Hunsucker and I went out to Illinois this weekend just south of Monmouth to hunt with Shawn Scott of Heartland Whitetails. It was a very exciting time even though we never scored on a shooter buck. I passed on numerous 120-130 inch bucks but never saw a definite shooter. The crops are still in up there which means the deer still have a lot of places to hide. Since 70% of their bedding areas are corn right now it was hard to locate a shooter. The corn will be taken out next week or so making the hunting much better.
DAY1
The first morning we setup on a hill with corn on at eye level and down the hill at 20 yards there was clover plus. At first light we had a tom gobbling every couple minutes. He continued to gobble at any noise until about 8:30 (wierd I know). At 8:00 I looked up and saw a small buck a glimpse of a decent one walking along side the corn. It was a one sided 3 point with an 8 point that would probably go 120. They preceded to pass at 20 yards munching down corn. Then at about 8:30 we saw 2 does down the hill about 200 yards. That was it for the morning. That evening we setup along side some clover plus plots leading to food plots consisting of beans, forage oats and corn. Deer were absolutely piling into the field. We ending up seeing 20 does and 5 bucks! I had a basket rack 8 point walk by at 20 yards. At last light a wide 3.5 yrd old 8 and a 9 point stepped out.Camera light was low so I wasn't planning on shooting. The 8 was not a shooter and the 9 was questionable. The 9 was probably 130 and I would have had a hard time shooting but wasn't quite sure. They fed passed at 25 yards ending the evening.
DAY2
We setup in a HUGE hickory nut tree over looking a creek bottom next to a corn field. This tree was so big we had to put our stands on a branch because the trunk was too big 25 feet up. We had plenty of does moving around and I had planned on shooting one. At about 8:30 we had 3 come running straight to the tree. They walked directly under us and I drew when they reached 10 yards. I bleeted at the biggest to get her to turn. Everytime I would bleet she would turn her head and look but not her body. She walked directly away from me and never presented a shot. That morning we had seen 7 does and no bucks. Later that evening we setup back on the cover plus plot. Does started piling in at 4:00. At 6:00 Mike said "buck right here!" The wide 8 from the night before jumped the fence and passed at 30 yards. About 45 minutes later with light fading fast another 8 entered that was a little wider. He walked by at 25 but I couldn't talk myself into shooting him. He was just a little too small and needed another year. That evening ended with11 does and 3 bucks.
DAY 3
Wewere sitting on in the middle of the timber on a stand we hungSaturday. It was right on a logging road where we had found a fewscrapes.Atfirst light a small doe was heading right up the road to us. I was going to shoot her but camera light was really bad. Sh walked right to us and started eat leaves of the trees I had cut down the day before. She ate for about 15 minutes until we had enough camera light. I don't usually shoot yearlings or smaller does but their pretty tender and taste better
She quartered away at 15 yards and I let her have it. I double lunged her and broke the offset shoulder. She ran about 30 yards and piled up. After that we did not see a single deer so at about 9 we went and recovered her. The final evening we went back to food plot since there were so many deer hanging out there. We did not see deer until 5:00 but then the does began to appear. There were about 7 or 8 does in the field and a 4 point jumped out. He chased a few does and began feeding. Then straight across from us 3 does were about to jump the fence. We had a great wind but I do not know why, one of the does started blowing at something. She ran off and the rest of the deer cleared the field. After that we had a couple more does come back out but that was the end of our final day.
We had an awesome time and I cannot wait to head back in a few weeks! Things will be different and I am sure I will get a cack at a shooter. This was my first time hunting Illinois and WOW the body size on the deer is enormous! Although we didn't get a buck I still had a blast!
Mini Doe
Hunsucker behind the lense
The Cabin
Over looking the creek bottom
The Food Plot
The Corn Field
The hickory nut tree
Another food plot
Heartland Whitetails
Video clips from some of the bucks I passed
Trip to Illinois! (LONG w/ pics) EDITED
sounds like you came very close and im sure its not over yet 
Who is this Hunsucker character you speak of?? [8D]
