fly

I couldn't resist!

Looks like you got a couple with double white patches. Pretty rare around IL. About one out of every 20-30 deer I see have one. Congratulations! As for myself, I'd love to mix things up and hunt deer in Texas. It's always nice to get a change of scenery. The issue for me is money! So for deer and Eastern Turkey's I'll stay in IL.

Way to go LilmissWTNhunt. Glad to see mom and dad bringing ya up right!

Love the camo, bought the same outift for my son 7 years ago. Congratulations!

One thing a lot of new bow hunters don't know is the life expectancy on bow strings. Heck, I didn't know until this year and I've been bowhunting for over 20 years. Most people say a string is only good for 2-3 years. Less if it is shot a lot. Remember this when buying a used bow, because if the string is old it will cost you about another 100.00 to replace it. If buying a used bow, I'd be looking for a Matthews Switchback that is 3-5 years old. I think they go for about 400.00 bare bow, but you'd need to look around. For a new beginning bow the Bear Lights out looks like a good choice and goes under 400.00.

Had a great time this year! Thanks Strut10, and to all participants. Congratulations to the winning team "The Strutters". I'll be entering again next year.

I have a Nikon Buckmaster and the Ultimate Slam. I really like the long eye relief and reticle on the Ultimate Slam.

Welcome to the RT forums! There are several members with a lot of experience. I'll link you to a information sheet that was supplied to me when I first started using the smokepole last season. It helped me a lot. You can get starter kits at Cabela's or likely other places like that which will save you a lot of money. Being new to the sport I too was leaning toward pellets. However, I'm glad I went with powder instead. I can reduce the load to 70 grains for my 8 year old daughter which I could not do with pellets. In addition I use American Pioneer powder. Many peolpe have stated they don't like it, but it works great in my Remington Genesis and doesn't burn as dirty making cleaning easier. Cleaning is essential with smokepoles. Good luck! http://www.realtree.com/bluelk/

I can't speak from experience on any of the ones you mentioned. I decided to go with a Remington Genesis this past December at Cabelas (on sale stainless/RT camo for 199.00). It shoots better than any slug gun I've ever shot. I've also shot a knight a few times and it seemed to shoot well. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the ones you have listed. My guess is they will all be tack drivers out to 150 yards with the right load. I often hear the TC is the best smokepole on the market, but it's a lot more expensive as well. You may want to consider a good scope to go with it. I picked up the Leuopold Ultimate Slam and am very pleased with it. BTW... the scope cost me almost as much as the gun.

Yea I can't wait to see you or one of the family placing a tag on that shooter William!

Saturday turned out to be a great day of fishing despite the humid weather. My son had a baseball game at 9am and a cub scout fishing derby from 9am-11am. We were able to get the game in and almost an hour of the fishing derby. Although he only caught one fish it was the largest catch of the day! The lake is just a small local park lake and was just put in 2 years ago. Later in the day we went boating/fishing at Beaver Damn State Park lake. A beautiful 59 acre lake that only allows trolling motors. I purchased the small john boat (in the picture) from a neighbor for 150.00 last month. It's not much to look at, but after a 40 thrust min-kota and a couple seats we are having a blast! After catching a bunch of small bluegil we were trolling back to the boat ramp using a crankbait at dusk when we hooked into a 17 inch 3.5 lb. large mouth. I had the line about 100 yards behind the boat so my daughter had a tough fight getting it to the boat. What a show it put on getting air a few times before finally getting him in. The lake limit is 15 inches so we were able to take it home. Made for a great lunch today!

That's a bluegil eating machine there! Congratulations!

Jack, you got a big fine coming!

Remember to find out how old the string is. Most atrget bow strings are replaced every year or two and a new string costs about a 100.00.

Congratulations!:clap:

So he got out of the felony because he was "hunting". It wasn't even deer season. I guess the next step will be that a murderer gets off because he was "hunting" deer in July and mistakenly thought the four people he shot were deer. :angry:

Always good to hear things like that because I'm sure you know some of the course evaluations don't always go like that.:clap:

Cool thanks Rackblaster! I got an either-sex and antlerless full season for the first gun season and an either-sex for the ML season. My daughter got her ML either-sex tag as well. I believe the youth gun tags might be over the counter this year.

A lot of different ways to do this with several factors having an effect. Seems like the majority agree to skin leggs up and avoid a rope around the neck if mounting. No one mentioned any fear of antlers breaking when hung head up by the antlers. Perhaps my fear of this is unwarrented? Although some have expressed it makes more sense to hang a deer by the back legs for draining, I would think draining would be better if hung head up (at least on a field dressed deer). Thanks to everyone for sharing your method.

What's Ruth doing to that poor smiley?:nurse: Not too sure about the laser one either? :laser:. The fish one seems a little bloody and twisted? :fish: Thanks to admin for getting these!

Excellent pictures! Any info on the petroglyphs? When weer they made and by whom? What type of animal is painted?

I can't speak to the 7mm, but I do have the 300 RUM. I like it because you can buy shells that have different power levels. Anything from whitetail to Moose. I'd even hunt the Kodiak Brown bear with it. Ammo is expensive (especially the power level III), but I find it easily at my local Cabela's and Bass Pro. They say the 300 RUM can take an elk at 500 yards.

Just about how I feel about it Joe. Hope your trip for antelope works out. Once I try for a wild boar this winter and then again for a bear next spring, antelope is next on my list.

94% voted yes after my vote. Pretty funny and joyous to see a backfire lack that.

Yea the days of manned check stations are history in IL. and many other states and will not be back. I suppose in time all states will abandon manned check stations. I can see myself sitting at the campfire in 10-20 years with my kids telling stories of how I used to have my deer checked in at the check stations, have my deer aged, and receiving the infamous IL. deer pin. Displaying your deer pin on your hat during hunting season used to be a big deal. I'll never forget seeing some of the old timers in the small town restaurants having their orange hats covered with pins. As a kid I was so envious. You can still pick up a pin at certain locations, but it's just not the same.