South Illinois Rut
Contributors to this thread:Illinois
From: TkelleyAU
29-Oct-19
Anyone seeing any activity yet? Planning on being in the woods 11/7 - 11/17. Whats your thoughts???
From: BOHUNTER09
29-Oct-19
Your timing should be perfect. Just started seeing a little seeking. No chasing yet.
From: awh302
30-Oct-19
It should be good timing as things are just starting to get kicked off.
From: Dusktildawn
30-Oct-19
This cold snap will get em moving. Got 12 days off next 3 weeks for all day sits. Good luck all
From: RMhunter
30-Oct-19
Be out Nov 2nd-8th all day sits or until I get one, I'll let you guys know what I see
From: Sit's in Tree's
01-Nov-19
Sit's in Tree's here. Heading to southern ILL Nov 18 to 24nd for Bow and Gun hunting. Hope the leave are down as last year it took a snow fall to get then to drop and hardly any deer day time movement or just could not see them ? Errrr... Usually get nice Buck and a doe or two for the freezer. It looks like the COLD SNAP we are having in Northern ILL. now went all the way down south.. great news let's get them BIGN's moving and the leave a falling..
Hang Them High
Sit's in tree's OUT for now... Hunt Smart and Hard
P.S. Meet ATLAS a local Buck on my Radar https://cdn.crmsuite.com/image/upload/c_fit,h_2137,w_1993/valleyhonda--5daa05baa6549.jpg
From: Dusktildawn
03-Nov-19
Just got back from 2 days Southern Ill. Saw 19 does and only 3 bucks. Zero chasing anywhere. All does were feeding in cut beans and corn in afternoon with no bucks anywhere to be found. I believe rut is 2 weeks away and deer movement will amp up next weekend. Saw some rubs & scrapes in usual spots but not nearly what I see when the bucks are ready. A.M. movement was greater than P.M. for what it's worth. 7-9:30 am does were feeding in woods heading towards bedding areas. 10am -4pm was a ghost town. Good luck all and be careful with gun season approaching.
From: BOHUNTER09
03-Nov-19
Grunted/rattled in a good buck this morning
From: Dusktildawn
03-Nov-19
Forgot to mention this was on pressured public site. Private may be having more action.
From: jstephens61
04-Nov-19
Small 110” 8 pt dogging a doe this evening. Light rain about 3:45.
From: LBshooter
04-Nov-19
Guys, if you have rutting activity how about mentioning what part of the state your in. Haven't seen any around my area in the north east part of the state. Hopefully the end of this week I'll start seeing it.
From: RMhunter
05-Nov-19
I had great movement Sunday evening and had 3 small bucks chasing a doe around me then 30 mins before dark had a 120" 8pt and a 140" 9pt came in and spared a little and walked within 10 yrs of me, got some nice video. It was hard not to shoot him but I'm trying to hold out for a big one. Yesterday morning saw 18 deer before noon and one great buck following a doe thru he came to 57 yds but that was as close as he got. He was a fully mature buck probably 160" class I sit all day and had a decent 8 push two does thru at 2pm then saw several small bucks and one 3yr old chasing and grunting all around me. This morning has been slower only 3 small bucks and 3 does but hopefully something will happen before dark. Been some of the best action I've saw in years. This is private in Southeast Illinois
From: LBshooter
05-Nov-19
RM, sounds like you have the spot lol maybe another beauty is comma your way, good luck.
From: RMhunter
05-Nov-19
Thanks LB, today has been slower. Saw several does and small bucks. Still have an hour and a half of daylight so you never know
From: BOHUNTER09
05-Nov-19
South east Illinois tonight. 5 bucks including 3 nice shooters before 5 pm. Some pestering does
From: DozRdeer2
05-Nov-19
Jason had a young buck chasing a doe this evening around his stand - also SE Illinois.
From: buxandbass
07-Nov-19
Hunted all afternoon in southwest Randolph county in southern Illinois. perfect conditions. 36 degrees. saw nothing until driving out when I saw a couple of small bucks dogging does across a cut corn field. supposed to turn really cold so will do what I can
From: Acts
08-Nov-19
SE Illinois on public, movement was slow. Saw 3 does bunched up and a spike. We'll see what happens tonight.
