I see that we have several first time posters here the last few days. Be sure to introduce yourself in your first post. Many of us here have turned into great friends and for some hunting buddies because we actually live within a short distance of eachother. I see that several new IL members made posts for hte first time but no more info about them. So let's hear it!!!!
I've been around approaching a month, and neglected to make an introductory post... Sorry! Haha. My name is Brandon and I live in central IL in a small town called Oakford. I hunt in Menard county. I'm 20 years old and currently attend Western Illinois University. I'm majoring in biology with a zoology option with a minor in geographic information systems. I'm hoping to become a wildlife biologist, and my dream job would be through the DNR in which I could monitor the deer and turkey populations. I love to hunt and fish, and do anything outdoors. I mainly bow hunt, but I also use my smokepole during the firearm seasons. I've been involved with hunting since I was about 12 years old, and I mainly just hunt deer and turkey. I'm really glad that I stumbled upon this website. Seems like there are a bunch of really good people here. I look forward to getting to know everyone better as time goes by.
I have been reading posts on here for a while, but just set up an account today. My name is Matt, I live in Northern IL. Whiteside county, I have lived for the IL gun season since I was in high school, but this year I decided to bow hunt, not because I was particularly interested in these odd instruments, I just wanted to be able to hunt for a full 3 months instead of only 7 days. But I do have to say that it became CONTAGIOUS! I got my bow set up and started shooting every day! Both my brothers got into it, and now we pretty much shoot together each Sunday. I got a mature doe my first day out ever, and since have passed on a few others. Last weekend was the gun season here and I still hunted, put down 2 small bucks. Thats a full freezer boy!
Welcome, fellas. I also started just to get more hunting time, but I have since fallen in love with it, and hunt almost exclusively with a bow. In fact, I haven't used a gun this year, and I seriously doubt I will. PS. Brandon...that's a much more appropriate pic.
Hey everyone...my name is Mitch...and I am a newbie. Sad...yes I know, for I have been a member at huntingnet for almost as long as it has been around. My post count on that site and on this site don't mean a whole heck of a lot as I don't post 20 posts a day. I have known most of fine members of this board for longer then they would care to say. I think they were bummed out when I found this new site...as they were running away from me. When it comes down to it...buckeye was/is afraid that I can and I will out do him. Anyway...I don't really consider myself a newbie because this is like home with the same group of guys that I have been posting with for years. As far as the real newbies...Welcome aboard!!
Yeah my name is Kyle Thomas and I am addicted to bowhunting... oh s*%$ wrong forum, ignore that, I thought I was on Bowhunter's Anonymous. All kidding aside, my name is Kyle Thomas. My son's name is Kolby which is where Kolbster comes from. I live in Northwest Louisiana where my profession is insurance. I am 26 years old. Pretty much all of my hunting experience is in North Louisiana. I think many would be surprised at how good bowhunting is here. I shoot an '07 Tribute (70 lb) with an octane stabilizer (both in hardwoods gray), trophy ridge vertical pin sight, and hostage rest. I also have an '08 Nitrous rigged the same. I shoot Gold Tip XT's with a 75 grain 2 inch cut 2 blade vortex broadhead. My twenty-seven inch draw hinders my speed and with my short arrows, the seventy-five grains fly better and group tighter for me. Anybody have any experience with these broadheads, they are lethal. Two good bucks so far this year and neither made it 35 yards. Anyway I peaked on here for a while and decided to join. Maybe one of you Illinois guys will let me shoot one of your 300 pound deer.
well ferg i guess i still qualify as a newb, and i dnt believe i ever introduced myself. im colby from southeastern oklahoma. iv been hunting since i was 7. 21 now. full time student at sosu and will be getting my wildlife conservation degree next year. love the outdoors. have flirted with bowhunting since about 10, but didn get into it seriously do to junky equipment (original bear compound) finally got a O.K. pse and killed my first last year. been hooked ever since
I took a break from hunting for the last 10+ years, but got back into it bigtime this year, though I didn't get a deer I saw many and learned alot. I live in NW Arkansas and hunted Weddington WMA this year, sadly the season in there ended yesterday so I am done for the year unfortunately.
Well I have been on here for a few months now, and I go by madhunter but my name is Shawn. I live in SE Wisconsin where I love it. Fishing, hunting, fishing, hunting.....
Eric Stewart, from Oswego IL, originally from Corunna, MI. I have lived in IL for the past three years. I am an Facility Engineering Supervisor for Caterpillar. I have been bow hunting my how life, and I'm only 28!! I love the outdoors almost more than anything. I can't see having a gun in my hands when I can have a bow. I've only been able to hunt state land here, but would love to get on some private, which is in the works. Love the site, and learning from the veterans, thanks boys!!
Ya Get Em'- you said that you usually hunt public. Where do you usually go? I hunt at Starved Rock alot and am hoping to get down to Midewin in the next week or so. Both of those should be pretty close to you.
Do any of you guys ever go to site m? Well... I guess the official name is Jim Edgar Panther Creek Park.
Hi...My name is Ken Sharp and I live in Bloomington, Illinois. I have only been bowhunting since 2000 where I took my first deer on my 7th sit! The largest buck to date that I have taken with a bow was officially scored at 163 7/8. I know there is room for improvement; I am working on him right now! I believe the one I am after to go around 180-190. I promised my wife that I would not shoulder mount another one until I get one bigger than the biggest on the wall. Unfortunately that is a 176" 13 point muzzleloader kill! LOL....That is alright I will get my big boy...I have been after him for the last 3 years. Muzzleloader buck 176" I belong to the Mclean County Sportsmen Association and the Illinois Bowfishers; trust me guys if you have not tried bowfishing you are missin out! It is the greatest thing to do in the off season!!!
JFergus - I have been hunting Shabbona State Park which definitely has potential. I have seen some very nice bucks there. I've also hunted Silver Springs, way to many people for the land. I've been to Midewin once, lots of potential also, I just need more time to check it out. I know Midewin produces some hogs. Brandon - I've been going to Site M the last two years. I have 5 buddies that come down from Michigan and we hunt it for 7 days. What a place to say the least. We have had some luck, but we still haven't closed on a 180 class or bigger. They are there, trust me. That place will kick your butt, but it is awesome, all 20,000 acres. I had 4 170"s or bigger for one reason or another give me the slip this year.
That's pretty cool that you hunt site m. I only live about a 15-20 minute drive from there. Any chance you've happened to drive through a small town called Oakford? Site M is right between Oakford and Chandlerville.
I could only wish to live that close to a monster buck haven. Do you hunt it? We are slowly learning the land, but it is massive. I have not been through Oakford, at least I think. I been through Chandlerville, Virginia, Petersburg, and Beardstown. I see where you are. I come down 125, so I would not go through there. We hunted Nov. 7th - 14th this year.
No, I don't hunt at Site M, I'm lucky enough to have about 60 acres of timber and 20 acres of pasture about a mile outside of Oakford towards Chandlerville. I do feel very blessed to have land to hunt on, much less land that produces good deer. I haven't had all that great of luck with getting a trophy buck yet, but my Dad had had about 7 shots at trophy deer in the past 3 years. During the first shotgun season someone on neighboring land shot a buck that will score around 180, and 3 years ago my dad shot a buck that scored 192. Site M has a lot of good timber, you just have to walk into the thick stuff to get to where the big boys are hiding! I actually went to school in Petersburg though because our school was made up of Petersburg and 4 other small surrounding towns including Oakford. If you go into Chandlerville much I recommend eating at a delicious restaurant called Verna's.
