Stone Cold Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 Jim Kem of Bryant shot this Fulton County buck on opening day of the Illinois archery season. Is this really early October? October 08, 2009 at 03:38 PM BY JEFF LAMPE Is this really early October? Chilly temperatures, steady rain and falling leaves might have you thinking otherwise. So might the movements of whitetail deer in general and big bucks in particular. “It just floors me that the big, mature bucks are already out in the fields,” said Tim Walmsley, a diehard deer chaser from Adams County. “I know at least two guys who are hunting big monster bucks that are already out in the fields at 5, 5:30 and 6 o’clock. It’s got to be this weather that’s got them moving already.” Weather is also likely a factor in overall harvest numbers. Bowhunters shot a record 6,250 deer through the first four days of this season, well ahead of last year (5,059) and even ahead of the record 2005 season (4,463). At that point bowhunters were shooting 72 percent does and 28 percent bucks. The top five counties are Pike (298), Jefferson (196), Vermilion (150), Fulton (150) and LaSalle (142). “I’ve seen more deer in the first few days of this season than I saw in the first month last year,” said John Soehn of Brimfield, who shot a Knox County 10-pointer on opening day. That should be great news for this weekend’s statewide youth firearm hunt. Youngsters age 16 and under can hunts bucks or does Saturday and Sunday and permits are still available over the counter. Bow hunters are reminded they must wear blaze orange during the youth hunt. Public areas open to the youth hunt include Spoon River State Forest, parts of the Marshall SFWA, Sand Ridge State Forest, Siloam Springs, Mackinaw SFWA and Green River. Cooler temperatures have already brought welcome news to several hunters who arrowed trophy bucks in the first week of archery season. Last Monday Nick Bondi of Eureka listened for nearly 10 minutes as a deer ate acorns near his stand. “When the deer stepped out I really thought it would be a doe,” Bondi said. “I was actually surprised to see a nice deer this early in the season.” When the 14-point Woodford County buck stepped to within 15 yards, Bondi bagged the biggest buck of his 15-year bowhunting career. A few days prior to that, Shay Medus of Canton shot a main-frame 8-pointer with a big drop tine that he had patterned feeding in the same fields since August. Medus did not see the buck on opening day but didn’t have to wait long last Friday, as the Fulton County bruiser was in the field by 5:30 p.m. and offered a 23-yard shot. And opening day produced several big deer. The heaviest went to Jim Plemmons of East Peoria who shot a 258-pound buck to lead the archery contest at Presley’s Outdoors. Jim Kem of Bryant (above) also started the season strong, shooting a Fulton County 15-pointer in a field at about 6:30 p.m. His buck was a main-frame 10-pointer with several sticker points. “I was walking along the edge of an alfalfa field and I looked to my right and saw a little 6-pointer,” Kem said. “Next thing I knew, this big buck came running out at the 6-pointer. “If it wasn’t for that little buck be probably would not have come out at all.” Kem took a 40-yard and double-lunged the buck, which ran just 90 yards and had a green gross score of 182 5/8 inches. The buck’s antlers and skull plate weighed 8.5 pounds. “The pressure is off. This is the first time I’ve ever killed one on opening day,” Kem said. “It was always a dream and now it happened.” Farther afield, Nate Webster shot a 28-point buck in Moultrie County near Lake Shelbyville that is expected to score better than 230 inches. Visit prairiestateoutdoors.com for pictures of Webster’s buck and many others. HUNT WINNER: We have a winner for the youth hunt courtesy of Mike Rave. Robert Hampton of Lewistown plans to take either his 10-year-old nephew Dylan Burrows or his 6-year-old daughter Kaylee on the free hunt in Fulton County. But they won’t be out this weekend, as was originally planned. As you may recall, Rave bought the hunt at a National Wild Turkey Federation banquet and then donated it to a lucky reader. Rave said he bought the hunt because it was sold in honor of the late Kenny Hardy, a long-time Bath resident who “was big in getting kids involved in hunting.” But Ben Plattner of Timberland Outfitters changed the hunting dates from this weekend to the Jan. 15-17 end of the late-winter season. “It’s been so warm the last two years (for the youth hunt) that the kids didn’t see many deer and it just wasn’t much fun,” Plattner said. “So we’re going to set them up in heated tripod blinds for the late-winter hunt.” On one hand, you’ve got to give Plattner credit for donating hunts to local charities. On the other hand, certificates include a line that reads “2009 Youth Firearm Season.” Here’s hoping Plattner’s change was truly altruistic and not motivated by all these big bucks moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WvBowhunterKE Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 wow now thats a monster! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stone Cold Posted October 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 The weather has been nasty here and sitting in my house now I am shivering! It is 34 degrees out right now here in Central Illinois! Hope my luck is as good as both of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoss Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 i know jim kem personaly. he lives 6 miles north of me. we probbly hunt the same woods and dont know lt. great job congrats jim. ive been tellen everyone on here theres no big deer in ill. and you post pics like this. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobwhite Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 WOW great buck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted October 11, 2009 Report Share Posted October 11, 2009 Im going to have to move out to Illinois! What a awesome buck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike13candace Posted October 11, 2009 Report Share Posted October 11, 2009 I fly to Illinois on the 22nd of October. I hope it stays cooler then normal. Heading to "pike" county. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted October 11, 2009 Report Share Posted October 11, 2009 Great buck! Good for that guy! Another state where the laws grow em' big! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stone Cold Posted October 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2009 I would love to shoot anything even close to some of the bucks taken in Illinois already! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrictlyWhitetails Posted October 11, 2009 Report Share Posted October 11, 2009 Great job That is a great looking buck. Congrats to the lucky and skillful hunter. IL always brings in some good one's but this year seams to be better then normal. Brian Miller Outdoor Writer & Speaker www.strictlywhitetails.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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