Southern Illinois Deer Hunting Advice

[pmsmith2032]

I am hoping to get some hunting advice on a bowhunting trip this fall. My hunting party has been hunting in northern Wisconsin for decades, but due to changes in laws, high hunting license prices, and a lack of deer, we have decided to try southern Illinois this year. The following are a list of stipulations/parameters we are looking for:
1. We will be bowhunting for one week during the first week of November.
2. There will be three people, including myself, in the group.
3. We will be camping in a tent, so we need a campground near potential areas with hot showers and electric at each camp site.
4. We are looking for areas that won't receive a lot of pressure during this time. We all bowhunt throughout the season in northern Illinois in public areas such as Silver Springs and Shabonna State Parks. We are trying to escape the intense pressure such areas receive.
5. We will be hunting out of treestands.
None of us are familiar with southern Illinois so any advice on areas to narrow our scounting search will be appreciated. We are thinking Shawnee National Forest might be our best bet, but we are open to other suggestions (including areas outside of southern Illinois). Thanks in advance!
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[Lot to Learn]

sounds like Shawnee will meet most of your requirements, I doubt any place in IL will meet #4.  That should be seeking phase and I imagine the woods will be pretty heavy with hunters. 

[SoIll Dawg]

Shawnee.  There is pressure, but it stretches from the Ohio to the Mississippi.

You might try Rend Lake/Wayne Fitzgerald State Park.

[kribbz]

I would suggest Rend Lake as well.  I have a co-worker that goes there one weekend every year in late october.  You will have to walk in a bit but he raves about it. 

[WCDH]

I would say come down before you hunt and go around and ask farmers to hunt. It don't hurt to ask and be nice even if the answer is no.

[ridn4free]

guys welcome to southern Illinois
here is my recommendations, first off here is a list of spots
http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/hu ... /index.htm
here is some of the things I would do
- contact Park Ranger in the area you planning on hunting, he will have an idea on what areas get the most activity and where you might find the best place.
- Ask around in sites like this, I generally do a couple of scouting reports and they will provide some insight to how the conditions are down here
- keep asking questions on the forums for someone hunting in your area
- make some prescouting trips, must be on weekend as you will run into people (talk to them and ask what they think). maybe a week or two before and start looking for spots in the area you want to hunt. keep your eyes open for signs of others in the area. I would leave orange tags in areas I was planning to hunt. helps others see where you are planning.
-the further you are away from the road the better you will be at avoiding people
- hunting weekdays to get a feel for things then try a weekend
- keep alternate plans. dont wreck your trip if something happens think plan A and plan B.
usually by the second year you can have a flawless time

PS:  Corn is getting cut fast and furious, we saw alot of fields cut this weekend, it should be all out by season start.  bugs have been terrible (ticks and chiggers, use your defense of choice).  Deer have been in the corn in the morning and beans in the evening.  I am already seeing good groups.  persimmons are so so I havent checked on acorns