Hello, This is my first time posting anything, but I have learned a lot here and Thank You all !! I hunt in Union County Illinois. We were there last weekend and things were really slow for us. Does anyone know if things are changing down there yet ? Thanks
In Central Illinois, things are pretty much in full swing. Bucks are on the move, working scrape lines. Mornings and evenings have a lot of buck and doe activity. I arrowed a nice 9 point yesterday........and he had the ladies on his mind, heading toward an active scrape line. I would say in my neck of the woods, the rut is on!
I hunt public in Williamson and Jackson. Last 2 weeks I have been out 4 times. Seen some does and a couple small bucks not really crusin but heading somewhere in somewhat of a hurry. While not hunting, i saw a basket 6 make a rub and a couple decent bucks in fields. Also when heading to stand i have been seeing alot of scrapes on field edges. I would say as far as the rut here goes, its coming within the next week. Vague but I hope it somewhat helps. Btw I love Union Co!!! Cant wait to jump on some ducks there once season opens! Good Luck
Andy, Thanks a lot for the info. I had about the same action as you had last weekend with scrapes and seeing small ones, quite a difference from this time last year. I hope you are right about the rut because we will be down there almost all next week. FYI: We found 4 dead carcasses in the creek bottoms and a couple in the fields. Wondering if it could be from EHD ?
I'm in Bond county a couple of hours north of you on hwy 127. appearently north of I-70 the chase is on and last week friends of mine have started seeing day time movement of the big guys. I spent Monday and Tuesday driving north to Macoupin County and was seeing some chasing in the afternoon. mostly smaller bucks except one time. I went to my property which is literally on the boarder of Bond and Clinton county and pulled my cards from 2 weeks ago when I made a couple of mock scrapes using the Selfbros methob. (Peeing on it myself) and this has really sent those big fellow into a frenzy in that arear along. Here are some pics that I recieved. Unfortunitly, these are still at night, so I would say it is just starting to open up in Southern,IL. I'd say if you have any vacation day's I would use them next week.
im from and hunt in white co and little bucks are chasin but the big boys are just startin to come out it wont be long tho next week should be good
I have been hunting Alexander and Pope Co. and it has been pretty slow the couple of times I have been out. My brothers and other acquaintances said it has been miserably slow the past week. They have been hunting every day. We are all wondering if the rut just hasn't kicked in or if EHD put a big hurt on the deer in the area this summer. Anybody heard any reports of deer dying from EHD in this area from the summer?
I live and hunt williamson county and their pickin up the mo-jo here. I think full rut here next week.
My brother shoot a 130" 8 in Jefferson county last Friday and a doe Wednesday. He's been dissapointed with the active he's seen over the past week also. Not much chasing just little bucks pushing does around.
I was driving through Town (Edwardsville, IL) this morning to drop off the little guy at day care. This was around 7:15 AM all the kids were lined up and down the road waiting on thier bus to arrive when all of a sudden here comes a decent size (120") buck just walking across someone front yard and crossing the street with not a care in the world that all of these kids were standing there. I was amazed. He had his nose to the ground and he wasn't looking for food. this was a older area of town with wooded lots near by. I can't wait to sit in the 75 degrees weather all day tomorrow.
