All done in Illinois

[Burnsie]

Well, yesterday was the last day of bow season here in Illinois.  I went out with my son and gave it one last try in the afternoon. No deer, but I stumbled into some new areas that really show some promise - already scheming for next October 1st - can't wait!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Deer is over.  Time to chase bunnies and enjoy backstraps  

[Herdbull]

I hunted this weekend, and rattled in a buck with no antlers on Sat. morning and saw 9 does and fawns Sat. afternoon. The front came through during the night and the temps dropped to low teens. Did not see a deer on Sun morning, but Sun afternoon I saw 10 does and fawns and 9 bucks. Two out of nine had shed their antlers. Some came within 15 yards of my tree to eat on some ossage orange balls. I also found a set of matched sheds from an 8 pointer I passed up earier in the year laying 30 yards from my stand. I tried to film some f the bucks with no antlers as they walked passed the sheds, but there were just too many deer and theirs eyes watching me to do it. The big old boys did not venture out so I am only left with anticipation for next season. Mike

I have two weeks of spike and doe only left here in TX. My freezer is pretty well stocked so I do not know if I will shoot any more deer or not.........but the pigs better beware!!!!

Bisch

[Jayrod]

Sorry to hear ya couldn't close the deal mike...but it will be that much better next yr..keep in touch

[wapiti792]

I ended the season here holding my tags...all of them. I was very picky and EHD deaths were way up in my county. Yesterday I had the biggest buck I have seen all season, a massive 4 year old, at 50 yards. I hung up my bow and smiled as he picked at the bean stubble with 2 other bucks. I hope I find his sheds    

I am really looking forward to turkey hunting. This fall/winter was just odd  

[glass76]

Didn't get to use my tags either. Took one shot this season...went right over his back. Saw lots of deer, had a doe with two fawns walk by me at about five yards and saw some nice bucks. Another fun season over with, already looking forward to the next one.

[Hawkeye]

I passed up shots on four smaller bucks in October, then had four additional times when does needed to take one-more-step (or in two of the cases, a half step) that simply did not happen.

Saw only two mature bucks all season, which is very unusual. I averaged four hunting attempts per week in Illinois' long 3 1/2 month season, and saw a decent number of deer, but it was a year where they were mostly from 50-250 yards away.  No matter what wise or off-the-wall tactic I tried, they were somewhere else!

Last night, I had my most encouraging scenario in in two months as the final 20 minutes of the season wound down, as a doe and two fawns zigzagged my direction from 150 yards out.  They stalled out about 50 yards from me, and turned into the woods before slipping out of sight.  The season had ended with a whimper.  It was 17 degrees with 15 mph winds, but I felt warm to have been there to close things out.

No arrows fired after a LOT of hunts this year, but it was a beautiful season, and a privilege to spend so many hours with recurve in hand enjoying the wonder of God's creation.

Maybe we should get together for a "Tag Soup Supper"!

[Hoyt]

I think I hunted as much..right up till it was over and hard as I've ever hunted this yr and only had two decent shot opportunities. Never had a doe close enough to take a shot and saw very few does and fawns all season.
The up side is I hunt Shawnee behind my house and have really been discouraged the last 3 yrs or so about lack of big bucks or even big buck sign. I saw more really good bucks this yr and more bucks period than I've ever seen anywhere. More than 20 on one little ridge.
I did kill one decent 8pt the first wk of season and missed a possible B&C..he gets bigger every time  I post about him..shot over as usual, but real good excuse.
The two biggest, I had one at about 15yds and the other, 3 steps from my tree and couldn't get a shot on either. Both of them where bigger than either of the two in the pictures below. These two are real recent pictures since all the gun seasons and no one else hunts where I do (or period late season around here) so should be back next yr. I've seen one other bigger than these since the gun seasons ended...and have more than 10 other bucks on trail cams since the end of gun season. Looks good for next yr.

]

[bowtough]

Time to get busy and help the fawns this spring by killing alot of coyotes this winter! I'm gonna be givin my best to do that here in Il. Smoked a big female back in Oct.They are thick around our parts.

[SheltonCreeker]

Well I had a great season. Ended with 5 whitetail in the freezer 4 small deer and one nice sized doe. It was my year of encouragement. My confidence is high in both equipment and ability. Didn't have any shot opportunities at any mature bucks which might have been different if I would quit shooting at the younger does and those pesky squirrels but man what a great season. We still have a few days of squirrel season left and I really wanna take a coyote with my long bow so I may spend a few more days on stand trying to take that off my bucket list. Already looking forward to the 2013 opener!

[emt137]

Didnt see a thing all season.  Didnt even see a roadkill deer. Everything I've seen and heard is it was a below average season in my neck of the woods.

I do feel smarter after this season though. Learned a lot about one of the areas I hunt so I guess thats just as valuable as filling tags.