Have you ever felt this way?

[Woods Walker]

kell: I only LOOK stupid. On the few occasions when I did that I DID NOT carry a weapon. Really...I didn't think I'd have to spell that out!!!

[kellory]

"Of course we've all felt that way. How could you not? But for me, it's short lived, because if you think about it, you can HUNT all year. You just can't exercise the killing option unless it's during the hunting season.

I visit my hunting area all year, and I also carry my bow and a quiver with a few Judo points in it. I will scout, making and observing all and anything to do with deer, or any other wildlife for that matter. I also use this time of year to rough fashion natural ground blinds at various locations. I like to stillhunt, with a few "sits" in between at these places. I have also at times seen deer, and have tried to get as close as I could to them unobserved. Getting "stickbow" close and them letting them move on, is just as good as killing one, except you can't eat it! I don't do this too often, as I don't want to risk "educating" them, and never more than once in a given location.

Like I said, the bow goes with me, and IMO it's an EXCELLENT way to practice under the most real hunting conditions you can imagine. Shooting at a leaf or weed from the same ground blind you will be hunting from will not only build confidence, but will also demonstrate to you any problems you may have shooting from that spot in regards to cover, shadows, terrain, etc.".......Yes Woodsey, you should spell it out, I could get arrested on public lands doing this( even though I agree with the technique) We have weapons restrictions on public lands EXCEPT during the game seasons, can't train dogs on public lands without jumping through hoops also. Private lands are a differnt story, but I still may have to talk with a game warden if I am seen by a non-hunter in the off season with a weapon in the woods.

[Woods Walker]

Of course you do this on private ground! In Illinois, there's NO law that says that you cannot shoot a bow (or a firearm for that matter) on private gound as long as you are abiding by local laws (city limits, etc..).

[kellory]

No, but there are laws against poaching, even on your own land. If someone sees you and beleives you are in the process of poaching, you get a visit from the game warden. It is a nusience thing. I have know non-hunters to stick thier noses into lots of things that don't concern them, and I have first hand knowledge that animal rights groups tresspass, steal animals(horses) and hide them until court, then claim YOU starved them! (happened to my uncle in Indiana) all but 4 had to be put down after that! What you suggest may be perfectly legal and a good technique, but the appearance of what you suggest may require an explaination to a game warden because of outside interferance. That is all I am saying. I am not suggesting you are stupid, I KNOW they can not be trusted.

[scotman]

The season is over. You used your tag/tags. You were really into the hunting routine,,up in the dawn,on with the clothes,up in the tree. Then it's over. The urge is still there. You were kinda let down. Hunting didn't quite end up the way you planned. Well,,there is always next season. But it is ssoooooo, far away. Ten months away!! PATIENCE....And when you get my age,,you HOPE ,,,there is another season....

Who says the hunting is over? Well the gun part of it is..When my seasons ends my buddies look at that as an opportunity for me being a driver on a orchestrated deer drive.