I know I am tomorrow rain or shine. I'm thinking I'm gonna sit for 3 hours like I usually do for deer hunting then I'm going to do some still hunting through a draw. I know 2 spots where I could almost guarentee you there will be deer bedded or around this time of year. I'll be taking my TC Renegade in .50 percussion. Good luck to anyone else goin' :hatsoff:
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Illinois Late Winter Doe Season, Anyone Goin'?
- Thread starter luieb45
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buttonbuck
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So this is a 4 day season I will have to check my season dates Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I planned to go with my 54 renegade. I just got a renegade 56 smooth bore today I am excited to spend some range time with the gun. Maybe I can hunt next month with that gun.
Well I think I screwed up today. I sat in a cedar blind for an hour and a half this morning where I didn't see anything. I was planning on still hunting the entire property. I was walking through some tall grass and cedar trees when I saw 4 does trotting ahead of me. I got down and started crawling to them but they started running again. At first when I saw them they looked about 80 yards away which is too far for me. It turned out to be a little bit under 60 which is a pretty high percentage shot for me. A couple seconds later I found out what they were running from and out comes 3 coyotes. I started making that mouse squeal sound with my mouth and they start coming my way. I got behind a cedar tree for cover and one came over the hill at about 40 yards. I couldn't aim well because my ramrod was catching on a branch. Later I saw a couple of separate deer while I was still hunting. I might go tomorrow morning still so hopefully I have better luck.
buttonbuck
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went yesterday the 8 deer are aware of property lines. Afternoon Thursday, saw nothing an eerie silence, almost ran into a herd of 12 on way home funny thing the fawns were tiny there were probably 8 or 9 fawns like the size of my Old English Setter. Today it was a total down pour. I will go this afternoon. I hope the cold snap will get them moving.
I didn't get out Thursday or Friday. But I took my 21 and 15 year old son's out Saturday morning. The deer heard us and ran out of the small property we hunt on as we walked to our spots. Didn't see any more that morning. I got out by myself Saturday afternoon, but with the cold wind they must have been hunkered down (Stephenson county).
Today, Sunday morning, my sons and I got out again. Just before legal shooting light we could here some movement to the north of us. A few minutes after 7am they came in to sight, two antlerless deer. I let them come close enough so my 15 year old, 25 yards to my right, would have a chance. I shot first and missed with my 54 flintlock, my luck has changed lately. But my 15 year old connected shortly after and had himself a button buck. It went back 20 feet, layed down and expired. His first deer. It was an inline though, it was cheap when we got it a couple summers ago (CVA Buckhorn at $100 after sale price and mail in rebate). I'll make sure he has a real muzzleloader before long. I'll be watching the ball game this afternoon (go Pack), but I plan on getting out again in two weeks if it isn't too bad of weather.
Good luck to the rest of you.
Today, Sunday morning, my sons and I got out again. Just before legal shooting light we could here some movement to the north of us. A few minutes after 7am they came in to sight, two antlerless deer. I let them come close enough so my 15 year old, 25 yards to my right, would have a chance. I shot first and missed with my 54 flintlock, my luck has changed lately. But my 15 year old connected shortly after and had himself a button buck. It went back 20 feet, layed down and expired. His first deer. It was an inline though, it was cheap when we got it a couple summers ago (CVA Buckhorn at $100 after sale price and mail in rebate). I'll make sure he has a real muzzleloader before long. I'll be watching the ball game this afternoon (go Pack), but I plan on getting out again in two weeks if it isn't too bad of weather.
Good luck to the rest of you.
The only deer I saw after Thursday was a 6 pointer Friday night. Didn't see anything Saturday night. It got pretty cold and windy. I may hunt a little in 2 weeks but I know I can't hunt Saturday morning because I have a pheasant hunt.
Maynerd62411
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I started running a fever Friday and it didn't break until This morning. I wasn't about to go out. My bro-in-law had no luck, although my sister almost got one with her car, Saturday evening. :nono:
My buddy I hunt with hasn't seen anything all weekend.
My buddy I hunt with hasn't seen anything all weekend.
No good here either. 
Worked Thursday.
Sat thru tornado warnings, hard rain, thunder and lightning Friday. Saw one squirrel and one fox.
Cold, frozen boots, frozen hat, high wind and no deer Saturday.
Got to the farm right at first light this morning. Just in time to see the only deer I saw all weekend. It was standing right where I park and I was way over to the other side of the farm just coming around the first corner. The deer saw me pulling in and ran off. Saw 3 coyotes today tho.
I plan to hunt Sat and Sun in 2 weeks. Hope it goes better than this weekend.
I truly believe the Late Winter Doe Season is the hardest deer hunting of the year.
Good luck to everybody else that gets out.
Worked Thursday.
Sat thru tornado warnings, hard rain, thunder and lightning Friday. Saw one squirrel and one fox.
Cold, frozen boots, frozen hat, high wind and no deer Saturday.
Got to the farm right at first light this morning. Just in time to see the only deer I saw all weekend. It was standing right where I park and I was way over to the other side of the farm just coming around the first corner. The deer saw me pulling in and ran off. Saw 3 coyotes today tho.
I plan to hunt Sat and Sun in 2 weeks. Hope it goes better than this weekend.
I truly believe the Late Winter Doe Season is the hardest deer hunting of the year.
Good luck to everybody else that gets out.
Maynerd62411
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I'm gonna try to get out there in a couple of weeks. I'll have to be feeling a WHOLE lot better than I have the last few days.
Work was rough today, but I had to do it to preserve my holiday pay, otherwise, I woulda called in.
A friend of mine east of here , went out, and said he may have heard 5 shots all weekend.
Work was rough today, but I had to do it to preserve my holiday pay, otherwise, I woulda called in.
A friend of mine east of here , went out, and said he may have heard 5 shots all weekend.
buttonbuck
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I only see deer when I drive home from hunting.
How about seeing a 10-point plus buck with a big swollen neck in your back yard right before going out on an afternoon hunt. This happened to me the Saturday of the muzzleloader only season. Of course I didn't see any out in my hunting area. And I live in town so I couldn't take a poke at him. What would the neighbors say if there was a blood trail going through their yards? He was a beautiful beast.
Next year our town is allowing bowhunting in town :thumbsup: A few people are trying to get a petition to stop it thinking that people will get hit by arrows unintentionally :youcrazy:. Apparently these people have never been hunting or seen a bow shoot.
