This was my third year to head to the big buck country of the Midwest. I hunt the state of Illinois on some farms that are owned by co-workers of mine. We have had limited success in the past, I took a doe last year, but the big buck sightings were limited to 2-3 chances per trip and usually in an unconventional fashion.
In 2010, Mesquitecountry, his dad, and myself made the inaugural trip and had varying degrees of rut activity, rattled in a few bucks, and I regrettably passed on what I thought was a 130-140 inch deer. A straight up 10 pt. that I would later come to realize was probably closer to 150-160 inches. Seeing these giant bodied deer for the first time, I hadn't quite adjusted to determining "shooter" versus "non-shooter."
Fast forward to last year, 2011. While attempting to scout and set up a stand, Dusty, aka (Commercial) and I jumped a 160-170 inch deer out of a rose bush thicket. I was prepared and had my bow in hand, because we had jumped deer in the past on this farm when going to hang stands. As I came to full draw and stopped him at 35 yards, I was presented with only a neck shot, and I only had a small window to squeeze the arrow through, so I decided to pass on the shot. Mesquitecountry jumped another 170ish deer 2 days later while walking back from the stand on the same farm. These were Mesquitecountry and I's only encounter with "shooter" deer last year.
The next day, I would break the ice and shoot a doe at 26 yards with my Bowtech 101 and my Rage 2 blade broadheads. She ran 25 yards and fell over, leaving a massive blood trail.
This would be the first key similarity between years 2011 and 2012.
Following the doe kill, Commercial was hit with a bit of bad luck, as he missed, on what he calls a, "Monster"
This missed opportunity would be the 2nd similarity between 2011 and 2012. After the first missed buck, Commercial was rightly down on his missed opportunity and Mesquitecountry and I pushed him to go back to the same stand the next evening, hoping he would get another chance. Dusty and Travis had found this spot along a creek bed, with perfect, thick, straight trees to use our Summit Climber on. The creek bed had 3 large scrapes at the creek's edge, and was an obvious trail that big bucks were using.
Right at dark, he got his 2nd chance, but again failed to capitalize and shot underneath at 30 yards on another, even BIGGER, "Monster!" He and I were both hunting the same property that evening and as I saw his headlight walking the road up to my stand. I climbed down and asked what did he see? He walked straight passed me, never looking me in the eyes, and proclaimed, "I'm through!" I instantly knew he had missed again! In his defense, the stand was drastically elevated, nearly 40 feet from the creek bed, where the deer were standing, both days. Dusty and I stayed two extra days last year, but the weather warmed up and we never got a chance at another buck.
This year, Dusty and I were the only ones to make the 16 hour drive up to McDonough County, Illinois. Mesquitecountry stayed behind and got ready for his Montana mule deer hunt, and Matt, aka (double lung) again flaked and backed out on the trip. Shocking
We arrived late Tuesday night, November 6th, election day. We sat Wednesday morning at some stands that are already on the farms. We did not see a deer, but quickly went to work hanging stands and trimming limbs. Our first stop was Dusty's creek bed spot. We quickly realized this stand would not be as strong this year. There were few deer tracks in the creek crossing, and we didn't find any scrapes or rubs as we had the previous year. It would be ok, as we set up the Summit climber and were quickly off to our #1 farm down in Schuyler County. The same farm that Travis and I both had encounters with a 170 inch deer the year before. As we discussed stand placements, and how we would shoot a big deer on this farm, we arrived to a barren CRP field, a brown, burnt up alfalfa field, and little to no sign of deer activity. Obviously the midwestern drought and the fact that cattle had run amok on the farm led us to believe this farm wasn't holding many deer as it had in the past. We hung the one and only stand we would hang on this farm. We placed it off a funnel of old trails and near one dinky rub on a 2 inch round shrub tree, got in the truck and headed back to town. We did not have the highest of hopes for this trip, as our #1 and #2 farms were both vacant of big buck activity.
We knew warmer weather was coming for the weekend, so we wanted to make the most out of our opportunities on Wednesday evening and Thursday. It was calm, 40 degrees, prime midwest hunting weather. Commercial sat at the small farm that evening and saw 4 does, 2 cull 8pt bucks, and a large 160ish deer, but all of them were several hundred yards away, eating in a cut corn field.
