Illinois Bow hunting
 

I figured I would make a new thread, For Illinois bow hunters like me seeing as the Signs of Illinois Rut thread was starting to die.

I figure we can keep in touch about bow hunting her in Illinois.

I have glad that most people have been having plenty of luck this Season but, I must say I could be doing better. I have three private properties that i can hunt, and I have only killed one deer. My first deer a button buck. I have a bad feeling that our rut went on at night because of the heat, and Might still be coming.

So I am currently wondering about whats going to go on seeing as this is my first hunting season about what happens after shotgun season. I mean its only my first deer season so I dont know how its going to go. But hows the season work after shotgun season and its only 3 days the first time around. Are the woods going to be too shot up and are the deer going to be real spooked too badly?

What are some stratgies to use after shotgun season?

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

Well if ur in a area where shotgun hunting is goin to be in action before to long. Then ur in for alot of sittin and playin games with deer just to see one. They get spooked and stay bedded down until night and then move to eat and drink. And for u having 3 properties to hunt on which i have seen some videos of urs on youtube, u need to get a ariel photo and look and see where deer would move through like funnels. U just need to do a little scouting and u will find them. good luck

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

The new property should only have 2 shotgun hunters max this weekend.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

As i said 1 property will have very little pressure.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

So what I am basically looking for is advice on what to do postshotgun season....

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

If you know where they bed and where they feed, just get in between them, preferably closer to the bedding.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

I use to think right after the gun season it was almost impossible to kill a deer with a bow. Suprisingly I have had very good luck during thanksgiving weekend most years. It seems like for the most part all the big bucks tend to be locked down with does during the first gun season and are out searching again by thanksgiving weekend. Just keep in mind that the deer are pressured so hunt accordingly. Be as scent free as possible and hunt smart.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

Well The deer in the new property are very little pressured. for shotgun season on the new property that I can hunt. Currently I am hunting next to an old perminant stand that has not been used in years. So I figure its a good place. It is on a trail where deer would cross the creek and go around the bottom of the vally at the openings of 3 funnels and that are washouts. the spot itself is a funnal made by the creek and the valley wall.

I have been letting another property where I have my groundblind at rest because the land i can hunt is very small and the other hunters have already found the bedding area on their side of the property line and have ither driven the deer deeper into the woods or out of the woods and cross the rail road tracks.

The third property I do not know so well because its very large and I got lost in it once So I have a bit of a phobia about it, so I only go there when I have somebody with me. its very scary to come out of the woods at a place that looks like you went in at but your 500 yards past where you want to be and you keep walking the outside in hope you will get to the end of the corn and come to a road, which I did but IM not crazy about that place.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

The most fun and productive season I ever had was a week after the first shotgun season during Thanksgiving week. On a Sunday morning I rattled and grunted in a 7 pt. buck on the ground. Killed him at 12 yards while hiding in some weeds higher than my head. This was my best hunt ever, very exciting to paw the ground with antlers, rattle and grunt a buck in.

Two days later(Tuesday) killed my 2nd best buck at 8 yards on the ground while stretched out from behind a large water oak. Lots of luck involved and I had seen this buck 3 different times in early season, but could not make a serious attempt at getting him until that particular morning. So yeah, post firearm season can be very successful under the right circumstances.

I try like heck to hunt where deer are likely to feel less pressured and more secure after gun season.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

Well we will see what happens after shotgun season gets over with.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

well its snowing here so if the rut hasnt quit hit yet this should help it.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

Just got back from a miserable day and a half of hunting in southern IL. New property to me. Had a nice buck run in on us not 5 minutes after climbing in the stand the first afternoon and couldn't make it all come together (camera ready and buck in the open). After that...nothing. Nothing moving today or yesterday at all. Spent pretty much all day in stand. Reports of other local hunters was pretty much the same.

At least where I used to hunt in IL, between the shotgun seasons was often very good, even on heavy pressure properties. Late season was always good as well once I figured out what they were feeding on.

I am not sure about this new property I am hunting now...hopefully I'll get to use that way expensive tag I have...but you guys with good spots like the original poster, keep after them and keep reporting what you are seeing.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

Hopefully the shotgun season wont get things too shot up and spooked. I am still hoping that the less peasured areas will be an ok bet. I will have to get out monday and try and do some scouting in my new spot.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260314705535

by the way I need to move these broadheads before the hour ends.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

So, what do you think this frost will do for deer movement after shotgun season finishes?

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

Well, Shotgun season is over, lets get out and get some arrows into deer. Word has it that my new spot only had one hunter this weekend and that the rut is finally in the swing of things.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

Well report back here if anybody gets anything tomarrow.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

I'll be out Wed. - Sat. to hopefully catch a buck. If not a buck its all about filling the freezer with a couple of doe.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

I won't be able to get out until Friday morning. It has been a weird season. I've seen 4 deer within 40yds this year and all have been bucks. Come to think of it, I haven't seen any doe at all. The one stand I sit in is a funnel to the feeding area and I try to rest it a lot as to not lay scent and get them to change their habits. 3 sits, 3 bucks seen (one should have been meat in the freezer).

Chris

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

anybody seen any activity or been out now that shotgun season is over.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

My friend lance and I saw around 16 deer feeding in a field tonight when we did a drive around his hunting ground, and there was a buck with the does. So I think the rut is still going here. I am going out tomarrow night and I hope to see one... I plan to hunt the funnel. what is second shotgun season so i know my timetable.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

the rut is still on for sure I live in east central Illinois and I saw 3 different mature bucks on does monday night

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

2nd firearm season is December 4-7.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

wheres everyone from?

Gallatin County for me

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

I just got back from a hunt in Gallatin County and the rut was rocking. I saw over 30 bucks in a 6 day period most of them were running does. I got lucky and had a hot doe around my stand andthere were bucks coming from everywhere. I ended up harvesting a main frame 10 that scores 152. The best week I have everhad in the woods.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

I am going out tonight in marhsal county I will report when i get back.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

it was a perfect night but I saw no deer! only squirrels.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

I still have yet to get lucky.... I think im going to change spots and give up on the spot i first hunted it just does not hold deer in the fall I am finding out... but now that i know where to set up next opening day.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

it was beautiful tonight nice and still but dang cold, I got into my stand around 2pm and didnt see anything for a while and then i started seeing squirels. But then i was thinking about getting out and then all of a sudden I saw some movement and it was a nice 6 pointer walking along the deer trail diagonal to me I should have drawn my bow when he went behind a tree but no.... I didnt draw... and then he comes out infront of me to my right and hes beautiful and he looks right the f up at me and I freeze and hes got this whole bullseye on his lungs less than 20 yards away and hes looking right at me. then he turns his head and i get ready to draw and the buck turns around and fs off back into the woods. So its starting to get dark and then I then I got busted by a deer in the brush on the other side behind me. So I kind of have a littl ebit of confidense back that im not curses with not seeing deer... Im cursed that I dont get shots at deer. So like i said i have some confidence back. and the bucks appear to kind of be crusing again or starting so i may try hunting the other finger.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

Well the buck didnt come back and i didnt see much of anything So I think that next week I will go back to the small match in marshal county to give this spot a rest and rotate.

RE: Illinois Bow hunting
 

I find it very frustraiting that the only shooter i have seen I messed up. but now I dont think he will be back... Should I try and run a drag line on my way in? I dont know..