Rut Report and Big Bucks – November 23
Posted By
Bill Winke
at
11/23/2010 12:00:00 AM
Seems that I may have missed a wide open window yesterday evening. The temperature dropped by 30 degrees in about two hours Monday afternoon. I was hunting one of my best stands, but all I saw was four or five does. However, Steve Hanson, who owns an outfitting business in this area, and two of his clients all killed great mature bucks that evening. The bucks were all heading toward food where they may have been intent on feeding or looking for does, but the point is, they were on their feet during daylight hours – that is quite a novelty in itself this year.
 |
| Steve Hanson with the buck he shot Nov. 22 along a standing cornfield. The buck gross scores nearly 200 inches. |
Steve’s buck was huge, grossing just under 200 inches. It is a deer he and a couple of his friends have been hunting for three years. Actually, he shot the deer on a farm bordering one I used to co-own. (I seem to find a way to sell all the good ones!) The buck has nearly 50 inches of mass in his eight circumference measurements, making him one of the heaviest antlered bucks I have seen in a long time. It was at least 7 1/2 years old based on the collection of shed antlers Steve, his friends and the neighbor have put together from this deer. It is an amazing trophy!
I was able to photograph one of Steve clients, Jim Grahm, with his buck, as well. This one was also fully mature – another great buck. The third buck reportedly grossed
over 170. (I didn’t get a chance to see it.) So for those saying that the week of Thanksgiving is a great time to catch mature bucks on their feet, I am sure that Steve and his clients would be the first to agree. There is no question that November 22 will remain in their memories for a long time.
 |
| Jim Grahm shot this buck Nov. 22, as well. It is a mature buck that was approaching a feeding area when he came past Jim’s stand. |
Congratulations guys.
For my part, I will keep hunting mornings and evenings for a few more days and then around November 27, or so, I’ll stop hunting mornings in favor of getting back to work and will focus entirely on evening hunts near food from that point until the firearms season opens on December 4.
I hope my update at least offers some inspiration. I am still hunting hard and in need of a little inspiration myself at this point. It was good to see some giant bucks on the ground. Now I know what they look like.
Good luck and hunt safe.
Footnote: Steve Hanson runs Straight Arrow Outfitters and also sells recreational land in southern Iowa. I have never hunted with Steve but I can certainly vouch for the quality of the farms he hunts as they are some of the best in the area. If you are interested in hunting with him or in looking at some hunting land you can call him at (641) 799-2449 or e-mail him at iowasch@gmail.com.
