Discuss our LIVE Iowa Hunt
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: Pat Lefemine
31-Oct-19
Pat Lefemine's Link
We're in the midwest again - this time in SE Iowa with Steve Hanson of Straight Arrow Outfitters. Our hunt starts 11/1 through 11/7. A new update every day!
From: Nick Muche
31-Oct-19
Who is all joining you on this one Pat, or is it just you? Have fun and good luck!
From: Ambush
31-Oct-19
Can we expect a pic with the new Mathews flagship bow on a nice buck?
Still trying to talk myself into last years. Maybe I’ll be happy I waited!
From: Pyrannah
31-Oct-19
So jealous
Enjoy
From: Thisismyhandle
31-Oct-19
Good luck
From: Shiras42
31-Oct-19
Good luck and shoot a giant!
From: SaddleReaper
31-Oct-19
Hey Pat, best of luck to you guys!!!
I drew a zone 6 tag. I'm headed there the 8 or 9th-24th.
5 years in the making... I'm as useless as tits on a boar at work thinking about it!!
From: Brotsky
31-Oct-19
Good luck boys! Perfect weather for it!
From: APauls
31-Oct-19
Good luck fellas. I'm so useless I cancelled work tomorrow. I will be sitting.
From: bigswivle
31-Oct-19
Awesome. Good luck!!! Hoping to be in Iowa next year as I’ve got 5 pts
From: extreme
31-Oct-19
GOOD LUCK PAT. HOPE WE GET SOME PICTURES OF A GIANT!
From: MQQSE
31-Oct-19
Good luck. The action has been outstanding this past week. Should only get better.
From: t-roy
31-Oct-19
Looks like the weather is gonna be ideal! Little nippy in the stand this morning, but saw some pretty decent activity. Biggest negative is that there’s still tons of standing cornfields. Good luck!
From: Habitat for Wildlife
31-Oct-19
Good luck.
From: Bou'bound
31-Oct-19
this is going to be great. thanks for bringing us along
From: lewis
31-Oct-19
Good luck ?? I see there are 208 inchers behind every tree Lewis
From: Bowboy
31-Oct-19
Good luck and shoot straight!
From: steff
31-Oct-19
You're in for a great hunt! I've hunted with Steve a couple times. He's got the properties and the deer! Looking forward to the Live hunt (jealously).
From: kevin3006
31-Oct-19
Good luck. Bow hunted with Steve 3x and killed 3 good bucks. Conditions should be ideal.
From: JW
31-Oct-19
Best of luck Pat! Hunted with Steve twice and he’s a great guy. He’s got some awesome ground as well.
From: Busta'Ribs
31-Oct-19
I’m pretty sure I was Steve’s first client on his first Iowa farm, the same place he sold to Bill Winke. He’s a great dude, can’t wait to follow this one.
From: Grey Ghost
31-Oct-19
Good luck, Pat. Nice to see you stepping up from bait piles in Kansas....I love you man!!
;-)
Matt
From: leo17
31-Oct-19
Great choice. Just spoke to Steve tonight. Steve is top notch. Quality unpressured ground. No Iowa tag for me looking forward to following along. See you in Kansas next week.
From: NEIAbowhunter
31-Oct-19
Have a great hunt! I don't know about down in southern iowa but there have been some huge deer killed up here in the northern part of the state already this year. Should be great weather for getting them moving!
From: drycreek
31-Oct-19
Good luck, and shoot straight !
From: orionsbrother
31-Oct-19
Good luck!!
From: midwest
31-Oct-19
Good luck, Pat!
From: Pat Lefemine
31-Oct-19
American lost my luggage. Gonna miss my first day while this gets sorted out. They could not guarantee it will be here tomorrow. This blows.
From: Rupe
31-Oct-19
Enjoy your hunt. Iowa has some true giants. I’ll be hunting the 7th through the 15th in Decatur County.
From: Ghost425
01-Nov-19
Sorry to hear that Pat. Hope it all works out in the end.
From: bowhunter24
01-Nov-19
Pat drive down here to Kansas City and I can hook you up with my 27" draw Triax and all the clothes you could ever use! Sorry out of Sitka but you could use my first lite/cabelas gear. Good luck!
