fly

Hey, that's a fine deer Christina - but the way you handle peer pressure is what impresses me! Too bad your neighbors don't cooperate with a management plan.

Way to go! Happy for you - and welcome!

Congratulations on a great buck!

Team 4: Tagged Out fly Upgrade from a doe to an 8 point buck

Congratulations Kevin! We're climbing up there. Sorry about the Big -D USA. That can really mess up the hunting. I've got similar issues so I feel for ya. The Lord blessed me with a nice public ground 8-point buck this past weekend. His left G-2 was broke, but long enough to count. Pics and story in the Deer Hunting Room. I'll put one here too. If his left G-2 was the same length as his right he would have grossed just over 120 inches.

Was out scouting a couple miles out from camp the day before the IL firearm opener (about 2:30pm) and this buck ran right by me at 20 yards! Nose on the ground and could care less I was even there. Thought about it and since I'm hunting public ground I decided he was just big enough to take on opening day, and the LONG drag out. I marked the spot with my GPS and placed my climber in a tree a few yards away. The next morning after a 45 minute walk in the dark I located my stand and got set before daylight. At 8:35am guess who shows up! He was on the same game trail as the day before so I knew where he was headed. Once he hit the 60 yard mark - BANG! The old ML had the sky around me filled with smoke. As it cleared I saw the buck running as fast as he could go. He ran down to the creek where he fell, then slid down a small waterfall and didn't get up. It took my dad and I a little over 3 hours to get him back to the truck. His field dressed weight was 200lbs.

Do it. You don't need to sped a ton of money either. I bought the eTrex Venture at Cabelas for 99.00, but the sale just ended. Bass Pro still has it for 109.00. Garmin® eTrex® Venture® HC Handheld GPS Unit | Bass Pro Shops Here's the great thing... I found a website with free maps that typically go for 100 plus. I tried these topo and trail maps and they work great (I have a PC). I find areas on the map (on my home computer) that I think will be a good hunting area. Then I connect my Garmin handheld GPS to the computer and transfer the points - bang! The handheld unit will guide me to within 10 feet of that spot. If I get there and a certain tree is a little futher i can mark that tree on the handheld unit and it saves it. When I get back home I can upload it to my computer. Really neat stuff. GPSFileDepot - Free Custom Garmin Maps, Ximage hosting, tutorials, articles and more for your GPSr

Love that smile! Congratulations!

Have done the same thign Art! Congratulations on your upgrade. I missed a freak nasty pig a couple hours ago - right at dark. Long story, but bottom line is the buck came in to me from downwind as I was gruting at a different buck upwind of me. I never would have guessed a deer would have came in the way this one did. He came walking towards me in the bottom of a dry deep creek bed. I'm in a tree 30 feet high half way up a hill. The buck is 50 feet below me at 40 yards. He's sniffing like crazy exactly down wind of me. I think he finally got my wind and started leaving. I put my 30 yard pin on him thinking at 50 feet below me the 30 yard pin would be about right. Saw the sparks between his legs as I sacrificed my broadhead and arrow to the rock bed gods. I don't think I've ever practiced a shot 50 feet in elevation. The arrow went an inch or two low - between his legs. Pretty bummed about it, but hey - that's huntng. Just glad it was a clean miss. Gun season starts next Friday. Oh yea, looked like a super wide and thick 8-point (maybe more- hard to tell in the near dark). I'd say 150 inches or better.

I think it's a lion (or tiger). Probably escaped from a zoo.

Same here, stopped the log book a few years ago. Here in IL it all depends on where I hunt. Some places are managed and have a 2 buck to 1 doe ratio. We see a lot more bucks there and the rutting activity is a lot more visual. Other places have WAY too many does and I rarely see a buck at all. On average - I'd say that the number of 3.5 year old bucks I see in a season here in IL would be around 3-5% of the total number of deer I see. Increase that to 4.5 or older and the number is less than 1%. Pretty impressive shooting nine 3.5 year old bucks or older in 4 years. In IL we can only shoot 2 bucks per year and I've never shot more than one mature buck in a season.

Typical net score would be the wrong call on this deer. I'd guess his non-typical gross score would be in the mid 140's.

