fly

Good advice so far: One additon: If you hunt high, sight in your bow at the height you will be shooting. I actually use a 10 yard pin (on level ground) at heights of 30 ft for targets 0-20 yards from the base of the tree.

Great shop! Every man needs a place to call his own. Once I find mine, my wife or kids come along and re-name it the play room or computer room.

I have had similar problems with large stores (Bass Pro / Cabela's). I love their products, but the sevice can take a lot of time and be hit and miss. I think a good (small-medium) pro shop is the way to go. I think a thread listing good pro shops from our members would provide valuable information. I go to tim-buck-tu outdoors in Glen Carbon Illinois. A first class pro-shop (I highly recommend it).

same.

Up until I purchased a climbing stand last year and started extreme height hunting I never used a ten yard pin. However, hunting from 30+ feet in the air means my shots are nearly straight down. I adjusted the sight as high as possible and had to basically use the level as a pin for shooting anything within 20 yards of the base of my tree (HONESTLY). I tried every thing I could think of to get the sight higher and couldn't do it. I wonder if it being upside down (lefty) had something to do with it. Perhaps I missed a trick as you mentioned (inverting the base). I guess it's a moot point since I discarded the sight once the pins broke. As far as cobras being superior to Tru-Glo, I wouldn't argue.

Nice deer. I don't think the Illinois deer expo is too early (Feb. is a good month to have it), but it sure stinks for late season harvests. I took a nice buck on the last day (Jan. 17th) and can't enter it because it can't be officially scored until after the expo is over. Next year I could enter it but it will have to be a historical entry. Late season harvests can never be entered as a current year deer. Bummer. Glad to hear things worked out for you this year.

My biggest problem with the boomslang was that I had to place my 10 yard pin extremely close to the leveling device (which was at the top of the sight instead of the bottom since I shoot left handed). I couldn't adjust the sight as well as I would have liked. It's hard to find a good left handed sight. A stick went through the center of the sight and broke two pins. The guard wasn't the problem. If a bow is set down on a stick pointing straight up the stick can get to the pins on any sight. I found the problem being that the pins are prone to breaking if something gets through the guard. Perhaps other pins are too? Since the incident I'm more careful where I lay my bow. I'm happier with the Tru-Glo sights which don't have a leveling device at all. That way when I turn it upside down the level doesn't get in the way of my first pin. It was also 1/2 the cost.

Well one reply is better than none. Thanks ljmelea.

I used the boomslang this year. I shoot left handed so the level was at the top instead of the bottom. I didn't care for that. In addition I set the bow down and a twig broke a pin. I then bought a truglo 3-pin sight from walmart and like it very much. The outter circle fits into my peep great. Cost was about 30 bucks on clearance (normally about 50).

Love to hear about fathers and daughters spending time outdoors. I've spent many hours with my daughter killing the styrofoam deer. Hope you do too.

I read the shooter was a student at Northern last year, no word on motive yet. Being a teacher at a University myself for 10 years now it seems to me that students are having a harder time dealing with failure. Years ago I didn't think twice about assigning failing grades. Now I'm leaning towards saying "what the heck, everybody gets an A" .

Thanks for the insight. I'll be getting one for this coming turkey season and maybe 2 or 3 more for the back yard so the kids don't get ate up this summer. Sound slike a great alternative to spraying down their clothes.

In addition to providing deer meat to the land owner, I also offer my assistance on his farm. I don't know a lot about farming but I have a strong back and have told him to give me a call anytime he needs help on the farm. He's yet to take me up on my offer. (He does accept the deer sausage). Another thing you might try is start out by asking landowners if you could go shed hunting (Feb., March). Then after getting to know the owner you might later gain access for hunting.

I've read some posts about Thermacell so I looked up the website since I had no idea what it was. The manufacturers state it works for sketters and black flies up to 15 ft high and in diameter. It's not expensive at 31 bucks. Has anyone used it? Does it work? Would the smell of the heated repelent scare deer/bear away?

Finding private land to hunt in Illinois is no easy task. I've lived here 37 years and never had a decent private farm to hunt on until 2 years ago. Even now there are a couple other hunters that hunt there, but thankfully only on weekends. I'm always keeping my eyes and ears open. Posting here might help. You might try looking at Pyramid State Park (public, but pretty good). They have regulations stating that bucks have to have at least 4 points on one side. I've seen some big deer come out of there and from what I hear it's not overhunted (at least not during the archery season). The park is in Southern Illinois and it's pleanty big enough (16,000 acres).

nice! very funny.

I didn't mean to take any wind out of your sail. Quebec is a beautiful place and I have no doubt you'll have a great time as long as you are prepared. Going with your family makes it all the more special. Be sure to let us know how the trip went once you return.

What an awsome bunch of folks you all are. Being a member here just keeps getting better. I'll be praying too.

Just in case Michael, if you do read past the first line and ever read this... I love watching your hunting videos (Your emotion is your selling point and I hope you never lose it). No doubt I'll keep buying the videos, but consider placing official score sheets for each deer harvested as an extra at the end of the videos. I wish the best for you and your family, as well as the rest of team realtree and the forum members.

Welcome A fellow hunter from the great whitetail state of illinois! Welcome. I'm new myself. I have found the people in these forums to be knowledgeable, experienced (and best of all) as passionate about hunting as I am.

Dubie is right about the bugs! I went to Quebec some years ago black bear hunting (lake Baskatong). The outfitter was Black Bear Lodge and they were terrible! Actually that trip resulted in my decision never to use an outfitter again. They took 18-20 hunters per week. I went in early May which was the second week they took out hunters. Of the group prior to my group only 1 hunter got a bear. Of the 18 in my group only 6 took bears, and one of the 6 came from a frustrated hunter that illegally shot his bear from a dump site. I never even saw a bear the entire week. Probably because of all the bug juice I had to use to keep the black flies off me. The mosquito nets I use in Illinois were effective against the mosquitos, but not them #@%* black flies. They are like bees, covering your body and working endlessly to find a place to enter your defenses and attack. Black flies are seasonal, after May their numbers are low, but then I have heard the horse flies begin their assault? Take a head net that has very small holes. You can buy them at most convienient stores in the area. Also use duct tape to tape your sleves to your gloves. I did this after the first couple days, but had to learn the hard way. I too am going spring bear hunting, but not in Canada. I'm heading out to Idaho this year and I'm doing it myself. I've heard the insects are not near as bad. Anyone heard anything about the bugs in NorthWest Idaho in late May early June?

I wonder if the guys on the hunting shows eat any of the meat themselves??? I ask this question because I've heard so many different things over the years and have shot deer at dark and couldn't find them till morning (about 12 hours). Most of the time the temp is below 40, but one time it was 50-55 and everyone I asked said not to eat the meat so I didn't. I've always wondered if I did the right thing? So far it seems like most feel 6 hours is the max (especially if it's a large deer).

How long (hours) would you let a dead deer lay in the woods prior to field dressing and harvesting and still eat the majority of the meat given a temperature of 55 degrees F? Say the arrow hit the lungs/heart (not a gut shot). (Tried to post a poll, but couldn't get it to work right) less than 2 2-4 4-8 8-12 12-16 16-20 more than 20

You got a problem with me? Hey Michiganbowhunter, are you making fun of the way I hunt? Of course I only shoot buttons if they got spots.

I'll hunt mornings in hard rain ,but generally not evenings (especially if the temp is over 60). I believe in waiting a while after the shot to ensure the deer is dead. Hard rain will wash away a blood trail and finding a deer in the dark is hard enough for me with a blood trail.