I've been invited to go hunting in SW Iowa but, it's a different kind of hunting than I'm used to. The Man that invited us says they get 15 guys and make drives through patches of brush.

I have always been a stand hunter myself, I like to find fresh sign and sit on it in hopes of taking an unalarmed buck. My expereinces w/ jumping bedded mature bucks has been: Most of them will lay low until you've passed by and sometimes they never move and when they do, all you get to see is a flash.

He said they took 13 guys on the first shotgun hunt last year and they harvested 9 good bucks in 4 days. Sounds like pretty dang good success but, I'm just not crazy about walking through brush w/ 14 other hunters all armed w/ 12 ga slugs.

I would just take my Savage ML10 instead of a shotgun because it shoots alot flatter and is more accurate than the slug guns I've dealt w/.

What are your opinions on this type of hunting?

Thanks,

Reloader

Reloader, I hunt that way with my Minnesota neighbors every year , and we have a hell of a good time , and also very good success . To me , it is a more fun style of hunting than sitting in a tree freezing your cajones , and at times the action can get downright ferocous. It's the best week of the year , as far as I'm concerned . In all the years we have been at it , there has never even been a close sniff of a mishap with the weapons .

You will need a good soft case , because Ia. like Mn. requires you to case and unload the gun in a vehicle , and you will be in and out of the vehicle quite a bit . It is also nice to have one of the cheap thin tie styles of cases that you can stuff under your coat . When you get to the end of a drive , you then have a case at hand and can stay legal .

I used my muzzle loader last season , and managed to take 2 deer with it . I have used sabot slugs , .44 mag Redhawk , Savage Strikers , and muzzle loaders , as I find them more interesting than the foster shotgun slugs. If the rest of the group are packing shotguns , they may try to posisition you where some of the longer shots show up(if you are using your Savage front stuffer)

Rest assured , if you like to shoot deer , you will have a good time........

Go with an open mind and listen to your hosts. Just because it is different than what you are used to doesn't make it worse. I like all kinds of deer hunting, sitting on a stand, drives, still hunting, spot and stalk, etc. All can be fun. Just remember, the hosts are the experts so pay attention and do what you are told. The key to driving deer safely and effectively is for everyone to follow the plan and to have one person in charge.

Jeff

Reloader
It's not for me...Yes alot of guys hunt that way,and some are good at it.But I like to shoot unalarmed deer.I can
take my time and put a good,deadly,meat saving broadside
shot in the boilerroom.

I think deer killed that way taste the best too.

But like Skibum said,go with an open mind and listen to
the guy running the drive.You might enjoy it.You will not
know untill you try it.

That's the way we hunt in Calif but we use rifles. You need to have "situational awareness" and keep tabs on every driver and stander so when a deer goes out you know where you can shoot. It can be very exciting as blacktail will often stick until you pass as you said, or flush right at your feet like a quail. We use dogs also, either hounds or jump dogs. Personally, I get bored out of my gourd sitting in a stand.
Russ

reloader,
Some like that kind of hunting, but I hunker indoors during the shotgun season. If that is deer hunting - you can have it. I want none of it. I hunt with muzzleloaders and bows during other seasons.

A friend and I were nearly shot while DUCK hunting during the deer shotgun season. A buck running along and then across the river drew fire that put slugs in our decoys. Other members of the shooter's (I would not call him a hunter) party were in line with the first copule of 5 shots. We were in line with the last several.

The deer died in midriver - the shooter did not attempt to recover it.

As you may surmise, I am not impressed by such "hunting".

Almost all shotgun deer hunting seems to be done shooting many many times at running deer at any distance. Many are wounded. Sometimes not just the deer.

You best REALLY trust your 12 other buddies. It can get crazy in the brush. This was the first year in several decades, I believe, w/o a hunter fatality.