Looks great Ben! If you get a big old buck this year you could always put them water birds in a box and store them down to the basement. LOL

To each their own as long as it's legal / ethical. For me, it's tough to beat the feeling of accomplishment that goes with a difficult / time intensive hunt. Having smart old does around is all part of the challenge that goes with the hunt. There are several reasons I'll shoot a doe, but getting rid of a doe because she is "smart" is not one of them. If I get busted in a particular stand a lot - time to change stands.

You da man Tim! Great looking deer

Got mine a couple weeks ago. Mandatory since I work in a hospital here in Illinois. The flu shot doesn't cause the flu (it really can't). The shot is a killed virus. The vaccine may not prevent the flu though. Researchers around the world make a guess on the most likely three virus's that will cause the symptoms we know as influenza here in the US. Some years they guess wrong. There are thousands of virus's out there. Many just cause the common cold, but some cause worse symptoms = influenza. I hope they got it right this year.

Way to go Art and Ruth! Went out on Oct. 24th to a public ground special draw area for 1 week only and saw about 40 deer - 38 does, 1 button buck and what could be the biggest buck (10 point) I've ever seen. Came out 150 yards away with a bunch of does. Didn't respond to my calls. Wednesday I had World Series tickets (Go Cards!), but since it was rained out early I went back and cut some corn stalks and made a quick ground blind where that monster came from on Monday. Just like on Monday here all the does come first (several busted me once they got down wind) most just stayed in the open field. Then at last light here he comes! Doh! different buck, about a 130 inch 3.5 year old 8 point at 20 yards looking right at me. Decision time. I decided to wait for the 10. After 10 minutes no 10 point, and the 8 is still there! I decide to take him as light fades. Just as I pull the does see me and blow! The 8 point turns and starts to leave - as he leaves I shoot! Looked for him all night - never found him since it was raining and no blood trail. That's most likely what I would have said, but as an expereinced hunter I opted not to shoot the fast walking buck as he left. There will be another - if not this year, then next.

Ruth your season reminds me of the one the Cardinals had! Congratulations - You deserve this one!

Central/West Illinois The chasing phase has just started! Bucks are chasing, grunting and getting crazy! Now is the time boys! Get in a tree every chance you get! I'd go tonight, except I'll be headed to Busch Stadium for Game 6 of the World Series! Go CARDS!

Way to go Mandy! Also... Way to go Dad! Bringing um up right!

Very nice looking deer you got there! Congratulations!

Same thing has happened to a buddy of mine. Used to be doe heaven, everyone had the mentality to shoot does and let the bucks walk unless they were wall hangers. Now his cameras are all of little bucks and only a doe here and there. I think it was from doe harvesting and possibly coyotes. Lsst year he saw 2 yotes hunting a small deer (one had it by the back leg). He shot the yote and the deer got away. I believe a couple yotes could get a doe easier than a buck. No does are being shot this year, we'll see what happens...

I guess I've been bow hunting for about 25 years now. Tried all types of broadheads. What I have concluded is that the best broadhead is the one that kills the deer closest to where it is shot. I believe the expandables (like the rage) produce the best blood trail given the broadhead doesn't get lodged in the entry side shoulder or some other large bone prior to hitting vitals. I believe a thick cut on contact fixed head gets the best penetration (like the Magnus stinger mentioned earlier). I generally go through shoulder bone with expandables on does, but have had arrows break off with only 3-4 inches of penetration on larger bucks when hit in the shoulder (while using expandables). I now use fixed blade cut on contact blades like the Magnus. That way if I hit a little front I'm more confident it will get through the shoulder blade. I don't expect a great blood trail, but as long as the vitals are hit the deer will not be more than 200 yards from where I shot it - granted I don't get down and spook it too early after a marginal shoot.

I have had one for over over 10 years and in IL we can't even hunt with rifles. It's perfect for what I need though. I use it to bear hunt in Idaho and plan to use it for elk, moose, or any other North American big game I get the chance to hunt. The high power shells run me about 65 bucks, lower power is cheaper. The lowest power has a deer on the box so I figure it would work for deer, but when hunting bear I prefer higher power. I placed a nice scope on it and I was sighted in after half a box. Now I just shoot a few before taking it bear hunting. It is arguably one of the flatest shooting guns around and one of the few that can take an elk at 500 yards (at least that's what I hear). No way would I sell mine.

Congratulatons Joe! We're at 10 and we're not even at the chasing phase of the rut!