Team 3

[MUDRUNNER]

Well today is finally opening day for bow season. It's finally October, but sure doesn't feel like it. The highs are supposed to be in the upper 80's to 90 degrees all week, so I'm not burning any vacation time this early in the season.

[Ravin R10 man]

did what I can for the team for now...when cams show me something I want to kill, I will be back at it.

[elkoholic]

Headed into the last week of archery season here and I think that I'll give up on elk for now and concentrate on sitting on stand for deer.  Only allowed one deer here and looking for a good buck but have seen very few deer so far.  The larger buck all seem to be moving at night but as we progress through October hopefully they start looking for the first receptive ladies during daylight hours.  Rifle season starts on the 20th of the month and I'll be putting my still hunting skills to work.  Early morning stands on most days followed by sneaking along with occasional stops for rattling/calling.  I'm really looking forward to tracking snow and the chance to creep up to an elk or buck in their bed.  I've got till Nov. 25th to get it done.

[MUDRUNNER]

The weather here has cooled off! I'll be able to get my first sit of the year in tomorrow morning.

[Ravin R10 man]

Sat this eve with snow falling, Northern Robins are in full migration mode.

[MUDRUNNER]

I sat in a tree from 5:30 until 11:00 Saturday morning. Only seen one deer, a 2 1/2 year old 8. The corn is almost all out & the weather looks like it's going to stay cool so it should only get better. I did have a couple of decent bucks on the trail camera so my hopes are high.

[elkoholic]

Rifle season opened today and I will probably head out in the morning for the first time to see if anything is moving.  The deer population appears to be down quite a bit from previous years but with the rut approaching there should be some buck activity.  I'm hoping for some tracking snow in the next week or so.

Good hunting!

[Ravin R10 man]

Corn is pretty much off here, and beans are in progress...leaves are falling fast, deer are moving more now, and am seeing bucks  on the move some with cooler weather we got now. Hope to sit this eve.

[MUDRUNNER]

Made it out Sunday morning. The Illinois weather has been great for October. 23 degrees when we arrived at 5:30 a.m. The deer have not been cooperating though....pretty bright moon so I think most movement is at night. I had a group of seven does & fawns go running behind me, but that was it for the day. About mid morning my throat started hurting & nose started running so I headed home and didn't hunt the evening.

[Ravin R10 man]

On 10/21/2018 at 11:54 AM, Mathews XT Man said:

Hope to sit this eve.

I had 2 does and a short spike under me, Sunday eve.

[MUDRUNNER]

Good luck to anybody going out this weekend! It looks like i'm booked pretty solid so probably won't be able to get out.

[elkoholic]

Not sure what to make of the season so far.  Hunted five days in a row and did not see one deer while slipping through some prime habitat.  I did see some tracks and droppings but with the full moon I'm thinking they are moving at night, although it is strange I didn't even kick anything out.  We have had two rough winters in a row and even the squirrel population is almost nil.  It only takes one and I'm sure I'll see some movement in the coming weeks.  I won't be hunting this weekend but will be back at it Monday.

[Ravin R10 man]

had 8 deer under my stand this eve., still looking

[Ravin R10 man]

saw 4 small bucks and a couple does this eve.;

 

 

Edited October 27, 2018 by Mathews XT Man

[Ravin R10 man]

Best buck I had was this yearling...not have correct time or date set on my cam; got wrap around showers off the Lake today, not going out and risking a washed out blood trail.

Edited October 28, 2018 by Mathews XT Man

[Ravin R10 man]

Only seeing small bucks while on stand here, cams are starting to show bigger ones in daylight cruising for the first hot doe.

[MUDRUNNER]

Going to give it a go in the morning and see what happens.

[Ravin R10 man]

So far, all we are seeing is the bucks "stiff legging" a doe and then she is off and running, they not wanting a thing to do with that!

[MUDRUNNER]

Well nothing over the weekend. Weather was decent, but deer are just not moving on our place for some reason. I pulled my cards & have several pics of someones dog that I assume has been running deer in the bottoms that i hunt.

[Ravin R10 man]

Not seen anything tending a doe here yet,  dogging them for sure, and running them off. Heard first buck make a grunt at a doe this eve, then she was of to the races

[Ravin R10 man]

made a rooky mistake Fri. eve; 18 wide 8 comes in at 10 yards, I had sat in sloppy wet snowstorm last Sun. did not bring bow in to dry off, so it stays in my case in back of Gator.  It got cold FRI. and I did not draw bow back when I got in stand, because I had deer in soon as I got in... so I go to pull it back and it will not get over the hump. I swing it on my knee and that gives me a better pull and it comes to full draw. Well, buck caught movement and jumps three jumps to 20 yards and turns broadside, just as I get back on him, not sure if I rushed the shot or clipped a willow, but shot just under his heart. Clean miss, arrow clean and no blood on snow. on to gun season this Sat.

[Ravin R10 man]

got this doe that insists on licking out my bait bucket;

[MUDRUNNER]

Still nothing here. I hunted Saturday. Seen 8 deer and passed on a couple of small bucks. It was 16 degrees and had about 2" of snow at the farm....pretty unusual to have that kind of weather around here this early in November. Everything shut off around 8 a.m. and was completely dead after that. Just like Martin, gun season is this weekend here in Illinois. As the season wears on my standards will start getting a little lower lol. The freezer is getting low.

[MUDRUNNER]

Off to deer camp tomorrow morning. It should be a great gun season, so we'll see what happens.

[Ravin R10 man]

be in my tower early Sat.