From: jpinkerton
08-Nov-19
Jackson county all day. Small 7-8 point chasing does all morning. Rattled in a similar sized deer. Scrapes popping up all over the place. Cam action on scrapes with small bucks sparring.
From: RMhunter
08-Nov-19
Well I shot the buck I was after Wed and it looked like a great hit, I thought I'd double lunged him for sure. Waited about an hour and me and my buddies went after him. Got to the arrow and it was soaked with dark red bubbly blood, went thirty yards and laid down with blood everywhere. Then he got up and we tracked him for 1.4 miles with a constant easy to follow blood trail. He crossed a road and went onto a neighbor's property so we backed out and went back the next day but unfortunately it had rained so we just grid searched to no avail. I have never saw such good blood and not recovered. I must of hit higher than I thought. Needless to say I've been sick every since
From: RMhunter
08-Nov-19
Here's a pic of the one I shot not long before
From: LBshooter
09-Nov-19
Sorry to hear that, it sucks having to lose one. However, I wouldn't give up the search. He's dead, just a matter of where. Did it look like he circled back on you? Dark bubbly red, one lung with the liver? Let the neighbors know and someone will eventually come across him.
From: Dusktildawn
09-Nov-19
RM that is a big bummer. Keep looking. Any water source nearby? Curious what kind of broadhead you were using and angle of shot. Ground or tree. Keep grinding and be safe
From: Dusktildawn
09-Nov-19
RM that is a big bummer. Keep looking. Any water source nearby? Curious what kind of broadhead you were using and angle of shot. Ground or tree. Keep grinding and be safe
From: DozRdeer2
09-Nov-19
Two young bucks dogging a lone doe this evening in my woods.
From: Acts
09-Nov-19
Leaving SE IL tomorrow, but yesterday had one small buck dogging a group of 4 does. Had two small yearlings come in about 5ft away from my stand. Every deer I've seen down here has been small compared to last year. Found a lot of big rub sign but haven't seen anything worth getting excited about. This is all public land think I was a week off.
From: Heavyhorns
10-Nov-19
Heading to Southern Illinois this morning. Looks like good cold weather this week and sounds like the rut is warming up. We will be hunting thru Friday and hopefully be able to share a success story. Good luck out there fellas!
From: RMhunter
11-Nov-19
LB he didn't circle at all, once he got up out of his bed he went pretty much straight for over a mile. I finally got in touch with the neighbors and they said they'd let me know if they found him. Dusktildawn I was using rage 2 blade and he was perfectly broadside at 12 yds. It looked great as far as shot. I just can't figure how I didn't double lung him unless it was high. In my 30 years of hunting I've never saw one bleed as much. And when he stopped there was blood on both sides and two spots were it was coming from his nostrils. Just can't make sense of it
From: Dusktildawn
12-Nov-19
RM that is a rough one to figure. I also use 2 blade hypodermic ranges and the amount of blood on a pass through is sometimes amazing but we are hunting some damn tough animals. If you hunt long enough this happens. Unfortunate, but all part of the journey. Good luck the rest of the season.
From: RMhunter
12-Nov-19
Thanks dusk, it definitely sucks to lose one. Haven't lost one in a long time and had forgotten had bad it feels.
From: LBshooter
13-Nov-19
I'll bet there was a opening failure, the only explanation. If those open fully deer don't go far. It's mechanical, so failure is always a possibility and when it's on a beautiful buck it makes it even worse. My buddy gave up on mechanicals after loosing the biggest buck he ever shot, went with a fixed head.
From: Dusktildawn
13-Nov-19
This is one reason we use the Rages
From: RMhunter
13-Nov-19
Yea I've always had great results with rage, and the blades were deployed when I pulled it out of the ground. Heck I don't know what happened, even after replaying it in my head a 1000 times. Lol
From: LBshooter
14-Nov-19
It will haunt you for awhile, unfortunately lol
From: woodguy65
14-Nov-19
Bummer RM, I think your assessment is correct. Since you pulled the arrow out of the ground, complete pass through and had great blood there is/was no issue with the broad head. Sounds like you simply hit too high.
