IL firearms hunters, OTHER than PIKE/ADAMS....
 

What counties are we hunting?

For how long?

What have you been harvesting?

And finally, what do you think your county beholds? (Populations or Maybe you have been doing so-so but think the monsters are lurking?)

RE: IL firearms hunters, OTHER than PIKE/ADAMS....
 

Just started hunting Brown last year. Deer densities and quality are comparable with Pike /Adams IMHO.

RE: IL firearms hunters, OTHER than PIKE/ADAMS....
 

Morgan County sinceI started deerhunting at 12. Taken what I'd call an 'average' mix of deer. Never had the opportunity to hunt real prime time ground like some people I know,anywhere I've ever hunted seems to be smalltracts with lots of neighbors. Just haven't been fortunate enough to end up on a goldmine.:D

The lay of the land around here is very flat, tillable acres WAY outnumber huntable acres so a lot of guys end up getting packed in wherever they can.

Population seems to be very high right now, as it probably is all over the state.

RE: IL firearms hunters, OTHER than PIKE/ADAMS....
 

Richland county: Too damn many deer.

RE: IL firearms hunters, OTHER than PIKE/ADAMS....
 

I've got farms in Hancock, Brown, Scott, Morgan, and of course Adams and Pike. IMO, all of these counties have more than enough deer. However, if I ranked them (w/o Pike and Adams) it would be:

1. Brown
2. Morgan
3. Scott
4. Hancock

Now if you were hunting for trophies, I'd move Hancock up to the 1st or 2nd best. That county seems to produce a "special" buck every year!

RE: IL firearms hunters, OTHER than PIKE/ADAMS....
 

I gun/bow hunt in Clay, strictly bow in Jackson. Clay has alot of deer, but I don't see as many mature deer as I do in Jackson. I would guess that's due to the larger tracts of big timber, more places to hide.

RE: IL firearms hunters, OTHER than PIKE/ADAMS....
 

I bow and gun hunt Clay County.There are some wallhangers here,but not as many as there should be because the majority of the hunters shoot anything that comes by.

Bill

RE: IL firearms hunters, OTHER than PIKE/ADAMS....
 

Calhoun and Jersey Counties. There are some real Monsters taken from these 2 counties every year. The outfitters are moving in, that should tell you something.

Been huntin here 11 years. Wish I would have bought all the land I could have afforded back when I started. I could sell half and still retire today.

My best scored 160 gross and weighed 240# field dressed,

RE: IL firearms hunters, OTHER than PIKE/ADAMS....
 

I've hunted CASS, MASON, PIATT, DEWITT, EDGAR, DOUGLAS, and VERMILION. Killed Big bucks in Vermilion, Edgar, and REALLY big in Piatt. I see alot of quality bucksin CASS and Mason. The worst county I'vehunted is Dewitt. Lucky to have escaped with mature doe. (13) 125" or better (17) 115" or better harvested in ILL in 14 years. Top 3 bucks 165" 13pt in Piatt, 155" 10 pt in Vermilion 157" 13 pt in Vermilion. 2 of three on publc ground.

RE: IL firearms hunters, OTHER than PIKE/ADAMS....
 

1...Bunker Hill (Macoupin Co)
2...Both gun seasons and Muzzleloader season
3...Last year I got three deer. Tagged out shotgun season and 1 buck Mzl season.
4...Macoupin Co. holds some bruisers. I've personally seen some that would definatly go BC, PY or other other record.