From: Bou'bound
01-Nov-19
Pat it does not matter. you always get them at the end of the hunt not the beginning so if you miss five days or so it's not an issue.
From: Jerry Leblanc
01-Nov-19
That sounds familiar. (A little Montana de ja vu)
From: Shawn
01-Nov-19
I am sure someone has a back up bow and clothes don't matter, you can wear warm street clothes. Shawn
From: Charlie Rehor
01-Nov-19
Good luck Pat!
From: pav
01-Nov-19
Good luck Pat!
From: Pat Lefemine
01-Nov-19
Thanks for the offer. They located the luggage and it’s coming to DesMoines sometime today.
Jerry, yes - we’ve seen this play before.
From: t-roy
01-Nov-19
You can’t fly and hunt for 48 hrs in Iowa anyway! ;-) Fortunately, you’re only 1 1/2hrs from the airport. Hope the rest of the trip goes smoother. Good luck!
From: Bowboy
01-Nov-19
Hopefully you get an evening hunt in.
From: FORESTBOWS
01-Nov-19
Good luck Pat. Hope the jealous haters don't ruin your thread.
From: njbuck
01-Nov-19
Good luck Pat, your in the land of the Giants!
From: SteveB
01-Nov-19
Good luck!!
From: KSflatlander
01-Nov-19
Freaking airlines.
Go get’em. I hope you take down a big one.
From: RK
01-Nov-19
It will work out with gear
Good luck and have an awesome hunt!
From: Scrappy
01-Nov-19
I think if I was doing outfitter hunts I would be boxing up all my gear and FedEx it to outfitter well in advance. Manly so I wouldn't have to go to prison for killing someone at the airport.
Good luck Pat, you didn't miss anything here in southern iowa this morning. The deer aren't moving.
From: x-man
01-Nov-19
You could always head to the hardware store to get materials to make a grunt call/tube. ;)
From: lewis
01-Nov-19
Ouch that sucks but I sure hope it doesn’t ruin your hunt good luck ?? Lewis
From: lewis
01-Nov-19
Forgot be sure and say hello to all our favorite Democrats most of seem to be in Iowa lol ?? Lewis
From: Grey Ghost
01-Nov-19
"I think if I was doing outfitter hunts I would be boxing up all my gear and FedEx it to outfitter well in advance."
This^^^. My wife and I have a Fed Ex business account. We realized long ago that it was virtually the same price to send our luggage via Fed Ex, versus paying the additional checked luggage fees to the airlines. We send them out 2-3 days in advance, so that they're waiting for us when we get to our destination. No lugging it thru crowded airports. No random searches. No lost bags. And we can track the delivery the whole way.
Matt
From: mn_archer
01-Nov-19
For 3 years in the early 2000 and went to college in Des Moines and I rented a farmhouse in Prairie City on 500 acres of land which is in zone 5.
The house and land were right between the neal Smith national wildlife refuge and red rock reservoir.
Wish I still had access to that land, and student tags every year!
Good luck Pat, you have a chance at a real bruiser this week.
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
01-Nov-19
Good luck Pat. If things are still missing I'm only 45 minutes from the Des Moines airport. Filled my tag Tuesday so if I have what you need it's available. Jeff.
From: Shiras42
01-Nov-19
"Coming to Des Moines sometime today"
I would be out of my mind pissed if they couldn't do better than that. I want to know exactly when and what they are going to do to make it right. I am so freaking pissed and its not my hunt!
Oh well, I guess you can't let it ruin the rest of the hunt! Have fun!
From: pointingdogs
01-Nov-19
How much snow did they receive down there??
From: Kevin Speicher
01-Nov-19
Good luck! I hope you get a giant.
From: PREZ
01-Nov-19
Good luck....my buddy will be with Steve next week.
From: RIT
01-Nov-19
It could always be worse Pat. GL
From: Pat Lefemine
01-Nov-19
Thanks guys. I’m in the stand hunting. My bow made it, still waiting on the clothes. We were able to cobble together what I needed and I bought the rest. My bag is being delivered tonight.
This country looks fantastic!
From: Bowbender
01-Nov-19
Good luck, Pat!
From: Ace
01-Nov-19
Ummm, boot pic? (or are you wearng crocs?) Sheesh, how quickly you forget us.
