I haven't been out yet but will soon. Is anyone seeing any deer?
My buddy Dan saw some good activity on Saturday and killed a doe up in Henry, IL.
I have set three evenings now, hunting natural ground blind locations I've sighted deer each time. All does and fawns. Have yet to take a shot.
Thanks I'm hoping the population in up better than last year.
So far not bad. Only been out a couple of times and really just watching for now, but have seen deer both times. Wind was pretty strong on the 1st and NE is an odd wind for the area I've been sitting. Camera is showing a fair number of different deer so I think the numbers are OK at least in my little spot.
Plan on being kinda selective with what I shoot this year. Numbers across the state are clearly down from 10 years ago and the only way to bring them back up is to not shoot as many, esp does. DNR doesn't want to cut back on tags by much so the only way is for we hunters to police our own actions. We are ultimately the ones who decide how many deer we kill.
I haven't been out hunting yet, but I have seen a lot of sign around the house and in the garden.
How is the acorn crop in your area this year? Seems to be considerably less around here this year.
Went out tonight today and didn't see anything but another hunter and a coon. I hunt state land and the acorns was falling.
Got out the night of the opener and the following morning. Saw some deer and quite a bit of deer sign. Felt so good to watch the sunset and rise in the woods.
I've been getting out around 9 am-2 pm due to taking kids to school and picking them up, not ideal but better than being on the couch. Called in a yote, no shot but today I found a huge chicken of the woods mushroom so it was a success
Went out Sunday afternoon/evening for the first time and saw 3 does at about 5 yards while hunting on the edge of a corn field....got busted before I could get a shot.
"WINDY" Alotta crops still in the fields and haven't seen a much yet. Prolly keep fishin for another week then get pretty serious. Deer numbers have been way down in our county especially mature bucks, hopeing for an increase in numbers this year. Last year was pretty sad!
I haven't made it out, but my neighbor has been out 3 times (state land) and hasn't seen anything. The past week has been very windy (20+ mph), but this week activity ought to pick up.
I haven't been able to go yet. Hoping to go Friday. My buddy has been several times already and is seeing a lot of deer.
I've been seeing a lot of acorns this year while out squirrel hunting. I live down in extreme southern IL. right on the Ohio river.
Will find out on the 9th, heading up to thin some does and my landowner finished up cutting the last of the corn last week so should be just about prime.
Killed a couple of Does behind house in National Forest, one first afternoon and bottom picture next morning.
Border Covert Hunter 47#, 62"lg., 340 FMJ, Simmons Tree Sharks. Full penetration on both. They were around 17 steps and ran about 40 and 50 yds.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Iflytrout/2015-16%20Deer/Yrlng_zps9kyblgqm.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Iflytrout/2015-16%20Deer/Doe2e_zpsyjijcege.jpg)
Great shooting Don.
Great shooting dan, been out few time public land central illinois, seen few does and one small buck so far. This morning seen two does, appears to me wind is more nkrmal and most crops out deer starting to calm down. Will update after eveninv hunt
Only made it out Sunday this weekend, but had two nice does come thru about 10 am. It was heading for 80 degrees and was going to be a short day so gave them the pass. I hope they are still around later. Been seeing several on the trail camera so I know they are out there and coming thru. Headed south to Saline Co, next weekend.
Only made it out Sunday this weekend, but had two nice does come thru about 10 am. It was heading for 80 degrees and was going to be a short day so gave them the pass. I hope they are still around later. Been seeing several on the trail camera so I know they are out there and coming thru. Headed south to Saline Co, next weekend.
Good shooting, Hoyt!
I saw 13 bucks this past weekend, but they were all 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 year old. Lots of sparing and rubbing antlers on trees. Glad to see it after two years of EHD deaths. I usually take a doe during this time of year, but with 80 degree temps and multiple bucks in close proxsimetry, I did not shoot one. More chances may come. Mike
My hunting buddy Lenny Brown and I are headed east to Illinois three weeks from today, November 2nd. We have a seven day self-guided hunt we bought at the PBS banquet in Cincinnati and to put it mildly, I am starting to get a little antsy. I hunted Illinois seven or eight years back on a guided hunt a friend won in a raffle. I'll just say it wasn't a very good experience; we got what we paid for.
Anyway, I am looking forward to hunting hardwoods and headers instead of cottonwoods and river bottoms. I went to Uncle Barry's boot camp a few years back and got some Midwest whitetail education, hopefully I will be able to implement some of his header techniques and stand setups that are not applicable to the river bottoms we hunt. Been studying google earth for treestand locations but have had trouble finding a web site with the prevailing winds for the areas we are hunting. Anybody know of a good web site for wind directions?
Did I mention I am getting a little antsy?
