Back from Illinois (long)
11-17-2002, 01:05 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blair Co., PA USA
Posts: 537
Back from Illinois (long)
As I stated before, I was unable to hunt the last week of bow season here in PA, my father and I traveled to Pike Co. Illinois instead. We arrived last Saturday and got stand hanging chores done late Sunday. First off let me say that there was more deer sign out there than I've ever witnessed before. Finding good funnels was easy, out there it seems the deer travel the creek bottems and drainage ditches, so we slapped some stands in place, trimmed limbs and headed back to town for some rest.
Day 1
We rose early Monday morning, showered and headed to our patch of timber. Dad saw a good buck(3 1/2 yrs. or better) at about 7:45 running does in a weedy field, although too far for a shot, it pumped us both up. The morning was pretty slow. I saw an unidentifieable deer bolt through my area around 9:00. I was going to meet him for lunch at noon, so I stood to get stuff together. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a doe bolting towards me. In Illinois, your Non-Resident license comes with an antlerless tag and an either-sex tag, so we we're anxious to shoot does. I drew on this doe and was ready to release when I heard something behind her, it was a pretty wide 1 1/2 year old buck, hot on her track and grunting, so I turned my attention to him. I'd never taken a buck with the bow so I decided this guy would do. I grunted him to a stop at 32 yards, settled the Hoyt HavocTec and released a perfect shot, taking out both lungs. He didn't know what hit him and immediately started following the doe again. The trail was obvious and we pretty much galloped along it. He covered about 80 yards and was down. He was nice for a young deer, 5 points, about 12 inches wide, his left side even has the beginnings of a drop tine.
Day 2
I decided not to take my bow today so I wouldnt even be tempted to shoot a doe and end my hunt. I sat with Dad on the ground and again, the morning was pretty slow. At about 8:30 we we're getting a little restless, I looked up and not 15 yards away stood a high 130's 10 point looking right at us. I told Dad to grab his bow and just then the buck bolted and stopped 20 yards quartering away, and Dad had no shot. The buck eventually trotted off, despite my pleading bleats. I sat a different stand that evening, again without my bow. A nice 2 1/2 year old 8 point followed two does to within 15 yards of me. Boy was he pretty. Dad took a doe that evening with a 15 yard shot, same tree I killed the buck from.
Day 3
We decided to take care of the meat we had so far and didn't hunt. Another hunter saw a big buck chasing does on our parcel early in the morning. Darn!
Day 4
I was back in my lucky tree looking for a big doe. At about 7:45 I looked over my shoulder and saw the back of a deer heading my way. I rose, grabbed my bow and waited. It stepped into an opening and my mouth gaped. It was a main frame 8 point, high 160's or better. Absolutely breathtaking! He followed the same trail my buck did on Monday. Having a buck of that magnitude that close would've made the trip for me, even if I hadn't taken the buck. About 3:30 that evening a deer snuck in on me and ended up about 18 yards from the tree. When it's head went behind a tree I lifted the HavocTec from it's hook. I studied the deer, which was a yearling, and decided to pass, opting to wait for a mature doe. Then I noticed it's right hind leg, it was limping and the foot looked seriously mangled. I decided to cull this deer and end it's troubles. When it stepped into an opening 17 steps away I released. The deer traveled about 60 yards and crashed. When I got to it, I examined it's foot, it appeared that the foot had been caught in fence, almost taking it completely off. Well, I was out of tags and hopeful that Dad would get a shot at a good buck.
Day 5
Dad sat my stand again this morning and immediately had deer in. A young buck (which minutes later came within 15 yards of me further down the draw) chased a group of does around directly underneath him. The way the license is configured, you can take two does, but he decided to hold out until later in the day. That evening a large doe and her fawn came to within 25 yards of the lucky tree and he went ahead and took her. Ending our Illinois hunt with all 4 tags filled. She dressed out at about 145 lbs.!!
It was, in fact, the best week of hunting in my 5 years of bowhunting. I saw 5 bucks, all of which we're in bow range. We plan on going back next year, and I think I'll hold out a little longer this time <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>.
Day 4
I was back in
Pick a hair.....or a caruncle!!
