Youth hunt at Lake Le-Aqua-Na

[Bowflex]

My youngest son drew a tag for the youth hunt in Lena for this year. I met with the Park Ranger a few weeks ago and he showed me where we will be hunting (the hunting is done only from ground blinds and the youths must be accompanied by an adult). I am going to set up the blind this weekend. The area we are hunting is mostly pines we are directly accross an access road from some hardwoods.
We will be hunting the 1st Illinois gun season, hopefully the rut wil still be on.

This is my first time using a ground blind, its an Ameristep doghouse so it is roomy enough for two and the window heights are good for shooting off of shooting sticks.

Any setup tips? I was going to unzip the windows a little all the way around so the deer get used to it looking the same way for the three weeks until we hunt. What else should I consider?

[fastetti]

I'd find as much downed branches as you can and brush it in with that. You probably can't cut and green limbs but if you can break up the pattern with wind blown limbs the deer will grow accustomed to it a lot quicker. People say when you put up a ground blind your changing around a deers living room so they can tell pretty quick. The more you "Brush it in" the better.

Also, I don't know what chairs you are using but Id try to get them as scent free as possible. I use those collapsing camping chairs (the ones that fit in a bag) and try to leave them outdoors for a few weeks as well as spray them down with scent free spray. People take so much time making there clothes scent free then forget to make everything else scent free they bring in the woods!

You did the right thing by asking the park ranger. They're out there all the time and know where the deer are. I talked to one guy one time that worked the front gate of a state park. He said all these hunters would come in and find the farthest place in the woods. One guy finally asked him at the front gate if he's seen any big deer in the last few months. The guy said, "youre the only one that has asked me that, I was waiting for someone." He told the guy that a giant 12 has been walking 40 yards from the front gate everyday or so. Everyone thought the big bucks were hidden in the farthest areas. I guess the guy set up 60 yards from the shack at the front gate a week later and killed that buck. Sometimes you just got to ask!

Hope this helps some. Good luck to you and your son, let us know how he does!

[Bowflex]

Well it went really well. After seeing no deer in the morning hours, although we did have a HUGE Coyote pass through our setup we were active all afternoon.
My son took a button buck making a perfect low shoulder shot. Later on I was able to fill an antlerless tag by taking a small doe.
We passed on a small buck, I told my son that a mature doe beats a young buck everytime.

[fastetti]

Congrats to your son! 2 deer, sounds like he did a lot better than most adult hunters did in the first firearm season!