Illinois Hunting Journal 2010

[JFry1969]

Some of the guys have taken mature bucks this week but all was around water. Started my vacation for a week, hope the cooler temps predicted gets them on their feet and moving more in the daylight. Only predicting a 1/4 inch of rain tomorrow so water holes will still be the place to be.

[Lot to Learn]

what in the hell happened to the rut?  Before the high temps I had bucks moving does all over the place. I was out all day today, had a small buck before good light, small doe right about good shooting light, and that was it for the day.   Pretty windy here today, that didn't help.  I think tomorrow is supposed to be more of the same.   

[Quickdraw]

What the heck,  high winds all weekend long, I wake up this morning have to go to work and its 30 degrees overcast and calm, go figure.  
 
Got out Saturday evening in the 15 mile per hour winds about 2 pm  had a 1.5 y.o. buck come out and worked the edge of the picked bean feild grunting about every 10 yards about 3:30. Also had a doe just out of range at 4:00
 
Sunday evening on the way out to one of my stands I found a doe dead along the logging trail, it looked as if she had only been there a few days after looking her over one of the neighabors shot her, the shot had passed through the leg, brisket and other leg, what a shame.  That evening in the high winds again had four does at about 60 yards cleaning up the remianing acorns in the  woods.  about 4:00 spoted another 1.5 y.o. buck working the edge of the feild and wathed him make a scrape.  Other that that not much action to report.  

[Lot to Learn]

Went out last night, had one doe come part of the way in. Had a really nice 6 come out also.  Believe it or not he was a shooter, very thick rack, very tall.  I would say he was 2 1/2 so another year probably a good idea, but pretty sure if things had worked out I would have taken him.   I am still not seeing any rut activity, although I heard from a couple guys today they are chasing again.   I think I am done until gun season Friday. 

[JFry1969]

Well I blew it tonight!!!
Heres the story--Ill keep it short. Went out Friday evening(hot temps) saw a good mature 8ptr chasin does around but just out of bow range. Sat. morning sucked -- nothing. Sat evening more of the same.Sun morning was a different story. I was in the middle of it all day. All age and size bucks chasin does early, then bucks cruisin by all day. I had a really big 10 pt come in and bed down about 60 yds away on the downwind side of the levee. Im not going to guess his score, doesnt really matter to me, but he was bigger than anything I have on the wall. He got up around 2:00, got a drink, then went west without offering me a shot.
Went back this morning. Sat till 10:00 and only saw a spike headin west. This afternoon I went about a 1/2 mile west of there to another pinch pt. Saw nothing all evening. At last light I was getting my stuff together to get down when I saw a doe comin my way from behind me. Guess who was followin her. I got my bow up and came to full draw. Somehow she saw me and jumped to the side. The buck turned broadside to see what she was going to do but a tree was covering his vitals. I was losing light fast and begining to shake when the doe decided she had seen enough and turned around and went back the way she came. Ofcourse the buck followed her without giving me a shot. She never sounded an alarm so I dont think she knew what I was she just didnt like the situation.
I would go back in the morning since Im supposed to be on vacation, but the boss called and wants me to come in tomorrow. That only gives me two more days to bowhunt till shotgun season. I have a shotgun tag but there will be a lot more people out there then. Hopefully he will stay around since I didnt blow them out of there, what do you guys think?
Right now I would say the rut is hot and cold, very unpredictable. I think these bright nights may have something to do with it but who knows. Hope the rest of you have better luck. Be Safe!!

Jeff

[EatDeer]

Rut suppressers tend to slow deer sightings.

This soon to be full moon has them moving at night more, which isnt good for hunting.

I think maybe some bucks are in lock down with the first estrus doe's.

I'm seeing deer, but they are nearly nocturnal, the pressure is on in my area.  

This wind has slowed down finely, but warmer temps are being forecasted for the opener.

Atleast alot of hunters will be on stand this season! 

Good luck this weekend! 

[stu27]

Had the opportunity to get out yesterday afternoon. Woodford County.......I'd been in the stand about 5 minutes when a real nice buck made his way down the fenceline. Couldn't see real well at first but, bow in hand ready for him to hop the fence for a shot. Jumped over and I got to see he was completely broken off on the left side. If the right side was any indicator to what the left once was, he was a stud. Oh well, he lives another year. Good luck to all this upcoming weekend. Weather looks like it'll be a little warm but at least no rain in the forecast for now.

[bobow]

I was out for a few hours this morning & was close to getting a shot on a 1.5 yr old buck.  I just needed a few more yards & I would have had a shot.

I hope tomorrow brings them out in droves [&:]

[SoIll Dawg]

Gee, I have no idea why this topic has not received much posting in the last few days....[:D]

Finally got deer #2 for the year.  No pics this time, too late and I had it skinned and hanging before my wife goes "take any pics?".

I got another "meat buck" 4 pointer.  That makes buck #2 and frankly, I am glad.  I am sick of having to justify to people why I do not care about antlers, just food.  Now I can just saw, "nope, doe hunting only".

Anywho, action was below normal this weekend.  I was pretty much of the opinion that I was not going to see a deer last night.  It was after 4pm and the moon was rising.  It was beautiful, so I sent a text to my bro-in-law that it was awesome.  He sent a text saying "deer in field" at the same time.  Apparently he was actually hunting and I was looking in the sky.

Regardless, Mr. 4-point walked across the field right to me.  Got within 40 yards which I figured was close enough for a scoped muzzleloader[;)].

[EatDeer]

Sunday after-noon, I filled a extra doe tag with a nubbin buck.

I made a incredible shot through some brush at about 75 yards, I use open rifle sights. The slug went through the shoulder, and dropped him. The buck still got up and ran 130 yards then died.

I guess nubbins didnt know he was supposed to drop and die from that shot.

We didn't see many deer, but over the weekend, I heard about 50 shots with-in a mile of our hunting area.

Congratsulations to all who harvested a IL, whitetail during the first firearms season.