finally leaving for ILLINOIS!!!!!!!!! WOOO!!!!

Get some my friend!

 

Sounds like a good trip regardless Joe!! Can't wait to hear of another big buck down!

 

I hope you can stick a trophy! Gr8 stories.
I hate being on vacation and not having a place to hunt, just have to wait for my Buddy to get some free time to get out and invite me.
Good luck y'all.

 

Sounds like a great trip so far. Hope to see a big buck with you sitting behind it. Good luck!

 

Sounds like youre having a much deserved great hunt!! Keep after em!!

 

Joe - I can feel the excitement in your words - AWESOME!!!

I head out to camp tonight and you have me sooo pumped that the deer are chasing! I will be checking this thread often - keep me posted (PM sent also)

 

Welcome to IL my friend and good luck.

 

thanks for all the replies everyone!! it's definitely motivating and keepin me going!

DAY 4:

kind of a rough day as far as hunting goes!! Wind driven rain at 4am till around 9am. we got breakfast and spent another hour talking to a local woman named "Rosie"....had lived in town for the past 54 years, sweetest lady in the world....
GOD I LOVE BEING IN THE HEARTLAND OF AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the front came through rain stopped, windy and temps dropping quick we got in the woods! I layered up and put on the winter stuff!! with high hopes I trecked on in to the spot i found yesterday, a nice funnel with a very hot scrape, smelled like the rut...I have never smelled the "rut" until i came her to iilinois...if you have never smelled it, it smells like the most gamiest venison, with musky urine mixed in...aka "sex panther" LMAO!!! 60% of the time, it works every time!! anyways!!!!!
long day, with barely any action. I was rattling, grunting, and snort wheezing...i would have been using my estrous bleat can, but it took a nose dive off the summit viper! slow days happen, even during the rut, EVEN at a DIY outfitter!! i did hear some chasing going on again, a doe "blowing" as she is getting chased by gruhnting bucks, just amazing, you HAVE to experience the Midwest rut!!! I have learned so much from this trip! I'm kinda disappointed that i haven't connected with my goal buck (150 class) yet, but overall im a very lucky hunter, who is VERY blessed to have this opportunity, and LOVE sharing it all with you!!


here is a pic of my hunting partner's buck he got on Monday!!

 

I enjoy reading your updates. Thanks for sharing. I hope you get a big one!

 

Great stuff, Joe!

 

While it was raining this morning, i decided to do some quick editing for a road trip video!! I'm no "pro" at editing or making videos, so bare with me!!!

 

Pretty cool video. Cant wait to see the deer you are going to shoot. Good luck and keep after it, it will happen

 

here's some things from my intended yesterday morning post...

We're now on east quest heading home. I'm leaving empty handed, however what I learned this past week is priceless !! I had such a great experience overall and met so many wonderful people. To me, that is just as good!
I did see a true Midwest bruiser last night, smaller body but wow what a rack! Split brow tines, tall and wide. He was at 50 yards, and my effective range is 45. I tried grunting at him and snort wheezing, but he only stopped for a split second. And kept going. Almost like he was afraid and out of his comfort zone. Sucked seeing him walk away, but an animal like that deserves more respect than chancing a shot! I'll post more when I'm home tomorrow afternoon!!

 

Thanks for all the support and for following along!! definitely an amazing experience, I am SO focused on the areas I need to improve for next year to connect with the size buck I want!! we got to Kelly's house in FT Wayne around 6pm'ish, and after meeting his wonderful family, I hit the road for another 13 hour ride!!! I rolled into RI around 7:15 this morning, my wife and dog were waiting for me, GREAT to be home! she actually missed me?!!! haha! grabbed a few hours sleep talked my wife and sons ears off with stories, and hearing about there week. I will upload and edit all my video footage from the trip within the next week. keep an eye out for this thread to pop back up in a week or so!!

HUGE thanks to my new BFF KELLY!!!! Awesome guy, great friend!! thanks for getting up at 4am after you tagged out to haul my butt to the woods bro!!!! thanks for keepin my head in the game!CANT WAIT to do it again next year!!!!!!!
thanks to Outdoor Partners, first class all the way, the owner Jason, to gary, to all the guys at camp,,,,THANK YOU!!!!!!

 

Congrats on an awesome adventure, sucks you didn't tag out but still sounds like a successful trip.

And you realize you said BFF right? just made me chuckle a bit reading it