Good luck to everybody.
Thanks Mike, it has cooled a little so I am going to start hunting again. I went a week ago and only seen another hunter on state land.
First apoligize, as work got in way of making follow up report for sunday, but got another day in anyway. Sunday night, which as many recall got warm, right as the sun set, I seen 4 does browsing through, then looked to my right 20 minutes before last shooting time and there was a "monster" buck, he was 30 yards with alot of brush, but he stepped up to the edge of the field and checked it out.
Last night, I sat in stand and had 3 does browse through again, but one slipped up and got to close, now she is in freezer. They are starting to pick up.
Walt check out Wunderground.com. But my guess is that your two most common winds are going to be NW and SW. Don't forget to pick a few spots for East winds. We seem to get more of that during November the last few years.
Walt, I also log onto weather channel and punch in the closest city, then click hourly forcast for wind direction etc.
Last year it was very windy (>30 mph) with temps in single digits during early Nov. Good luck.
still seeing numerous does and fawns, only buck a little 1 1/2yr old. No shots yet.
Jon,
Thanks, it looks like the that site will have the information I need.
Mike,
Thanks, I didn't think of using the Weather Channel, guess it was to obvious. It is not uncommon to get -20 here with 20-30mph winds in late November. However, ours is a dry cold, everybody tells me the humidity makes a big difference.
Went out this am and no luck, 42 degrees and my toes got cold.
Seen four does in standing bean field, had two more move behind me to it, 20 minutes before last light, seen turkeys too. An awesome evening.
I was in a prime spot where I had a couple bucks come by a few days ago..one fine one. Didn't see anything and it was cold for my thin blood.
I got Beagle problems and they are ruining my hunting season.
Made it out again this morning, managed to put an arrow in a small 7 point a little before 9:00AM. Quartering away at about 17-18yds, he managed about 75yds before going down. He was one of seven I saw this morning. Bow was a mid 70s Mag handle Bear takedown 53#. Doug fir shaft tipped with Zwickey Delta.
Good job Ed, have any pics. and story?
Since Scout has gotten so screwed up, I check this site for wind. Doesn't do me much good though in the ridges and drainages I hunt.
https://www.windyty.com/?2015-09-11-00,37.562,-88.445,12
Have seen a few but nothing I wanted to take. That being said, temps have been too high. Last night however we went into the 30's but are now trending back up.
Oak mast is thin right around the house. I am concerned about food availability as the season progresses.
I will be busy with teaching classes and coaching our shotgun team until after the end of the month. Then I'll kick it in gear.
30 hours on stand so far - total of 4 deer seen with only 1 in shooting range.
The herd around me seems to finally be starting to recover from EHD devastation of 2013. I took one doe and missed another in the last week.
Just spent the weekend with friends around lake shelbyville at the UBI rendezvous and the deer numbers there seem to be up, too.
Warmed up this week, so I expected the deer to slow down little. Last night, didn't see but one deer in a field, but did see some turkeys.
Went out last night, seen 3 does, to far to shoot. Some more buck sign on schedule
Anyone else here hunt Coffeen?
This was my view on Sat morning, Oct 17. A little before 9, four deer came in and this 1.5 yr old yearling doe finally stopped on the second bare spot. It was a pretty quartering shot and she made it about 30 yards. Saw a total of 11 deer that morning, not a single antler.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v450/Fletcher610/20151016_160411.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Fletcher610/media/20151016_160411.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v450/Fletcher610/20151017_091907.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Fletcher610/media/20151017_091907.jpg.html)
Great job fletcher!!
Went out yesterday morning and seen nothing but on the drive home a doe crossed the road in front of me with a small buck chasing her.
Full moon seems to have slowed things a bit for me lately, however passed on a forky yesterday morning as I only have one buck tag left for the year. Saw 7 or 8 yesterday evening including one buck. I was particularly wanting a yearing doe, but before she got in position for a shot others worked in behind be and caught my wind. Oh well maybe next time.
Good shoot'n Fletcher. I haven't seen a deer in over a wk when I had 3 little bucks feed under me for a couple hrs.
I'm walking more than a mile back in these ridges of the National Forest so not hunting as much. Takes me about a day to rest up from one trip back in there..old.
Did find a fresh scrape where the dogs had messed up the closer in areas so maybe it'll get better closer to the house.
Headed to some public land that is opening up tomorrow a.m. for archery deer now. Not sure why they wait till now...
Anyway, had a doe pick me off Friday night and just stood there stomping for few. She eventually turned and left slowly, not quite spooked.
Hoping I get a shot at a deer or turkey tomorrow...
-Jeremy :coffee:
Will hunt IL for the first time ever this Tuesday-Thursday, near Camp Point.
I still haven't seen a deer from stand, had one blow this am but that's all
Been real slow around here in the Forest haven't hunted in a couple of days. Will get back at it tomorrow.
A few decent bucks are beginning to move a little just not when I'm in the spot they are. Did have this one come across the creek crossing I was hunting one afternoon last wk. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Iflytrout/Trail%20Cam/IMAG0694_zpsysaf3gew.jpg)
He went up the ridge and I grunted him down to about 18yds broadside, but he was looking down right at me and I couldn't draw.
Several bucks using that same crossing last wk. only seen the one.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Iflytrout/Trail%20Cam/Redheadb_zpsvig3rt9q.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Iflytrout/Trail%20Cam/IMAG0705_zpsw7cibk6d.jpg)
Looks like they are moving, counted 25 deer driving home from quail hunt.
Well after umpteen times out I finally see my first deer and it was a decent buck, I got so excited I MISSED at 18 yrds.
Sat in Mazonia-Braidwood south lot for 9 hours on this past Thursday. Very windy and raw. There are some good deer in there but only saw one mature doe all day. Here is the scene from where I was sitting with my ground hunter seat up against a tree. I had bushes on both sides of me so I was blinded in on both sides. The pic is looking straight out in front of me. The Doe came from those 4 little pines you see in the distance on the left. She got to within about 40 yards but no closer. I gave her a grunt and she trotted off like she wanted nothing to do with me. 40 yards is way too far for me to take an ethical shot so let her pass. I will be back!
Steve
(http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t384/MeatCKR/Mazonia_1.jpg) (http://s1057.photobucket.com/user/MeatCKR/media/Mazonia_1.jpg.html)
Beautiful
(http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q618/brianlocal3/2015%20hunting%20season/33A79245-0460-4EA8-A10D-39AE26E34B6B_zps4tposubp.jpg) (http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/brianlocal3/media/2015%20hunting%20season/33A79245-0460-4EA8-A10D-39AE26E34B6B_zps4tposubp.jpg.html)
My set couple weeks ago. Had two does stay out in the CRP, not inside the wood line like they were suppose to lol, never fails, I hunt the edge and they are in the woods, I hunt 40 Yds in and they are on the edge
Today's "hunt" I decided on a still hunt. The lake is the lighter stuff straight ahead. A lone for ALL THE way across the lake, no chance I'd actually make it to her but I'm gonna try
(http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q618/brianlocal3/2015%20hunting%20season/F4E6AF1C-11FD-4A13-BC06-C470757B866E_zpss2l1qvop.jpg) (http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/brianlocal3/media/2015%20hunting%20season/F4E6AF1C-11FD-4A13-BC06-C470757B866E_zpss2l1qvop.jpg.html)
(http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q618/brianlocal3/2015%20hunting%20season/F5036AE4-0EE2-4871-B7FE-A54512CF1067_zpsq1ckdogt.jpg) (http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/brianlocal3/media/2015%20hunting%20season/F5036AE4-0EE2-4871-B7FE-A54512CF1067_zpsq1ckdogt.jpg.html)
I make it to the point, she has moved out into a poweline cut heading towards thicket, it's 7:30, my wife calls and says I need to rush home. She is keeled over. Hunts over and I take the wife to ER for kidney stones.
This entire year I've not got but maybe 2 decent sits.
(http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q618/brianlocal3/2015%20hunting%20season/79E4C47C-FF7D-4E74-887D-BF9292B5DC7D_zpsef2ivfo5.jpg) (http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/brianlocal3/media/2015%20hunting%20season/79E4C47C-FF7D-4E74-887D-BF9292B5DC7D_zpsef2ivfo5.jpg.html)
Nothing saw this day
(http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q618/brianlocal3/2015%20hunting%20season/599DBA8B-2667-4E82-8ECF-505E4D36319B_zps4rmiertm.jpg) (http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/brianlocal3/media/2015%20hunting%20season/599DBA8B-2667-4E82-8ECF-505E4D36319B_zps4rmiertm.jpg.html)
(http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q618/brianlocal3/2015%20hunting%20season/E9435D67-7A4E-43F9-AC14-FDD05D7088DC_zpsxig4azit.jpg) (http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/brianlocal3/media/2015%20hunting%20season/E9435D67-7A4E-43F9-AC14-FDD05D7088DC_zpsxig4azit.jpg.html)
(http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q618/brianlocal3/2015%20hunting%20season/BABED295-DFDB-4C9E-BC66-9B3389AC030D_zpsk1ml3isc.jpg) (http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/brianlocal3/media/2015%20hunting%20season/BABED295-DFDB-4C9E-BC66-9B3389AC030D_zpsk1ml3isc.jpg.html)
Great looking hunting area.