Brent

Thanks for all of your replies


Brent,

quote:

You best REALLY trust your 12 other buddies. It can get crazy in the brush. This was the first year in several decades, I believe, w/o a hunter fatality.

That's why I'm thinking of not going, I have no idea who these folks are. We just got invited by a "Good Ole' Country Boy" to com stay in his home and hunt for 3-4 days. He said he'd take us out the day before season to look around and get a feel for the areas we'd make the drives in. If it were 13 of my personal hunting friends it would be different, I'm just kind of hesitant hunting w/ fellas I don't know.

I'm gonna keep pondering on it until it's time to apply for the liscense. That's another problem they don't issue very many non-resident buck liscenses in the area we would be hunting. I've heard it's hard to draw a Iowa non-res. tag.

Thanks,

Reloader

quote:

Originally posted by Reloader:
I've heard it's hard to draw a Iowa non-res. tag.

Thanks,

Reloader

There are forces at work to offer MANY more out of state tags so that we can turn Iowa into a little Texas and have all the private property leased up by the rich folks from PA or wherever. It's growing that direction anyway, but the state is pushing and being pushed by many powerful people to go further that direction.

There is very little public ground in Iowa.

Brent

Don't let Brent scare you off.......it's not near as wild as he makes it out to be , I guess because HE doesn't prefer to hunt that way .

You are way more likely to get mowed down by a truck on your way to WallyWorld than you are likely to get shot on a deer drive......

I'd also hazard a guess that there are on average WAY more hunting accidents during hunting season back in his home ground of north Mn than you will ever see in Ia. farm country.

SD,
I've spent 12 yrs here. I think I know about what happens. In Northern Minnesota, I never even saw another hunter just deer and wolves. But I had it better than most.

As a percentage of deer-hunter-days, it may be quite a bit more dangerous than MN. In the meantime, try this equation - a dozen guys, most unknown quantities, semiauto shotguns loaded to the gills, stiff brush, sometimes snow, occasional REALLY big deer and what do you think you get?

I don't care if others like to hunt that way, but one should know that it is often exactly like that. Very often.

Brent

I live in SE Iowa and have been hunting deer for over 30 years. I have hunted drives, but only with people I trust implicitly. I normally stand hunt, or still hunt, and have no problem filling my tags. In the last seven years I have been talked into two drives, by friends. One was a fiasco of wounded deer and ducking lead. When the guy in charge of the drive, decided he was tired of looking for deer that his teenage sons and nefews had shot full holes, they just left. My friend that had talked me into the "hunt", and I, were there until dark tracking the last of four wounded deer. We did finish the job. This year I hunted the last two weeks of antlerless season with a friend and co-worker that had a bunch of depredation tags to fill. The hunt involved five of us total. The big difference here was, I knew the guys, and all were not only true hunters, they were shooters as well. We cleaned up 26 tags in three days with only one wounded animal, that was ulitimately recovered. My point here is, if you know the people, and they are true hunters, and are quality individuals that pride themselves on their skill and ability, drive hunting can be very efficient and productive, and in general, a lot of fun. If you have any doubts what so ever, you would be well advised to stay away. Every one I know that drive hunts, will have at least one horror story to tell. That is the unfortunate fact of hunting in that manner. Good luck, and good hunting.

DGK

My thought is a few/couple hunters might be ok but 15-man thats asking for it,to many barrels to keep up with,most of the hunting accidents i have heard of involved the buddy shooting his friend in excitement shots.i will not ever hunt with a crowd and i will not hunt a bird field with a bunch of yahos i dont know.you cant call a shot back.Dont take my word though,just go out and get a bunch together and just watch how many times they point there barrel at one another and then when you ask them to watch it ,they say everytime-well its ok -the safteys on!I personally dont need anyone to help me get a deer,I hunt all the time alone and prefer t that way.its me against the buck in his territory,thats the way I have allways liked it.i dont knock other hunters for the way they hunt,i just hunt for other reasons than to just get meat.i like the thrill of the hunt istead of the kill.I let way more deer walk than i harvest.I think the more chance a buck has to escape the better and the more harder the hunt the more satisfaction in the harvest.I saw a add one time where the guy said he hoped to get a big deer,just not on opening morning.The current world record was harvested that way/Drive, though I think i read.I had a fellow shoot me one time at a rifle range and he said he forgot to put his safety on his ruger 22 auto!!!!!