From: Dave B
14-Nov-19
I had a similar shot a few years ago, it was low. Lots of blood, long track, no deer. My guess is that's where your shot was was too. I two blade rage would filet open the lower brisket maybe catch one lung and not kill him immediately.
From: Dusktildawn
16-Nov-19
Heading down to southern I'll for 7 day hunt. Will give reports if they are moving. Have 2 target bucks. Good luck all this week. Be careful come friday when guns start a blazing!
From: jpinkerton
16-Nov-19
Hitting some public land in the AM in Southern Illinois. Hoping the does bring by a shooter
From: Dusktildawn
16-Nov-19
Saw 4 bucks and 3 does before 8am nothind since today. 2 6pt and 2 8pt. 1 of the 8pt was dogging a doe
From: Dusktildawn
17-Nov-19
Using decoy between cut corn and small pond. Several fresh rubs here.
From: buxandbass
17-Nov-19
love the decoy strategy, although I've never killed a buck over it. have mine standing in the back yard and will use it soon. I have heard the chasing is getting more serious here in southwest illinois
From: Edge Hunter
18-Nov-19
I had a really nice buck looking for does around 9:30 Sunday and Saturday evening a pretty good buck looking around sundown. Other than that just small bucks harassing any doe that's moving in Wabash county. Last Thursday evening, a group of 5 does and fawns were moving and feeding through the woods in front of me. As they fed, 5 more fawns joined them one at a time. I'm thinking mamas were on a date, so the breeding is in full swing.
From: Dusktildawn
18-Nov-19
2 of us hunted dark to dark only saw 4 does last 20 min. Unreal that no bucks are scent checking bedding areas. Try again tomorrow.
From: LBshooter
18-Nov-19
NE Illinois, out today and had two big bucks and four does running, definitely rutting. Looking forward to getting out Friday with my bennelli. They are doing it, unfortunately I couldn't get any of them to stop for a shot.
From: RMhunter
19-Nov-19
I'm not shotgun hunting but I'm taking my dad out, will be his first time hunting Illinois. Hoping for a good hunt, we'll have a good time either way. I'm going to climb a tree beside him a try to video some
From: LBshooter
19-Nov-19
A buddy was out at marsailles public ground and saw a lot of rutting going on, big bucks and does everywhere.
From: Dusktildawn
20-Nov-19
Glad northern part of the state is on fire. Southern Il public is brutally slow. Another dark to dark sit yesterday. Saw 1doe and a 6pt
From: Dusktildawn
20-Nov-19
Up in tree 1hour before legal today. Only deer was a small basket 8 at 25yds he got a pass. Zero rutting here. Moved to big woods now. Set up between 2 bedding areas north of cut corn. Fingers crossed! RM enjoy hunt with father. That is what it's all about!
From: Dusktildawn
20-Nov-19
Up in tree 1hour before legal today. Only deer was a small basket 8 at 25yds he got a pass. Zero rutting here. Moved to big woods now. Set up between 2 bedding areas north of cut corn. Fingers crossed! RM enjoy hunt with father. That is what it's all about!
From: buxandbass
20-Nov-19
sat all day dark to dark yesterday nov 19 on private land in Jersey County. Perfect conditions but no day time action. Saw a nice buck on the walk out of the cut corn field I was set up on 10 yards into the timber. Frustrating season for me mostly hunting public land this fall.
From: DozRdeer2
20-Nov-19
"Bucks gone wild" this evening. Five bucks chasing does all around my son's stand. He had a ball. Nothing moving slow enough for any shots. SE Illinois.
From: jstephens61
21-Nov-19
Going crazy around here. Two bucks came through at first light harassing a doe. Then around 7:30, here came the rain and 3 more bucks dogging a doe. Watched them for half an hour with no shot at the big boy. Could have taken a broke horn 10pt 3 times. Maybe it’ll come together tonight.
