November 27th

Went out this morning trying to fill at least one of my last two tags I have left. I had a doe with a yearling come into 25 yards I pulled back and tried to lower my bow but I could not. My bow got caught on my bow hanger so I had to pull it off then squat a little bit to shoot. I then shot and the arrow hit a tree and broke. The doe and yearling bolted out of the timber and across the CRP. I guess I will try my luck tonight for another deer!

November 26th

Happy Thanksgiving! I was out at my parents house when I got a phone call saying that there is a big deer at the back of the woods. My buddy who called me could not go get him due to family coming over so I decided to go out to check on him and if he was big enough to come home with me. My brother Bob decided to come along and that made me really happy. We have not done anything together just me and him in a long time. We got out to the woods and started walking in when my brother told me to go ahead and he would catch up. My brothers nickname is Big Bear and all I have to say is "Does a Bear Shit in The Woods?" LOL I ended up finding the deer and I could not believe my eyes! This thing was a MONSTER! I really liked him so I brought him home. He was a little stinky and ate up by the coyotes but wow. I was so happy that my brother could spend this time with me. Here is the brute!

November 23th

I headed out to try and fill at least one more tag. I sat in my ladder stand and had two come in really early and not enough light out to shoot. I got down at the end of my hunt and went to flop out the batteries and memory card in my trail cam. I stepped in the edge of the timber to find a doe bedded down. Then the doe tried to stand up and could not. I then noticed she was spine shot. I drew back on her and shot her. I then checked her out and she was all infected so I passed on taking her home. She would of not been good to eat or take the chance of eating.

Shotgun Weekend November 19th to 21st!

All I have to say is "What A Weekend"! I got to my stand Friday morning with a nice 10 showing up in the field to far away. Then a small spike came into 5 yards following my trail into my stand! I took out my cell phone and took about 8 pictures of him. He did not stay long but just did not know what I was in the tree. I could of showed him but chose it was way to early in the game for a spike to fall. That was the only two deer I saw that morning. I went out that afternoon and saw 5 does out in the corn. They did not come close enough to shoot. Saturday morning was an interesting morning. It was misting rain a little big then a small sprinkle. I noticed three nice sized does to my right that they where slowly working my way. All of a sudden they came running by really fast. I grunted at them loudly to try and get them to stop with no luck. I looked back to see if a buck ran them off and then I saw orange heading my way. My buddy forgot his cell phone so I thought it was him ready to head in for lunch. It was not him! It was someone that was trespassing! He did not even see me until he was 25 yards away. I put my hands up and shook my head at him. He said sorry and then left out the back of the property. I am not sure why you would walk around on other properties when there are a bunch of shotgun hunters in southern Illinois. Let alone I was about 100 yards from the edge of the 400 acres that is privately owned by a buddies family! That was the only three deer I saw that morning. I was so upset I changed stands due to if I saw him or another again I would of really been PO'ed. My buddy reported it to his dad so he was going to check the back of the property for the evening hunt. I was sitting there not even 10 minutes I noticed a nice doe coming in to see what the noise was of something walking. Well, she was quick to find out. Shot her a little back but she ran about 40 yards and down she went. I ended up seeing 5 other does that night. It was a good night. I notice there was a bunch of fresh rubs and scrapes in the area so I decided to hunt the same spot in the morning. Now to Sunday morning, I was sitting there for a good hour and did not see anything. I then saw two yearlings come in from my behind me to the right. They ended up bedding to my right about 20 yards. The next thing I knew they yearlings where at alert while bedded. I looked where they where looking and here was 4 does walking to far out to shoot. About a hour later they both snapped at alert towards me. I was thinking I was busted! I then heard a stick break to my left. I looked over to see a nice buck walking away from me. I stood up really fast and pulled the gun up. I grunted with my mouth and then the buck stopped. I put the bead on him and pulled the trigger to hear CLICK! I forgot to hit my safety on my gun! I then hit the switch and then pulled the trigger. I hit him right above the shoulder just a little forward. Down he went! I dropped him right where he stood. I was very happy with what I had done for the first time ever and that was tag out during shotgun season. I have not done gun season that much due to my love of bow hunting. The story of my buck gets even better. My buddy noticed a lump on his left leg and just found it odd to have a lump in that location. I knew my slug stayed in him due to it being on the opposite side pushing the skin out. I got to where I was in that area but I was working on the front legs. I found a slug in the upper left leg. I was thinking I did not believe my slug traveled down his leg just in my travel. As I was around the neck my slug fell out of the skin. Then it came to light that the knot on his leg was an old slug wound and the slug is smaller than mine so I think it is a 20 gauge slug to where mine is a 12 gauge. So now I have two slugs from my buck! What a tough warrior that he was. That to me makes him that much more of a trophy! I am really happy with him and my doe and very happy with my weekend. I want to say thanks to my buddy and his family for letting me hunt on the property and hope that we have plenty more great times together! Thanks so much! I also want to thank my two little yearling friends to help me keep an eye out for other deer! grow up to be my friends at my house please! HE HE HE!