I'm across the line in Mo., and we also drive deer a lot. 15 people is too many, in my opinion. The way we do it , we use a group of 6 or so, still hunt through the ditches with blockers at the ends. Everyone knows where everyone else is and we've hunted together several years. Bucks normally don't fly out the end, will attempt to slip between pushers, does and fawns will fly out into the open as a rule.

jstevens,what kind of rifles do you guys use or recommend on a drive?Shotguns with buck shot?i would want to be with pros on a drive,I would think no place for beginners.A small quick 30-30 or what ?would be ideal?I would guess a scoped bolt with 26in.barrelwould be the worst right?Didnt the famous guys up north do a lot of drive hunts,whats their name ,benouit or something like that?They use remington pumps-30-06 I think?Could be wrong?I will do a sneak drive with one other fellow if a know and trust him to be safe,we try to take turns in thickets and watch out for each other and keep up together,but the main rule is you have to pass on some shots and be willing to pass if there might be a question if its a safe shot,same as birds!I have a cousin that got shot in the head by his friend quail hunting!Bird flew between them.My cousin lost his right eye and never was the same again,allways a loner after that one!He was later killed by a unsafe /travelling to fast driver that rear ended him and killed him for no good reason except he wanted to go to fast over the speed limmit!!!!
the mistaken for game excuse is the one that gets me,if you dont know for sure,Why shoot?

In all of Iowa, ALL modern rifles and all buckshot are verbotten.

You can use ONLY shotguns with slugs, muzzleloaders of any type, and maybe straightwalled pistols .357 mag and up. I'm not sure where the pistol issue is these days, so don't bet on it.

MO is different that way.
Brent

If you hunted w/ a MLer in shotgun season, could you have a sidearm as backup?

That would be a good thing if a finishing shot was required.

Reloader

Well , having grown up and hunted in SW Iowa , and having experienced some of the excitable norskies that come out of the twin cities and infest the public lands in north Mn during deer season , when it comes to an issue of safety I'd take the country Ia. hunters every time .

And on the issue of visiblity , much of the "brush" you are talking about is pretty small in SW Ia and/or it gets pastured during the summer so you usually can see the other members of your party pretty well . Many of the bigger bucks will be laying in high terraces or isolated spots in fence rows and such where you least expect them . If your party has been hunting together in their local area for a number of years ,I wouldn't have any concern at all for my safety , Any idea what town you would be near ?

quote:

Originally posted by Reloader:
If you hunted w/ a MLer , could you have a sidearm as backup?

That would be a good thing if a finishing shot was required.

Reloader

Reloader, that would be illegal during a muzzleloading seaso- with the possible exception of a muzzleloading pistol. Not sure on that. Never needed a follow up that I didn't have time to reload for. But mileage can vary of course.

During shotgun season, a muzzleloader and pistol might be fine. But check the regs.

BTW, double rifle muzzleloaders are legal here.

Brent

quote:

Originally posted by Brent:


BTW, double rifle muzzleloaders are legal here.

Brent

Aha!!! A place to use my Kodiak 54!!! If I bring down a couple of wolves for ya, would you guide me?

Boreal,
Sure, but beware, I'm a prolific killer of baby deer - not by choice either.

For three wolves, you can use my 18 bore Lang double muzzleloader, 180 yrs young...

