Well so far it has been interesting to say the least.I started my journey sunday morning at 0400 and had a long drive ahead. We made good time(their were 3 vehicles and 5 people) I drove the whole way myself so needless to say I was tired when we pulled in at 130 the following am. As antsy as I was to head to the stand I decided to take the first am off to get my gear situated and get oriented to my new surroundings. Me and two other guys went for a ride and I saw my first illinois bruiser standing In a knoll. Then I saw two smaller bucks go flying by underneath him, that is when it sank in that I am in heaven.we went with one of the guides to the farm we were going to hunt in beardstown in cass county. As we walked by some of the stands I could see rubs on trees bigger than my waist,again I was exstatic. First afternoon I am sitting over an alfalfa field and was in my stand maybe 10 minutes and a doe goes trotting under my stand.by the end of the sit I see 6 does and no bucks.next morning I am in the same stand and see nothing all morning. The 2 other guys hunting here have already left from not seeing any deer, I guess they are supposed to jump in your truk as you drive by. So I talked to the guide and he tels me to sit in one of the abandoned stands as it is in a travel cvorridor and then slip back to the alfalfa by 3sh. So I go to one of the stands then I get a call from the guy who stand I was sitting in saying they are coming back(from the bar) to their stands. I felt guilty for being in his stand so I tell him to go ahead and sit at the alfalfa and I will stay here,knowing I was giving up a superior stand. So he ends up seeing a couple of bucks including a 200 inch 12 point typical,(he shot a 192 here a couple years ago and said this was much bigger than his).the next afternoon I try to sneak in to the stand at 1 pm. As I am climbing up I look over my shoulder and their he is chasing a doe about 100 yards away. I get up and geunt, snort wheeze, I am throwing the kitchen sink at him and he won't budge off that doe. I watcvh him gor quite a while chase then they disapear.around 4 I see movement, its a really big 9 that I would be thrilled to take same area as the 12 was. I try everyhing to get him to come but then I see he is dogging a doe as well, he runs her off to a cut corn field and disappears.at about 5 he comes back alone and I throw the sink at him, he looks my way for a while then trots off.I talked to the guide and he let me hang a stand in between the corn and alfalfa fields where I saw those 2 bucks chasing.that is where I am now and going to sit all day hoping a good buck comes in.more later.
I hope you nail a huge one dmen! And the guys were coming back from a bar to get back in their stands? A bar?
That's right, a bar. I have learned a few valuable lessons on booking hunts, most importantly the company you keep.I am here to hunt, drinking is the last thing on my mind, I am in the woods sun up to sun down. This truly is hunting heaven.
but dmen where you hunting close too? i mean like town or city.. just wondering where your at... Thanks..
