Well, I am having quite the pre-season! First I won the Lottery and will get to do a 4 day muzzleloader hunt at Sangchris State Park. Then, yesterday, I got a package in the mail stating that I have been assigned an IRAP hunt. This is a program where private property owners in Illinois, can use the DNR to let hunters onto private land. The land I got is nice and about an hour from my home. I will be the only person allowed to hunt it from Oct 16th until the 31st. I was shocked and I am very pumped. The land is in Macoupin County, straight south of my home. The description states: This property is compiled of old, overgrown pasture ground that is surrounded by agriculture fields. Although this is a smaller tract, do not let the size fool you. This is a perfect funnel point for deer. Any thoughts?
My thoughts? 1st thought- Crap. Wish I knew about this program 3 weeks ago. 2nd thought- Congrats. Get yourself a ground blind and hunker down.
What a lucky man you are. I'd get some boots on the ground as soon as I could and then whether it is a ground blind or a tree stand or if it's a pile of downed logs, I'd be getting something set up and be dreaming sweet dreams every night now through the 31st. (or until you fill your tags!)
Hanging stands next Sunday, can't wait! Basically will hunt, one Saturday and two Sundays, but still pumped
Well today is Oct 16th my first day. After Church, we took the kids out for lunch and then I headed out. Google maps has it as a 59 minute ride and in my '89 Chevy it took all of that. I was thrilled when I drove up to the land, while it is not a huge acreage, it is surrounded for miles by woods, hill, waterways and great farm ground. The first thing I checked was the field around it, all shelled corn. As I approached the woods, I quickly found the woods were very thick and drop into a small creek right off the eastern field edge. I crossed the trees to the north property line and saw great bedding areas, some of the thickest/tangled woods ever. A thin band off woods leaves my access area to the north and that holds a larger creek. I crossed the creek and found the western creek edge was very steep and rises over 20 feet. As I walked south, I could see through the woods to the corn field to the south. Two small creeks feed the north creek; one coming from the southeast (where I park) and the other from the south west. To the south of the creeks the woods was a bit larger with some great trees to climb. I glanced from the south side, over the rise to the northwest. High ground with many straight trees and thick sticker bushes all over the ground. I saw and old ladder stand on the creek edge facing the southwest. The creek coming from the southwest looked to have a band of woods maybe 20-30 yards wide. I settled on a tree over the southeast creek, facing a large lowland area where the creeks meet. I hung a hang-on stand with a set of climbing sticks. It has corn to the southwest, creek to the northwest, north and east. Across the creek to the north is a very tangled mess of low trees (deadfalls?) I think this will be a great morning stand with west or northwest wind, maybe even southwest? I picked a tree to climb if north winds happen and think I could find many evening sites for any wind. Next weekend I am planning to hunt from sunrise to sunset on Saturday and Wil do the same Sunday if needed. As I stated earlier, I have the property until the 31st, but will not be able to hunt the land at all after this coming weekend. So Sunday when I finish up, all stands will have to come down with me to pack for home. Saturday when I go down, I will bring a climber and a second hang-on set just in case. Lastly, I did set a trail cam a little northwest of my stand looking down a trail into the bottoms. I should be sleeping, but I am a bit jacked up right now. I will post some picks soon
I hunted it very hard yesterday with no luck. Seems the deer are working picked fields and not in the woods much?