All seriousness aside Pat, good luck!
From: Hawkeye
01-Nov-19
Good luck!
From: Habitat for Wildlife
01-Nov-19
Great attitude!
From: Paul@thefort
01-Nov-19
I came back early from my ducking hunting in eastern Colorado , just for this post so it better be good. Good luck guys. my best, Paul
From: Jeff Holchin
01-Nov-19
Good luck!
From: bowhunter24
01-Nov-19
Your in Dot's country don't forget to pick some up!
From: skull
02-Nov-19
Good luck
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
02-Nov-19
Yes, we want an IBTC....Iowa Blood Trail Challenge! Good Luck!!
Side question, I don't know exactly what county you are hunting but most of them in that part of the state have additional bow tags available. Since you already have your Non Resident Tag do you know if you can purchase any of the OTC doe tags? Would be a fun way to spend any extra days if you tag out early.
From: skull
02-Nov-19
BOWNBIRDHNTR When you draw a tag for nonresident in Iowa you allowed to shoot 2 deer 1 Buck 1 doe
From: Lovehunt11
02-Nov-19
Good luck Pat. Iowa hits hard with EHD this year. I saw deer any time I hunt but number deer is 1/2 down compare to last couple year.
From: Pat Lefemine
02-Nov-19
Earlier
Earlier
Shooter?
From: craigmcalvey
02-Nov-19
For me yes! But I haven’t shot nearly as many book bucks(0) as you Pat... Craig
From: FORESTBOWS
02-Nov-19
All depends on the moment
From: skull
02-Nov-19
I personally would be happy with that, shooter probably not if you trophy hunt
From: Pyrannah
02-Nov-19
8?
Think I’d pass based on that view
From: Lovehunt11
02-Nov-19
He is a shooter , but it is looking big from behind than front. I have a 8 points chase a doe around my tree stand on October 28.
From: Jeff Holchin
02-Nov-19
Not for that place.
From: MQQSE
02-Nov-19
It all happens so fast that sometimes it’s hard to decide accurately fast enough. I had this one at 9 yards two days ago and let him walk. Still trying to decide if I made a mistake. I would probably wait a few days and hold out for a bigger buck there and enjoy time in the woods. Good luck!
From: Busta'Ribs
02-Nov-19
Not there!
From: Huntcell
02-Nov-19
Is PAT ok? Where are the hourly updates?
From: Ambush
02-Nov-19
Must be either dragging a deer out, celebrating or out of breathe from blowing up the famous Ewe.
From: Treefarm
02-Nov-19
All it takes sometimes is an animal lover working the airline counter to see camo and “misroute” or delay baggage. Ticket lady in Houston gave a guy in my party the run around and even said hunting is wrong. I now “golf” if they ask.
From: Pyrannah
03-Nov-19
all day sits? Don’t waste a minute of time, you only have a week?
From: Ambush
03-Nov-19
So what's a pretty reasonable expectation on this ground? 160" ? Better?
From: Huntcell
03-Nov-19
Can’t his chauffeur, or events planner tell us at least that he is ok!
Hope he didn’t go back to the airport for his luggage and things escalated and got out of hand?
From: sdkhunter
03-Nov-19
Love these live hunts! Gets me excited for my next IA hunt - hopefully in the next year or two.
From: 203NTYP
03-Nov-19
You're hunting with the right guy! I know Steve personally and have been dreaming of hunting with him for 10 years. I have 3 points, just waiting for things to work out on my end before booking with Steve. Good luck in the land of giants, I drool over the sheds he finds every year so I know there are plenty of giants around and they do not overhunt any of their properties.
From: RK
03-Nov-19
Glad Pat passed that 8 point. It really is not very big
I don't know where Pat is hunting but that southern/se part of Iowa is awesome. I've been up there at least a dozen times through the years. Northeast of centerville in monroe county and over by Ottumwa Had friends growing up that had land up there. Always was a special time going up there
Pat will hold out for a great deer
From: Pyrannah
04-Nov-19
are others in camp seeing much movement?
From: BadlandsRoger
04-Nov-19
Just started building my Iowa points. I'll be hunting zone 4 in a couple of years. Will be following this closely.
From: Huntcell
04-Nov-19
?
