Adams County Illinois? Help, Where are the deer?

270GameOver · 11-11-2007, 08:51 AM

Anyone hunting up in Adams County, Pike, Brown IL? Me and my buddy have a lease this year on a 160 acre parcel. The property is mostly small tracts of woods with big to small alfalfa fields. We have hunted our a***es of and even though we have drawn shotgun and muzzle tags we don't even want to go. We hear all the hype about hunting in the Golden Triangle, but haven't saw one shooter this year. We have hunted every weekend since October 1 and seen minimal if any does and mostly 4 pointers. We left Friday thinking things would turn around for pre-rut and hunted Friday evening and Saturday. After Saturday we were so dissapointed that we loaded u EVERYTHING and came home. Most guys would love to have 160 acres in Adams County to hunt. We are so dissapointed that we are probablly going to skip gun season based on all the hours we've put in and haven't seen anything. It's CRAZY, there are trails all over the property, scrapes, rubs! But not one mature deer. Barely any Does and little bucks on occassion.Is anyone else hunting in Adams County up near Liberty and Barry Illinois? Is this normal or did we just get a bad chunk of property? We aren't seeing pre-rut activity or rut activity. What should we do, skip gun season and throw away all our money and time we invested. I mean this makes me not want to hunt, it's that bad guys.

270GameOver · 11-11-2007, 09:54 AM

It makes no sense, there are rubs all over the place, there are scrapes all along the alfalfa fields, and trails worn to the dirt. We hunt hard and aren't even seeing any Doe. All the hype about Northern Illinois is turning out to be just "Hype". We have been doing everything right, hunting the wind, and putting more than enough time in on stand. Every weekend and some weekdays from the opener of archery season. I've seen more deer in the woods behind my house "40 acres" then I have in Adams county. The trails cams aren't even taking pictures. It's like there are no deer. Up the road from us is Hadley Creek Outfitters, looking at their pictures they are killing deer this year. We are seriously debating abandoning our shotgun and muzzle tags based on how dissapointed we are. It makes you not even want to hunt. Is it our property or like this everywhere? I can't make sense of it.
My buddy was saying he talked to a guy who hunts in Liberty, 10 miles from Adams. This guy said the rut was in full swing last weekend and this week the bucks are bedded up with the Doe. I'm not sure if this is accurate either?

Switchbkshooter · 11-11-2007, 02:26 PM

If you're not going to hunt it, no use letting it go to waste. Me and my dad would be happy to come and hunt it for you with our bows after shotgun season

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midsouth_hunter · 11-12-2007, 11:53 AM

Hello, we have just got back from hunting Illinois and let me say at least you have some private land to hunt. We hunted public land and I have never seen so much hunting pressure as I seen there. There is nothing like sitting in your treestand since well before dawn and have a guy be-bopping his way right past your stand at 9:00 am out for a morning scouting episode. We hunted in the Adams/Pike area as well and it was some hard hunting. Deer were not chasing like they should have been the first week of November. We had fun though overall. A little dissapointed in the scarce deer movement. Wecame back with a doe for some venison meat.

Hunter_59 · 11-12-2007, 04:09 PM

I live and hunt about 2 1/2 hours to the East and I can tell you that the rut seems to be a little slow this year. My feeling is the warm temps. are slowing everything down. I've seen a little chasing about the 5th of Nov. and since then everything has slowed down. There is a front moving through and a little cooler temps are heading this way for the weekend. This may help. If I were you, with all of the money you've invested, I would be there come Friday a.m. Remember, a bad day hunting is still better than a good day at work! Don't let it get you down! Good luck!

Tody_PSE · 11-12-2007, 04:18 PM

I agree. There was a little action around Nov 4th and after that I haven't seen much. Did I miss all the action.btw I hunt LaSalle Co.

midsouth_hunter · 11-12-2007, 04:38 PM

That's absolutely true concerning the chasing. around the 4th the chasing slowed and I seen several small 6 and 8 pointers walking around by themselves, nto concerned about does at all. I did see a particualr 4 pointerchasing everything the whole time. Maybe he was trying to take advantage ofthe situation. Ha

Hunter_59 · 11-12-2007, 05:04 PM

270', the weather forecast is for a front to move through tonight, the 12th with rain, but on Wednesday, another front with a strong NW wind to come flying down from Canada. The temps are supposed to drop into the 30's at night, which is still not where it should be, but I think this will really stir things up! Could be the "perfect storm", right in timefor slug season!

bhunter50 · 11-12-2007, 05:25 PM

I'll meet ya there ol buddy, i will bring my switchback too!!!

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Switchbkshooter

If you're not going to hunt it, no use letting it go to waste. Me and my dad would be happy to come and hunt it for you with our bows after shotgun season

.

SouthDakotaHunter · 11-12-2007, 08:09 PM

Keep at it - I know it get's frustrating when you aren't seeing any mature deer - but it sounds like there is some sign... Log as many hours as you can...

Do you know much about the immediate area? Has it been over hunted?