Illinois Hunting Journal 2010

[4khorn]

November won't be producing any venison for me this year.  Saw a lot of action and had some good encounters but just couldn't close the deal.  Through the rut i saw 4 shooters but none within 50 yards.  Just wouldn't come in to my calls.  It's about time to switch into "brown it's down" mode for me.  Need some meat for the year!  All the little spikes and forkies I have been passing this year will now have a target on their side.  Of course I fully anticipate that now that I will shoot them, they won't come around.  How it works usually.  Congrats to everyone that experienced success over the last month and good luck the rest of the way.

[EatDeer]

I've been seeing a few deer while hunting gun season.  

Today a saw a fork horn with only one antler...

 I have been seeing little bucks, and young doe's, so far no mature buck sightings.

We got two more days of either sex firearms season, good luck to all IL hunters.

[stu27]

Was able to get out Thursday afternoon Saturday morning and afternoon and then this morning for awhile.  Didn't see a single deer all weekend long.  Heard very few shots........the weather really had them screwed up as far as I could tell.  Didn't get to hunt this evening so I'm waiting to hear if the guys saw anything.......should have been a pretty good evening with the change in weather.  Anyone have any luck over the weekend?

Hoping for a late season big boy wanting to recharge his batteries by hitting a field that I've left alone most of the season.  I'll be getting the bow back out trying to stay warm.  Good luck to all.  Can't believe how fast the season is going.

[bobow]

Hoping for a late season big boy wanting to recharge his batteries by hitting a field that I've left alone most of the season. I'll be getting the bow back out trying to stay warm. Good luck to all. Can't believe how fast the season is going.

I wish luck & skill to all those still hunting.  I was out Thursday morning, Friday PM & all day Saturday in the snow (in a blind) hoping something would come through.  Nothing was moving through the little parcel I hunt.

I did hear some shots close by late Saturday PM so they were moving at least after the snow stopped.  While I enjoyed the snow and being outside it is still a bummer not even seeing anything moving.

I will try to stay warm and try the bow but it will be a challenge this late in the year for sure.  I am disappointed but still hopeful.  I ate tag soup last year.

I learned a lot so far this year with the help of Marc & WW concerning the ghillie suit.  It will open options for next year.  I am comfortable with shooting a firearm but I will need to work on shooting a bow using it. 

I hope everyone else gets something this year.  Staying warm will be an issue, IMO.  Good luck!

[EatDeer]

I hunted all day all season, I saw a few deer, nothing I wanted to tag until late winter antlerless season. My father shot a button buck Saturday, just to tag out of the cold. I could have shot a nice doe, but I didnt want to fill my ethier-sex tag with a doe until last the last firearms season.

The nieghbors drove thier property an hour before sun set sunday, which produced about 30 turkeys, and no deer pass my blind!!

Both neighbors drove their properties backwards, letting the deer scent the blockers. They never have enough drivers, so the deer probley just laid in the brush, or circled around the hunters pushing the drive.   

My nieghbors never stop amazing me with thier hunting skill, atleast they werent poaching with lights/atv a week before gun season like the other side of our property. 

I'm hunting during late winter season, good thing I have ICE water for blood!!

I'm still finding big buck tracks, so it's back to the bow season after a few days of less hunting pressure. 

I'd like to read how some other IL. hunts went down over the gun season, from our Deer and Deer hunting forum users.

I know you're lurking because I see all the views you made!!  

I'm interested in your hunting stories, it's really easy to login, and post here!!


 [;)]

[Quickdraw]

Got out most of the weekend.
 
Thursday morning seen 4 does headed west at first light out of range, had several coyotes pass right under me just after legal shooting time but I let them walk because I did not want to scare any deer out of the area. 
 
Thursday night did not see a thing.
 
Friday morning, Nothing but turkeys.
 
Friday night I bumped two does out on the way to my stand and three come in behind me at 60 yards, I was not wanting to fill my tag just yet. 
 
Saturday night nothing until I was headed back to my truck and bumped two does and a buck.
 
Sunday morning two coyotes within 10 yards of me and a doe and a fawn at about 80 yards.
 
Sunday night nothing!
 
All in all it was a fairly slow second season, I am sure the weather had alot to do with it.  But I also believe the peak breeding in my area happened right around Thanksgiving and was done before second season opened.

[Relentless]

I am a little behind in posting in this thread....this time of year is just plain busy.  However, my son killed his first deer ever, a dandy 8 point....the pics are in the photo corner.  I did not have much luck the rest of first season. 
 
Second season I saw a lot of deer but, no shooter bucks.  I saw 17 deer last night and shot one doe.  There were about a half dozen bucks in the field and the rest were does and fawns...this was a cut corn field by the way, the biggest buck was an 8 pointer that would have went about 120-125" ...just not what I was looking for.  I am really counting on this coming weekend, muzzleloader season, to bring out a shooter.  I will be hunting hard. 

[4khorn]

Another season has come to a close.  It seems like yesterday that I was counting down the days to the opener, wondering with excitement what the season was going to bring.  Looking back I can say that the season was everything I had hoped it would be.  It was full of heart pounding encounters and moments of solace on stand where the rest of the world seemed miles away.  I was lucky enough to be successful on two occasions, and even if I wasn't, that would have been ok.  Its not about the kill, its about being out there.  Its about the memories made and the lessons learned along the way.  As swiftly as this season came and went, another will be here before we know it.  And the next season could very well be the best yet.  Congrats to all and thanks for sharing your experiences throughout this season.  See you in the 2011 version!
 
 
2nd deer of the year January 3rd, 2011

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