From: drycreek
04-Nov-19
Pat’s gonna milk this hunt and then kill a giant on the last day......;-)
From: Suburbanhntr86
04-Nov-19
Real hunting? Or sitting corn/ food plot?
From: Bou'bound
05-Nov-19
Getting closer. A big boy will fall.
From: Mad Trapper
05-Nov-19
Pat you need to change your scent control or get a different bottle of mustard.
From: bigswivle
05-Nov-19
Turn on your Ozonics!!!!!
From: skull
05-Nov-19
I personally think that the rut is not kicked in yet Good luck the rest of the week
From: Bowboy
05-Nov-19
You never know when that big boy will show up. It'll happen soon!
From: jax2009r
05-Nov-19
a boot pic will change your luck
From: Bake
05-Nov-19
I'm corn-fused. . . . Steve posted a picture yesterday on Instagram of a pretty awesome looking buck killed by a gentleman from PA??
From: midwest
05-Nov-19
Heck of a buck, too, Bake!
From: midwest
05-Nov-19
From: Bake
05-Nov-19
It was a heck of a buck Nick! I'd like to see some pics of it!
Not being accusatory in my above post, FYI, just wondering . . . .
From: loesshillsarcher
05-Nov-19
Ask if he has a stand by a corn field. They are fun to be around
From: Errorhead
05-Nov-19
I can’t imagine hunting a place where a 145 class buck is “not a shooter”
From: Kodiak
05-Nov-19
Are they home yet?
From: Mad Trapper
05-Nov-19
Bake Pat is not from Pa and is certainly not a gentleman
From: Bake
05-Nov-19
Mad Trapper :). . . I was confused because I figured someone in camp had shot one.
From: Grey Ghost
05-Nov-19
I think Bake is referring to Pat's Day 4 update (yesterday), in which he stated no one in camp had killed a deer yet.
Matt
From: Medicinemann
05-Nov-19
Three days left....what are you worried about....I'd be surprised if you've even taken your hands out of your pockets since climbing into the tree. Quit checking local election results and look for deer....LOL
From: Pyrannah
05-Nov-19
cant shoot a booner if you shoot one that isn't
From: midwest
05-Nov-19
I wouldn't hunt with Steve Hanson to shoot a 145. Congrats to the PA dude.
From: Eddiebobeddy
05-Nov-19
Good luck Pat. I've been tuning in every day!
From: Pyrannah
05-Nov-19
is that one from steve's camp? does any one know what it measured?
From: Hawkeye
05-Nov-19
Great buck Pat! Congrats :)
From: midwest
05-Nov-19
Congrats, Pat!
Slow rut action for you but it doesn't sound like you were seeing many does. Maybe the reason why?
From: BowHiker
05-Nov-19
Congrats! Beautiful buck! I'm so jealous of all you whitetail hunters.
From: bigswivle
05-Nov-19
Congrats, very nice
From: Stekewood
05-Nov-19
Another great live hunt. congratulations Pat!
From: Rupe
05-Nov-19
Congratulations Pat. The body weight on these IOWA bucks are really something.
From: Bowboy
05-Nov-19
Congrats Pat!
From: t-roy
05-Nov-19
Congrats on your buck, Pat! Rutting activity is pretty slow here as well. Hopefully, they fire up soon!
From: skull
05-Nov-19
Congrats nice one
From: Geno
05-Nov-19
Congrats on the great buck.
From: Habitat for Wildlife
05-Nov-19
Congratulations on a very nice buck!
From: IdyllwildArcher
06-Nov-19
Dammit, I checked the thread before looking at the update.
From: IdyllwildArcher
06-Nov-19
Nice buck Pat. Nice beams and width. You've set a really high bar the last few years. I'm glad you can shoot a mature buck and still be happy about it. Great shot by the way. That's what we all want to see.
From: Bou'bound
06-Nov-19
great job.............on to KS
no way that behemoth walks into and out of your life twice with no action being taken. well done and perfectly executed shot.
From: Boreal
06-Nov-19
Very nice!
From: leftee
06-Nov-19
Thanks for sharing the hunt.Enjoyable!
From: Dennis Razza
06-Nov-19
Congrats Pat!
