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I hear there is a giant on the edge of the power plant by Clinton IL.Has anyone heard or seen it?
I hear there are some pics of one that is going on private ground.
Hey - don't talk so much about these bucks at Clinton. Stan Potts might catch word of it and pull some strings to get at the bucks. "Gimmie a Second . . . "
Already called him with the GPS cords. Looks like He's gonna have The big one this year ;)
Stan's already on top of them both......as are some others.
Well...get out the cryin towel!
"Guys, there's a difference between seeing 200" deer, and killing 200" deer, and I've killed 3! Join me folks, as we venture out among the great Illinois hardwoods to pursue DOMINANT bucks! I'm your host, Stan Potts! Let's go shoot a GIANT!"
the difference in seeing a 200" is in the fact that most people exaggerate what they see which creates many more 200" deer sightings. shooting a mature buck takes some skill, shooting one that also has the genetics to be 200", is luck.
In 50 years in the WILD deer woods, I've never seen a 200" buck! If I was going to see one it would of been 1980 thru 1995 (or so)....the trully good years of Illinois bow hunting.....I've messed up on some 180" & 190"+ bucks thru that time period. But I have NEVER seen one that would make 200" typical net score P&Y!
Big buck ? don't get any bigger once they've been taken. Too many bucks are taken Too Early....before their prime and full potential is reached. (I'm at fault to for that).....but I can honestly say I am happy with the big bucks I had the good fortune (and LUCK) to have taken thru the years.
They are 'few' in the wild....but,... The Hope Of.... is what keeps us going!......jmho
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"In 50 years in the WILD deer woods, I've never seen a 200" buck" "I've seen only a handfull that would make 170"
Same here. If I saw a 200 buck I wouldn't come home--I would just stay there--eat there, sleep there, and live there. I would get to know him real good---probably would even name him---might name him "Fred".
NOW....I ain't say'n I never seen or was fortunate to hunt....a 190"+ buck (s)....I did and have!! But, they ain't behind every tree!! (I screwed up and they won)...that simple. Even at a mere 5 yards from my tree. (couldn't get my bow pulled back....dang compounds! He'd be dead IF I had my recurve!!)
170" & 180" bucks are scarce...(to most)....
160" bucks are tough.....(for most)....
150" bucks are there to be "seen" at times (RUT)...
140" bucks can be had....(right place)...
130" bucks are easy (at times)....
124" and SMALLER.....are fairly easy....(for some)...
Doe and Fawns and Buttons and small rack "young bucks" are the most common in Harvest Data Reports! (bucks that are shot toooo soon in their life).....you CAN'T kill a Big Buck, by shooting the small one!.....jmho
I've still NEVER seen a 'really big buck'.....why is that? (even though I have killed some 'nice' bucks). I've let more 'nice bucks' WALK, than I've killed! I guess 'hoping' to get 'bigger'.....only to (usually) never see them again in folowing seasons!
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in my life I have seen 1 - 190+ gross typical...my Dad killed it. Only 1 other booner, and bunches of 155-169 bucks. People throw around "200" like we used to throw around "150"
I have seen lots of 200 inch and some 300 inch deer.Even a 400 plus.But mine are not free ranging.
Noel Feather, was/is actually a good bow hunter. As with Mitch Rompolla and also Roger Ragland has killed some BIG Bucks too! (athough I don't count gun kills). Bow Hunting is all that matters to me....and I might add I like Typical antlers better. 200"+ in a Typical is/would be a awesome "WILD" whitetail!....99.9% of us will never have that chance!
Hard to believe Mel Johnson's deer from Peoria County Illinois has 'never' been beat in 45 years!....a lot more 'bow hunters' out there now, compared to back in 1965! (for Mel's sake I hope it isn't beat for at least, another 30 years).......It would take a lot to beat it though....it was taken with a 'recurve'....that probably can't and won't be topped!...As with Del Austin's Non-Typical record from Iowa!!
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That bullhockey. Mel knew exactly what he was hunting for. He had scouted the deer. He gave me a lot of advice about how to handle all the bs you get when you shoot a big deer. I have seen two 250s, shot one of them. Passed the other, as it was a half hour after legal time, although I had enough light to shoot. I watched him a few days later chasing a young doe around a bunch of tree tops. He must have hit the ground ten times, but I think he got the doe. The other buck doing the chasing was a 160+ eleven that my son shot a week later. He fielddressed 240, but looked like a fawn next to DARTH VADER. That was 1993. Also saw a clean typical ten named SHAQDADDY in 2003 that was 200, or very close. He gave me buck fever 200 yards away. Don't see them anymore, as there is too much pressure and too many young bucks shot now in my area. There is still one big one around, but he is no 200, maybe 185 tops.
The thrill of just seeing one of these monsters can't be described.
Herm I agree that Feather was an innovator in his day but his reputation and integrity were "toast" the day he got busted. If you want to set yourself up as an "expert" in the "business" you better not cheat and get caught red-handed. You reap what you sow, and he was asking for it.
As for Rompola, who knows.....
Very true, Charlie, and that is a fabulous deer. We had a great young 10 pointer several years ago we called the freak. He was perfectly symmetrical, and we pegged him at about 170. We thought he was a three year old. The next year I got a couple of trail cam photos of him, and he had all kinds of junk growing out of his antlers. I never did see him live, although my partner did once. We thought he was easily over 200 as a N/T. That was 2006, and we haven't seen him live or on camera since.
"Charlie"...that is what dreams are made of! Thank's for sharring that photo!
"Bill"... can you share a photo of your big buck? Mel is good personal friend of our's also.....and YES... he was hunting that MONSTER he shot.
