Want to share a few trailcamera pics

[Iowabucks]

Hey everyone. I joined this site to keep informed with icefishing info and never really realized they had an archery/bowhunting forum until now.

I have been bowhunting for 20+ years in SE Iowa and have seen my fair share of nice bucks on public and private land. Only have harvested one really nice buck with a bow. A nice 185" monster.

I build my own trailcameras (homebrews) and get to see quite a few nice ones out there so i like to hold out for the better ones, which has left eating tag soup quite often. But that doesn't bother me. I like building my own as you can build it how you like it. More flash, IR, external batteries, video setups, whatever you like. All of these use a Sony P41, S40, or S600 for the camera. And i must say the picture quality is better than most, if not all commercial cams. I personally like white flash over IR. If a camera stops working, i can fix it myself without having to send it back to the manufacturer. Commercial cams these days are getting better and building it yourself isn't saving you a whole lot money anymore. I do it for the satisfaction, and just another hobby to keep me into deer hunting.

All of these pics were taken on the same 200 acre farm withing the last 5 years. Unfortunately the deer populations in this county are dropping so fast, it's not worth hunting anymore. Besides, this farm has teased me with great pics for years but very seldom ever shown me one of these deer during daylight hours. Sad to say i will be finding other farms to hunt by next fall. Enjoy the pictures.

[img:left]http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q267/iowabucks/11.jpg

[img:left]http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q267/iowabucks/44.jpg

[matchset]

do u shed hunt?

because you should.... you'd hate to feed the squirrels that high quality bone!

[Iowabucks]

I find a few, but not many.

Couple more.

[paceman]

Wow Great pictures! All from the same 200 acre farm! So why is the population dropping so fast the last 5 years? What is happening there?

[BLACKJACK]

Great bucks and great pictures!!!

[sticknstring]

Welcome to the hunting forums and thanks for sharing those awesome pictures - some real bruisers there.

[Iowabucks]

So why is the population dropping so fast the last 5 years? What is happening there?

The Iowa DNR is selling doe tags like they're going out of style. They announced a few years back that they wanted the deer population down to what they were in the early 90's, due to pressure from insurance companies, farm bureau, and polititians. Now it's beginning to look like all they care about is the almighty dollar. Extra hunting seasons we never had a few years back are not helping matter either.

They have a set quota for doe tags in every county depending on the number of deer taken there the year before and current deer count numbers. Alot of guys i know and others on local forums are pleading to our government officials that numbers are too low but for some reason they keep on selling tags. I think they have lowered the number of tags in my county but only by a couple hundred.

I used to get 3000 pics a year only on trails. Now i'm lucky if i get half that, and the quality of the bucks are rapidly declining. Hunting that property this year i got skunked more often than not. If i did see any deer it was only 1 to 3 deer.

It's happening all over the state. Not everywhere, but most areas by my understanding.

[sticknstring]

Iowa isn't the only place it's happening.

[DonBo]

Iowa isn't the only place it's happening.

Sad, but true.

[Musky Buck]

I think in my area of MN the 5 tags blast away and that happened for a few years anyway, then I think many in my area felt well we're not seeing much anymore so we better take what we can get, now many in my area talk about where'd the deer go, they need to remember just a few years ago that the deer took a good beating and there's not nearly as many does having fawns in the spring. The ones asking where'd they go should remember packing their freezer many years in a row, but they can and will come back, what's the rest of this winter and spring going to look like ?

[Rippinlip]

The Iowa DNR is selling doe tags like they're going out of style. They announced a few years back that they wanted the deer population down to what they were in the early 90's' date=' due to pressure from insurance companies, farm bureau, and polititians. Now it's beginning to look like all they care about is the almighty dollar. Extra hunting seasons we never had a few years back are not helping matter either.

[matchset]

mmmmmmmmmm, RC Cola!

[JBar]

That story sounds all to familiar . Awsome deer man, fun to look at your pics .

[Bear55]

Welcome iowabucks! Those are some fine looking deer you have there, I can't imagine what a good farm looks like if this one is going bad on you.

[archerystud]

Great buck pictures. I'm jealous.

[snoozebutton]

Thanks for sharing Iowabuck and the Wisconsin DNR is doing the same thing here. Extra doe hunts twice a year, unlimited tags in a lot of areas, earn a buck.......

[hockeybc69]

Hey there IB!

Seems that one of those pics you posted is your avatar on that chasin game dot com site.