Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

Season dilemma... Muzzleloader?

Cornfed

Cornfed

Bowhunting Addict
Guys I have a serious dilemma...... I love to muzzleloader hunt (old style... iron sights)... do I go early season (thus eliminating my ability to go out during the shotgun season with my frontloader, or do I hold out and go during the shotgun season?)..... I have lived in Iowa less than 1 year so any experienced opinions is appreciated. (I just called the local sportshop and they said there are plenty of early season tags still available)....... I also have concerns about disturbing my hunting area before the pre-rut/rut... my first love is bowhunting
 
Your last statement said all you need to know. Use the smokepole during shotgun or the late muzzleloading season. I certainly would not want to risk disturbing my hunting area prior to the early November rut.
 
AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE EARLY SEASON DEER MOVEMENTS HAVE BEEN HINDERED MORE OR LESS BY THE UNUSUALLY WARM TEMPERATURES IN PAST YEARS AND WILL BY THE FORECASTS THUS FAR WE WILL BE IN A SIMILIAR PATTERN AGAIN THE WINTER. WITH TEMPERATURES SOMETIMES REACHING THE MID 80'S THOSE BIG BOYS DON'T MOVE DURING THE DAY SO WHY HUNT THEM THEN.
SOME GUYS IN MY GROUP HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO HUNT ARCHERY SEASON AND COME HOME EMPTY ONLY TO GO BACK OUT IN LATE DECEMBER AND SCORE ON A DECENT BUCK OR AT LEAST SEE MORE. GO FIGURE ?? SO, THIS SEASON WE ALL GOT LATE SEASON MUZZELLOADER TAGS WHICH WE FEEL VERY COFIDENT TO BE ABLE TO DO WELL SO AS LONG THE WEATHER COOPERATES. GOOD LUCK
 
Thanks guys,... some great thoughts. I think I will likely go for the 1st season shotgun with my frontloader...... I hate to risk disturbing my area prior to the rut......
 
I hunted the early muzzleloader season the first couple of years it became available...weather conditions are excellent, trying to see long distances is something else. Most crops are not out, leaves haven't fallen...you'll be lucky to see 1/3 of what you'll see later in the season.
 
Well cornfed, my 1st love also is bowhunting. I used to slug hunt with a real safe group, however I got tired of the crowds and only shooting my own deer about every 3rd year, so I took up muzzleloader hunting during the special seasons. I enjoy both the early and late season for different reasons, but my favorite is probably late season. After carrying that bow for 2-3 months, a muzzle loader feels like a piece of heavy artiliery. Plus something about carrying a Hawken in the cold & snow in January makes me feel almost like I went back 150 years in time. I like the early season because it gives me a week to do some pre-rut scouting in some of the public hunting areas that I normally do not bow hunt.

IaCraig
 
My experience, for what it's worth is usually a crops situation. If it appears to be an early harvest then giddy-up. This is one of the luxuries now of being able to wait until the last minute (almost) to buy your tag instead of commiting months in advance like in the past. I don't know how many times I've had big bucks just out of bow range during the early muzzle season. Does it ruin your bow season if you shoot a Booner with a muzzleloader during early season? Only you can decide, all seasons have there pro's and con's. First season muzzle is the first chance at unmolested deer with a firearm.
But then again 1st shotgun is pretty good, but then again late muzzleloader can be good but then again...
Pupster
 
I've hunted both seasons off and on since 1990. Both can be hard to hunt if you are looking for a big'un.
Last season I hunted late season. But while bow hunting during the early muzzleloader season I rattled in 5 bucks in three days. Two of P&Y class.
Wait until the 7 day forecast comes out and then pick up a tag if you like the report, if not hold off. I would hunt late season rather than during any shotgun season. (Don't like to be in the woods with guys who only handel a gun 2 or 3 days a year)
If you hunt early season you will have a good chance at finding the resident bucks. As long as you don't slob hunt the doe's should stay in the area. The biggest bucks are not on their home turf during the rut, so the goal then is to hunt around the doe's. I would'nt pass up the early BP season to go first shotgun.
rockband.gif
 
Thanks for all the input guys !!!...... I seem to be changing my mind daily...... having no experience hunting Iowa during the shotgun seasons, I guess I do not know what to expect. I am hunting private ground where there is not suppose to be others hunting, however, I may be surprised by the 'spillover' of hunters from surrounding farms...... I may seriously consider the late muzzleloader season.......
 
I have hunted the early muzzleloader season several times. There are pros and cons in my mind. I think it depends upon what you want as to whether it is the season for you. I like it, but do not consider it a prime big buck time. I am not doing it this year because if you get that early license you can get no other gun license.

Pros -
1. Beautiful time of the year to be in the woods and enjoy the fall weather.

2. Does and fawns are on feeding patterns, I usually have no trouble seeing lots of good does during this season.

3. Deer are spread out and can be hunted lots of places. ( I think they are more bunched during the late season and they may just be on land that you can't hunt, limiting your opportunities.)

Cons -
1. Usually still a lot of corn standing, spreads the deer out.

2. It has been awful warm three of the last four years during this season. This suppresses deer movement and the enjoyment of the fall weather change.

3. Heavy leaf cover restricts visibility too.

Big bucks can be had though, I know a guy who shot a 184+ inch buck last year during the early season. Tip - hunt freshly harvested corn fields during this season, the deer usually pile into a field that was just opened up. I had one of my most enjoyable hunts several years back when I stalked a bunch of deer in a fresh cut corn field and then shot one at about 8 paces, face to face on the ground. That was probably my best stalk ever, a real thrill.
tongue.gif
 
We'll just consider this a "post script" from my earlier post. If you want to hunt deer that are patternable Late or Early season Muzzle would be best I would guess. Forget about patterns once the shotguns start up. You'll probably see plenty of deer during the shotgun season though most will be alerted and probably running. I have a good feel for all of the seasons and all can be great/poor. I've hunted all of them at one time or another.

Early Muzzle (I video this season for my brother now) can be very hot, lots of foliage, lots of crops and heavy with skeeters. But if the weather cooperates you can see some pretty good pre-rut activity. Basically you've got the timber to yourself,seriously.

Late season (I personally hunt this one) I feel the more ground you have permission on the better. Not all ground that held deer early holds deer this time of year, from my experience. The same properties though seem to hold them from year to year late. If it appears your ground is holding deer expect very patternable, very cautious deer,totally on a feeding binge with sporatic rut activity, these deer are by now means easy. Expect sub zero temps, nasty wind chills and lots of usually crunchy snow (throw last year out). I think this season gives Canada a run for there money as far as adverse conditions. I think it was 2 years ago I couldn't harly get to my hunting areas due to the 3' of snow everywhere, couldn't even park in the field entrances! It was terrible but I loved it!
Good Luck deciding
Pupster
 
I've hunted all the seasons as well and got tired of party hunting during shotgun season. With an inline with a good scope, shotgun might be ok, but there is no method to their madness once they've been pushed from a timber. Plus the time period is so short.
I prefer early muzzleloader because they are still in their feeding patterns and the last three bucks I've shot have been under 40 yards. Set up near some good oaks or on a trail 25-50 yards in from a cornfield and enjoy the show. Visibility may be worse but that translates into more cover and closer shots. I think a lot of people like late muzzleloader because it offers a chance to take that buck that was just out of bow range during the rut and it gives you plenty of time to hunt. Good luck any way you go at it...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom