Illinois Hunting Journal 2010

[kevjack6]

EatDeer, do you typically have good luck during the 2nd gun season? Did you notice any rut activity this past weekend? It looked like the weather was a little warmer than normal.

I'm headed to IL for the 2nd gun season in a couple of weeks and don't really know what to expect.

[cmartin]

Was out for gun season.  Took a 8 pointer in Carrollton, IL.  About 2-2.5 years old.  Saw three bucks in all on Saturday.  The 8, a 6 pointer, and a 4 pointer.  The 6 and 4 pointer were chasing a doe around 3:30pm, the 8 was moving during the mid day, around 2:30pm. 
 
A lot of activity on Saturday through out the day, not as much on Friday and most of it was late afternoon.  Did not hunt on Sunday.

[Quickdraw]

I was out all weekend but other than Friday morning it was extremely slow and was hunting with my son for his first deer season.

Friday morning I had a doe and a 1.5 y.o. 12 point, he would be a dandy the next year or two so I let him walk (only to find out on saturday the neighabor shot him, so much for QDM).   I also had a spike come in on a doe he had been in a fight one of his spikes was broken off and his eye had been gouged and was bleeding down his cheek.  I also watched a button buck with his nose to the ground working the woods like he was a blood hound. plus I passed on several smaller does, as it was opening firearm season and with all that activity I thought it was just two early.

Firday night only 2 does late.  Saturday mornign nothing, Saturday night one six point buck bedded down for an hour by us I tried calling him in with a bleat so that my son might get a shot but he did not respond. 

Sunday morning nothing moved but I did notice a couple of new scrapes that had been made over night.  About 9:00am my son asked if we could do a little walking and see if we could get soemting going.  Well we ended up each getting a doe out of the same little island.  the story and pic are on the Photo Corner.

[EatDeer]

ORIGINAL: kevjack6

EatDeer, do you typically have good luck during the 2nd gun season? Did you notice any rut activity this past weekend? It looked like the weather was a little warmer than normal.

I'm headed to IL for the 2nd gun season in a couple of weeks and don't really know what to expect.

I think the odd's are good for the second season, with four days to hunt, and hopefully colder temps to get deer moving.  When I scored the booner it was on the second day of the second firearms season, an hour after another group drove their property.

I hunt a heavily pressured area, which is the mother of all rut suppessers. I'm hopeing with all the doe's that were harvested, maybe the rut will heat up again by the second season.   

If hunters are still seeing rut activity, that's a good sign. 

My veiw on second firearms season is the same as all deer seasons. Hunting in our state, a booner could walk by any minute. You just have to be in the right place at the right time....

[bobow]

I saw an even dozen deer all day Saturday.  Only one was a buck.  I was hunting out of a ground blind and they were all out of range.

@ 3 PM I decided to try the Ghillie suit a try and head to where the most traffic was.

I was sitting next to a tree on the ground when I heard the small buck cough & grunt up wind of me.  He got to 40 yards and then noticed me.  He could see me but couldn't figure out what was going on.  I finally was able to draw my pistol but blew the shot; pulled it high [:@]

This was the most I have seen in one day and the only does since early November.  I hope to go out on Thursday to see if I can poke one.

It is good to see the success stories.  Send some my way [;)]

[buckwild]

I haven't logged into D&DH much this year.  Dont know why cus this sight is awesome.  good to see what others are experiencing.

been a weekend warrior and have been out most weekends out of Rockford.  Hunting public land in oregon.  (where do you hunt bobow? I see you are near rockford)  have had decent sightings and have drawn my bow twice but never got a shot.  Took Wed thru Fri off last week (11/17 - 19) to try to get a bow buck before shotgun season.  Hunted 5 days in a row and finally shot a deer on Sunday night with about 1/2 hour of light left.  I wish I would have found this spot sooner cus there was a ton of fresh sign and two fresh scrapes (been seeing abandoned scrapes but only 1 other fresh one).  I am pretty happy about it cus i got skunked last year.  Already butchered the deer and have him aging in the fridge/cooler.

good luck all!

[bobow]

(where do you hunt bobow? I see you are near rockford)

I am a couple miles south of Stillman Valley.  My neighbor lets me hunt a small 15 acre patch next to the creek.  It is a 10 minute walk from the house if I take my time so I don't sweat.

No cover to really speak of.  It is a travel corridor at best.  No place to bed down unless they are just tired of moving.  I have only seen that happen once so far in three years.  They were chased out of a cornfield by the combines.

All the deer I saw Saturday was only due to being chased out of where ever they were.  Once I found out where they seemed to travel I tried to get a little closer but I ended up CHOKING [8D]

The buck that came in looked like he was wet like he had been sweating.  Since he was coughing & grunting I assumed he got chased out of some place just to the north of me.

[stu27]

Anyone see much movement over the weekend? I was able to get out both Friday morning and then Saturday afternoon. Didn't see a thing on Friday morning and then saw 2 does on Saturday night. Anyone else seeing a "lock down" as far as movement is concerned? Hope everyone had a GREAT Thanksgiving!

[buckwild]

Bobow - private land is a thing of beauty.  This is the first year I have ever hunted private.  Its a 3.5 acre spot next to some crp near the kishwaukee river.  Have seen good deer, but need a N wind so have only been there 3x.  maybe after gun season.

I have thursday off - going to try to get some more venison!!

[derby8849]

I have been out aroud 15-20 times in the past 4-5 weeks and have not seen 1 deer. i dont know whats going on, last year i seen deer evrytime i went out. does anyone have an awnser?