November 16th

It was a really cool morning and hardly no wind at all. It was just getting light out when I noticed some movement on where I walked in the timber at off the logging road. Not sure if it was a buck or doe but there was two of them. They came up to the trail I needed them to walk down and then they turned back heading for the south. I was watching some geese and wood ducks in the river when the geese started to scatter. Here was two does at full sprint jumping into the river and off across the other side really fast. I was not sure at the moment what spooked them and then here came two coyotes on the other side of the river. I was watching them search the other side of the river when I turned over my left shoulder to see three coyotes at 20 yards. I reached down for my bow and they where standing on the path I walked in on and then they took off running into the CRP field. I got down a while later and headed out to my 4 wheeler. I got on it and started back to my truck. When I got in the middle of the field I noticed a deer running at me. I stopped and turned off the 4 wheeler. It was a small buck getting away from the dogs that where barking at him. He ran around me at about 80 yards then off into the timber south of where I was hunting. Still a good morning regardless of not tagging a deer. If you look at the river bank on the one picture you can see the coyote and the other is the little buck. These pics came off my cell phone!

November 14th

Was a great morning and perfect weather to be sitting out in the woods. The sun came up and I saw two does out in the CRP with no shot provided. Sooner or later they have to come by me. HE HE HE!

November 13th

I went out this morning with some really nasty winds. It was cold and the clouds just started to clear out early in the morning with the sun to follow them leaving. It was not long into my morning when I could hear something out in the CRP but could not see anything. Then a few minutes later I heard a splash in the river. It was the 10 pointer that I shot back on November 10th. He was alive and well! He walked and looked fine! I just gave him a battle scar I guess. I called to him with my grunt call and doe bleat but all he did was turn and look my direction. I hope that he gives me another shot at him. Time will tell! Other than seeing that buck I saw 4 yotes and 1 skunk!

November 12th

Very nice morning out there today and thought I would have a good morning. I stood up when it started to get light out and I was hearing something move on other side of river. I looked over there and it was a 6 point basket rack buck rubbing on a small shrub tree. He started to walk off so I grunted and bleated at him. He stayed in the area to see what all was going on for about 30 minutes then he took off walked with no return. When I turned around I noticed my little half rack from yesterday was walking back in forth in the CRP field. I tried to call him in again and he wanted nothing to deal with me. That was the last deer that I saw. A couple hours later I saw a young eagle sitting on top a tree about 100 yards away. Good morning in my book!

November 11th

What a morning! The time was flying by and no deer this morning. I was almost to the point of giving up but I then noticed a doe in the CRP. I waiting for a minute then saw a total of 4 does. I let the first one walk past my shooting lanes then I drew back on the bigger of all 4 of them. I shot and the arrow clipped a twig and went over the back of the doe! I hurried up and knocked another arrow and the other one stepped back to see where the others ran off to. Bad luck on his part! I shot the Button Buck not knowing it was a button but I will still take him the way my luck has been lately! About 15 minutes later here came another deer. I grunted at him and he walked on by. Then the next thing I knew was that he turned to head right for me but there was only one problem. My dead deer was in between us. He walked up on my dead deer and jumped. He then walked around then came 10 yards from my tree. I then got down 30 minutes later and went home but while driving home I noticed a deer in the field. When I got to the over pass I noticed it was a buck mirroring a doe on the other side of the fence. He then decided to jump the fence and get back with the doe after watching me for a few minutes. I had a great hour of all the time I sat in the stand with no movement! Great morning and second deer killed!

