We can finally get to ice fishing...

[hondarider550]

Well it has been a long awaited time but we can now finally officially get to ice fishing. The last week or so has been totally devoted to muzzleloader hunting and a successful hunt after all... Out of our group of 9 we have filled 7 tags. In the past I usually traveled to Northeast Iowa but this year I stayed in Northwest Iowa. It is really nice to be able to stay in the area and hunt with friends that enjoy the same interests.

Well hopefully we will see you all on the ice this coming weekend...

[NWBuck]

Well done! Been bouncing back and forth between muzzleloader hunting and ice fishing myself. Make sure the blades are sharp...there's a bunch of ice out there

[brittman]

IA has one week to go on pheasants?

NW IOWA still huntable for pheasants???

[Mr.Seaguar]

Ive heard of guys still getting birds. Its tough walking tho. Be prepared to see a lot of long flushes. My advice is to fish.

You should deer hunt early muzzy. Then you dont have the problem you were facing recently. You already got your deer back from the locker and when the ice gets safe you fish. Works like a charm. Thats why I go early muzzy. It doesnt have anything to do with the deers, I just want to be able to focus on one thing.

[NWBuck]

Still a lot of birds around...just in non traditional places. Groves, hedge rows, etc. All the best traditional cover has filled in. I run shorthairs, and although we hunt pheasants often, we haven't been out since the first part of December. Just not the kind of hunting they are bred to do, and 90% of the enjoyment I get out of bird hunting is watching good dog work. Season ends here on the 10th, so Saturday is the last day to hunt.

Late ML has been very good to me over the years, and was again this year. Filled a doe tag and took a 130" 8 point just before New Years. Bigger ones around, but a dandy nonetheless. Down to just ice fishing now though...

[hondarider550]

Unfortunately for me the early muzzleloader season does not work out for me since I do some farming and that is usually during harvest. Also the late muzzleloader season works great for my job. I have a two week break from teaching from just before Christmas through New Years so I can usually hunt during my entire time off... I used to shotgun hunt and I love the muzzleloader season. Not as many bullets flying over my head and the deer are usually not as spooked the way it seems. I can give up a couple days of ice fishing for the benefits of late muzzleloader season...