Illinois-Deer Hunting Trip

[Creature Meadow]

Good morning OTT, hope this day has started well for each of you.

I am curious if any of you live near the towns of Bushnell, Marietta, or Macomb, Illinois.

I have just returned from a 9 1/2 day deer hunting trip there.

It was a 996 mile ride from my home state of NC up there or 18 hours that included a wrong turn in Kentucky.

What beautiful country, huge soy bean and corn fields, rolling hills, and plenty of draws and hollows for the deer to stroll through.

I was amazed at how large the fields were, one farm we hunted was 3000 acres and 2200 of that was soy beans this year.

Myself and 2 other friends made the journey, they both bagged bucks with the bow and while I saw a number of deer I did not have the chance to shoot the 130"+ deer that I was looking for. The best was a 235 pound, 145" buck taken by my friend.

So, just curious if any of you are from the area? If so you live any some beautiful country.

Have a great day.
Jay

 

[cerlawson]

I gave up hunting a few years ago due to getting old, now 88. However in Wisconsin, the big woods up north don't have much new sapling growth and so population of deer is not much. In the central zone, mostly farms and wood patches, this year opening day the strong wind cut down the take then. Season lasts through next weekend. Headlines yesterday says 7,500 fewer deer taken opening day. However take was 68756. The usual take for the week season is short of 100,000. Take includes does as well as bucks and an extra deer or two can be taken with a permit in some areas. In the past, to cut the population in CWD areas,they even required taking a doe before any buck. One son-in-law barely had his rifle loaded as he walked out his driveway (in woods) and nailed a buck 12 feet off his driveway. His season ended quickly. Total sale of deer licenses was 500,000 plus, 17 thous down from last year. That ratio has bee pretty typical for a long time. So if you get a deer more often than once every 5 years, you are a better hunter for one reason or another. My experience is it takes work to come home with venison.

 

[MikeyA]

I live about 45 minutes north of the Macomb/Bushnell area....I don't deer hunt, but prefer to watch them. I will admit that they can be a pest..they seem to love my moss roses as a food source, you have to protect any planted tree for many years from buck rubs, and they devour sweet corn like a fat kid on birthday cake...

 

[67Truckin]

I farm 700 acres west of Springfield, IL which is south of Macomb area. The land is alot flatter down here without all the hills and hollers. Seems to be plenty of deer but they can see for aways since it is flat. Schyler, Pike or Scott counties would be a good place to hunt if you can find a place.

 

[lugbolt]

Used to live in the midwest. The ONE thing I miss about the midwest was the deer. I used to hunt with my grandpa when I was younger; he always shot his limit every year. It was not uncommon to kill a ~300 lb buck. Them corn fed deer get big.

 

[Benhameen]

I live about 4.5 hrs south of Macomb. Plenty of deer around my place, I don't hunt them but I'm glad people do. They've become quite over populated throughout the state. I see lots of them dead on the sides of the road. I've been lucky enough to have only hit one with my car. I try to avoid riding my bike after just because of them.

I let a friend and Brother in law hunt on my property. Neither killed one during the first season and I'm really not sure how they managed that. I have a game cam and will often see 8-10 deer on it at once. Maybe they'll have better luck this weekend.

Good looking deer BTW, congrats.