Need advice on hunting in Illinios
 

I just returned from hunting in Macoupin county Illinios yesterday. The lease we have has standing corn and soybean's. There were 3 of us hunting for 3 days and did not see a deer. The land was walked over 2 month's ago with deer on top of deer. I am from the south and have never hunted around standing corn or soybean's, but my question is were did the deer go . The track's we saw appeared to be old and we only saw a few rubbed tree's. I am now not sure if I want to go back when it get's closer to the rut. Please help.

The standing corn is a very secure hiding spot!

Well the deer will stay in the corn and use it as food and shelter. Also once beans start to turn colors they will leave them alone until they finish drying out. The other thing you need to remember is that acorns are dropping right now and deer will leave corn to feed on them so if you could find acorns that will help your chances.

The last thing is when its hot like it has been the deer will go nocturnal and you may not see them again until a big cool down. I wouldn't worry to much right now if you aren't seeing deer. Wait until all the crops are out in your area which at this rate will be first week or 2 of november. If after that you aren't seeing deer you may need to take a step back and try to figure out whats going on

I'm hunting not far from there. The deer just are not moving. Don't panic.....they will.

Fall is running a little behind around these parts this year. The woods are still very alive and the deer don't need to move much to find food. There is food everywhere right now.

I'm seeing exactly the same thing, don't worry it will turn on. I haven't seen any rubbed trees yet.

I don't know exactly what you are hunting but central IL is pretty slow right now.

Also still way more crops in than usual due a very wet spring and late planting. A lot of the corn is still 20-25% moisture.

Thanks for the info. If the deer was to turn on feel free to leave me a post.

Deer may have moved to the acorns right now. If the beans are brown and the acorns are falling then they probably have moved to oaks. Also, I'd look into hunting the trails leading up to the corn. Those tracks are probably made during the night. With the warm weather, those deer aren't going to move as early therefor they will be late to the fields. Try to intercept them along the way. I've also learned that stands on ag fields aren't necessarily the best thing. I used to set most of my stands on the edge of corn. Once i moved them in the woods a little bit more I started seeing a lot more deer in range. Think staging areas rather than field edges.

standing corn= a deer's home, they will stay there until the corn is down

The underbrush in the woods I hunt seems particularly thick this year. I assume that means conditions were good for woodland plants, and that probably means mast-producers too.

I'm a bit farther north, and from what I've seen and heard, pretty slow around here too.

If you had to pick a time this season to come back and bow hunt Illinios. When would it be, since I only plan on coming back for a week later say in November?

The week before gun season.