost cause, but IMO, if the population in Iowa was allowed increase significantly, the numbers game becomes a win for the bucks. Iowa is killing ½ as many deer now days as they killed back around 2008 which translates into about ½ as many deer on the landscape today. With all else equal, more bucks = more of the right bucks getting to 5 and 6.
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I don't think hunters are too good... I just think hunting has become easier ;) LOL

Without trail cams, most would fail or simply not go. And you're completely right about the high grading... the wrong deer are getting shot. Years and years of killing the best bucks from a younger age class is what hurts things.

Gosh, things have sure changed. I'm just so numb to social media crap anymore. Seeing a giant buck someone (that I don't know) just killed does ZERO for me anymore. I'm really tired of reading posts from guys that have killed a 200" deer, talking as if they've just won an Oscar and go through "thanking the Academy"...blah blah blah... guess I just needed to vent this morning :)
 
I tried to sound the alarm on cell cameras when they first came out. They've had the greatest impact on buck harvest...especially when they got down to $100 / each or so. About anyone can afford that. Drones are the next big thing...the only saving grace (right now!) is the price tag. But, they could be the next gamechanger.

And yes, I also concur on the high grading that has taken place in areas.
 
You guys should see Ohio. Cell cams and corn piles everywhere, public land overrun with non residents during the rut. Local guys don't stand a chance if you can't lease or own property outright.

I have a tag to hunt Iowa for the first time this year, and just the thought of limited non residents has me jacked up. I have nothing against non res, as I'll be one myself obviously in Iowa, but some of these people that show up in Ohio for the cheap OTC tags are enough to drive you crazy.
 
I dont think cell cams are as big of an issue as people say, IMO. Yes, there are deer that get killed because of the cam, but not thousands and thousands of them.

IMO the biggest culprit why it has dropped off is the prevalence EHD. In the past 15 years we can't go even 3-4 years without a big ehd kill. So just to get a buck to 5 due to EHD is tough anymore. Just think if we didnt have round after round of EHD how many more deer and bucks would be on the landscape right now. Its not just killing bucks before they reach a mature age, but all the does that are killed by it are not producing bucks because they died too. Literally thousands upon thousands of deer have been killed by ehd in the past 15 years. Tough to get a good number of bucks to 4, 5, 6, 7 with EHD hitting every few years.

*Edit-Other thing is how many b&c deer are not getting entered? I wouldnt be surprised if its less than 50% anymore.
 
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hesseu said:
I tried to sound the alarm on cell cameras when they first came out. They've had the greatest impact on buck harvest...especially when they got down to $100 / each or so. About anyone can afford that. Drones are the next big thing...the only saving grace (right now!) is the price tag. But, they could be the next gamechanger.

And yes, I also concur on the high grading that has taken place in areas.
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Multiple good and valid points being made here IMO...but I am in the "cell cams changed it the most" camp and I don't think it is even close...IMO.
 
I would argue that EHD has had the biggest impact in Iowa …My area in Western IA had it fairly bad, & it’s still recovering .

Cell cams yes, but fancy blinds and corn/bean brassica plots do not help either ! How many top end bucks are killed late season over standing corn or beans? That was rarely the case in the 1990s.
 
Hardwood11 said:
I would argue that EHD has had the biggest impact in Iowa …My area in Western IA had it fairly bad, & it’s still recovering .

Cell cams yes, but fancy blinds and corn/bean brassica plots do not help either ! How many top end bucks are killed late season over standing corn or beans? That was rarely the case in the 1990s.
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In a given localized area, I agree that EHD can override everything else, at least for a 2-4 year period. But my observations are reflective of areas that haven't had as much EHD, or any to speak of. The BIG bucks are much more scarce in all areas than yesteryear...without the impact of EHD. FWIW. There are no, and there haven't been for a few years now, ANY "surprise" bucks. Seemingly EVERYONE knows about a big one and if just one of those people is willing to crack it that year...well it isn't there next year.

The efficiency of any given hunter, due largely to trail and especially cell cams, is just so high these days that any "marked" beast that travels, say, a mile one way or the other, is known to multiple people.
 
Many valid points: cell cams, disease, etc. One not mentioned is the removal of the larger buck genetics through harvest prior to breeding. What would happen if there were no hunting seasons until after breeding? Not only would it allow for the passage of genetics, but it may also prevent smaller, or less desirable trait bucks from breeding. Would not be popular but could help if the goal is better genetics. And "most" bow and early muzzleloader hunters are focused on larger bucks, not population control (doe harvesting).
 
If there is any takeaway from this topic is: there is no one reason.

Technology, better/ more efficient weapons and I think the main reason is...
Those of us that have tighty controlled properties.
Few people that don't have that control are not gonna be shooting good bucks every year.

And I have never put a buck or bear in the " book". Guessing most of us don't unless it was many years ago?
 
All the "guru's" started touting "MRI" (Most recent information) when cell cam's came out. The fact is, bucks became extremely patternable because this "MRI". Prior to this, cams had to be placed in areas where if you wanted "MRI" you wouldn't disturb or blow the area out if you wanted to check frequently. Or, you just let it sit for a month or so and go back and check and use that information for next year...or see what you missed :) Now, you have no need to check because it is sent right to you. Heck, we've even got live camera's now...and today, this one is $40

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No doubt record book buck harvest is down since the 1990's. However, I can guarantee you that Iowa has significantly more record book bucks that are not being included in this data sheet. I'm guessing only around 50% of booners are entered in Iowa vs 95% in Wisconsin and surrounding states. Nobody wants to draw additional attention to your farm.
Ask Skip how many he registered between 2020-2023 shot off his farms. My guess is zero along with his neighbors.
 
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