From: WoodMoose
06-Nov-19
congrats Pat - real nice buck
From: Grey Ghost
06-Nov-19
Congrats, Pat. I'm curious why you changed your mind on that buck.
Matt
From: Treefarm
06-Nov-19
Sweet ending and good comeback from a squeaky stand! Hopefully we hear it on video. Congratulations!
From: SaddleReaper
06-Nov-19
Thats awesome, congrats Pat!! Whatta stud he is.
I'm trucking out friday for 14 days of hunting ... hopefully your predictions of the rut activity are right!
Funny thing... here in WNY some of the bucks I've seen killed (2.5-4.5) haven't even been pissing on their tarsals yet. I've seen yearlings dogging does since mid oct, which I expect to see, but there does seem to be a slow start.
From: Brotsky
06-Nov-19
Well done Pat! Congrats on a great buck!
From: WI Shedhead
06-Nov-19
Hope your not heading back home without filling that high dollar doe tag. What a joke!!!! ??
From: elkmtngear
06-Nov-19
Bruiser!!
Nice work, Pat. Looking forward to the video.
From: njbuck
06-Nov-19
nice one Pat, congrats.
From: lewis
06-Nov-19
Good job Pat one hell of a 8 pointer congrats ?? Lewis
From: RK
06-Nov-19
Very nice. Big 8 points are special Good job
From: 12yards
06-Nov-19
Congrats on the buck Pat. And it appears the new Mathews is short judging by the string angle.
From: Swampbuck
06-Nov-19
Congratulations Pat! Looking forward to the video
From: M.Pauls
06-Nov-19
Cangrats Pat! Ya know, I think you can just post pics and sorta like blurr out the top secret bow in the photo. Who knows, it might boost bowsite traffic?
From: T Mac
06-Nov-19
Great buck congrats Pat
From: mountainman
06-Nov-19
Nice buck pat!
What is the price point for a hunt at Steve's outfit?
I have 5 Iowa points I am just kind of sitting on until I decide to use them(probably 6 or 7 points by time I actually use them).
From: Rut Nut
06-Nov-19
Congrats on a fine buck, Pat! (Just gonna be hard to wait another week+ to see the video- Big Tease! ;-)
From: Destroyer350
06-Nov-19
Great buck! Congrats!
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
06-Nov-19
Congrats Pat. Great shot and great buck.
From: Bou'bound
06-Nov-19
Are you going straight to Kansas or is there a break between hunts
From: deer tracker
06-Nov-19
Good buck! Thanks for bringing us along for the ride.
From: APauls
06-Nov-19
Congrats Pat!
From: Kevin Speicher
06-Nov-19
Congrats on a great buck!
From: trkyslr
06-Nov-19
Great buck!!!
From: drycreek
06-Nov-19
Great buck Pat, (you should have your ass kicked for passing him the first time) even if he ain’t a booner ! Can’t wait for the video....
From: steff
07-Nov-19
Congrats on a great buck! I'd have had a hard time passing him! Can't wait to get back out there myself!
From: Huntcell
07-Nov-19
Nice representative of the species . Your young enough to draw a few more Iowa tags and get one that that Iowa and your outfitter is famous for .
Now do Kansas proud again!!!
From: ki-ke
07-Nov-19
Congrats!!
From: nijimasu
07-Nov-19
No fair! I want the video now!!!
From: Busta'Ribs
07-Nov-19
Really interesting outcome that no one really wants to discuss? Obviously Pat shot a buck that was smaller than what he wanted because the hunt was going very slow. I've been there, and I get it, and unlike Pat, no one is following along or really cares if I kill a big buck or not, but it brings up some interesting points. First thing that comes to mind, what really is a "trophy whitetail"? A lot of very experienced guys will tell you that a "mature buck" is the goal, and the score is not the focus. Obviously, this deer was an old warrior, but lacked in score, so there's that. Another thing; this is Iowa right? "Land of Giants" We have to wait forever (3-4 years for a tag) to hunt there, so are our expectations too high because of that? Also; why was the hunt so slow? Weather seemed conducive? Was the rut late? Did EHD have an impact in the area? And finally, does the pressure of being a celebrity (Sorry Pat, you are one whether you like it or not!) weigh on the decision to take a deer that is "good enough"?
