Gun season is not yet in, in Illinois. Therefore, the shooting of the doe was definitely an illegal act (poaching).

Although county and state officers can arrest for trespassing, in Illinois most trespassing violations for hunting and fishing violations are usually handled by conservation officers. In this case, pursuing a trespassing violation would probably not be an issue.

The one thing you need to consider, is that the shooter could have mistakenly or accidently shot and killed you, and the land owner condoned your life being put at risk.

Report the incident to a DNR officer. Tell him about incident and what the property owner said to you. That statement (threat) is evidence of culpability by the land owner. If you let him get away with it, and the shooter get away with the act, your ethics are compromised just to be able to hunt. In the land owner’s eyes, you are now one of the outlaws.

You witnessed an illegal act that all ethical hunters will not tolerate, yet you say you will only do something about it if it happens again. Sorry, that is BS in my book.