KirkV Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 I would take the second week in November if I were you, and are they really that big. Send me a PM with your email and I will send you some pics from my buck and my friends bucks this year! Good luck next year as Pike county can be good if you are on the right managed property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CBU93 Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! [ QUOTE ] Is the bow hunting that good there am from Arkansas and wanting to come there and do some hunting [/ QUOTE ] If you have only hunted AR, then you would not beleive it if I told you. The short answer to your question is: YES! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dartonman Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! Alright, now that Im not at work, here is my two and 1/2 cents worth....being from Northern Illinois, and realizing the potential of our deer herd, and hearing more than a few thousand shots this past weekend, and the weekend two weeks before that....I feel that November should be given to the bowhunters, so the bucks can breed.....I also feel that the tags for does should flow easily as well....definately enough does...and our gun season should be open 14 days long, no breaking it up, two weeks straight....that way, not all the shooting is done for a three day weekend, and people that unfortunately have obligations can at least work it out during the week....and I to be honest with you, have a real problem with the extremely "late season" tags now being offered for a late January hunt.....the does have fawns developed in them, and its kinda disturbing..............maybe this was 3 cents worth...lol..........great meeting you this week Reflexdude, its about time you started to post....lol...........al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billkay Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! Get back to work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! whatever Illinois is doing, they seem to have the combination right--even with a 2 buck limit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUDRUNNER Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! I WOULDN'T MIND SEEING A 1 BUCK LIMIT.THAT COULD BE HUGE FOR LETTING BUCKS MAKE IT THROUGH SHOTGUN SEASON AND GROW ANOTHER YEAR.I THINK THE RUT PRETTY WELL GETS INTERUPPTED BY SHOTGUN SEASON IN MOST LOCATIONS,AND WOULDN'T MIND SEEING GUN SEASON IN MID OCTOBER OR MID DECEMBER.MAYBE EVEN HAVE MUZZLELOADER SEASON IN NOVEMBER,BECUASE THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE NEAR AS MANY HUNTERS IN THE WOODS FOR THAT.NOVEMBER IS DEFINATELY PRIME TO FOR BOWHUNTING. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoyt19 Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! Living in one of IL top 10 deer hunting counties ( Jo Daviess) this subject is a rather popular one around here. I feel there is two ways to look at this. First, I think they should leave the season dates alone. As a bowhunting nut, I love knowing that for the most part most of the rutting activity will happen the two week prior to the 1st shotgun season. As for this year unseasonably warm temps moved the rut back a couple weeks. That alone is why I think we saw so many 150-18 BC class bucks taken here. As for bag limits I think either 1 or 2 bucks is fine. Many places in the south and around the country have point restrictions on legal deer, ie. a legal deer must have 4 points per side. This isnt a bad idea, but i have seen a lot of 8pt 1.5 year old deer. I guess in a perfect world we could try what we do on our farm, which is try not to shot anything under 3.5 years old, but that would be in a perfect world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam16 Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! One buck limit would be key. I wish we had a little more management here in illinois. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Illinoisbowhunter Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! I agree, it would certainly help to have a 1 buck limit. I only take bucks that are going on my wall so it would definitely benefit me and others I know...IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! Having short gun seasons is why you have a lot of big bucks to begin with. Don't think for a minute that a longer gun season will benefit your deer herd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need2hunt Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! I wasn't going to respond to this thread but I will anyway... personally I like how the seasons are set up now, other than I would like to see the bowhunting season opener to be around Sept 15th. I like the 2 buck limit as it lets me take a buck with more than 1 weapon if I so choose. To me how the seasons are currently set give both the bowhunter and the gunhunter both fair chances at the rut and the possibility of getting a big buck. I've never been on the bowhunter elitist side even though that is what I hunt with most of the time. Truth of the matter is that big bucks are not easy to get, period... I think Illinois gives everyone a fair opportunity at the game there after, alot better opportunity than several other states IMO. This season between Sue and I we hunted in Carroll, Lee, Greene, Johnson and McDonough counties... we saw at least one buck in each county we hunted that was either a borderline booner or a definite booner. That's with the exception of McDonough county, the landowner has seen a booner class deer regularly on the property but we didn't see it while we were there. I guess i look at it and say we got it really, really good when it comes to Whitetail hunting. I'm sure theres ways that can make it better but i think that it should be better for all hunters, not just bowhunters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need2hunt Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! [ QUOTE ] And thats your opinnion others may feel diffrent! let em go let em grow [/ QUOTE ] Reflexdude, I am more than aware that that is my opinion, that's why I posted it . Maybe I'm taking your comment wrong but it appears to me if my opinion is different than yours then i must be wrong. I don't beleive I dissed anyone elses opinion, this is a public forum and I'm happy that people discuss there opinions here, including ones that may be different than mine. I thought you posted this thread to see what peoples opinions where, I didn't know it was just a post for people to agree with you. I'm happy to discuss or debate the differences in our opinions if that's what you want, I just don't appreciate your implication that my opinion isn't worthy of being posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach1 Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! I don't see a problem with our seasons at all. I like the fact that hunting with a rifles is not allowed here. That's one thing I really don't like at all. I don't like seeing on TV where they shoot deer that are 200+ yds out. What's the challenge in that? If you can't get into position on a deer with easy shotgun range(for me <75yds) or your comfortable bow range, then work a little harder to get into position. I've never shot at a deer that was more than probably 60yds away with my shotgun. The rut in our area really didn't get going until about a week before the 1st gun season. And from what I saw during the 2nd season, it was still going on decently. As for antler restrictions, a guy I know where I hunt shot a forkhorn that almost made P&Y. He said he had watched this deer for a couple years now. He only took the deer to keep more of those genes from getting into the population. And also my neighbor shot a 6pt that would make P&Y. So I don't think antler restrictions are an answer. So basically my opinion is this, changing seasons dates won't grow bigger bucks. If you want to have monster deer in your area, don't shoot the small bucks and try to give em the nutrition they need to grow bigger racks. Let em get 4,5,6+ yrs old. Shoot at least 1 doe for every buck you shoot. I've kinda put a 1 buck limit on myself because I'm not going to shoot anything less than 140 inches and I can't afford to put more than one deer on the wall a year. The only way I'll shoot a 2nd buck is if I get the opportunity at one that is bigger than the one I've already taken that year. So there's my 2 cents on this subject. I also have some others opinions regarding hunting in IL, but that's for another time. I wouldn't want to offend anybody with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tezz32 Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! fyi top 10 B&c whitetail states TOP TEN WHITETAIL STATES STATE # OF ENTRIES 1. IOWA 615 2. MINNESOTA 608 3. WISCONSIN 589 4. ILLINOIS 552 5. TEXAS 316 6. MISSOURI 285 7. KENTUCKY 279 8. KANSAS 255 9. OHIO 235 10. MICHIGAN 155 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need2hunt Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! [ QUOTE ] "I wasn't going to respond to this thread but I will anyway" Are you to good for this post? thats what you make it sound like! [/ QUOTE ] No I don't think that I'm to good for this post... That statement is exactly what it says... I've read this thread several times and have went back and forth on posting my opinion... basically knowing my opinion differs I wasn't sure if I'ld get blasted for it. Guess I know now. So far you've implied that my opinion isn't worth being posted and now you think that I think I'm to good to post in the thread. Are you done with the personal attacks yet or is there something else I've done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyman Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! Just for the record, in the last 10 years, Illinois has more Boone and Crockett entries than ANYWHERE else and is second only to Wisconsin in Pope and Young entries. Mind you this is not all time, just the last 10 years. We are clearly doing something right. It is a bit counterproductive to manage the deer herd strictly for antler size. Where is it written that big antlers are a biological advantage? This big antler mindset is a black eye for hunting in the eyes of most non-hunters in my opinion. We should manage the herd with everyone in mind ( hunters,landowners, insurance companies, farmers, etc.) not just the "elitists" who think every buck should carry a 150" rack. In my opinion the IDNR does an admirable job managing the deer herd here. I certainly agree we need to harvest more does, but as far as bucks go, i think we need to harvest more than just big, mature bucks. Let's be honest, even here in Illinois, age alone doesn't guarantee a big buck. If we want to get back to Mother Nature's way, we should harvest only the young, old, sick deer. Mother Nature's way is certainly not "let e'm go, let e'm grow". She couldn't care less about big antlers! Big antlers in no way assures dominance in the herd. As far as survival of the species goes, antlers aren't even on the genetics list. I honestly think the 2 buck limit in Illinois assures that some are let go so they can grow. This post is in no way anything other than my honest opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY911Bowhunter Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! Reflex; Please do not attack any of our members in the fashion you are, or any fashion for that matter. If you are looking to mess with "The Family". you have come to the wrong place....... You have said your peice, now knock it off, or go find some other forums to pollute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY911Bowhunter Posted December 15, 2004 Report Share Posted December 15, 2004 Re: Illinois BOWHUNTERS get ALL of RUT!! good enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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