I got to go on my first out-of-state hunt to IL as you all well know and even though I did not fill my tag in no way do I feel like it was a wasted trip.

Sunday morning got up at 2am and finished up the last min packing and headed for IL. We got there somewhere around noonish or slightly after and met Jason, Muffin, JT, Glynn, and Larry at the Kozy Korner cafe. They showed us where we would be staying for the week and we met Mrs Worthington. I adore her. She is too cute!

After Jon, Muffin, and myself unloaded some of the car (basically so we could access the treestands in the trunk) we threw on some camo and followed the guys out to Wolf Creek. From the moment we stepped into the woods the deer sign was thick. We decided to set up not too far from the road just on the other side of the first creek. Nothing that evening but on Monday morning we had a fawn come within 20 yds broadside of us. She had made quite a racket crossing that creek and we hoped she was bigger. Jon wanted to kick me from the treestand for not "breaking the ice" with her but she really was very small. That morning we also seen a chocolate colored forky at about 30 yds and a small 6 point.

Thinking we were just too close to the road we pushed further back near the base of the first ridge. Jon had seen a buck there but it was too far away and it did not come down where we had hoped.

After sitting in that area a day and a half we decided to see if some land next to a field was available. We had seen a nice buck there on the evening before eating in the field. When we found out that it was we set up there on Wednesday morning. We had set up a ground blind (and not a good one) on an intersection coming off of the field. Shortly after daylight, as we set in a puddle of the rain that soaked us, we had a tall forky come in and stop at 18 yds. Jon had about jerked my coat off of me telling me he was coming but I didnt stop turning in time and it caught my movement. He stood and stared at us a few minutes. I had my eyes slit and kept looking behind him for the big boy. After knowing the lil buck had seen something and it just not moving, he decided to bail out the other direction. Wasnt going to shoot him anyways but it was cool to see him that close.

After that encounter we did a little scouting. We left to pull our stands from the other spot and hang them there. We had found a decent sized tree with a rub on it and a scrape line of about 8 scrapes all only about 4 ft apart. We sat up in a tree 40 yds from the field overlooking that line. We were only 19 yds from the trail that was so well used it looked like a cow path. Wednesday night we had seen about 14 deer total enter that field. It was raining so they stayed there instead of coming to where we were. Thursday morning, the rain finally stopping, at daylight, still too dark to see well, a deer came down the path but didnt stay long and I had no shot. That night I had seen the 8 point with a thick, but not wide, rack that we had seen in the field earlier that week. He had came just to the north of the scrapeline and then worked his way back north. 60 yds or so is as close as he came so no shot.

Friday morning we had basically decided anything goes. Say byebye if another fawn came in range. LOL It was about 8:30 or so and Jon and I were both starving. We had seen a few does but still in the field and nothing using the trail we had hoped. His stomach was growling and I was kinda teasing him that he was going to scare all the deer away. He used the grunt call to startle me and was pretending like his stomach was growling. We were both pretty much just dinking around on stand about to give up hope. As he turned to sit back on stand he said "there he is" and then he really seen him and said "OMG, Linet, Im not kidding, there he is!!" We watched the biggest buck I have ever seen in my life come across the road and around the corner of the field on the opposite side from us. He was at about 100 yds away when we first seen him. Jon grunts again...this time with focused attention and the buck looks our direction. Huge body. Huge palmetto style rack with what Jon guesstimated to be 20+ points. The buck beelines across the field and into the trees on the intersection that we had set up the first morning in this new spot. It was only about 60 yds away and that is where we lost him. We thought at any moment he would come crashing down that trail and that would be in the end of the story but he never reappeared. After an hour or two had passed Jon and I were finally able to breathe. LOL! We both knew that buck had made this whole trip worth it and we both decided at that moment that we would be returning for a date with him the next year.

Friday night...raining again...who would have guessed...and I catch movement off to the left. I lost it and find it again. I told Jon a deer (I wasnt sure what) was coming up the trail. It took her a while to finally be seen because she was VERY cautious about being the first one on the field. She takes a path off of the field only about 30 yds away but I had no shot. I had a small window of opportunity but it was highly unlikely I would make such a shot. She stopped there but the only shot I had was belly. Had she taken the path of this side of the tree I could have had her but thats how it goes. We waited til late so as not to spook her and then head towards the cabin. Larry calls just as we hit blacktop and said they were waiting for us.

