okodoka

and it was awful.........11 hour drive each way and over a grand to the guide...........even drove around at night(without bow) to see if the big ones were moving at night and never seen a buck over 120 inches......i am so disappointed....anyone else ever went there and hunted hard for 4 days and not see one freakin shooter???....i so expected to atleast see some shooters at a distance but i didnt see the first one

Deerslayer_37

i think most people going on an whitetail hunt anymore are best staying off the beaten path to see quality deer. meaning, stay away from pike county, buffalo county, all the big names. i think those deer probably see a lot of hunting pressure. i'd rather hunt a lesser known county and get a shot on something decent than hunt pike county and not see a nice buck the whole week. i gues something can be said for the fact that it's not like everyone imagines. it's not like there's 150" bucks behind every tree. it's the same as any other county im sure, a fair amount of 110-130's with enough 150+ to keep people satisfied.

IL Hunter

I also wouldn't go bow hunting after both shotguns seasons.

uncle matt

Seems like yet another hunter sucked into the greatest hype in deer hunting - Pike county, IL.

There's no way a "guide" can 100% GUARANTEE you will harvest a trophy. In my experience, plenty of "established" guides kinda put their very regular customers and those customer's referals to the cream of the crop.

It is - what it is.

titleist_03

After the shotgun seasons the big boys stay put until dark. Usually around the first of January they start to show themselves a little bit again.

Capt416

I wasin Pike County during the second Firearm season. Leased land, no Outfitter. I shot a nice 15 pointer during the first two hours of the first day with a muzzle loader. It was the first time I hunted Pike County. I thought it was awsome. After I shot my big one, I sat on stand on Saturday with out a weapon just to see what else would come along. I didn't see another trophy but did see some 4 pointers that will be monsters next year. Wide racks and tall tangs. My buddy hunted three days and so several bucks but no shooters. I could tell that most of the big bucks wereeither taken or nocturnal by the third day. I wouldn't bow hunt Pike County after the second firearm season. I think it will be slim pickings.

Scott/IL

The deer here in Illinois get pretty skittish after the orange army hit the woods. It takes them a few weeks to get back into a pattern. Trust me Pike County holds some true monsters if you're on the right property. Every year some of the largest deer in the state are killed out there.

Never gotten a chance to hunt there, but one of my buddies has a farm out there and some of the deer on their walls and from trail pics are unreal.

PYseeker

You have to be carefull who you select as an outfitter in Pike county, there are alot of shady people who are just trying to get your money. I noticed you said just over a grand to the guide. that seems pretty cheap for that region. often the ole adage"you get what you pay for" is a good rule of thumb to use whn pickingan outfitter. Sorry about your luck, you'll get em next time


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brownie65

We have lots of big deer but it is hunting. I have hunted here all my life & you don't see monster bucks every day. That is one of the big misconceptions, some people come here & expect to see nothing but wallhangers& lots of them.I usually see some real bruisers every year. Some weekends/weeks just see little ones . I wouldn't judge it on a 4 day hunt, especially during the dates you hunted. You might try from Oct. 1 to first shotgun season if you hunt pike county again. I like early season real well & the first couple of weeks of November are awesome. In my opinion the weekend & week before our first shotgun season is the best,if I had to pick one time to hunt that would be it.

deernutz

Try BUFFALO COUNTY OUTFITTERS one of the top rated outfitters in Midwest. My buddies brother in-law. He runs a tight operation. 100% dedicated to his business. I can remember having a six pack sitting on a bluff watching a parade of bucks come out into thebeans. Thats why you see some hunts from his land on a lot of videos. Great guy!