Signs of Illinois Rut
#21
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Illinois
Posts: 28
RE: Signs of Illinois Rut
Ya i hear u all i went out this morning and saw a few does and a smaller buck...these warm nights where its 50 is not helping out the pre-rut and the rut. Hope that this cold front comes through here a little sooner then what they say. Good luck to u all....
#22
RE: Signs of Illinois Rut
Small bucks checking bedding areas. Big boys still fattening up at dark and pushing does around a bit. I have seen a bunch of orphaned fawns. Quite a few with only 2 does shot yet. Friday the 7th will kick it off.
#23
RE: Signs of Illinois Rut
Yesterday in Piatt County at 7:30am I had a Doe in heat come in with a nice 8 pointer at 25 yards. The Doe would bed and the 8 pointer would stomp at her to get her up she would go a couple of yards and then bed again. I had decided the mature 8 pointer had the mass and tine length but lacked the inside spread of a buck I wanted to take. So I was content to just enjoy watching...... until I noticed the 8 pointer looking back , I then saw a wide 10 pointer with great mass and long brow tines..... yep he was a shooter. The 8 pointer wouldnt leave the doe but he keep turning and brisstling up at the 10 pointer. The 10 pointercame into 20 yards but the only shot he gave me was straight head on... I waited until he turned and by the time he was standing still and broadside he was 35 yards so I shot but my arrow diflected on a twig and I hit him in the hip with what appeared to be ony 3 inches of penertration[:@]2 friends on the same property as me saw him walk by thier stands after I shot him and both concured with only a few inches of arrow penertration and said he wasnt even limping.So it was only a flesh wound with a blod trail that soon petered out.[:@]As for not triming shooting lanes????( We are not allowed to trim shooting lanes on the property I bowhunt )
The action here is defenitly heating up!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The action here is defenitly heating up!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#24
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: central IL
Posts: 258
RE: Signs of Illinois Rut
Yes Maam,
It's starting to get good. Morning hunts work best right now as it's the only cool daylight hours. Anxiously awaiting the cold front. Me and HAZCON7 are camping/ hunting for a week beginning Thursday.
It's starting to get good. Morning hunts work best right now as it's the only cool daylight hours. Anxiously awaiting the cold front. Me and HAZCON7 are camping/ hunting for a week beginning Thursday.
#26
RE: Signs of Illinois Rut
by the way any help on any other property... would be very much helpful... but more than anything I am looking for suggestions on tactics.
Has anybody used Codeblue, or should i stick to my tinks?
Whats the best thing to use on bootpads and when should I start using them? I have not used them yet but I have tinks69gel on them right now in my plastic bag...
Anybody got any calling or rattling tips?
Should I just hang my scent bombs up and leave them over night? or should i get something like a scrape driper?
Has anybody used Codeblue, or should i stick to my tinks?
Whats the best thing to use on bootpads and when should I start using them? I have not used them yet but I have tinks69gel on them right now in my plastic bag...
Anybody got any calling or rattling tips?
Should I just hang my scent bombs up and leave them over night? or should i get something like a scrape driper?
#28
RE: Signs of Illinois Rut
So, I am still buckless on anything worth shooting, I havent even seen a doe or another button buck in my spot. It seems like the deer activity has all but died in my area still. I went out tonight in my groundblind and did some rattling and some beat calling with the can with the buck lure out and I didnt see anything at all or hear anything, I am hunting where they exit the woods and where they drink at a creek, So i guess rattling with out a decoy in the open was not very Good. how ever the guy who lives across the street from me when I came home tonight, told me that thismorning he was going past my hunting spot and said he saw a "huge buck" feeding in the alphalpha near my blind. and I expect that the buck was coming out at the scape about 60 yards from my blind. I asked him how big the buck was, and he being fairly experince told me, that it was a 10point or better because he could see the horns from a little under 500 yards away as he came over the railroad bridge. So am I just hunting the wrong time of day? other people tell me that they are starting to have small bucks come to bleat calls... but I just dont know it seems like every body is seeing deer but me.
#29
RE: Signs of Illinois Rut
This weekend should be darn near as good as it gets. Perfect time for a front to roll through! Last weekend bucks were moving at last light. Saw two shooters Saturday evening at 630. Deer were moving a couple hours in the mornings. Saw another shooter Sunday morning as well. This weekend should be AWESOME!!! Good luck all!
#30
RE: Signs of Illinois Rut
Rob I am envious of you! I guaruntee you see some brutes while you are here in Illinois. I hope your experience here is awesome as well. Remember what they say, there is a 160" around every tree here in Illinois. Good Luck!!!