They are not behind every tree
11-25-2008, 11:57 AM
#22
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 1,559
RE: They are not behind every tree
The best part of this is, he MISSED a really good buck on Friday morning. I did not see the buck myself, but he told me it was between 130"-140" as an 8. That is pretty damn good deer if you ask me. When he left out Sunday morning, he told me that he was thinking of Iowa or Kansas for next year. Good luck if you run into him guys!!!!
11-25-2008, 12:57 PM
#26
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location:
Posts: 368
RE: They are not behind every tree
Whoa, whoa, whoa. You mean not everyone in Illinois, Iowa or Wisconsin shoots a huge, monster of a buck every year? From reading the boards on a Minnesota-specific site (sorry, I'm a cheater I know), if only Minnesota would be like those states in terms of its DNR-imposed management strategies, every one of us would slay a bigun each year on opening day. And we'd all hold hands and tiptoe through the tulips. Big bucks require work, no matter where you're at.
I see guys all around me locally griping there are no big bucks. Then I pick up my Outdoor News each week and see picture after picture of guys - and gals in Minnesota holding up 150-180 class bucks with a bow slung across them. They are out there. They are just indeed not behind every tree.
I see guys all around me locally griping there are no big bucks. Then I pick up my Outdoor News each week and see picture after picture of guys - and gals in Minnesota holding up 150-180 class bucks with a bow slung across them. They are out there. They are just indeed not behind every tree.
11-25-2008, 01:05 PM
#27
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,200
RE: They are not behind every tree
kicken a very good thread IMO.
This year is my 10th year bowhunting and 9th year shotgun hunting. All of them have been spent in Illinois. While I am not denying the fact that Illinois is a trophy area, it is by no means a "gaurantee" to kill a giant. In those 10 years of bowhunting I have had cracks at some P&Y's and 1 B&C. Meanwhile, if you go take a look at my mounts in the basement you will see ZERO record book deer. They are in the area, but seeing them, getting them in range, and then making a good shot is a whole different thing.
My family owns 365 acres in Jersey County, which is considered to be in the trophy area. We have taken some big deer off this land with a shotgun while the deer are running wild. My cousin killed one that went around 205 and my uncle killed one in the low 170's. There are also a few 130's-160's thrown in there, but that is during the shotgun seasons, and over the course of MANY MANY MANY years of being hunted (30 years or so). We have NEVER killed a P&Y buck off our land. I had the chance to this year, but I blew it and so far have been unable to recover the buck.
So yes, big deer do live here, and yes many of them are killed throughout the state, but not by a loooooonnnnngggg shot is it easy hunting. Some mega managed lands are going to have outstanding hunting, and this is often the types of land that you see on T.V. and the types that out of staters go to when they travel to our state.
If there is a big buck hiding behind every tree in our state, then I must be blind.
This year is my 10th year bowhunting and 9th year shotgun hunting. All of them have been spent in Illinois. While I am not denying the fact that Illinois is a trophy area, it is by no means a "gaurantee" to kill a giant. In those 10 years of bowhunting I have had cracks at some P&Y's and 1 B&C. Meanwhile, if you go take a look at my mounts in the basement you will see ZERO record book deer. They are in the area, but seeing them, getting them in range, and then making a good shot is a whole different thing.
My family owns 365 acres in Jersey County, which is considered to be in the trophy area. We have taken some big deer off this land with a shotgun while the deer are running wild. My cousin killed one that went around 205 and my uncle killed one in the low 170's. There are also a few 130's-160's thrown in there, but that is during the shotgun seasons, and over the course of MANY MANY MANY years of being hunted (30 years or so). We have NEVER killed a P&Y buck off our land. I had the chance to this year, but I blew it and so far have been unable to recover the buck.
So yes, big deer do live here, and yes many of them are killed throughout the state, but not by a loooooonnnnngggg shot is it easy hunting. Some mega managed lands are going to have outstanding hunting, and this is often the types of land that you see on T.V. and the types that out of staters go to when they travel to our state.
If there is a big buck hiding behind every tree in our state, then I must be blind.
11-25-2008, 01:22 PM
#28
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Chatsworth IL USA
Posts: 5,012
RE: They are not behind every tree
If there is a big buck hiding behind every tree in our state, then I must be blind.
11-25-2008, 01:31 PM
#29
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Inverness, MS
Posts: 3,982
RE: They are not behind every tree
They are not behind every tree, but the rut in Illinois is phemonimal. I've spent 4 years in 3 different counties and its been good in all three. If you expect to kill a 150, wake up! Sure, it could happen, but odds are not with you. Now, if you only want a 110-120, you have a very good chance at that. For most places in the country, that is a very good bow buck!
11-25-2008, 01:46 PM
#30
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Indiana (southern)
Posts: 6,146
RE: They are not behind every tree
Cougar,I 100% agree with you on this one 
The OBR ( i know it dosent agree with some) but i have seen a hugh difference in my are with it. If we would shorten our gun season we would be a killer state. Just to give you an idea of my year in Indiana even after last years EHD. I have been close to a 160 a 130 and two 120-130 bucks this season but couldnt make it happen 
I have seen a TON of bucks and handed out passes like crazy this season waiting on a big one. Im not complaining
The OBR ( i know it dosent agree with some) but i have seen a hugh difference in my are with it. If we would shorten our gun season we would be a killer state. Just to give you an idea of my year in Indiana even after last years EHD. I have been close to a 160 a 130 and two 120-130 bucks this season but couldnt make it happen I have seen a TON of bucks and handed out passes like crazy this season waiting on a big one. Im not complaining
ORIGINAL: Cougar Mag
bloodcrick, don't deny it but the Hoosier state is becoming a top end state as well. One buck limit a year should help a lot. And though I don't personally know any of the land around Evansville and a little farther north, the Wabash/Ohio river bottom grounds should be dynamite! This coming from an ex-Hoosier now living in Illinois.
your right, the guy was expecting something that is not a guarentee anywhere. I know they are not everywhere behing every tree but i also know Illinois potential, and work right on the river on the Indiana side across from Ill. So i work with alot of Ill hunters. I can say this though, i see the pics EVERY YEAR of the deer these guys kill and it is mind blowing. I have one co worker who kills 1 if not 2 p@y bucks every year in Illinois, last year he killed a 160" and a 150" five minutes apart via bow. a big part of Illinois sucess IMO is the short fire arm seasons they have. I talked with another Illinois co worker today, he has not shot a buck but has had three encounters with a 170+ eight point and has been turning down 130" bucks on a regular basis. dont get me wrong, im not siding against you, i know how hunting is Like i said it is never guaranteed. But Illinois is in my book, a top end state And im jelious you live there and i dont
. One buck limit a year should help a lot. And though I don't personally know any of the land around Evansville and a little farther north, the Wabash/Ohio river bottom grounds should be dynamite! This coming from an ex-Hoosier now living in Illinois.