Earn-A-Buck In Illinois?

[jonny5buck]

right on.. thanks for the heads up.

question: do you have to kill a doe at some point before you can kill a buck, even after the doe-only session?

No you do not..once Nov. comes around you can kill a buck first time out...

[Deebz]

Awesome.. I'll have to give my Dad and bros a heads up on that. I don't get back to hunt that area too much anymore, but I'm pretty sure they were under the impression that it's always EAB.

Do you hunt Starved Rock much?

[jonny5buck]

Awesome.. I'll have to give my Dad and bros a heads up on that. I don't get back to hunt that area too much anymore, but I'm pretty sure they were under the impression that it's always EAB.

Do you hunt Starved Rock much?

Deebz-i just took advantage of hunting Mathession park last yr....only got out 3 times ...the first time i had 15 deer come thru with 2 nice bucks ...the other 2 hunts i saw a a spike and a doe ..i let them walk and was looking for a large buck....

I will have to double check on the Eab .because the section i hunt is a branch of Starved Rock State Park ...they could have seperate rules....i will try to get the correct info posted if i am wrong ....Mathession is doe only October for sure..with Buck hunting allowed in Nov. and so forth.....

[Deebz]

Right on. My brother does a few trail rides with his horses through Matthiessen. He claims he's seen BIG deer there. I think we hunted a small out of the way spot there once. Got in and saw some really good sign, sat all day and didn't see a single deer. We went in late morning though. I'm thinking the deer were moving through either early morning or overnight.

[charlie 01]

One has to check the rules of the state park that is to be hunted. I have found out that each state park seems to have it's own set of rules. I don't know why that is, but it is. One would think the rules would be the same for all, but not so.

If the state is concerned about not enough does being harvested, they should restructure the limits of does and bucks. For years, my thoughts of a plan would be a one buck limit and 2 does. No antler resrictions just one buck, your choice, take a small buck or pass on bucks in hopes of a larger antlered trophy, your call. Why does anyone need to shoot 2 bucks. How about we spread some around. I'm sure many small bucks will get a chance to grow some. If someone wants meat, take a few does till that trophy comes along. I have to believe that for the average hunter 3 deer would be plenty of meat. With these limits,you take the trophy of your choice and some does to help control the herd. With the present 2 buck limit, many hunters that I know,( and I've done it in passed years) take the first buck that comes along just to have a buck "under his belt" and then wait for the big one. And that person shoots another buck and he is done because 2 deer are plenty for him, and he has taken no does. If that first buck happens to be a small one under the 2 buck limit, then thinking lodgically, it was a waisted undertakeing. A doe for meat would do and that small buck could grow another year or it could end up being a trophy for a young hunter or a first time buck shooter. With a one buck limit, there will be no need for EAB programs or antler resrictions. I would venture to say that after a full season of a one buck limit, the following years would provide a quality deer herd with quality hunts. I have lost track of all the complaints from hunters about the lack of deer sightings in this last season. We need a change, and I think this is the one.

[Big Horse]

Charlie, I 'm going to have to disagree with a couple things and I'll toss out a few suggestions. First of all I'm primarily a meat hunter. While I have dreams in my head of monster bucks, like I think we all do, in the end I don't eat antlers, and antler size nor sex is always the deciding factor in whether I shoot a deer. I take every opportunity to harvest does, but in the long run, it's all about filling the freezer for me. 3 deer is not nearly enough to feed my family. We haven't purchased beef in nearly 10 years, and we try to minimally put 6 deer a year in our freezers. (preferably 8)

Secondly, if the state is concerned not enough does are being harvested, I don't see how a 2 doe limit would help control their numbers. If not enough does are being harvested I suggest they make does unlimited during the firearms season as they are during archery. Go to the over the counter licensing, as they have for archery, and if needed they could control the limits county by county based on population information.

And I know this is a hot button topic with some here, but open up the archery season to the use of crossbows. Crossbows are a safe, effective, and ethical means of harvesting deer and have been proven to be beneficial in both the recruitment, and the retention of new hunters. My wife has no interest in spending the time it takes to be an effective traditional archer. And she has no interest in going hunting in the colds of November and December during Illinois firearms season. But she enjoys going hunting with me in the early season when temps are comfortable and fall is in it's full color. I honestly think I could convince her to take up deer hunting if she could use a crossbow. Likewise, my 13 year old daughter has been hunting for 3 years now but her 90 pound tiny stature limits her to hunting with a firearm only. She simply isn't near strong enough to pull the required draw weights associated with traditional vertical archery equipment. My 14 year old son has been deer hunting since he was 8 and has the same problem. While I think this coming fall he will finally be able to shoot the required 40 lb draw of a bow. He has for the last 6 years been restricted to firearms due to his physical limitations. If increased harvest numbers and recruitment of new hunters are desirable goals, I believe crossbows to be one simple and effective answer.

[Deebz]

I agree with you on the crossbows BigHorse. In the past I was more of the "crossbows are basically guns that shoot arrows" camp... After meeting and marrying a girl with a bone issue that prevents her from ever being able to shoot a vertical bow I've had some personal experience with crossbows.

To prevent a wandering thread, lets just say I've changed my mind. I don't believe that age or health/injury related situations should be the only reason that we should be allowed to use crossbows during archery season. They would definitely open up an entire new world to many people out there who are unable/uninterested in using a vertical bow to hunt whitetails. That would definitely increase the $$ coming in from license and permit sales as well as boost the hunting related economy.

We should push for legislation allowing people to use crossbows in those state parks that have become so full of deer they have become a pest.

[charlie 01]

Hi Big Horse, I'm glad to see you get such good use of your deer harvests. With a 1 buck and 2 does limit, when you get all your family hunting you would have the potential of taking 12 deer. At least the possibility would be there. The 2 doe limit, I just thru that out there. There could be many variations to that. They could even leave it as they do now with being able to purchase extra antlerless permits. Or if a county is over populated, either issue permits or make puchase permits available for that county. Years ago in Mich. the state would issue antlerless permits for over populated counties. I brought this up as a way to do without antler restictions or Earn-A-Buck. I just feel for the guy who has limited time to hunt and the young hunter that would have to pass on a buck that could be his first trophy. One does not get a lot of chances while hunting.
I don't eat the antlers either, but I love to hunt the big bucks. I've been at this so long, that now-a-days the challenge of the big ones are what I live for, and for me, one deer is enough. We all have different goals.
Crossbows, I agree. Mich.and Ohio, anyone can use one. I'm not sure, but I think Indiana you can too. I have for years, been leery of hunting around anyone using crossbows. I have always felt it is much to easy to just point and pull that trigger and shoot someone in dim light conditions as what happens at times during the gun season. If one has to draw that bow, he or she most likely knows what they are shooting at.

[Woods Walker]

I have no problem whatsoever with crossbows either, and while I do agree that they will permit certain people to bowhunt that probably wouldn't, I don't think they will contribute all that much to an increased antlerless deer kill. One of the things they could do for this is NOT charging a fee when hunters want to donate a deer to the state program for needy people. One of my hunting buddies donated a deer, and I went with him. They wanted to change HIM $30.00! He'd already bought the license, gas, food, and whatever else you spend money on for a hunt, and they still wanted to go deeper into his pocket...........typical Illinois......

[Big Horse]

They should have some sort of voucher at those programs that you can redeem at any licensing facility for another tag.