Illinois Hunting Journal 2011

[kellory]

That's awesome Jon! I've seen deer on TV swimming across open water, but I've not seen it in person. I've camped and fished at Shabbona Lake, pretty awesome place.

Yeah, but don't shoot them while swimming, they sink like a rock!

[jonny5buck]

Redemption:-Wed-Nov.23rd-2011----At 2:45 pm i was attaching my climber to a different tree, right after i applied some'' active scrape'' scent into a large ground scrape. I had hopes of getting a monster buck i had seen on a previous hunt.

3:40pm-same day----a quick look behind me and to the left revealed a sneaky doe entering from the marsh...she was followed by another big ol doe and a medium size doe...3 in all.The tree i was on only allowed me to get up 17ft....luckily the bulk of my outline was broke up by the angle .I knew i was in for a hard hunt when the does split up going different directions...on both sides....smart old does ,and with no wind to cover any movement it now got difficult!

The largest of all of them was to my left and slightly behind me...she was curious about the fresh scent and cautiousely approached the scrape.....as i had my left hand on the bow and my right just inches from clipping my release on the loop......she looked right at me...i froze for almost 2 minutes....now the other 2 deer were directly behind me and approaching this doe....more eyes....more tense moments.

I knew this might end with the white tails flagging and blowing air....now the other big doe was locked on to me staring....2 big, smart ,does watching me and the smaller doe watching and learning from the others....i went old school....i have been in this situation before..I decided to clip the release on ,and grab the bow as fast as i could... while swinging on them... and finding my anchor point all in one move..!!!......They bolted and stopped at 24yds....i had a quartering away shot at the biggest one...and watched the arrow find its mark.....i watched as they ran than 2 split off and i heard a crash in a downfall and seen a white flag go up ....deer down...big ol doe my biggest by far...we think she is 140+ lbs....and prob. 5yrs old...major accomplishment for me very happy with the way it all turned out...those real old does are super smart....this technique of grabbing the bow fast and drawing fast sometimes works ...and sometimes doesnt....mark one up for Jon.... ---- i tried posting the pic and it was way to big...will have to find out how to get it the right size...soon!

[bobow]

Congrats! I hope you can resize the photo & post.

[jonny5buck]

Having a heck of a time resizing the photos....each time i try to post the pic is as big as the entire page--- --feel like smashing something!

good doe 2011.JPG (218.04 KiB) Viewed 515 times

[kellory]

Having a heck of a time resizing the photos....each time i try to post the pic is as big as the entire page--- --feel like smashing something!

Jon- if I may assist you, open your photo with paint, goto resize, click. you will see horz and vert setting at %100. ( that is your photo now.) delete those numbers and insert 50 and 50. that will shrink your photo by half high and half wide. go to file and save as: give it a name. that way you keep the origonal and the altered copy. If it is still too big, try it again. increase and decrease numbers until it works for you, and make sure to keep the numbers matched to keep the proportions correct. You can also change it's format when you save as to a GIF if the file is too large. It will loose a little clarity, but will require less file size. Let me know if I can help.

[jonny5buck]

Looks like i got it...sorry still so big ..it was the best i could do....she was over 140 lbs...and very very smart...still trying to shrink the other photo where you can see the entire body....thanks everyone for the congratulations....thanks for the advice kellory...paint wont help me...already tried it....deebz.....i love that park also..caught a huge crappie 17 inches out of there and some walleye ...might be hunting it this shotgun season...2nd season with my bow...

[kellory]

Looks like i got it...sorry still so big ..it was the best i could do....she was over 140 lbs...and very very smart...still trying to shrink the other photo where you can see the entire body....thanks everyone for the congratulations....thanks for the advice kellory...paint wont help me...already tried it....deebz.....i love that park also..caught a huge crappie 17 inches out of there and some walleye ...might be hunting it this shotgun season...2nd season with my bow...

Sorry, I would resize it for you and repost it, but my computer bit the dust, and this old relic drops stone chips out the bottom when I type.

[Deebz]

How's this J5B??

good%20doe%202011.JPG (36.19 KiB) Viewed 489 times

Side note, I tagged out Saturday morning with another nice buck. (pics on photo page) I have had a charmed season this year for sure! I killed 4 deer, 2 nice bucks and 2 medium sized does... plus my wife killed her first deer ever... Hope everyone else is doing well also! Good luck late season if you still have tags. Look to target the food plots. If this winter is really going to be like they say it is, the deer will be eating a lot before the snow gets here...

[jonny5buck]

Deebz -excellent job on my photo...thanks !....


Sounds like you have had a fantastic yr. congrats to you and your wife.


I took a ten point in late October...i ground him up myself ..backstraps.tenderloins and some roasts..the rest was burger


This doe was taken to the Meat Locker for some brkfst sausage links and bulk sausage.....i still have 2 tags left and try to remain patient for the buck i want....December is usually good for buck sightings for me....Hey deebz i did make it to Shabbona for shotgun season to bowhunt the park...i had 2 bucks fighting behind me quite a ways back in the grass....seen 7deer on the way to the parking lot...prob wont get back there this yr....its a lil too far from home ...plus there is more bucks on private land that i hunt...Good luck to all....hope you all are eating venison soon!....Happy holiday's also...Peace!

[Deebz]

Welcome!

I've only seen bucks going at it 1 time, but it was an awesome show... It was actually the first time I was ever in a tree by myself with a bow and a tag... they were a couple hundred yards out, and one of them actually ended up being my first miss at a big buck... I can still remember that hunt like it was yesterday...