Dan’s 2009 Iowa Buck
Dan’s 2010 Iowa Buck
As I scanned the thick brush of the tangled nine year old tree planting 80 yards in front of me, I was thinking of past hunts from this very tree. You see, I have found “the tree”. In 2007 I began looking hard at aerial maps of my hunting area in search of funnels, benches, saddles and other terrain features to increase my odds of finding quality whitetail bucks. Our club had started to work extremely hard at our deer and turkey management. Including selective harvest of bucks, doe management, and providing quality food plots for nutrition. We were starting to see the results! Bigger bucks were being seen and some harvested. This is when I got serious about finding out of the way, unpressured areas to hunt.
I had chosen this area as a potential hot spot in the summer of 2007. I scouted it and hung a set where I thought the action would be. That season I was able to see several good deer and knew that I had found a great spot. I just wasn’t in the right tree. 2008 found me in the same area, but right where I had seen the deer moving the year before.
Dan’s son, Jake with his 2011 Buck
MISTAKE! I had moved too close and only saw glimpses of good deer skirting the area. Wind currents play a huge part in your success in bluff country. Lesson learned! In 2009 I relocated the set by about 45 yards. It paid off with multiple sightings and a 146” 9 point in mid- November. 2010 found me in the same tree with a cameraman from Mossy Oak Productions. On November 2nd, we closed the deal on a fantastic 168” Iowa whitetail. October 30, 2011 found me perched yet again in this honey hole. This time however, I had company. My 16 year old son Jake was with me and he managed to arrow an old heavy horned 157” stud!
Dan’s 2012 Iowa Buck
As my binoculars scanned the tree planting on Saturday October 20th 2012, I caught sight of antler glinting in the sun! As I focused on the tines slowly moving in the brush, I realized there were two bucks bedded together. I reached for my grunt tube, made a short series of calls and watched both bucks rise and begin moving in. The lead buck was a great 3 year old in the low to mid 140 class. But the deer trailing was obviously a more mature and larger animal. I patiently waited as the lead buck passed by at 40 yards. I prepared myself for the second to do the same and readied for the shot. To my surprise he angled down the slope to give me a broadside shot at 24 yards, and the PSE was on target! As I stood over this 151” 10 point, I was astonished at what had transpired over the last four years! Four bucks in four years with an average gross score of 155.5”. Homework and management had paid off and I had found “the tree”! I wish you all the best of luck this hunting season and hope you all find “your tree”!
Dan Gritzner, Mossy Oak Prostaff
