Things are heatin up here in IL

Illinoisbowhunter · October 17, 2004

This morning was the best hunt so far this season. In fact, it would rank up to some of my best ones.

Overnight low dropped to right around 32 deg and fortunately there wasnt hardly any wind like yesterday's 20-30mph gusts..

I got climbed up in an Oak tree right before it started getting light. I am hunting a funnel area where there is a draw that links up to a narrow strip of trees and brush to get to the next woodline. This is the first time hunting in this area this season. At about 7:00am I hear a deer in front of me in the brush sounding like its coming my way. A little while after that a two does and a fawn cross the fence and head down the draw im stationed. They moved through and headed up and out of the draw right past the bottom of my stand to the big woods Im in. After they left about 7:30 I dumped my lil' Can over twice and 5min later I used my rattle bag to immitate some light sparring. 15min later I look over and seen a buck headed my way down to the draw. I see he is not a shooter, a small 6 or 8pt and passes within 20yds of me. It was obvious I rattled him in as he came in lookin around for the buck he had heard. A ways after him came another smaller 6pt who took the same route as him. They both went into the brush thinking hte buck was in there. About 8:30 here comes two more bucks headed my way and down the same route the others took, he was a smaller one as well. All of these bucks will be nice next year. Once they moved through I heard some noise up ahead to see a buck chasing a doe comeing towards me. Buck looked like it was a good one until he got closer and he was a younger one like all the others. He came in head down and was grunting away. 5 doe came in with him and one of them bedded down within 25yds of me. It is now 9:30am and the deer are still moving. The doe finally got up around 10:00 and moved on but when I started climbing down the tree I seen there where still two of them bedded down that where just now getting up. So I stopped climbing down since I didnt want to spook them and waited for them to push on. I didnt end up getting back to the truck until 11:00am So ended up seeing 15, 5 being decent bucks. I will start with Tinks #69 next weekend, its time to work their nose...

NY911Bowhunter · October 17, 2004