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Yea, I participated last year (first time) it was fun and I'd do it next year. When I get my fill of FB drama I come to the RT forums. Ha!

In IL we have antlered and and non-antlered. This is the closest thing to an antlered doe I have ever harvested. Looked like a button doe! Buttons were not an inch long so I used my non-antlered tag on her.

Trail cams certainly have helped motivate me to get out more. Knowing I have shooters on the property (even if they are mostly at night) helps keep me going. If I didn't have pics of deer I wanted to shoot I don't think I'd be out near as much.

Well Tim, I've got another month but here are a couple I took this season.

Sounds like it has been a pretty rough season for several people. The past several years I have been able to get about 70 hunts in over our 3.5 month long deer season. Most are only a few hours in the AM or PM before/after work. I usually get 3 or 4 each year with a nice buck just about every year. This year I filled the freezer with a total of 5 deer (one 8-point that was 4.5 years old) from several different public/private locations. I still have an archery buck tag and am still searching for a second nice buck. However, at this point the hunting is really tough and I don't think I'd take another doe - but then again....

Congratulations! Fantastic buck and nice write up.

My public ground week long draw hunt starts in the AM. Got a call from the DNR today - they are scheduling a controlled burn for the area I hunt sometime this week. Debating on leaving my stand up - I may just take the lower tree step or two off. I'm not expecting much but one never knows. I haven't seen a shooter buck on camera or on a hunt since October 31st. This draw hunt might be it for me brothers. Has anyone got anything this year?

Over in central / southern IL as of Nov. 28th. I saw chasing on the 16th of Nov.

Well blood brothers... the rut has ended in my area. I saw a lone 6-pointer eating in a cut corn field and he didn't display any rut behavior. Then a group of 4 does and two fawns moved through. That 6 point was close and should have been harassing them - or something should have been following a group that large. Anyway, I'd like one more deer for the year and would hope to get anoither nice buck. I have a public ground archery only week long draw hunt starting the 7th of December. I'll be taking what comes at that point.

Yep Steve - thought of that but I'll probably have another truck and small travel trailer within a few years. Right now I have that small Honda CRV and it's crammed getting everything in it. Wall tent and stove wouldn't fit and wouldn't be a wise economic decision. We are not in camp much anyway. We hunt before sunrise and hunt till after dark. We usually take a lunch break and drive 15 minutes into town - my cousin is the cook at the local cafe and has been for a long time. The hunting was tough this year smha. We hunted hard (my dad not so much - LOL) for three days and the only deer seen by my son, my dad, or myself was on the last morning. I saw the doe pictured above and what I assume to be her fawn. That was it! Generally I get one maybe two opportunities at a deer during the three day season. If I'm picky and let the little bucks walk I often don't get a deer at deer camp that year. The hunting is never that great but what public ground place is? We go here year after year because it's tradition. My father introduced me to deer hunting here, my dad started hunting here way back when IL first opened up the deer season. My cousins, deceased grandparents, and other relatives have or still do hunt in this area. The county we hunt has about 15,000 acres of public ground to hunt. Some of the land used to belong to my great grandfather - he sold it during the depression. The trails we hunt are marked with our family name - which is pretty cool.

Thanks for the info Tim - I just ordered a Big Buddy (with the quick connect hose for a 20 lb. propane bottle). On sale at Cabela's.

Fantastic! Way to go Allison and mom!

Awesome Ruth! Congratulations and I hope nursing is treating you well.

Looks like a 250 pounder to me (about 200 field dressed).

Thanks for sharing - glad it worked out. A great story to be remembered every time you look at that rack.

Times have changed and gaining permission to hunt land is mostly a thing of the past. I'm down to one small 40 acre cattle farm that the outfitters don't care to spend thousands to lease. On the private ground I don't see 5 year old 150+ inch deer so I set my sights lower and am happy with 125 inch deer that are 3.5. Trophy's are what you make them - not a scoring system or even other hunters. It's too bad your cousin kicked you off the land. Instead of getting angry and having bad blood consider getting him a trail cam for Christmas and wish him luck getting the big one. He might realize what a jerk he's been and have a change of heart. Even if he doesn't you're being the better man.

Thanks Tim and William. It was a tough year, but hunting in a state forest that used to belong to your ancestors is pretty cool. The trails are actually marked the Lyerla farm trails. I only use the tent for first season. I may try the Mr Heater for next year. Any one used one before?

Heck yea! Way to hang in there and get it done! Leave the stand! LOL Congratulations on a fine buck. I like how you have a blue shirt, camo pants, and sitting in the same position and field as your profile buck!

This year camp consists of a Kodiak canvas tent instead of my travel trailer. It's not bad, but have to figure out a safe way to stay warm when the temps drop below 30. A space heater powered by a generator isn't enough. This year I introduced my son to tree stand hunting while my dad hunted in the cafe most of the time. It was hard hunting with zero deer seen on the first two days of the three day season. Day two saw 40 degrees, rain, and 30mph winds. As I drove through the hills on the forest road a branch fell on my car denting the roof. Below is one of two stands I had set up. While the weather conditions for day two were terrible, the conditions for day three were perfect. Twenty-five degrees, sunny, and calm. I planned to be in the stand before daylight but instead I got to put my spare tire on. I felt like the dad from Christmas Story - it was race against the morning sun. I got it changed and we were only 30 minutes behind schedule. I got my son settled in his stand then hiked to mine. I got set up at 6:40am. Right at 7am I heard then saw a deer walking up the hill towards me. It was a mature doe with a fawn in tow. I watched as they slowly walked towards me. There wasn't a buck in sight so I decided to take out the doe once she got to the 50 yard mark and turned broadside. After the shot the deer jumped straight up - I knew it was a good hit - she didn't go far. This was my first hunt with my new Savage 20 gauge bolt action shot gun. This gun is very accurate for a shot gun, but extremely particular with ammo. After trying Winchester and several other sabot slugs I was ready to take it back. Then I researched it and found that Remington 3 inch accutips were the slug of choice. Well, they sure are. After a long drag out we finally got back to the car. Another deer season is in the books along with some great memories.

I harvested another doe for the freezer this past weekend. The buck activity was way down and fawns were back with mom.

I'd say yes - a miss. I don't think you'll see him again during the day unless he is on a doe in heat. In which case I think he'll go where she goes. If she goes into the clover during the day so will he. I'd hunt the woods until an hour before dark then hit the clover - if you can do that without spooking anything. If not then just the clover.

Glad to see you connected on a good one Leo.

I've only been able to get in the stand in the mornings for a couple hours before work. So far all the activity on camera is mid-day and not much. Going to KY this weekend then the Shawnee Forest the week after for our traditional Deer camp. May try to get another short bow hunt or two in between the gun hunts. This is my favorite time of the year - having a great time even though I'm not seeing much to shoot.

Awesome story and buck William! Mass is by far my favorite antler characteristic and he's got it for a 3.5 year old. Congratulations!

Hang in there Blood Brothers! There is a cold front moving in today along with most does ready to breed. The next 2 weeks should be the best chance to get a mature buck. Go get em!