Illinois Hunting Journal 2012

[Deebz]

4khorn... I actually had an awesome hunt Saturday morning...

Went out solo (the wife stayed home to pick up the house a bit since my parents were coming down), so I got in a little earlier than usual. I had 2 deer blowing at me out in the field as I walked back to my stand. I just blew back at them and kept walking. Got in stand and all situated, and just before I could really see well a deer crossed abou 65 yds out. I think it was a small buck based on body shape and language, but I couldn't see his head very well. Heard some deer moving through the timber to my left, so I was focused over there when I glanced to the open grass ditch to my right and saw a definite shooter buck. I didn't get a good look, but it might have been the double main beam I have video of. If not, it's another heavy horned buck that's really tall as opposed to being wide. He was walking away at about 60 yrds, so I hit my can call. He hesitated, but I heard a deer run in behind me... I looked to find a yearling doe standing about 15 yds broadside... I didn't take the shot b/c I'm holding out for something bigger. She circled around and caught my wind and spooked out of there pretty quick. The big buck just kept moving off into distance and I didn't see him again. I didn't get rained on, but I did get pelted with about a half hour of sleet... the weirdest sleet I've ever seen. No liquid at all, just rice-grain sized pieces of ice. After that quit I saw another deer (possibly the same deer i saw just before good light) feeding out in the cut corn a few hundred yards away. Then more sleet started, and after another half hour I couldn't take it anymore and headed in. Standing there talking with the landowner back at my truck I saw a doe on a flat run across the field. Then driving home I saw 2 small bucks (probably 1 1/2 yr old) harassing a doe.

so... in my neck of the woods it seems like the young bucks are getting fired up, but the big boys are still biding their time. I'm looking forward to having Friday off work. Got the nephew's 2nd bday party on Saturday, so I won't be able to hunt as much as I'd like, but I've got high hopes for Friday.

[buckwild]

Didn't make it out til Sunday afternoon. Set up where I saw does feeding last Sunday. Had a doe and fawns come by with about 45 minutes of light left. They came from behind me on the right and the wind was coming from my 3 oclock so that worked. Big brother led the way and walked by at 7 yds. Little sis was right behind him. I heard grunting coming from behind me at about my 7 oclock. It was momma and she walked by the other side of my tree (down wind) also at 7yards.

She got a little spooky and looked around nervously with a few stomps. She looked right at me a few times. She sniffed a few little branches (3/4" thick) that I cut with hand pruners when I got there. Then she walked over and sniffed the actual sapling itself. I was careful to keep anything from touching me, and I was surprised in how much attention she gave them.

Any take on why she gave so much attention to the snipped branches? It made me appreciate how sensitive deer are to their environment being manipulated.

It was exciting to have deer so close. I like having close encounters to keep the nerves down for next time...

[Deebz]

Fresh cut wood is fairly aromatic... If we humans can smell it, imagine how much stronger it is to a deer's nose. She was most likely just checking out something that she doesn't encounter often.

[4khorn]

I got off of work at noon on Monday and headed out with my climber. I found a suitable tree and got set up. I am getting better/quicker everytime I take the climber out. A bit after 3pm I saw a doe behind me and she was being followed by a little 8 pt buck. They never got closer than 70 yards and they headed up towards one of my hang on stands that I normally hunt out of. The wind was not right for hunting that stand but I still wonder if I would have gotten a shot if I had sat there. That was all I saw that evening. I left the climber at the bottom of the tree so I could come back in the morning.

I got out early this morning hoping to be settled in before daylight started to break. I had visions of watching the woods come to life as the sun came up...but it didn't quite play out that way. I didn't see anything until about 8am when I noticed a deer walking along the edge of the timber a good 150 yards away. She too had a love sick buck behind her. I couldn't make out the rack but I could tell that he was a little guy. They soon disappeared and the rest of my hunt was uneventful. The rain kept me out of the woods this afternoon, which was good because I was able to get some things crossed off of my to do list.

[buckwild]

Deebs - sounds about right. Do u figure if I wasnt there to stink up the place that the fresh cut smell would spook deer. My guess is that it depends on if they associate the smell w humans. Lots of hunters cutting limbs on public land to educate the herd.

[buckwild]

4khorn - hope things pick up. Bucks should be cruisin. U know of any doe bedding areas to camp out down wind of?

[4khorn]

Time and effort came to fruition for me yesterday morning. I had seriously considered sleeping in a bit and going out mid day to hunt til dark. Needless to say I am glad I didn't. I went out to my best evening stand just off of a cornfield thinking I would sit for a couple hours, then go deeper with my climber later in the morning. After 45 minutes on stand I noticed a deer standing behind me. I grabbed my bow, but soon realized it was a doe fawn. She browsed around a bit and every so often she would glance back up the ridge. I finally saw that there were 2 mature does feeding up there. The fawn made her way back up to where the other does were and they all bedded down about 80 yards from me. I was thinking "great, they are gonna bed there all morning and I didn't pack any snacks!" Every 15 minutes or so they would get up and browse a little then lay back down. After a good hour and a half of that I had another deer come in from the opposite direction. It was a little 3 pointer. I grabbed the bow again and was trying to decide whether to shoot him or not. The rack size didn't matter but he just didn't have a very big body, and I had does just across the way. I glanced back to where the does were and was surprised to see them all stand up quickly. A bigger buck had come running in and busted them up out of there beds. He chased one of the does down the ridge away from me. "Well, thats that" I thought. I turned my attention back to the 3 pointer for a few minutes and watched him browse around. I glanced back to the ridge again and couldn't believe that the bigger buck was standing at 40 yards. He walked to within 5 yards of my tree and noticed the little buck. Then he looked right up at me. I thought I was busted, and I suppose that any other time of year I would have been. But he diverted his attention right back on the other deer and slowly started circling downwind of him. Eventually he was broadside at 20 yards and the I took the shot. He tore out of there and I could see that my arrow did not make a full pass through. I watched the arrow fall out after 40 yards or so and watched as he ran back up the ridge where the does had been bedded. I never saw him go down and I thought he was going to make it across the property line into some thick CRP. I started to question the shot. I have lost a deer in that CRP before and did not want to deal with that again. After 20 minutes I got down and started looking for blood. I didn't find any until I came up on my arrow. It had about 10 inches of penetration and the broadhead had snapped off. I assumed it was buried in the opposite shoulder. I followed blood for 100 yards and it suddenly picked up, before I knew it I had nearly stepped right on him. He didn't go nearly as far as I had thought and I breathed a sigh of relief and began enjoying the moment. It had been a slow year, but things can shift in a hurry. Now that there is meat in the freezer I can relax and enjoy the rest of the season without any stress or pressure. Should be fun! I hope everyone else is able to exerience success before the season is over!!! Good Luck!

8 pt 11-7-12

2012-11-07.jpg (101.54 KiB) Viewed 557 times

[Deebz]

Way to go 4khorn! That is a solid 8 point for sure. I like the color and nearly perfect symmetry there. Thanks for the story... it gets me pumped to get out tomorrow!

[kellory]

nice shooter there. well done.

[bobow]

Congrats 4khorn! That is a fine looking species for sure.

I am going to head out this morning for a while and then Saturday & Sunday if things work out.

Question? What do you think the warmer weather & rain will do to movement at this time of year and with the rut seeming to be in motion?