fly

Anyone been in the woods yet? Thursday will be my first day. Weather man says a cool front is moving in (we need it yesterday it was 85F). I'm holding off anything except a monster on the first day. After that I'll be looking for freezer meat.

I've never taken a 75 yard shot (or 100). Knowing me I'd a shot all my arrows until I made a decent hit. That would have been expensive. Sure wish I could have joined you fellow Illinoians (or nieghboring states).

Welcome Jack, Remember to avoid those late night posts on weekdays!

I sort of thought most of the country would see it as a split. Obama on the economy and McCain on foreign policy.

Realtree Cabela's Illinois Department of Natural Resources (Other states DNR)

My kids add so much to my life. Introducing them to the outdoors and seeing their excitement is like going back in time and remembering how it was for me. I introduced my daughter to the forums tonight. She read the story I posted and all your comments. She's 7 and didn't need my help reading (that's a heck of a lot better than me at 7). She asked me who all of you were. I said people like you and me who like the outdoors and sharing/reading stories like our squirell hunt. She thought that was pretty "cool".

The boots were a 4 hour special (so I guess I'm fortunate they exchanged them). However the safety harness was on sale for several weeks. I think it ended about a week ago. Glad I kept the add with the sale price on it. When I order on-line or via catalog I have always had exceptional service.

What a workout Cabela's can be! Worth it in the end, but darn! They had a sale last month and I got a great deal on some LaCross boots (119.99 ale 79.99). I arrived at the store right when they opened for the sale and by the time I walked to footware they were out of size 10, so I got the last pair (11's) thinking they'd still work. When I got home I realized they would not work. I also tried to get the treestalker safety harness that was on sale, but again they were out. I went ahead and ordered one and was supposed to have it in 10 days. After 2 weeks I called and alas the paperwork was never sent. They said they's send another order. Well it came in last night so I went to get it and see about exchanging my boots for a size 10. Of course the safety harness was not on sale now and the boots I had bought were a different camo color and no longer on sale. After a lot of talk and "managerial" decisions I ended up exchanging my boots for a size 10 in the new camo and a saftey harness for the sale price.

I finally got my treestalker harness from Cabela's last night. It's light and fits very well. I can't wait to put it to the test next week. It was on sale in the Cabela's bargain cave (on-line) last month for 59. When it came in last night the going price was 79. I brought in the printed page showing it on sale one month ago and they honored it.

No birds (pheasants) in S. Illinois. One has to take a road trip or hunt the pen birds. I'll do a pen bird hunt once every couple years if someone asks, but I don't initiate. Too much money and I don't have a bird dog. Pen birds around here can't survive for whatever reason (I've heard it has to do with the soil??) so their chance of survival in the wild is zero. Sometimes you have to kick them to get them to fly. Nothing like wild birds.

Well, that's what my 7 year old daughter said last night. She went on to tell me "That hunt should have been on a hunting video". I must say it was a unique squirell hunt. I had a couple camp chairs set up in a creek bed in a small valley that had various nut trees serving as canopy. She played her gameboy while I kept watch. I started calling and had a response but no movement. My daughter got excited and quickly grabbed the binoculars. After a while another one started barking behind us. She was really getting excited now. Then everything got quiet. After 10 minutes she went back to the gameboy. I asked her if she wanted to leave as we had been sitting for an hour now. She said a little longer dad. Then about 5 minutes after that we saw a squirell running through the trees too far for a BB gun. She said "dad get it with your gun" (it's hers next year: youth 20 guage remington auto). I shot it and she watched it fall into some thick bushes. She jumped up and was ready to find it because as she stated "I'm a good finder of things". We looked but couldn't find it. Then as we walked towards the chairs she said "dad there he is!" Sure enough I had hit him in the middle, but the full choke kept the shot in the middle. He was crawling down the creek bed and crawled into a hole. I had to get a stick and dig it out. Then since it was not dead yet I told her that we had to do the right thing and finish it quickly. which we did. She was so excited which made me smile ear to ear. She told grandpa if dad wouldn't have taken me that squirell would't have been found. She was right.

Makes me rememeber how much I miss phesant hunting

Congrats! Any more photos?

Sounds like a great way to retire. I hope you find what you're looking for. I've lived and hunted in Southern IL most of my 37 years. I know it pretty well. Feel free to send me a pm any time if I can help. >Frank

He's a great looking buck that has B&C potential. I'd say 155 gross 145 net at 3.5 years old. As for a name: well he's narrow (tight), but still very big. How about "Titan"

A couple additional sites to check out before buying: http://www.buyafarm.com/ That 80 acres in Hardin county looks sweet! Also: http://www.midwestwhitetailland.com/ Another nice one in Hardin county (177 acres) Does it have to be Southern Illinois? If you have the money you might want to look at Pike (or surrounding) counties?

I use a Whisker Buiscuit because of the arrow falling out issue. I'm also curious to hear if a particular drop-away is less prone to fall out?

Hi Randy, I joined after you took this beauty. Thanks for putting it up again, I love playing this game. I scored it before looking at replies. I guessed: Gross: 175 Net: 165 You have to give this a week or so before spilling the beans and it wouldn't be right to make me wait so shoot a pm with the final results;) >Frank

Last year was the first time I have even attempted to measure so I'm a little hesitant to say. Actually the more I watch MB videos and pictures here in the forums the more I think I over-estimated. That's what spurred me to post this question. I have to place a disclaimer that the green score was made by a green measurer. Gross: 170" Net: 156" Hopefully I'll get this deer back soon and we'll know for sure.

Genetics or injury would be my guess.

As I've aged I believe I'm a better hunter, husband, and worker. I answered 1's on all except 9 which I gave a 5. I know some people that have turned their passions into a career and ended up not being as passionate. Now if the questions stated "have you ever..." my score would be a lot higher.

I do to keep bugs off me and when I'm hunting below 20 feet in a tree. When I'm over 20 feet high I've never been busted because of a deer seeing me. I do have a beard though. We have to wear blaze orange during shotgun season so I don't see the need for a face mask.

7 months now. Looks like I'm on track for about 800 posts/year.

Yep, happens eventually. Glad to hear you don't take it lightly. What I do that helps is try to think of what I did wrong (sometimes it's a good shot and you still don't find it) and then try to correct it. I know I'm very selective now on evening hunts with minutes before darkness. I avoid marginal shots.

Bowhunt long enough and it happens. It's always a shame. Not sure about the temps in NC, but if it's anything like IL the temps are way to warm to think about table fare. Probably not much of a help, but I'm glad to hear you don't take it lightly. I know a lot of people that wouldn't be concerned at all about shooting a doe and not recovering her.