From: ND String Puller
07-Nov-19
Sounds like Steve needs to go through Boot camp with Jim Hole Jr. No creaking, popping stands allowed! J/K. Good job Pat !
From: Hans 1
07-Nov-19
It was a fun few days hunting with Pat the rut is off a bit so far and the best days are still to come. It surprised me that he shot the big old 8, strange twist one of the other guys in camp thought the huge bodied 8 Pat had videoed was cool so we moved him to that same farm in a ladder stand close to where Pat had passed it up. He stayed all day and late afternoon shot one of the other big deer we were after in that area but didn’t recover it. As to the the squeaky stand it was a ladder stand not ideal but the tree had become unsafe for steps or stick as it had some rotted spots but is in the ideal location. We needed a 20+ foot ladder and this fit the bill. Normally it’s pretty windy here but that day it was still. You can hear it in the video as it creaks. The video is awesome hard to believe it’s self filmed. One of the above posts recommended Jim Hole Jr. Boot camp we had to Laugh because he is a good friend and has hunted with us many times. Rough Pats deer is 5-6 years old and was glad to see him taken.
From: Drop Tine
07-Nov-19
Can someone catch me up here because I’m lost? I haven’t seen a post from Pat since 11/02. Is the buck pictured the Buck Pat shot? If so I would be tickled pink with it in my hands.
From: Panhandle Bob
07-Nov-19
Panhandle Bob's Link
Drop Tine Here ya go...
From: Bou'bound
07-Nov-19
That was a great deer and the odds of doing better in a week anywhere are slim for any given hunter. Sure over time and with numbers guys someone will, but for a given hunter on a given week that is a special deer.
Personally I never grasped the "if you pass it on day 1 you should pass it on last day" philosophy. Just like money has a time value so does a finite hunt. With 10 days to go you have time on your side to possibly do even better than what presents itself on the first day. With 10 minutes to go time is up and the chance for Mr. Mega is gone, but a really nice animal is in front of you. There is also the value of the experience lasting more than a day.
That was a great deer. Did anyone in camp do better. You can only shoot the best one you get a chance at. Anything else is just a hope or a phantom, not a target or an opportunity or a decison.
From: Shuteye
08-Nov-19
Great buck Pat, you da man. Can't wait to read about your next hunt. I has been to warm to suit me here on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It is getting cooler and the bucks are chasing the does so I will now start hunting. Unlike most on this site, I am after a fat doe first. I eat deer often and my supply is getting low.
From: Southern draw
08-Nov-19
Congrats!
From: Pat Lefemine
12-Nov-19
Now that the VXR has gone live, I can finally play the video of my shot on the Big 8! Again, my thanks to Steve Hanson and his guide Ellis for a terrific hunt!
From: Heat
12-Nov-19
Great video and a really nice buck! Congrats and thanks for sharing the awesome footage!
From: Pyrannah
12-Nov-19
my god pat, how the hell do you shoot accuratley with a grip like that? my arrows would be all over the place shooting fixed heads..
either way, perfect execution.. congrats..
From: Charlie Rehor
12-Nov-19
Fantastic video and shot! That is a very difficult way to hunt! Hats off!
From: PECO
12-Nov-19
Nice shot on a fatboy of a buck!
From: Habitat for Wildlife
12-Nov-19
Nice shot!
From: Rut Nut
19-Nov-19
Great shot! Just curious Pat......................................................what boots are you wearing in that video?
From: Pat Lefemine
19-Nov-19
Pat Lefemine's Link
Alphaburly Pro in Optifade Marsh. 1600G
From: deerslayer
19-Nov-19
For once I agree with Bou. Time changes expectations and what was considered not a shooter at the beginning becomes a shooter as time winds down. There are those who are content with all or nothing and will not shoot less than their target goal even in the last 10 minutes. I’m not one of those guys and I think most are not. I would rather have the experience of shooting a good buck than none at all.
From: Rut Nut
19-Nov-19
Thanks Pat- how do you like them?
From: IdyllwildArcher
19-Nov-19
If you buy them, you will not be unhappy with them.
From: nehunter
30-Jan-20
I hunted with Steve Hanson and was also a week early. Did see tons of Deer and it was getting better and better everyday. I did get a 140" on the last sit. He's definitely the guy to hunt Iowa with!
