Well the weather was crazy, from temps around the 0 mark up to 40, pouring rain, sleet, heavy snow and high winds all made for an interesting season. The deer were not moving much because of the weather but on the opening day it seemed I was in the one spot they were using. I'm sure I saw over 80 deer opening day and ended up shooting a strange buck. I was hunting the bottom of a drainage that is sheltered on both sides by lots of timber and steep hills. The west side is covered with cedars and the deer love to use that route when the weather gets nasty like it did. A piece of metal from the old barn roof actually ripped free on opening day and flew off! I got a lot of video of deer and turkeys on opener and passed on a few nice bucks. Then along came the buck I shot. His left side has the makings for a nice main frame 10 with a g2 starting to split. That's the angle I saw him coming from. Long story short, I was VERY surprised when I recovered the buck. It went on to the neighbors property. He runs an outfitting business so I called him and explained the situation. He came along with me and we found the deer. When we walked up to it I thought, "no way that's the buck I shot." It's right side was sticking out of the grass behind a windfall, showing all THREE points........Uhhht ohhh!!! I shot him at about 125 yards so I couldn't see his right side when I took the shot. I couldn't believe it. Once I got up to the buck I could tell it was indeed the one I shot. The left side developed really weird and the brow tine had been broken off. The buck also has an extra tine growing from the center of it's forehead. The outfitter said he has several tail cam pis of the buck and it has been seen cruising a large area. He also told me a client of his shot the buck in the left shoulder during bow season. There was a scar where the he said he hit the buck. Tough buck, lived through that. He wasn't what I expected when I shot but I'm still having him mounted just because he's a mutant buck and I've never shot anything quite like him before.

(Why do I always look so grumpy in deer pics?)








My doe. Second to the last day of the season (I think), I decided to walk the farm and collect our trail cams. I was also looking to fill my doe tag. The morning started out pouring rain and then it turned over to freezing rain then snow coming straght across. I could have used goggles to save my eyes when walking into the wind. I put on a lot of miles on the 1,200 acre farm collecting cams and looking for a doe. I still hunted the edeges of the drainages along the leeward side looking for deer seeking proctection from the elements. I jumped this doe at about 50 yards and she decided to make a go for it across a field. Didn't work out for her but she will make some tasty Iowa venison for my freezer.




My friend Dale and his awesome 176 3/8" droptine buck. We checked trail cams when we got down and got a picture of this buck on the property on december 2nd. The second day of the season My phone buzzed and it was Dale. In a very excited voice he said "Bring your knife, Droptine is down!" I packed up my gear and headed over to him and helped him get this great buck out of the woods. Dale truly deserved a great buck like this. I think he's been hunting this same drainage since 1996. The deer came in with a smaller buck and some does and was only 35 yards away when Dale spotted him, it came from behind his blind. He saw the droptine right away and knew it was the buck from the cam. He couldn't get the buck in his scope with the way his blind was positioned. He ended up pulling back inside the blind and knowingly shooting right though the side of it. The buck was at such an angle he didn't have any other options at the time. So he said to himslef, "goodbye blind" and let one rip. Perfect shot, busting through the lungs. The buck made it about 40 yards and piled up in some thick stuff on the forzen creek bed.

What a great buck.










Things could be changing for us on the farm and I'm not too sure how many more years we'll be able to keep hunting it. It's such an awesome place to hunt I would hate to lose it. Our friend that owns the property is one of the nicest guys you could ever meet and we really enjoy our time there. The biggest cost of the trip for us is the price of our tags and license. You cross that magic line to the west of my stand and you're looking at $3,500 for 5 days with an outfitter + your lic and tags. We all know what great thing we have here and I pray it continues for us for many years.



It was another great year in Iowa with some super memories, I try not to take any of them for granted.

Nice deer Steve! Your buck is cool - you could call it the unicorn buck or the trihorn. Dale's is pretty awesome too, glad you had a great trip!

nice story- Glad you both got a nice one

wow steve that is a great hunt. cant ask for anything better, 2 nice bucks and a doe. way to go. your buck is pretty cool looking and dales is an awesome droptine buck too

congrats on a great buck for you and dale and the doe
sounds like a place to go

Sounds Like it was one heck of a fun trip to Iowa. Congrats to you both!!

Thanks for sharing the story.


Sounds like a great time, congrats on your kills.

Wb
congrats on your sucsess

xx

Congrats On a Great Buck and story Steve. Tell your friend Dale that I said Congrats on a awesome Droptine.

Congrats on the nice buck. Sounds like a good time.

Congrats to you and your hunting buddy on some great deer. Both bucks are awesome and some good storys and pics to go along with them!

a unicorn looking buck! way to go team mate!...
sounds like an awesome trip!

Those are some VERY NICE BUCKS!!!

very bucks great story

Great buck and doe Trophy! It looks like you had one heck of a trip. Your buddy's buck is just awesome too congrats to him.

Great bucks and stories Steve..