The stars must be in line this year.

After 3 years of applying to my home state.. I finally have been drawn on some public ground near my home.. Starting the 8th of October through the 11th.. I can actually hunt some public Illinois land.

Still cannot believe it. Wow.

The stars must be in line with one another.

 

Alright Mike. Best of luck and I am glad that you are "allowed" to hunt in your home state. Unreal.

 

Glad to hear that Duke and Good Luck!

 

Let me get this right... you usually just can't buy a resident bowhunting tag and go find some public land to hunt?

Or are you talking about a special draw unit?

 

Nope.. in extreme north eastern Illinois I have NO public land within 2 hrs (in my home state of Illinois) where I can hunt without drawing a tag.

It's no wonder really.. since its basically the metro and suburban area of Chicago and we have LOADS of hunters around us since we have such a large population of people around us (because of industry).. so you have to apply anywhere near me (within Illinois). You people in the sticks ain't seen pressure like we have here.. ever.

For 3 yrs I got the letter of defeat.. only to open my mail today with a 4 day window (2 really) to hunt land near me. Yeah!!

I'll give it haitis that weekend.. fo sho! It's not the zone I was hoping for.. but I'm excited to actually hunt my home state's public ground.. and not Wisconsins only in 2010.

 

Congrat's Mike hope it all pans out for you.

 

I fell your pain.....

 

Good luck Duke!

 

Sweet Mike, couldn't come at a better time with the little girl at home

 

I was thinking like Greg, apply for a permit for public ground didnt know some states had that. Well congrats Mike, hope it works out great for you

 

Good luck!

 

Congrats on the draw. That's really not that uncommon around big cities. It doesn't make that jagged pill any easier to swallow though.

Good luck out there.

 

Do you need to draw for the chain?

Congrats on the draw.

 

Follow up:
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]DEER/TURKEY ARCHERY HUNTING: Season 11/01/10 - 12/21/10 Monday & Tuesday ONLY; Late Season 12/26/10 -1/16/11 Daily[/FONT]

1. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]A maximum of 35 hunters either deer or turkey will be allowed to hunt at any time.[/FONT]
2. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Monday Hunting: Lottery will be held on Monday (4 a.m.) before the hunt. Tuesday Hunting: hunters allowed on first come first serve basis. Tuesday hunters may not line up prior to 3 p.m. on Mondays.[/FONT]
3. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]All hunting is with bow and arrow (no crossbows unless over 62 or with disabled permit.)[/FONT]
4. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Hunters must check in and out with check station. Harvest must be reported at check station.[/FONT]
5. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Hunting restricted to West of the Fox River (see map).[/FONT]
6. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Deer/turkey stands must be portable and removed daily. No nails or spikes allowed in trees.[/FONT]
7. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]All scouting must be done before the season starts. [/FONT]
8. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Hunting hours are per statewide regulations. [/FONT]
9. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Late season: A special late season hunt will be 12/26/10 thru 1/16/11. Hunting is at the Oak Point Day Use Area. Daily quota of ten hunters are filled on a first come first serve basis. Hunters must check in, and out at Oak Point. Check in regulations will be posted.[/FONT]
10. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Illinois Deer Archery Permit, Illinois Turkey Archery Permit and Illinois Habitat Stamp are required.[/FONT]
11. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]An antlerless deer must be harvested before a buck may be taken.[/FONT]

 

So what are your chances of takeing bone off this PL? You have no lease or other means in Ill to hunt private land? That would really suck. Good luck with the PL and in Wi.

 

Some of us have it pretty good and take it for granted. Really is sad to see how tough it is for some of you to find places to hunt. Best of luck Duke.

Tim

 

Ya.. the problem being I work on Mondays and Tuesdays.. duh. And those car lines start the night before.. and you're not guaranteed to get in even after sitting in those lines for hours.

Why don't you go shine some fields with no deer in them.

 

To answer your Q's in order as they appear.

Farly reasonable.. its a bog.. although it see's much pressure.. lots of hiding places and it would be the 2nd wknd of the season... so not much pressure yet.

I do have a lease about 2 1/2 hrs from home.. and another small piece about 10 minutes from me.

I was just really happy to receive the letter and the permit. I will be hunting it this fall.

 

LOL I am waiting for one you knuckleheads to come back up and waste your gas.

 

First, congratulations on the draw and good luck this season, wherever you may be hunting.

Second, I can't imagine getting in line at 3PM in the afternoon for a CHANCE to get to hunt the next morning whether I was working or not. That is crazy and I concur with your assessment of the situation.