Noel I know, and Mitch I had met and talked too a few years before his big monster kill ( he's killed many big bucks....wild ones)...you are in The Public Eye... so everything gets scrutinized (a fact)....so a person better be Clean and stay clean....one wrong tiny infraction can ruin your whole reputation!....
I never killed a "big buck" like we are talking about and seeing here. There are 'some' around though. Judd Cooney told me once: "I'd rather be lucky than good"...and M.R.James told me once: "Stay away from making videos"....(that was in the 'old days'). Now, today, videos and BOW hunting shows are more controlled and 'safer' to maintain quality and accuracy (to a point)....
21 more days till Illinois BOW season ...enjoy and be safe and HAVE FUN! -}}}}}}}}}}----------------->
I agree that Mel was a very wonderful guy to talk to. Charlie, here is my buck, still hanging in the house along with some others. For perspective, he was over 24" inside. My wife claims I have too many deer heads. I am kind of running out of space, but my son's wife says I have to keep his. She only let him have one.
That didn't work. Let me try again.
Very Nice! Thank's for sharring! Wild deer of this caliber are so scarce.....truly one of God's works of art!
Monster bucks for sure. I have hunt more days per season than most people I know but have only seen one buck that will boone. I've a got a few sheds that let me know this year a couple will net boone, but getting a shot is another story. BTW another great hunter is Roger Rothharr, his books were some of the best i've read, along with Gene Wendzel and Don Higgins.
I certainly enjoy the stories from you guys. I truly miss coming to Illinois. The biggest buck I ever saw on the hoof was in Pike County a few years ago. I was hunting an 80 acre piece on the bluffs near Hull. As a guy from NJ where a 125 is a prize the sight of the dark horned monster 8 pt put a pounding in my heart I have never felt. His doe saved his life that day. I was blessed just to see a buck of that caliber. The year before I saw my second best buck on the hoof in the hills near the Illinois River. A friend killed it that winter. He says it wasn't the same buck, but my memory of that deer is also etched in my mind for all time.....;^) }}----->
Here is a couple 200 inchers having breakfast that I am still waiting on to reach their potential!
Charlie, Bill, NICE, NICE NICE DEER!!
this is my one 200+ that I missed at 30 yards,due to a small unseen BRANCH he was on public land,When i first saw him at 20 yards I thought I was truley looking at new WR, after 10 min of a stare down,he caught me turning my head to look at what snapped the branch behind me ,he turned and walked directley away ,at 30 yds he stoped and turned broadside for 1 last look,dam branch,he was shot a few days later by a shotgun hunter, hear he scored 220nt,didnt hear what his typical score was.talk about sick!!Also heard Stan was also hunting this Buck,boy he sure does get around!!
I saw a monster in McLean County in 99 the next year a 209" was shot 1/4 mile away. Not sure if it was the same buck but I would imagine it was. Can't be that many that size running around. We called the buck bullwinkle. Wish he would have come closer than 150 yards.
Here he is in the spring behind the fence
You guys can't shoot him if there is a fence.He looks good.
I've seen him probably 50 times he really isn't what I would call a trophy. He doesn't seem to have a fear of people,anyone could walk up to him and hit him with a rock. There would be no challenge in killing this deer.
That's him I have to deal with all of the cars stopped in the middle of the road every day. I never said he was a 200 incher. Those are autumn olive in the background.
They have been getting pics of him outside of the fence.So that means he is going around the fence down by the entrance to IP point.
I saw this deer last Friday. I did not a the camera with me but he is a GIANT! There were 20 people watching him. I have had friends call me from other states with questions about this deer.(not good for him) After they saw him on the net. I think its great to show pics and video of deer people have but, location does not have to be known.I've been burned to many times by people that have alot more money than I have. Someone is going to pay big money to have a chance to hunt the area around where this buck is. Like Stan Potts.
I guess Stan could buy the property from Ameren. or get a job there.But who would hire him?
the old saying..."Rubber Lips Sink Ships"....I NEVER tell of a Big Buck!...this buck will probably get killed. Not by someone actually hunting him one on one....(my guess)
Yeah, we know that there aren't any residents in dumbodrat land that would ever poach a big buck.
QUOTE:In all reality some NR will probably pop him off the road. That will make a good Illinois big buck story! LOL! JH1, we aint all bad. Chip on your shoulder? When I drive up from Ms to hunt I notice hotels, restaurants, and stores jumping with NR's spending money not to mention it costs almost a grand to buy the NR licenses. I still pay to play in your state regardless because of the opportunity to see a GIANT. Your state is beautiful and I know you are proud to be a resident. Just dont paint us all with that broad brush.
JH was that this year? Any more info. on location. I think I've been hunting that deer for a couple years (LOL, I wish of course). $1K licenses? What state?
HABITAT STAMP $5.00 NR LICENSE $57.75 NR ARCHERY PERMIT *EITHER SEX $410.00 NR FIREARM PERMIT *EITHER SEX $325.00 NR MUZZLELOADER PERMIT $325.00
TOTAL $1125.75
STATE OF ILLINOIS
YOU ASKED.
Yes, I thought that was archery here on bowsite, and you were including gun "tags". IMO they should probably be more with the demand there is.
that buck was shot this morning by a guy from Georgia on private property about 1.5 miles from where he was being seen all the time. he did break off one drop though.
I guess if I added up every lic/tag that IL had available I could probably get it up above 2 grand, but the "archery" tag w/ lic is nowhere close to $1000.
two-oh-two,
Are you talking about the 10 pointer with the 2 drops a couple miles from the plant that has been seen?