From: BOHUNTER09
21-Nov-19
Tom has a good buck tending a doe 50 yds south of the house. Snuck in to 25 yds but arrow deflected off a branch.
From: RMhunter
22-Nov-19
Just checked my cams yesterday and thought you guys would like this pic
From: RMhunter
22-Nov-19
Just checked my cams yesterday and thought you guys would like this pic
From: jpinkerton
22-Nov-19
Nice on RM. I think that confirms the rut suspicions! Hah
From: Dusktildawn
23-Nov-19
One of the small bucks who got a pass
One of the small bucks who got a pass
Hunted public land Southern Il 6 days from sunrise til sunset every day. Each day hunted 2 different spots. Some near fields,bedding areas,ridges,saddles, pinch points,ponds etc. Only saw 18 deer total. Gave 5 small bucks, all within 20yds a pass. Smoked a few nice does for the freezer. Last Sunday morning was the only time I saw a buck chase a doe all week. Spoke with many hunters who never even saw a deer. Very strange 'rut' or lack of this year. Hope everyone has been seeing some nice deer.
From: Dusktildawn
23-Nov-19
One of the small bucks who got a pass
One of the small bucks who got a pass
Hunted public land Southern Il 6 days from sunrise til sunset every day. Each day hunted 2 different spots. Some near fields,bedding areas,ridges,saddles, pinch points,ponds etc. Only saw 18 deer total. Gave 5 small bucks, all within 20yds a pass. Smoked a few nice does for the freezer. Last Sunday morning was the only time I saw a buck chase a doe all week. Spoke with many hunters who never even saw a deer. Very strange 'rut' or lack of this year. Hope everyone has been seeing some nice deer.
From: sit's in trees
02-Dec-19
Hunted hard for 8 days in Vienna,IL area Southern,ILL saw so many Spike deer almost shot but saw 3 inch times at last minute. Saw a few smaller buck's also STATE LAND but looking for something Bigger. Got a Good Doe on Friday opener of Gun and got a decent 8 pointer last minute before heading home. Buddy also got BIG 10 Pointer last minute on Private land south of Golconda so over all good trip. Now hunting Private land in Dekalb,IL for remainder of season. 2nd gun starts Dec 5th to 8th. going for local BIG BUCK I call him ATLAS and another one is BLADE. Good luck to all hunter out there.
Sit's in trees OUTfor now
From: BOHUNTER09
05-Dec-19
I’m set up with bow over a green wheat field. Hope the wind lays soon Feels kind of funny to bow hunt in orange but whatever it takes.
From: jpinkerton
05-Dec-19
Good luck. I wish you could bow hunt during gun season on the public lands.
From: Dusktildawn
05-Dec-19
You can if you are on Bow Only State Land and wearing orange.
From: jpinkerton
06-Dec-19
Copy that. Thanks for the info
From: RMhunter
06-Dec-19
My buddy has saw more fitting activity the past two days in Hamilton county than we've saw all year. Had two big bucks fight for 15 mins yesterday even then he saw 4 other bucks chasing and took a nice 9pt today that was with a doe. Seems everything is a little later than usual. I got a nice big bodied buck in Ohio Wednesday that put on a show grunting and growling while chasing a doe and fending off two smaller bucks
From: LBshooter
20-Dec-19
Was out today, and fifteen mins before the end of shooting time had a yearling doe come in behind me followed by a nice ten point. Unfortunately she saw me move but was upwind so she didn't freak out. She turned and trotted away and stopped about fifty yards, fed a hit and left. When I looked again this big boy was on the trail of her, he saw her l poking my way and he turned and went back the way he came in a easy way. Will be out tomorrow and see if I can run into them again. Secondary rut is on.
From: Dusktildawn
20-Dec-19
Big rubs being hit again
Big rubs being hit again
Good news and good luck LB. I saw several new rubs and freshened up old ones recently.
From: Dusktildawn
20-Dec-19