Day 1
We rose early Monday morning, showered and headed to our patch of timber. Dad saw a good buck(3 1/2 yrs. or better) at about 7:45 running does in a weedy field, although too far for a shot, it pumped us both up. The morning was pretty slow. I saw an unidentifieable deer bolt through my area around 9:00. I was going to meet him for lunch at noon, so I stood to get stuff together. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a doe bolting towards me. In Illinois, your Non-Resident license comes with an antlerless tag and an either-sex tag, so we we're anxious to shoot does. I drew on this doe and was ready to release when I heard something behind her, it was a pretty wide 1 1/2 year old buck, hot on her track and grunting, so I turned my attention to him. I'd never taken a buck with the bow so I decided this guy would do. I grunted him to a stop at 32 yards, settled the Hoyt HavocTec and released a perfect shot, taking out both lungs. He didn't know what hit him and immediately started following the doe again. The trail was obvious and we pretty much galloped along it. He covered about 80 yards and was down. He was nice for a young deer, 5 points, about 12 inches wide, his left side even has the beginnings of a drop tine.
Day 2
I decided not to take my bow today so I wouldnt even be tempted to shoot a doe and end my hunt. I sat with Dad on the ground and again, the morning was pretty slow. At about 8:30 we we're getting a little restless, I looked up and not 15 yards away stood a high 130's 10 point looking right at us. I told Dad to grab his bow and just then the buck bolted and stopped 20 yards quartering away, and Dad had no shot. The buck eventually trotted off, despite my pleading bleats. I sat a different stand that evening, again without my bow. A nice 2 1/2 year old 8 point followed two does to within 15 yards of me. Boy was he pretty. Dad took a doe that evening with a 15 yard shot, same tree I killed the buck from.
Day 3
We decided to take care of the meat we had so far and didn't hunt. Another hunter saw a big buck chasing does on our parcel early in the morning. Darn!
Day 4
I was back in my lucky tree looking for a big doe. At about 7:45 I looked over my shoulder and saw the back of a deer heading my way. I rose, grabbed my bow and waited. It stepped into an opening and my mouth gaped. It was a main frame 8 point, high 160's or better. Absolutely breathtaking! He followed the same trail my buck did on Monday. Having a buck of that magnitude that close would've made the trip for me, even if I hadn't taken the buck. About 3:30 that evening a deer snuck in on me and ended up about 18 yards from the tree. When it's head went behind a tree I lifted the HavocTec from it's hook. I studied the deer, which was a yearling, and decided to pass, opting to wait for a mature doe. Then I noticed it's right hind leg, it was limping and the foot looked seriously mangled. I decided to cull this deer and end it's troubles. When it stepped into an opening 17 steps away I released. The deer traveled about 60 yards and crashed. When I got to it, I examined it's foot, it appeared that the foot had been caught in fence, almost taking it completely off. Well, I was out of tags and hopeful that Dad would get a shot at a good buck.
Day 5
Dad sat my stand again this morning and immediately had deer in. A young buck (which minutes later came within 15 yards of me further down the draw) chased a group of does around directly underneath him. The way the license is configured, you can take two does, but he decided to hold out until later in the day. That evening a large doe and her fawn came to within 25 yards of the lucky tree and he went ahead and took her. Ending our Illinois hunt with all 4 tags filled. She dressed out at about 145 lbs.!!
It was, in fact, the best week of hunting in my 5 years of bowhunting. I saw 5 bucks, all of which we're in bow range. We plan on going back next year, and I think I'll hold out a little longer this time <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>.
Day 4
I was back in
Pick a hair.....or a caruncle!!
11-17-2002, 03:20 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Irwin PA USA
Posts: 486
RE: Back from Illinois (long)
Sounds like you had a great time hunting, I bet you wished you passed the 5-point..o well any deer with a bow is a trophy. All I can say is I will have my bags packed and ready to go with you next year. Congrats on your buck, and good luck in the PA firearm season. I also failed to fill my PA buck tag.
Shots that are True....Pass right Through!!!
Shots that are True....Pass right Through!!!
11-17-2002, 07:31 PM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Dixon IL USA
Posts: 175
RE: Back from Illinois (long)
Glad your going to get a taste of our IL deer.Nothing i like better when on a trip is to see some nice animals.Congrats on your harvests.
It's not how big the Deer,But the size of the experiance that matters!!
It's not how big the Deer,But the size of the experiance that matters!!