I saw the first sign of rutting activity, a nubbin' buck and a doe came flying by me as I was still climbing in the Summit climber around 3:00 that afternoon. These were the only 2 deer I saw.
Thursday morning I decided to sit at the farm no one really likes to hunt. I enjoy hunting there, but no one else seems to. So, I decided to give it a shot. It was 32 degrees, little wind, AND perfect! I had one of my best hunts ever. I had 15 deer come by me, underneath me, and all around me at different times of the morning. Several does, and small bucks. This doe was the first of 4 that would walk directly below me.
She stayed for a minute and then blew and busted the whole area. I thought she had smelled me, boy was I wrong. Two coyotes came flying underneath me in hot pursuit of the 6 deer browsing in the area. White tails were flagging everywhere! The coyotes were no more than 15 yards from me when they began their attack, and a third coyote was 5-10 seconds behind them. It was a wild turn of events and something I had never witnessed before. A real, wild predator hunt! I had my bow in hand, but the dogs were too fast and I couldn't get a shot at any of them. I texted Dusty to come over to this farm as it was my turn to pick a spot and decided I wanted to move a stand to an open area in the woods. Similarity #3 between 2011 and 2012. We moved the stand and I immediately liked the setup.
Thursday evening was slow for both of us and Friday morning was even slower for me. I had gotten skunked 2 hunts in a row. As I was driving to pick up Dusty, he called and said he had just popped a doe. 30 yards and he had smoked her!
This was starting to sound a lot like last year, except the roles were reversed. This year Dusty shot a doe to break the ice. Would this be my omen of good things to come?
Friday evening Dusty quickly texted me that he had missed a fox. He was disappointed, but it did save him a few hundred dollars in taxidermy bills! We had dinner with the landowners that night and stayed out a bit too late. Saturday morning was a rush to the stand, minus showers. We sprayed down heavily with Dead Down Wind spray and rushed to the stands. We both sat at the Home farm where Dusty had shot the doe the previous day. Dusty in one stand, me in the stand the doe was killed at. As I dosed in and out during the early hours of dark, I had a conversation with myself about staying alert, and when you least expect it, a big buck will likely make an appearance.
I couldn't have been more right! About 6:50 am, I look up and low and behold, a wide, white horned giant is making his way near me about 100 yards away. I quickly stand up, grab my Bowtech 101. He is headed my direction. About 50 yards away he takes a trail away from me. I grabbed my grunt call, and aggressively start grunting. As he was walking away, he hears the grunts and makes a 180 degree turn and heads straight for me. The moment of truth! He closes in, I draw back..... He takes the trail 20 yards from me, I see the opening.... "Maaahhh" he freezes, I release.... "Thud, Thwack!!" I see my arrow flying in a zigzag pattern in the air. The monster buck springs forward and sprints out of sight, blowing and snorting the whole way. My heart immediately sank, I couldn't believe it. I texted Commercial, Mesquitecountry, double lung, and Bowerik, "I just blew it on a 170!"
The replies all came back the same, "No Way?!" Yes, indeed, I had! Well, Mother Nature had! In my excitement/buck fever, I had drawn back too soon and looked solely through my peep instead of watching the deer. As soon as his shoulder came into my peep, I let go, not noticing the small leaveless tree between me and the giant 10. I clipped a limb.... The "Thud" was the arrow clipping the tree. I found the arrow. Only meat and hair clung to the Rage 2 blade. The "Thwack" was the Rage sliding through the buck's backstraps. I skipped the Ted Nugent Gold Tip arrow off a tree limb, propelling it upwards straight through the backstraps of the biggest buck of my life...
Again, another eerie parallel between 2011 and 2012. A missed GIANT! Everyone texted and kept my spirits up with positive reinforcements and comments of, "You'll get another chance." I had huge doubts that I was going to get another crack at a monster buck. Little did I know, I had drama, as well as fate on my side.
Dusty graciously told me that I could go back to the same stand the next morning and see if we could replay the events of last year. This time, hopefully I get my shot at a 2nd chance.
