Late season in Illinois with El Nino!

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

I left my house in SE Minnesota on January first. We had 8 inches of snow on the ground and the deer were all ready dropping their head gear.

It only took about 150 miles of driving before the snow was gone . Another 100 miles and the road side ditches were full of run off from 4 inches of rain and the fields were green!

I had never hunted in West Central Illinois or any where in Illinois for that matter.  I had planned a late season hunt. Hoping for cold and snow to pull the deer in. Clearly things were not going to go as planned.

The first night on stand I sat the edge of a brassica plot that had definitely seen some deer in it.

 

Even though I kicked several deer out of the plot when I entered it, I was still able to see several deer come into it later and I passed on a 1.5 year old 8 point.

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

The next couple of day were warm and foggy. I spent the mornings in and around the bedding areas, then hunted the food plot edges in the afternoons.

Sunrise in Fulton county.

 
Foggy morning January the what?

 

[KAZ]

I'm sitting in a ground blind in Iowa with 20mph NW wind 12 degrees and dropping... Frozen snow pack. Bring on the story so I can warm up while I wait...  

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

It was so warm and wet the deer had not yarded and could go any where for food. Heck the woods was still green and the cattle pastures looked like it was June.  Ever see a Brassica plot like this in January?

 

The deer seemed to be hitting grain waste in a big bean field on the edge of the farm I was hunting.  My outfitter had spotted a big 9 point out in a field and together we set a stand on the very edge of the woods to take advantage of the SE prevailing wind for the duration of the week.

Shameful selfie on the eve of success.
   

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

We sat the stand in a honey locust where the woods had 90 degree corner. There were three trails in my shooting range.  One right, one left and one center.

   

I was in the stand by 1:30 pm and the deer began filtering out of the woods in to the old bean field starting around 2 :30.

I really wanted a crack at that buck so I let 22 deer go by all antlerless!  Finally I couldn't take it any more and decided the next deer to give me a shot was going to be in trouble.

A doe with a buck fawn trailing her came down the center trail. As she angled off the trail to the corner to my right I put an arrow through her chest.

She ran 25 yards stopped and fell over. I texted my outfitter that I had a doe on the ground ( per his rules)and then got out of the tree.

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

The tangle of rose thorns and blackberry snagged and tore at my clothing as I made my way over to her. I pulled her out to field edge and waited for Brett to show up.

   

Brett soon arrived and parked his 4 wheeler by the trail to my left. He got off of the rig and reached into the tangle of rose thorns where the trail exited the wood and entered the field. Laying there was one side of the bucks head gear that we had set up for.  Well at least we had set the stand on the right spot.

   

[Jayrod]

Man Jim you have a way with stories!

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

I spent 3 more days trying to find that buck or another worthy of an arrow. It didn't happen.

These eagles found the does entrails. It amazes me how quickly they can do that.
 

I drove home through fog for 250 miles.

The first thing I did when I got home after plowing the driveway was go look for Grandpa's 2nd side. My good luck was holding and I found it rather quickly.

I think I will go buy a power ball ticket.

 

[maineac]

Congrats!!! Your target might have walked by earlier disguised as a big doe. Good job making your hunt a hunt!

[ron w]

Unreal........good luck with the power ball I would love to hit it with you. I never buy that stuff but I'm in for this one.......lol!

[Homey88]

Great hunt congrats! Love your posts!

[23feetupandhappy]

Well done Jim!

[KAZ]

Nice work! Well done & thanks for the story to keep my mind off the cold sit....  

[KyRidgeRunner]

Congrats on the doe.  Sounded like a fun trip.

[JJB]

Wow Jim, congratulations on the doe and sheds!  I'd say you just might be sitting good for the powerball drawing.
-Jay

[Possum Head]

[South MS Bowhunter]

Congrats Jim!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Congrats Jim.  That last picture with you and Grandpas Shed is very well done.

[Bernie B.]

Nice story as usual Jim!  Congratulations on your late season doe and for finding the shed!    

Bernie

[jonsimoneau]

Great stuff. It has been an unusual late season here in Illinois. But it actually has worked out to my favor. Normally the deer are all herded up by now in areas I can't hunt leaving my areas void of deer. That hasn't happened as much this season and I was able to take a doe last Tuesday.