November 10th

After a few hunts of seeing nothing today was the day to make mine! I got settled in my stand not even 10 minutes after that I hear a splash in the river and a deer walked across it. It was my MONSTER buck! It was to dark to shoot so I had to watch him walk away! After it was light enough to see I had a small 4 pointer walk by at 30 yards with no shot. I had to do my mother in law a favor so I was fixing to get down and I looked over my left shoulder to see a nice 10 point buck walking at me on the edge of the timber. He turned onto the trail I have shooting lanes in. I stopped him at 25 yards and let the arrow fly. I hit him low in the arm pit. He took off like being shot from a cannon. He jumped into the river and then went up on the island. He stopped and turned around to look back like something was not right. He then walked off. I thought I shot really low and sure enough I did. I had some blood for about 30 yards then it stopped all together. I backed out for a few hours and went back in for a long search. I had a good buddy, Brian, help me out and we came up empty! I am very upset that we did not find him but the blood sign tells me that all I did was give him a wound that will heal and he will be bigger next year! Here is a trail cam picture that I got of him on November 4th at 5:40 am! Hope he gives me a second chance at him some time this year!

November 9th

Went out this morning and while walking in I scared up at least two deer bedded down by my ladder stand. I went to my hang on and I did not see any deer at all! Will be back at it in the morning tomorrow!

November 8th

Went to my hang on again this morning! After a very bad day yesterday not even seeing one deer I am hoping for change today. I was sitting there and a sound of antlers racking a tree was coming from the other side of the river. I could not get anything to answer my grunt calls or my doe calls. I then enjoyed the great morning and notice a deer in the CRP. I was watching a doe then another one showed up. They started running at me when they stopped and looked back. They ran some more towards me to look back once again. I could not see anything behind them and then they started to walk back from where they came from. I did not see them anymore after that. I hope to get another shot soon! Once again I will be back out in the morning!

November 7th

Went out in the AM and PM and saw not one deer! That is a crappy day! Hope tomorrow brings better luck!

November 6th

What a day! I got settled in my stand when I noticed three bodies on the edge of the timber 25 yards away. I could not tell if they where bucks or does but all the bodies were nice size. It then got light out and I saw two bodies up on the hill walking towards my single ladder stand. I then enjoyed the morning for a bit. A almost average doe walked up and I drew back on her at 25 yards. I shot and gave her a hair cut. She ran out another 25 yards and started blowing at me. She walked around me and crossed the river. Not sure what happened until I got back to my truck. I laid my bow in the case to watch my sight flop over. My sight was really loose. Now that it is back tight I am ready for my next shot and I hope I connect to lift my confidence.

November 5th

Got into ground blind really quiet since we had rain last night. It was a wonderful morning. The weather was sunny 28 degrees with the winds out of the North at 8 mph. I was watching some geese on the river when I glanced over to see deer coming through the CRP field. There was 5 does and they just knew something was not right. They winded me a little but not sure what I was so they just wheeled around and trotted off. I was watching farther off in the CRP when I noticed more deer moving about 15 minutes later. They walked up and I drew on the biggest doe. There were three more does. She kept walking and would not stop so I grunted at her. When I did that she turned and faced me with a sappling tree in her chest. I held my bow for 5 minutes at full draw and could not hold any longer. After that she moved around my blind and would not take her eyes off me so I could not draw again. After I had the chance to draw she trotted off. I ended up going back out a hour later to take down my blind and I put up a deer stand so I hope that this makes a difference. We will see so stay tuned in for the next update!

November 4th

Sat in ground blind and did not see one dang deer! Hope tomorrow brings better luck!

November 3rd!

It was a up and down morning for me this morning! I got to my ground blind and got settled in. I was looking around behind my blind to notice a buck walking the edge of the timber. I got ready due to not knowing what size the buck was. When he got to my left it was my small freak buck. I have one picture of him in velvet and I had him at 25 yards. He stopped and kept watching my blind. I tried to get my movie camera on him and he just would not let me move. He stood there for about 2 minutes then turned around and jogged off knowing that something was not right at that time. He kept watching where there was some Canadian Geese on the edge of the river before he turned and went away. I then saw some Wood Ducks in the river and took some pictures of them as they went by my blind. Then not even 10 minutes later I noticed two does in the CRP field. I drew back my bow on the HUGE doe in the lead. I had her in my line of fire and when I fired I thought I heard a smack on wood. The doe ran off about 20 yards and then off back into the CRP. I played my shot over and over in my head to see I was right on. After I went to look around where she was standing I found the sound that I imagined in my head! I was right on when I said it sounded like wood! I hope she comes back!

November 1st

Went out tonight and boy it was a really nice night. I did not see any deer while in the stand. I think that one crossed river behind my blind but could not see to tell. It sounded like it! I went out and got to my truck. After unloading my gear I got in the truck and turned around to see a MONSTER 10 pointer and 8 pointer with about 10 does. It was dark so now I am ready to get them moving during daylight. I start my vacation here in another day!