just back from Illinois
10-23-2006, 05:19 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: zachary la USA
Posts: 48
just back from Illinois
I just got back from a week of hunting in Illinois. All I can say is WOW! That place has a ton of deer. Although I did not fill my buck tag I did fill both tags with some nice does.
The hunt went very well. Day one started out at a cool 24 degrees and windy. After a uneventful morning hunt I moved to a stand in a fence line overlooking a bean field. I had a few scrapes and heavy trails coming into the field so I was very excited about the area. After about a hour I had a doe walk right down the fence line feeding and after about an hour of watching it I knew she was alone so I decided to fill my doe tag. The funny thing is I have been practicing for a few months at 45 yards preparing for a long shot if needed but my shot on this deer was 5 yards. My tribute did me proud with a clean pass and the deer ran about 40 yards.
The rest of the time was a little rough with a couple days of rain with temps up and down but I still hunted passing on several small bucks and other does. I waited until the last hunt and did not want to come home with a tag soI fill my other tag with another doe.Although Iwas a little disappointednotgetting a buckbut I was very happy to take some nice does.
Atleast my freezer is now full so Ican concentrate on my home land and get my buck. Iam very happy with the performance of my new tribute. Both deer had clean passes and none went over 40 yds.
I cansay thatall that practice has paid off. I fussed about practicing for a long shot but that practice made my 2 short shots seem like a chip shot.
To all you folks that live in the mid west all I can say is WOW you guys have some nice deer. I will dream about that 10 pointer that was 3 inches outside his ears and had atleast 12in g2's till next year. I am thankfull he gave me a look at forty yards in some thick brush but never a shot but I will be back.
The hunt went very well. Day one started out at a cool 24 degrees and windy. After a uneventful morning hunt I moved to a stand in a fence line overlooking a bean field. I had a few scrapes and heavy trails coming into the field so I was very excited about the area. After about a hour I had a doe walk right down the fence line feeding and after about an hour of watching it I knew she was alone so I decided to fill my doe tag. The funny thing is I have been practicing for a few months at 45 yards preparing for a long shot if needed but my shot on this deer was 5 yards. My tribute did me proud with a clean pass and the deer ran about 40 yards.
The rest of the time was a little rough with a couple days of rain with temps up and down but I still hunted passing on several small bucks and other does. I waited until the last hunt and did not want to come home with a tag soI fill my other tag with another doe.Although Iwas a little disappointednotgetting a buckbut I was very happy to take some nice does.
Atleast my freezer is now full so Ican concentrate on my home land and get my buck. Iam very happy with the performance of my new tribute. Both deer had clean passes and none went over 40 yds.
I cansay thatall that practice has paid off. I fussed about practicing for a long shot but that practice made my 2 short shots seem like a chip shot.
To all you folks that live in the mid west all I can say is WOW you guys have some nice deer. I will dream about that 10 pointer that was 3 inches outside his ears and had atleast 12in g2's till next year. I am thankfull he gave me a look at forty yards in some thick brush but never a shot but I will be back.
10-23-2006, 06:26 PM
#3
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: zachary la USA
Posts: 48
RE: just back from Illinois
Yes I did have a great time and I will definatley go back. Bummed about no buck thats why they call it hunting and not killing. After seeing that many deer Ican see why the locals beg you to kill all that you see. They are tired of hitting them with there cars. It was well worth the money and time.
10-23-2006, 07:01 PM
#7
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Simpsonville, SC
Posts: 113
RE: just back from Illinois
Couldn't of been the south. There is only about 10-15 deer per square mile. Much much less than Louisiana. There's just a lot less woods so you see more. Try flipping the ratio of woods to fields in LA. and see how many deer you see!
10-23-2006, 07:15 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Jacksonville, IL/ Huntington, WV
Posts: 1,573
RE: just back from Illinois
ORIGINAL: tazman7
Where did you go in Illinois? Im guessing southern illinois- like pike county or something....send them babies up north, my hunting land sucks!
Where did you go in Illinois? Im guessing southern illinois- like pike county or something....send them babies up north, my hunting land sucks!
10-23-2006, 07:26 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: syracuse,NY
Posts: 458
RE: just back from Illinois
My buddy John just got back sat from a 5 day bow hunt there also. He went to the south. 3 states are right around where he went. He had an awesome time. Saw a lot of deer but none close enough. The place he went has a website. WWW.HANDSHUNTING.com
10-23-2006, 08:35 PM
#10
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: zachary la USA
Posts: 48
RE: just back from Illinois
For those of you wondering I hunted Calhoun county, we were just off the illinois river and the county just under pike. As a matter of fact from the top of a tall ridge you could see the river.
Jachunter. The ratio of woods to field is all relative to where you hunt in La. I hunt just north of Baton rouge and we have lots of woods but I have also hunted in places with lots of fields around here and not seen deer like I did up there. Because its so thick around here you are right its hard to see deer but there is no mistaking the amoount of sign I saw alond with the deer that only a few deer did not make all that.
I would recommend that anyone who gets a chance to hunt the midwest take the trip. well worth it!
Jachunter. The ratio of woods to field is all relative to where you hunt in La. I hunt just north of Baton rouge and we have lots of woods but I have also hunted in places with lots of fields around here and not seen deer like I did up there. Because its so thick around here you are right its hard to see deer but there is no mistaking the amoount of sign I saw alond with the deer that only a few deer did not make all that.
I would recommend that anyone who gets a chance to hunt the midwest take the trip. well worth it!