Brent

BTW, per another discussion off line with a friend, does your Kodiak have one rear sight or two (one for each barrel)?

quote:

Originally posted by Skibum:
Go with an open mind and listen to your hosts. Just because it is different than what you are used to doesn't make it worse. I like all kinds of deer hunting, sitting on a stand, drives, still hunting, spot and stalk, etc. All can be fun. Just remember, the hosts are the experts so pay attention and do what you are told. The key to driving deer safely and effectively is for everyone to follow the plan and to have one person in charge.

Jeff

I agree with Jeff. Go with an open mind and enjoy yourself.

For the last 15 years I've hunted this way in western Oregon because of the brush. Usually we have 4-5 guys and we push a unit of timber.

Lots of fun and pretty successful.

Enjoy!

quote:

Originally posted by Reloader:
I have no idea who these folks are.

Reloader

I would, under NO circumstances, hunt with that many people I don't know. Not deer in drives, not upland birds behind dogs, not waterfowl.

My advice on this situation is like this: Everyone wears an orange vest/coat, i.e. make yourself visible to everyone else. Next, lay down ground rules. Work the cover slow and deliberate, and shoot only what is in front of you, none of this off to the side garbage.

I have hunted this way in SD with High powered rifles, and we have yet to have an incident. We walk slow, stopping every 20 or so feet, and pausing. This technique seems to flush more deer also. When you stop, look around for everyone, being aware of where they are in the event a shot presents itself. There are literally millions of deer out there. Taking a dangerous shot and risking hurting someone is not worth it. The opportunities are many. Wait for a good shot.

quote:

Originally posted by murftj:
My advice on this situation is like this: Everyone wears an orange vest/coat, i.e. make yourself visible to everyone else. Next, lay down ground rules. Work the cover slow and deliberate, and shoot only what is in front of you, none of this off to the side garbage.

murft, no disagreement this CAN work and well. And it may be safe with the right people and place. And then you run into another group of unknowns bombing in on a straif and run mission. Not uncommon here. Even on private ground.

There used to be a group that did that on my property but they gave it up when the found out that I was paying attention to my property lines.

Even so, on opening day of first season shotgunning this year, I heard over 30 shots (close enough to be heard inside the house). Given that there is no hunting west of me, and only about 1/3 of mile to the east is huntable (and I own most of it, this put all of those shots pretty nearby on the narrow river bottom to the north (private) and south (mixed public/private) of me. That's a lot of lead flying in a pretty small space. And I'm sure there were many shots I did not hear while in the basement - my hearing sucks too.

In the right place, with the right folks, I can see it being a productive way to hunt deer, just not my style. In way too many places with way too many folks, it's just plain ugly.

Orange is, of course, mandatory (and usually followed).

Brent

I have participated in a few deer drives in PA
and if they are well planned and the hunters
are all serious about it they can be quite
successful. My friends brother puts on drives
for deer with a handful of his friends, and is
very selective about who he hunts with. The
biggest concerns are safety and following the
orders of the person in charge of the drive.
More than once he has had standers get tired
of waiting on the drivers and give up and go
back to the camp or truck. His drives are slow
and careful, the guys who leave post early are
never invited back again. The most hunters in
his group at one time are six or seven and
sometimes less.

I have been in on some drives, not my favorite way to hunt. Hunter safety must be foremost in the planning and prehunt discussions, if it is not, my alarm bells would be ringing. Locations and shooting zones/lanes must be clearly defined and held to. Don't be afraid to get in your vehicle and leave if you see these things being ignored, nor be afraid to state your reasons. These types of hunts can be good hunts, and can go sour in a heartbeat. I have people on my list of "don't ever hunt with them again" because of these hunts. Not knowing the others in the group would be a cause for concern in my book.

JMHO.

quote:

Originally posted by Brent:
Boreal,
Sure, but beware, I'm a prolific killer of baby deer - not by choice either.

For three wolves, you can use my 18 bore Lang double muzzleloader, 180 yrs young...

Brent

BTW, per another discussion off line with a friend, does your Kodiak have one rear sight or two (one for each barrel)?

