Originally Posted by txhunter58

You should also consider going on a cow hunt to get your feet wet. The link I posted has a $900 cow hunt listed. You could learn the ranch and think about hunting a bull in the future. I have 90% as much fun hunting a cow as I do a bull. Especially when you hunt muzzleloader or 1st rifle seasons when they are still rutting. And you learn a lot without dropping a lot of coin. The tag is over $200 cheaper too.

Also, do you have anything to swap? There are some big whitetails in Ill. Do you have a spot you can take someone? If so, you could do a swap hunt. I have done swaps with a lot of luck from mule deer to elk, to moose, to Alaskan fishing.