Sunday morning we got up early, I got to the stand around 5:20, I was settled and alert. Hoot owls were breaking up the morning silence. The weather was abnormally warm, 62 degrees. Around 6:00 am I hear foot steps in the leaves. I can't see where they are coming from, it's 15 minutes before sunrise and I can barely see. I see the black shadow 15 yards from me, walking. I throw up my Leupold binoculars and in the lenses is the largest buck I've ever had the opportunity to shoot! All I could see were tines. LONG and LOTS of them! I grabbed my bow and grunted several times. By the time he came to a stop he wasn't in a clear lane to shoot and he walked off slowly into the dark. I had missed my 2nd chance. I wasn't ready and it was my fault. I texted the guys, "I just had a 180+ come by and I couldn't get a shot." The texts were all the same again, "No way?"
I sat still, waiting for the sun to rise, contemplating my deer hunting fate. 2 does had made their way near me and were clearly on alert. All of a sudden, a doe came flying through the open pasture. She was breathing heavily, a nubbin' buck, and a small 8 pt were hot on her trail, tongues hanging. The 8 was grunting loudly and repeatedly. They came into the woods behind me. The forrest erupted with noise. The buck and doe came sprinting from behind me. They stop at 50 yards, the 8pt runs the nubbin' buck away from the doe. The doe stops, squats, and the 8 pt mounts her. Wow, I had never seen this in the wild before. Especially such a young buck with a mature doe. They finish their business and make their way within bow range. Should I shoot her? Should I keep her there, hopefully get her scent in the air and other bucks show up? I decide that she may be the only doe on this farm in heat and to keep her alive would be better. Hopefully she would stay in the area near this stand.
As the doe in heat and young buck made their way off into the woods. I hear some more commotion, and another much larger buck is chasing a doe a few hundred yards off through the woods. I see 2 white tails and a large white rack. The RUT IS ON!
Just about this time, I look up and see a buck sprinting towards me. His tongue hanging, he is panting heavily. I quickly grab my bow. I have my Bowtech 101 in my left hand, my grunt call in the other. He is on the same trail as the buck I had missed the day before. I grunt aggressively again, never giving him the chance to take another trail away from me. He pauses for a minute and makes a dead line straight to me. He is now 25 yards, as he walks behind a tree, I draw. He steps into the clear, "Maaahhh" he stops dead in his tracks. I take an extra second, I move my pin between his shoulders and ribs. Release.....THWACK! He pauses, hops, walks about 20 yards. The "NO PANTS DANCE" begins. BBD!!
I was severely shaking, immediately texting the guys, "BBD!!" The replies were all the same, "NO WAY!!" They asked if he was the big buck from earlier in the morning. It wasn't, I said, I think he's a broken up 9 or 10 point around 150ish. Dusty immediately drove over to the farm nobody likes to hunt And this is what we found...
The reddest arrow I've ever seen and 20 yards away was this bruiser.
High fives ensued, pictures taken, and hundreds of texts and pics were sent to friends and family. It was my first Illinois buck and it was 3 years coming. He is a main frame 9 pt. with a kicker behind his right brow tine and a broken G4 on his right side. He was clearly over 250 lbs, as it took everything we had to drag him 40 yards to the open pasture. And it was even harder to pull him onto the back of my truck, which you can clearly see was all but taken up.
We cleaned the deer and quickly got a score tallied. This was the only disappointment. He taped out at 141 B&C. His beams were only 21 and 20 inches, and surprisingly his mass only taped out at 30.5 inches. 5 inch bases, but very normal H2-H4 measurements. I thought he was a bit bigger, but it all happens so fast while hunting up here. Those of you who haven't experienced hunting over trails, or not around a feeder, these bucks are on the move. Everything happened from seeing the buck, to shooting him, to watching him fall, in a matter of 30 seconds. None the less he is a beautiful deer and a buck I am extremely proud of! It was a hard fought hunt and I got a 2nd chance and made it count!
Unfortunately Dusty was not able to see another shooter buck and we had to head home earlier than planned. We did stop and check the game cam at our Schuyler farm on the way home and had a BIG surprise.
We didn't hunt that farm as we didn't think it was holding a big deer with the midwestern drought and cattle affecting this particular farm. Hopefully he will be there next year! Another young 8 pt. we got on game cam.
