BigJ71

I've been shooting often since the spring and I can't wait till Oct. 1st

I'm heading down to my families land this weekend (I think) to check on existing stands and put up additional ones if needed. It's a 5hr drive for me, way down to the southeastern most part of the state in Hardin Co Illinois (bout 10 miles from KY). I probably won't get back down to hunt it until the week before the gun season opens. I usually go down early and get some bow hunting in before the gun hunt. Then go back every so often throughout the season as time permits.

In the mean time I have spots up here in the northern part of the state to hunt (bow hunt only).

I'm way ready, the bow's shooting good, I'm feeling good.....just need to see some deer. I have no idea what to expect down south. Some years it's great for big buck activity others it's not. The property has a bit of everything from open fields to deep hollows and a couple of ponds as well as a creek that runs along two sides of it. We have a local farmergo in and cut down the fields (mostly wild hay) it helps keep the property looking nice and it tends to keep the deer in the thick timber. I always try to find their staging areas where they gather before they cross the open fields. It's mostly does that do this but come the rut, where there is does there will be bucks.

It doesn't take long to see where they enter and exit the fields (pretty consistent year after year for some reason) so I know where to start looking for them. Hopefully I'll see something I like.

Up here I've already seen some very nice bucks and I hope to get on one soon. I've found that they tend to go nocturnal sooner up north (by me)than down south. Not sure whybecause they are way more pressured down south as the land in right smack in the middle of the Shawnee National Forest (public hunting) and up here a couple of spotshas only mehunting them...go figure.

Well I need some sleep....later all.