Summary: Well know Hunting Beast Member Joe Elsinger also know as JoeRE on the forum shares his tips and tactics for hunting Hill Country bucks in Northeast Iowa.<br><br>Joe shares his evolution as a hunter. Much of the time spent growing up on a farm in Northeast Iowa honed his outdoorsmanship from tracking, trapping, shooting, glassing, and living off the land.<br><br>What I learned:<br>- There is no substitute for time on foot, and time in the outdoors all year long. Scout and prep twice as many areas as you want to hunt.<br>- Pick your properties often, and early. Get boots on the ground to survey what is available. <br>- Plan your approach. Monitor more properties than you can hunt. This allows you the flexibility to pin point hunts during the season.<br>- Differentiate early season bedding, fall bedding, and pre-rut bedding etc..<br>- Know how thermals behave in hill country can allow you to hunt less than favorable winds.<br>- Understand how your food sources will impact the areas you are hunting; crop rotation, acorn crops, and more.<br>- A minimalist approach to equipment. Take what you use not necessarily what you think you need.<br>- In hill country, the bigger the hills, the harder the access, the less hunting pressure<br>- Tracks can allow you identify specific deer on various properties in combination with observations (glassing, shining, cameras)<br>- First time sits are critical<br>- We all have to play a part in sharing our outdoor heritage with our family, friends, and beyond.
