Illinois Hunting Journal 2012

[4khorn]

My hunt last night proved to be uneventful once again. There are a couple of other hunters on the property as well and they don't seem to be seeing much action either. The bordering property was purchased during the offseason by the founder of Jimmy Johns sandwich shops, adding to the thousands of acres he has bought in the area the last few years. With millions of dollars at his disposal, he hired a personal land manager and they have put in food plot after food plot and big fancy expensive shooting houses and stands. I'm witnessing first hand how the greed of one person or group of people can affect so many others. Many local guys have lost their hunting spots and the few of us that have not are seeing less and less deer. I may be resorting to public ground if things don't pick up. I think I am in for a long season... and just for the record, I have not and will not ever eat at Jimmy Johns...

[charlie 01]

If I were you 4khorn, I would certainly try to do some serious rattling and try to bring some of those bucks across the border. It's always worth the effort. You could win or you could loose, but if you don't try you will never know.
They have there food plots, but deer love apples. If you do, step on them and crush them so the sqirrels and racoons don't carry them off.
I know a few outfitters and land owners around the state (illinois) that did very poorly with their food plots due to our hot dry summer. I would have to think that they are in the same boat.

[charlie 01]

Went out Monday afternoon to one of my public land spots. Saw and passed on a mature doe at 18yds. Went to the same spot Tuesday morn, tried rattling, saw nothing. Now, with this warm and windy weather, plus rainy days coming, I think my time will be spent doing other things.

[jepik]

broke ankle..2 more wks in cast..2nd opener missed since 1959...hope to be out by the start of the rut..good luck ..keep posting.. success or not..it will get better

[bobow]

broke ankle..2 more wks in cast..2nd opener missed since 1959...hope to be out by the start of the rut..good luck ..keep posting.. success or not..it will get better

Sorry to hear of your bad fortune. I hope you heal quickly and are able to get out soon

[Deerhunter04]

Shot a doe opening day so at least I got some meat in the freezer lol. Been seeing quite a few including some great bucks just no shots. Hopefully with the cold front coming in this weekend Ill get a crack at one of the big boyz

[Deebz]

I've been super busy this early season, couple with bad weather on my free days I've only been out 3 times so far. I haven't seen a single deer from my stand, but the wife has seen a couple from her spot.

I'm also hoping that this warm/stormy week leading into the cold snap coming on saturday gets them moving... I can't get out till sat afternoon, but i'm hoping they'll be moving well all day... thank god for the north wind also, as long as it really comes out of the north. south winds suck for my spot.

[charlie 01]

You've got me beat Deebz, I've only been out twice, though I could have had a doe the first afternoon. This weather really sucks, warm and rainy. Hope is coming, the full moon is the 29. Maybe things will start happening.

[Deebz]

I sure hope so... I'm really pumped about my prospects after seeing the trail cam vids of the wide 8 and the double beam... both look to be somewhat older deer than I've shot in the past, and either would look great on my wall.

I didn't hunt last sat afternoon in lieu of hitting up the rainbow trout stocked in Kickapoo State Park. They were really big this year, and a ton of fun to catch.


Saturday forecast: North wind, high of 50... i'll be out there

[charlie 01]

I didn't hunt last sat afternoon in lieu of hitting up the rainbow trout stocked in Kickapoo State Park.

I have to ask, how are those trout as far as eating goes? I used to do a lot of trout fishing in Mich. and some years, in some steams, in the spring of the year they used to stock trout. Their meat was on the whitish side and did not have the good taste of the true pink meated wild ones. The planted trout were easy to catch. They used to have one of their fins partially clipped and were easy to identify, those I would release to hopfully grow up.
Good luck with those bucks your getting on camera.