Deer drives work great, but I hate them. I grew up participating in deer drives. I started when I was 10, even though I couldn't carry a gun for two more years. The young guys did the driving and the old guys did the standing. One of the oldest guys was always in charge, did not have to drive, and always sent us into the shittiest shit he could find. I went off on my own at about age 18, so I could actually take it easy while hunting. I prefer still hunting and tracking when hunting deer in thick stuff. The best advice I could give a person who actually wants to go on deer drives and is not old, is to pretend you have a hurt leg or something so you get to stand sometimes.



Brent,

Hey, SOMEBODY has to kill the baby deer.

I'm not sure that I can get three of them wolves in the back of my truck, but I'll work on it. I'd love to make some smoke with the Lang.

My Kodiak has a pair of adjustable folding-leaf sights, one in front of the other, and on the center rib. So I have two rear sights. But, to answer your question, I guess I have one (sorta) sight for both barrels, not one sight for each barrel. With round balls, it is surprisingly well regulated, one ball hitting about an inch to the right and a bit lower than the other at 50 yards. The two sights are the same height. With both leafs folded down, it forms a nice wide opening for short range shooting. The adjusting screws form a nice frame (right and left). With round balls and 100 grains FFg and using the leafs folded down, it is about 1 inch low at 50 yards. Fold up the back rear sight (set at its lowest) for 100 yard shooting. Fold up the front rear sight and at a higher setting if you really want to shoot farther. I never have shot the thing at farther than 125 yards or so. It seems like a kinda screwy setup, but its workable, and more experimentation with load development is in the future.

I'll get back to you soon with PM about that secret brook trout creek. I know lots about it.

Boreal,
A pic of the Lang, just to grab your attention (I admit, I love to show it off). It's not a particularly powerful beast, but it is in beautiful shape an shoots well. It has three leaf sights engraved 100, 150, 200. I'm still experimenting with loads for it.

Brent

I hunt anyway I can Still, stands and drives. with the right people they can be a blast. I would go and keep a eye open if you see drinking I would leave if you see un safe gun handling or game laws being broken I would leave.

You can tell right away when they set up the first drive or maybe before that if they are going to be safe I would say that he wants you to come out a couple a days early to learn the lay of the land it is a good thing.

When he has you out scouting and starts to talk about safe shooting lanes driver placement stander placement house this way ect you well know if it is going to be a safe and good hunt. If they talk just about body counts ,rounds fire ect you well know it time to pull stakes and leave.

Thanks for all of the replies.

I think we found something even better in the same area.

We were able to cantact another land owner in the same zone (#3) that has 600 acres, mostly farm land but there is a wooded creek bottom crossing his land. He said that only two guys hunted in that area every year and that he'd be glad to let us come up and hunt as well. I'm going this route first. I would much prefer to still hunt there than worry about getting shot while driving.

The farmer said that the two guys that hunted his land had no problems tagging bucks every year so, it sounds like it may be a good spot.

It's just going to be two of us hunting so, we'll just take some portable stands and our MLers and play it by ear. We will probably show up a day or two early and have the land owner show us around. We should be able to find a couple of descent spots w/ no problem. I don't want to intrude on the other guys set-ups as I know the feeling but, w/ 600 acres there should be plenty of spots for four hunters.

The only problem is zone 3 only issues only 560 buck tags a year so it may be years down the line before we get drawn. Guess we'll have to start accumilating Preference points.

Never know might turn out to be a real winner. From what I've heard, the deer in that area tend to be very large.

Hopefully it'll all work out.

Thanks again,

Reloader

Reloader,
That's a MUCH better proposition. You will have a good time I think.

Best of luck,
Brent

That sounds WAY better. Have a good hunt. Iowa has some really big deer.

DGK

quote:

Originally posted by 375hnh:
Iowa has some really big deer.
DGK

In truth, it only seems that way because I kill all the little ones

Brent