CarolinaWildlife

I have access to 500 or so acres in Geneseo Illinois. Hows the quality of deer in the area? My wife is from there and we live in NC (I'm NC born and raised). I'm planning this as my out of state hunt for this year.
Any information will be greatly appreciated.

super_hunt54

That would be the North Western part of the state. That part of the state is seriously "hit or miss". Some parts have some good deer numbers and others have very little. You may see some good deer. 500 acres doesn't tell us much. What's the acreage like? Cover? Food? Water source?

CarolinaWildlife

The property is 2 different farms. One I know for sure is on a River. The property owner is a big time pheasant hunter and this is his first year letting folks deer hunt, other than close family. I am paying the guy for use of the land. He wasnt advertising his property for hunting, I came in to contact with him by pure accident. I've done my research and hes a stand up member of the community. It's planted in beans currently. He told me that he needs the deer thinned out.

fastetti

Only thing that would worry me is that he only allowed family but now allowing "folks". I think it would all depend on how many people he has hunting it and the make up of the land (what % is ag, what is woods). 500 acres can get burned out pretty quick if there are 5 people hunting it. If its only 2 I think you'd be in good shape.

Topgun 3006

The OP states he is paying for the land, so very probably is the only "folks" that are hunting it. If it has beans like he mentioned, it should hold deer into the hunting season if there is any bedding cover near it.

CarolinaWildlife

Having done my research on him in particular, he's a well known person in the agricultural community and has a good reputation. He's wanting me to send a few game cameras for him to put out.
I feel better about this type of deal than going with an outfitter that's profit driven.

MUZZY 100

Ask how many other will be hunting. You will need to get there and do some scouting etc. can you look at the place on google earth ?? that will tell you a lot. IF you trust this guy go for it may be a great place. If its not over hunted and you know how to deer hunt you will kill deer....

CarolinaWildlife

Despite the low deer movement due to the UN seasonably warm temperatures... I took my biggest buck so far and it came in a way that I would have never thought it would.

This is a DYI hunt...the first day I passed on a decent 10 with split g2ss..making it a 12. It just didn't have the mass nor time length that I was looking for.
On day three after sitting in the stand till 11 am and not seeing a deer...I decided to get down and do some scouting.
I almost didn't even nock an arrow. I had made it almost 1/2 way back to the truck when I thought I heard a faint grunt..I was walking a feild edge that had prairie grass bordering it and the woods.
I stopped..got my grunt tube in my mouth and grunted...not 10 yards away this buck grunts back...walks parallel to me and the field..giving me a 10 - 15 yard shot quartering away.
I see that he's got a huge rack.. Draw my bow...grunt to stop him...spit the grunt tube out and let him have it!
He jumped..and stopped...walked another 10 steps and fell over DRT!

Topgun 3006

That is one nice buck! Congrats on getting onto the property and making the best of it!