A big thanks goes out to my girlfriend Dru, and all my buddies who kept my spirits up. Thanks, Dusty, Matt, Travis, and Erik. Hope you enjoyed the story and pics.
In 2010, Mesquitecountry, his dad, and myself made the inaugural trip and had varying degrees of rut activity, rattled in a few bucks, and I regrettably passed on what I thought was a 130-140 inch deer. A straight up 10 pt. that I would later come to realize was probably closer to 150-160 inches. Seeing these giant bodied deer for the first time, I hadn't quite adjusted to determining "shooter" versus "non-shooter."
Fast forward to last year, 2011. While attempting to scout and set up a stand, Dusty, aka (Commercial) and I jumped a 160-170 inch deer out of a rose bush thicket. I was prepared and had my bow in hand, because we had jumped deer in the past on this farm when going to hang stands. As I came to full draw and stopped him at 35 yards, I was presented with only a neck shot, and I only had a small window to squeeze the arrow through, so I decided to pass on the shot. Mesquitecountry jumped another 170ish deer 2 days later while walking back from the stand on the same farm. These were Mesquitecountry and I's only encounter with "shooter" deer last year.
The next day, I would break the ice and shoot a doe at 26 yards with my Bowtech 101 and my Rage 2 blade broadheads. She ran 25 yards and fell over, leaving a massive blood trail.
This would be the first key similarity between years 2011 and 2012.
Following the doe kill, Commercial was hit with a bit of bad luck, as he missed, on what he calls a, "Monster"
This missed opportunity would be the 2nd similarity between 2011 and 2012. After the first missed buck, Commercial was rightly down on his missed opportunity and Mesquitecountry and I pushed him to go back to the same stand the next evening, hoping he would get another chance. Dusty and Travis had found this spot along a creek bed, with perfect, thick, straight trees to use our Summit Climber on. The creek bed had 3 large scrapes at the creek's edge, and was an obvious trail that big bucks were using. Right at dark, he got his 2nd chance, but again failed to capitalize and shot underneath at 30 yards on another, even BIGGER, "Monster!" He and I were both hunting the same property that evening and as I saw his headlight walking the road up to my stand. I climbed down and asked what did he see? He walked straight passed me, never looking me in the eyes, and proclaimed, "I'm through!" I instantly knew he had missed again!
In his defense, the stand was drastically elevated, nearly 40 feet from the creek bed, where the deer were standing, both days. Dusty and I stayed two extra days last year, but the weather warmed up and we never got a chance at another buck.This year, Dusty and I were the only ones to make the 16 hour drive up to McDonough County, Illinois. Mesquitecountry stayed behind and got ready for his Montana mule deer hunt, and Matt, aka (double lung) again flaked and backed out on the trip. Shocking
We arrived late Tuesday night, November 6th, election day. We sat Wednesday morning at some stands that are already on the farms. We did not see a deer, but quickly went to work hanging stands and trimming limbs. Our first stop was Dusty's creek bed spot. We quickly realized this stand would not be as strong this year. There were few deer tracks in the creek crossing, and we didn't find any scrapes or rubs as we had the previous year. It would be ok, as we set up the Summit climber and were quickly off to our #1 farm down in Schuyler County. The same farm that Travis and I both had encounters with a 170 inch deer the year before. As we discussed stand placements, and how we would shoot a big deer on this farm, we arrived to a barren CRP field, a brown, burnt up alfalfa field, and little to no sign of deer activity. Obviously the midwestern drought and the fact that cattle had run amok on the farm led us to believe this farm wasn't holding many deer as it had in the past. We hung the one and only stand we would hang on this farm. We placed it off a funnel of old trails and near one dinky rub on a 2 inch round shrub tree, got in the truck and headed back to town. We did not have the highest of hopes for this trip, as our #1 and #2 farms were both vacant of big buck activity.
We knew warmer weather was coming for the weekend, so we wanted to make the most out of our opportunities on Wednesday evening and Thursday. It was calm, 40 degrees, prime midwest hunting weather. Commercial sat at the small farm that evening and saw 4 does, 2 cull 8pt bucks, and a large 160ish deer, but all of them were several hundred yards away, eating in a cut corn field.
