Each buck is a story for George Young.
The Panora resident admits his focus on hunting has toned down somewhat over the years, but he has enjoyed introducing his children to the outdoors.
By Rich Wicks | Panora Times
When you want to learn about someone, a good practice is to take a moment to look around that person’s home. In the rural Panora home of George Young, that practice leaves no doubt that Young loves his family, hunting and the outdoors.
In Young’s home, the walls are adorned with many taxidermized deer mounts, as well as beautiful paintings of Iowa deer. The paintings are by Larry Zach, an artist for whom Young has developed a strong appreciation.
“He’s a local artist from Ankeny. He was a science teacher who got famous painting whitetail deer. His paintings are very sought after,” Young said. Because Zach’s paintings are printed in limited quantities, the prints are difficult to find for sale.
The Larry Zach paintings remind Young of many of the places that he has hunted, so they fit in well next to the mounts of deer that he has harvested over the decades. As Young showed the deer mounts, he recalled the story of each successful hunt represented on his walls.
A photo and note from Young’s son after bagging his first turkey.
“A lot of these were shot on my own property. I shot my first one with a bow in 1994, and my life kind of revolved around it after that,” Young said. “I lived, breathed and slept whitetail deer hunting.”
Young admits his focus on hunting has toned down somewhat over the years, but he has enjoyed introducing his children to the outdoors.
“It’s been a passion, but I don’t do it near as much as I used to. I had three boys, and I gave all of them the opportunity to get into it,” Young said. “They all shot deer; they all shot turkeys. My youngest really followed in my footsteps. He’s shot a lot of deer.”
Young noted that most of the deer he has harvested have been during bow season or late muzzle-loader season. He enjoys the time spent in the woods but admits that sometimes he has sat for long hours in bitterly cold conditions.
Young confessed that he no longer has the same passionate drive for hunting that he had years ago.
“The rut kicks off in November, and 90% of these deer you’d never see in the daylight unless they’re chasing tail,” he said. “My whole world revolved around November from about 1994 to 2012.”
Young proudly showed that one of his deer met the specifications of the Boone and Crockett Club. Many deer hunters bag plenty of deer but are continually seeking the elusive “Booner” that meets the club’s strict size and antler requirements.
In the same way that hunters may search and wait a long time for a shot at a trophy animal, Young has spent years searching for certain Zach paintings that caught his eye. He talked about discovering his favorite Zach print for sale at a price he was happy to pay. He immediately contacted the seller and said he was on his way with the cash.
“When I put that one in my truck, it was like the heavens opened up,” he said.
Young noted that, for a variety of reasons, wildlife populations fluctuate, as do hunting trends and regulations. He feels fortunate that he was hunting often during what he describes as the golden age of deer and pheasant hunting in Iowa. Young believes that the secret to his hunting success is really no secret. He simply keeps at it.
“It wasn’t that I was a great hunter or super smart. I was just too stubborn to give up,” Young said. “I’ve always felt that luck is when opportunity and preparation come together.”
Mounts, photos and prints of the outdoor life.
You probably heard the expression “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” It has been attributed to everyone from Samuel Smiles to Isabella Beeton to Benjamin Franklin. A lot of people throughout history have apparently had strong opinions about where things belong. I discovered that people tend to fall into one of two camps: Those who live by that philosophy and those who consider it a personal attack.