Today was opening day here in Illinois! How'd everyone do? Thought it might be cool to hear where everyone's at and what they took or saw.

I walked away with a nice day in the stand!! [:@]

My buddy took a 100+ lbs. doe about 50 yards from me. That's the first time I've seen someone else take a deer in person.

Anyway that's a 100+ lbs. doe from Madison county north of Glen Carbon.

Sorry to leave the non-Illinois folks out!

I took a doe tonight around 5:30. Good size, probably between 110 and 120 dressed. She had one other one with her. Saw 4 others in the other end of the corn field as I was driving my truck back to pick her up. I was surprised to see that many deer with it being in the mid 70's, windy, and not long after a full moon.

I had two nice rubs line to my east and west of where I sat tonight. None of trees were huge, but I found it encouraging to see that much rubbing activity going on this early in the year. Those predictions of an early right might hold some truth.

I decided to do a little scouting in the morning to try and see if there are any bucks frequenting the corn field. And I'll be back at em again next weekend. Good luck the rest of the weekend!

My buddy went and checked in his deer and the folks at the station said it's been a BUSY first day. He said they were checking deer all day long. Had seen 2 monster bucks including one that dressed out at 190...

come on Illinois folks... how's it going out there? I had a nice 8pt that I couldn't get a shot on... good cold weather. Can't wait for this afternoon!

i didnt see a damn thing when i went saturday night. i got rained out friday. i was going to go this morning but had a late last night so scratched that idea. gonna try a different stand tonight.

wish me luck everyone i need it.

Saw lots of deer since Friday and had a handful of bucks, 1 real nice buck, bedded down 60 yards away. Never got close enough. Saw several small bucks sparring and 1 big buck chasing an unwilling doe around a cut corn field.
Was a pretty good opening.

took a nice doe about 8:00 am opening day went out this morning sunday had 4 does come by no shot have yet to see a buck so far . i know they are there opening morning i had rubs all around me

Didn't see anything sat morning.
Saturday night--
I sat in an oak flat/staging area. At 3:45 a doe with two But.Bk fawns came by. !/2 hour later another doe with two female fawns came by.
5:15 A six pointer cme by. Then later about a 100 inch 9 point fed at about 30 yrds. As I was standing there The bigger one I'm hunting fed with him at about 45yrds. He's a 150inch 10 point. I was a shakin in my stand. They both fed downwind and smelled where I walked in at. They just turned aorund and fed the other direction. Sun Morn. 2 does. Sun night. I shot a 110 lb doe out of an ameristep blind. We got it on video with my lighted nock.

Sounds like everyone saw some good action on opening weekend. I can't believe Hazcon7 saw a good buck chasing already. Whats up with that? I know the rut is supposed to be a little early this year but I didn't expect to hear stories of chasing from the big boys for at least a couple weeks.

speaking of which, anyone have a handle on some dates for the rut?