I saw the first sign of rutting activity, a nubbin' buck and a doe came flying by me as I was still climbing in the Summit climber around 3:00 that afternoon. These were the only 2 deer I saw.
Thursday morning I decided to sit at the farm no one really likes to hunt. I enjoy hunting there, but no one else seems to. So, I decided to give it a shot. It was 32 degrees, little wind, AND perfect! I had one of my best hunts ever. I had 15 deer come by me, underneath me, and all around me at different times of the morning. Several does, and small bucks. This doe was the first of 4 that would walk directly below me.
She stayed for a minute and then blew and busted the whole area. I thought she had smelled me, boy was I wrong. Two coyotes came flying underneath me in hot pursuit of the 6 deer browsing in the area. White tails were flagging everywhere! The coyotes were no more than 15 yards from me when they began their attack, and a third coyote was 5-10 seconds behind them. It was a wild turn of events and something I had never witnessed before. A real, wild predator hunt! I had my bow in hand, but the dogs were too fast and I couldn't get a shot at any of them. I texted Dusty to come over to this farm as it was my turn to pick a spot and decided I wanted to move a stand to an open area in the woods. Similarity #3 between 2011 and 2012. We moved the stand and I immediately liked the setup.
Thursday evening was slow for both of us and Friday morning was even slower for me. I had gotten skunked 2 hunts in a row. As I was driving to pick up Dusty, he called and said he had just popped a doe. 30 yards and he had smoked her!
This was starting to sound a lot like last year, except the roles were reversed. This year Dusty shot a doe to break the ice. Would this be my omen of good things to come?
Friday evening Dusty quickly texted me that he had missed a fox. He was disappointed, but it did save him a few hundred dollars in taxidermy bills! We had dinner with the landowners that night and stayed out a bit too late. Saturday morning was a rush to the stand, minus showers. We sprayed down heavily with Dead Down Wind spray and rushed to the stands. We both sat at the Home farm where Dusty had shot the doe the previous day. Dusty in one stand, me in the stand the doe was killed at. As I dosed in and out during the early hours of dark, I had a conversation with myself about staying alert, and when you least expect it, a big buck will likely make an appearance.
I couldn't have been more right! About 6:50 am, I look up and low and behold, a wide, white horned giant is making his way near me about 100 yards away. I quickly stand up, grab my Bowtech 101. He is headed my direction. About 50 yards away he takes a trail away from me. I grabbed my grunt call, and aggressively start grunting. As he was walking away, he hears the grunts and makes a 180 degree turn and heads straight for me. The moment of truth! He closes in, I draw back..... He takes the trail 20 yards from me, I see the opening.... "Maaahhh" he freezes, I release.... "Thud, Thwack!!" I see my arrow flying in a zigzag pattern in the air. The monster buck springs forward and sprints out of sight, blowing and snorting the whole way. My heart immediately sank, I couldn't believe it. I texted Commercial, Mesquitecountry, double lung, and Bowerik, "I just blew it on a 170!"
The replies all came back the same, "No Way?!" Yes, indeed, I had! Well, Mother Nature had! In my excitement/buck fever, I had drawn back too soon and looked solely through my peep instead of watching the deer. As soon as his shoulder came into my peep, I let go, not noticing the small leaveless tree between me and the giant 10. I clipped a limb.... The "Thud" was the arrow clipping the tree. I found the arrow. Only meat and hair clung to the Rage 2 blade. The "Thwack" was the Rage sliding through the buck's backstraps. I skipped the Ted Nugent Gold Tip arrow off a tree limb, propelling it upwards straight through the backstraps of the biggest buck of my life...
Again, another eerie parallel between 2011 and 2012. A missed GIANT! Everyone texted and kept my spirits up with positive reinforcements and comments of, "You'll get another chance." I had huge doubts that I was going to get another crack at a monster buck. Little did I know, I had drama, as well as fate on my side.
Dusty graciously told me that I could go back to the same stand the next morning and see if we could replay the events of last year. This time, hopefully I get my shot at a 2nd chance.
