Just got home from hunting my friend and mentors place in Iowa. I hunted there three years ago. John Vargo and I hunted from Nov. 6 til the 12. We hunted in snow, 40 mph winds, 60 degrees and everything in between. We had bucks chasing, tending and fighting just about the hole mix of the rut. On 11-11-11 I got to try out my new Schafer zebrawood longbow limbs (53@29.5, making a 64inch bow). At 6:35am he was my first customer of the day. Took him through both lungs at 14 yards with a 30" 35-55 Gold tip traditional and 175gr woodsman head for a total weight 485gr. The arrow only made it to the fletching. He busted the arrow and bent the broadhead with his off leg. His live weight was 182lbs.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/JHarper/nov11a0212.jpg)
SE Iowa in the rut is a bowhunters dream. If you ever get a chance to hunt it, don't miss it.
Jeff
Awesome!
Very nice deer. Congrats!
Planning on returning to Iowa in 2013.
Nice buck! I've lived in Iowa all of my life and never killed one as nice. SE IA is a great place to hunt, especially if you have an in with a landowner. I hope you enjoyed your time here!
Great looking buck!! Congratulations
Glenn
Nice Buck and Nice Bow. I'd be grinnin ear to ear also!
That is a beauty for sure!!
Congratulations on the beautiful buck! What a dandy!
Nice buck and story. You're right, it probably is a bowhunters dream...a place most of us can only dream about. Congratulations and way to take advantage of the opportunity.
Nice One, Congrats!
Great deer!! Good job!
Nook I can always count on you! Great job and that Silvertip is looking good!
Looks like you have Cool Springs Bragging Rights for the year...so far... :bigsmyl: :bigsmyl:
Congrats on a great buck buddy!
Nice buck, sounds like a fun hunt.
Nice deer sir! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Beautiful buck and bow,Congrats!! :archer:
Nook.Congrats..Thats the way to do it Bud.Nice deer nice shot and a great trip.Sounds like Cool Springs made a presence and well represented at that.
:clapper:
Great deer and fantastic bow. Congrats.
Congrats!! Nice buck!!
Good job
Congratulations on an outstanding buck! Glad you enjoyed your stay in Iowa!
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
Very pretty buck! thanks for sharing~!
Sweet... that's sounded like an awesome hunt
Nice buck Jeff, glad you had a good trip this year. Looks like a wall hanger for sure. Good job.
Nice deer, Congrats!!!
Nice buck, congrats
Nice deer!
Congrats :)
Sounds like a great week of hunting. Congrats!
Way to go Jeff, he sure is a nice one.
Jack
That Vargo is a pretty decent "guide". Nice one!
Sounds like a great hunt. Congrats on a nice deer too!
Good job,and a beautiful buck!!!! Congratulations
very nice. congrats
Congrats!
Great job Jeff!
Glad to see that bow of ours is serving you well :biglaugh:
WOW! Congrats.
awesome.. :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Very nice, brother! Congrats!
Yup, Cool Springs bragging rights, so far ;)
Beautiful buck. Congratulations, and welcome home.
Thanks everyone. I hunted hard with a smile on my face the whole time. Drove home (980 miles, two days) with a cooler full of meat and a rack to mount. Could not be happier. Time to see if I can arrow some more in Virginia. Have to play with the orange army and puppies on the loose. Hey, it's all good.... :goldtooth:
Not hunting but headed back with a video camera tonight. They were starting to chase 'em pretty hard on Monday.