Meet Becca Bauer, a southern Iowa native who grew up in a family that hunted for their food. Although Becca, 23, wasn’t much of a hunter growing up, her father trapped for a living, so she knew how to trap and skin a coon faster than most of the boys her age. She went turkey and deer hunting a few times as a child, but it wasn’t until she met her husband that she really became passionate about the outdoors.

“He has introduced me to just about everything you can hunt in Iowa and I am grateful to have him as my hunting buddy 24-7.” she said.

Becca and her husband love to hunt waterfowl, upland game, deer and shed hunt. They also love to bow fish and fish.

“In 2014 I got a bow and that changed everything. I found my passion! I absolutely love bow hunting for Iowa whitetails. I have yet to find something that makes me happier than being in a tree stand. Being in their elements is like nothing else. I love the sounds, the smells, all the different animals, and most of all I love the rut. It’s such an unpredictable time and you never know how deer will react or what you will see. If there is one thing I wish every hunter could experience, it’s to hunt in Iowa during the rut!” she said.

After setting out trail cameras, Becca and her husband captured pictures of a gorgeous buck they nicknamed “Flyer.”

“I picked him to be on the top of my hit list right away. Knowing we had bigger bucks on our camera didn’t matter to me. He was perfect, I loved Flyer and he was clearly a mature buck.” she explains.

The Hunt:

It was the end of October 2017 and a cloudy and VERY windy night. Worried, Becca, debated not hunting because of how windy it was. But, she talked herself into going. After making sure she was secure with her safety harness, she settled into her stand. After 20 minutes of grueling wind, she was ready to get down. “It was so windy, I was holding onto my seat! My hat kept flying off my head, I had to hold my bow because it would have fallen off the bow hanger!” she explains. But after a reassuring text from her husband, she decided to wait it out. Minutes later, Flyer came running down the field chasing 3 does and grunting. But the does suddenly turn and run back up the field, cross a fence and run into the timber behind her. Flyer hopped the fence too but instead of following the does, makes his way down the fence, giving Becca a perfect 20 yard shot. “I still do not know why he didn’t follow the does but I am so thankful God gave me the opportunity to harvest such a magnificent animal.” said Becca.

(Oddly enough, “Flyer” broke off the flyer that gave him his nickname!)

Becca says, “Being able to provide food for my family in such a way is something that I will never take for granted. The fact that I know where my food comes from and how it was harvested means so much to me. I am so grateful to be a hunter and be able to experience the great outdoors, there is nothing that can compare!”

Thank you Becca Bauer for sharing your incredible story!
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