Sunday morning we got up early, I got to the stand around 5:20, I was settled and alert. Hoot owls were breaking up the morning silence. The weather was abnormally warm, 62 degrees. Around 6:00 am I hear foot steps in the leaves. I can't see where they are coming from, it's 15 minutes before sunrise and I can barely see. I see the black shadow 15 yards from me, walking. I throw up my Leupold binoculars and in the lenses is the largest buck I've ever had the opportunity to shoot! All I could see were tines. LONG and LOTS of them! I grabbed my bow and grunted several times. By the time he came to a stop he wasn't in a clear lane to shoot and he walked off slowly into the dark. I had missed my 2nd chance. I wasn't ready and it was my fault. I texted the guys, "I just had a 180+ come by and I couldn't get a shot." The texts were all the same again, "No way?"
I sat still, waiting for the sun to rise, contemplating my deer hunting fate. 2 does had made their way near me and were clearly on alert. All of a sudden, a doe came flying through the open pasture. She was breathing heavily, a nubbin' buck, and a small 8 pt were hot on her trail, tongues hanging. The 8 was grunting loudly and repeatedly. They came into the woods behind me. The forrest erupted with noise. The buck and doe came sprinting from behind me. They stop at 50 yards, the 8pt runs the nubbin' buck away from the doe. The doe stops, squats, and the 8 pt mounts her. Wow, I had never seen this in the wild before. Especially such a young buck with a mature doe. They finish their business and make their way within bow range. Should I shoot her? Should I keep her there, hopefully get her scent in the air and other bucks show up? I decide that she may be the only doe on this farm in heat and to keep her alive would be better. Hopefully she would stay in the area near this stand.
As the doe in heat and young buck made their way off into the woods. I hear some more commotion, and another much larger buck is chasing a doe a few hundred yards off through the woods. I see 2 white tails and a large white rack. The RUT IS ON!
Just about this time, I look up and see a buck sprinting towards me. His tongue hanging, he is panting heavily. I quickly grab my bow. I have my Bowtech 101 in my left hand, my grunt call in the other. He is on the same trail as the buck I had missed the day before. I grunt aggressively again, never giving him the chance to take another trail away from me. He pauses for a minute and makes a dead line straight to me. He is now 25 yards, as he walks behind a tree, I draw. He steps into the clear, "Maaahhh" he stops dead in his tracks. I take an extra second, I move my pin between his shoulders and ribs. Release.....THWACK! He pauses, hops, walks about 20 yards. The "NO PANTS DANCE" begins. BBD!!
I was severely shaking, immediately texting the guys, "BBD!!" The replies were all the same, "NO WAY!!" They asked if he was the big buck from earlier in the morning. It wasn't, I said, I think he's a broken up 9 or 10 point around 150ish. Dusty immediately drove over to the farm nobody likes to hunt
And this is what we found...The reddest arrow I've ever seen and 20 yards away was this bruiser.
High fives ensued, pictures taken, and hundreds of texts and pics were sent to friends and family. It was my first Illinois buck and it was 3 years coming. He is a main frame 9 pt. with a kicker behind his right brow tine and a broken G4 on his right side. He was clearly over 250 lbs, as it took everything we had to drag him 40 yards to the open pasture. And it was even harder to pull him onto the back of my truck, which you can clearly see was all but taken up.
We cleaned the deer and quickly got a score tallied. This was the only disappointment. He taped out at 141 B&C. His beams were only 21 and 20 inches, and surprisingly his mass only taped out at 30.5 inches. 5 inch bases, but very normal H2-H4 measurements. I thought he was a bit bigger, but it all happens so fast while hunting up here. Those of you who haven't experienced hunting over trails, or not around a feeder, these bucks are on the move. Everything happened from seeing the buck, to shooting him, to watching him fall, in a matter of 30 seconds. None the less he is a beautiful deer and a buck I am extremely proud of! It was a hard fought hunt and I got a 2nd chance and made it count!
Unfortunately Dusty was not able to see another shooter buck and we had to head home earlier than planned. We did stop and check the game cam at our Schuyler farm on the way home and had a BIG surprise.
We didn't hunt that farm as we didn't think it was holding a big deer with the midwestern drought and cattle affecting this particular farm. Hopefully he will be there next year! Another young 8 pt. we got on game cam.
A big thanks goes out to my girlfriend Dru, and all my buddies who kept my spirits up. Thanks, Dusty, Matt, Travis, and Erik. Hope you enjoyed the story and pics.
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