Bowtech_archer07

Well guys, after having to sit out first shotgun season here in IL due to getting my tonsils removed, I finally connected on a buck tonight during our second shotgun season. He's a 7 pt, would have been an 8, but he never grew a brow tine on his right side. I think he will score in the low 130s. I will get him submitted and post a story tomorrow!

Thanks for doing this Kyle! Matthews XT, just shot you a PM back.

If you were finding blood up high, it could be that the arrow lodged in the off shoulder and you only have an entrance wound up higher on the body. If this is the case, the deer could have bled out internally and it will just take looking to find him. I would say at best you caught 1 lung and liver since he ran over 500 yards. That can be and usually is a lethal hit, but I hit a 1 lung and liver deer this year, trailed her for 200 yards and never found her. The fact that you had blood for 500 yards in encouraging though. I hope your brother is able to find him tomorrow. If it is a really thick thicket it will be tough but best of luck to you and keep us updated.

Np, hope you like it and get as involved as you can.

There is a certain amount of speeding etc that is tolerated by the police, but it's a fine line. As Bug said, safety is the most important thing. If you truly want to become a firefighter for the aspect of helping people that is great. But I agree with Ben that maybe you should go to some meetings, meet some of the guys (and maybe gals), ask a ton of questions and see if they would let you come to trainings and observe and things like that and see if it's really something you want to do. Our department is small enough that I was going on fire calls, mostly field fires and some rescue squad calls when I was 10 with my dad. Thats is part of the reason I knew I wanted to become a firefighter. Yes it's an adrenaline rush. Yes it's good camaraderie. But it's helping people that needs to be your main goal man.

You can only have blue lights but you can have them on your roof, your dash, your grille, really wherever you want them. Not sure if there is a restriction as to the amount of lights you can have. One thing I will tell you is that people don't pay attention to lights and sirens most of the time so don't expect them to move over just because you, a civilian, has a blue light on. Trust me, I know from experience. Also, having a blue light does not give you the right to break any Illinois Traffic Laws including speeding or disobeying a stop or yield sign.

Congrats Avery on a really nice buck! I'm still down and out after having my tonsils out. I went out last night of 1st shotgun season here and had a shot at a really small doe and passed. I can't bow hunt till after Dec 5 but our 2nd shotgun season opens up Dec. 2 here and I'm planning on hitting the woods hard then till Dec 5 which is the last day. If I don't do any good then, then we have our muzzleloader only season here the following weekend and I'll be hunting the best property I have permission to hunt during that season. Good luck to all!

Yep, my dad and I both are here in my hometown. Definitely a fun experience a good learning experience

LOL, I showed em a picture of you and it scared em away buddy. Sorry!!

LOL always a silver lining. I actually got to go out tonight. I was feeling good when I woke up and dad and a good friend of ours took me out and put me in a fenceline and walked a draw to me. They jumped up 6 deer and a little doe came over about 60 yards away but I passed. There is still 2nd season. It's just a good sign I was feeling well enough to get out in the woods. I pushed it a little hard and my throat was sore when I got home but I'm glad I went. Off to bed now to rest up and heal some more. Hope you have better luck 2nd season al!

Sign me up too

Well day 1 after surgery is going ok. Pain meds and antibiotics are definitely helping. Pretty sore throat but that's definitely normal I know. Thanks again forall the thoughts and prayers guys.. I really do appreciate it.

Just got home. Sore throat and tired but not feeling as bad as I thought I would. Thanks for the support guys

Headed to the hospital soon. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers! You guys are the best

That's pretty much what the docs told me. My primary physician said he has never seen tonsils this big in somebody my age (22). They have been swollen since May and haven't really gone down. At one point in October I had to take tylenol to be able to drink water or gatorade much less eat solid food. Thanks guys for the support and al, hope you guys get a big one tomorrow. I will be a forum junkie looking for some big bucks taken.

Well, tomorrow is the opening day of IL shotgun season and I'm going to be..... in bed because I have to be at the hospital at 9:30 for surgery. I'm having my tonsils out and probably won't be able to hunt at all this weekend. This is a routine outpatient procedure and i'm sure everything will go smoothly but I'm still nervous. If you guys could spare a few thoughts for me I would appreciate it. I will try to get on tomorrow and let you all know how things went.

Hey man, never know when that might pay off. Good luck to you. I'm hoping to get out this weekend after things cool off here in IL. Hopefully the cooler weather gets some of these IL big boys up on their feet.

Deer can see the green and blue end of the color spectrum better than they can see the orange and red end. If you wear just blue jeans, deer will be able to pick you out. They see orange and red as more of a gray or a dull color like that is what the latest I have read says. But like the two guys above have said camo is alot about what looks to the human eye and we wear it more to break up our outline against a tree or a tree tops while hunting.

That's awesome!! Congrats to the both of you!

Deer is submitted and story is up in the bowhunting room under IL Doe Down!!

Well It's been a tough season for me. The second weekend I hit a 135" 8 p. that I eventually lost after 7 hours of searching. 2 weeks ago I lost a doe that I hammered and she bled and bled and bled. I thought she wouldn't go 80 yards and ended up tracking her over 400 and never did find her. Well last night I redeemed myself. It was just before 6 when I had a big doe step out 20 yards to my right into a cut bean field. I made up my mind that even though the rut is getting kicked off her in IL, I was going to take her if she gave me the chance. She began feeding towards me and I thought she was going to offer me a 20 yard broadside shot. Well it turns out she turned and fed straight away from me. She go to 40 yards and turned broadside. I drew and settled my pin and let the 340 grain Easton Epic St. tipped with a 100 gr. Muzzy Broadhead fly. She ducked my arrow and I ended up spine shooting her. She dropped instantly but I had to do the ethical thing and finish her off. When we dressed her I caught the top of one lung so she would have died eventually, but I had to do the ethical thing. She field dressed out at 130 pounds so she was a pretty good sized doe and I ended my run of bad luck of losing deer. I was pretty jacked!! Here is a picture of her.

Bowtech_archr07 Team #17 Venison Vandals Archery Doe Me and my doe: Tag Picture:

Well my luck finally changed. I arrowed a doe tonight at 40 yards.. dropped her in her tracks. Pics and story to come tomorrow hopefully.

That is an awesome buck hoosier! Great hunt and story and congrats on both deer man!!

Here in IL, if a deer goes on someone else's property and the landowner won't let you go on it and you have evidence that you shot the deer... like a blood trail, the game warden will escort onto the property so you can recover the deer but you can't take any weapons with you. Sorry to hear about that griz.. hopefully that guy gets paid back for what he did to you. That is horrible.