Saturday morning it was do or die for this trip. It was rainy and the wind was blowing right through me. We stayed on stand until about 8:30 then threw in the towel. Jon went to taking down stands and I pushed further back to see what I was missing on down that path. I follow the trail through a thorn thicket and see a fresh scrape and a bedding area. After that clearing I went on through another thorn thicket and then head up a small base of the ridge. At the back corner of the field there is a mouth of a hollow filtering onto that field. the ridge goes up on both sides and its absolutely gorgeous in there. I sat for a little bit taking in everything.

In the meantime Jon is taking the stands to put in the car. A man stops and asked what all we had been seeing. Jon told him we had mostly seen does. This man said there were two big 8 points that he knew of that hung around that area and one that he described as "a science project" Jon didnt tell him we had an encounter with him only the morning before but was glad that the man had validated what we had seen.

Well I knew Jon was waiting so I went to find my trail back through the thorn thickets. I couldnt find it! Hmm.. I looked a little more and decided I was going to have to make my own trail back through. Yeeeeeeeeeah. That hurt. Dont do that unless ya have to! LOL I was high stepping to push down what I could with my foot. My jacket would snag on one and almost yank me back down. At one point I was almost completely engulfed by them and just knew they had come alive to eat me up and that was where I was going to die!!! Im jerking and hacking my way through there bow in the air and the plastic knob that pulls my hood tight on my jacket snags on something. I turn to the left to see what I had caught it on and see if I could get it loose and and it lets go. I swear I had been punched in the eye by an unknown person and thought I had lost that eye all together. Im crying now and finally just get mad and rip through there on a mission just to make it out alive!! I hear a whistle..but I was crying and didnt want to whistle back. I finally make it out of the thorns and hear the whistle again. I whistle back and finally see Jon waiting on me. He said "did you see anything?" I scoffed "NO! Am I bleeding?" He laughs and we journey back to the hotel to get cleaned up for the trip home.



So...thats basically the hunting side of this trip for those of you that wanted to know.

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This is opening day of youth season and Jon had to work so I got to be the one to take Lane out today.  We were going after his first buck but also had a doe tag so he could take either.  We went this morning and didnt see anything.  We headed back a lil after 3 and sat.  It was much warmer and the breeze had picked up but we sat watching an unplanted field.  This place is newly leased....and I mean like 2 days ago is when I got it.  We didnt know what was going to show but we were pumped to find out.  Persimmons thick to the south and pecans to the north.  Acorns were pretty much everywhere.  I think it was a little after 4:30 that I seen the ridge of a deers back at the north end of the field.   It was about 250 yds away but she crossed over to the west as another doe followed and came to about 200 yds across the field from us. 

I am amateur videoing and Im sure the shakiness will show how unprofessional it is.  Its pretty hard to handle the camera and make sure he is doing what he is supposed to do.  I have to cook the gun for him because its pretty stiff for his little hands. 

Turns out they came in from the opposite end of how we originally positioned so we had to turn and try to get set up while those two does browsed beneath the pecan trees.  There was no way he could have taken the shot because of the brush pile we made for concealment.  I paused the camera and inched forward to move them.  Fortunately they were easy enough to break out of the way without startling the does who are now browsing closer and in range.  At about 170 yds they became alert and I tell Lane "dont move, they must see us" because they were looking in our direction. 

Shortly after the oil well guys truck comes bouncing across the field and they ran off.  I was a little disgusted but I told Lane not to lose heart because when he left there was a good possibility that they would be back.  He stayed about half and hour doing something to the rig and then he left. 

About 10 min later they reappear.  Lane was already ready.  3 does this time and I have the camera on the largest.  He lets them come in....patient boy!  He makes me proud.   At about 140 yds he says "I think Im ready, mom."  I said "you take your time and shoot when youre ready.  I have the camera on her but you make sure that shot is true!"  He eases down to look into the scope.  I am watching the doe through the camera and him with the other eye.  I dont know how good the camera view was but I was more concerned with him being okay than getting her on film.  As I look back into the camera and hold steady he fires. 

She dropped right there!! 

5 tails went up and out of the other side of the field.  1 little one refused to leave its mother.  It pranced all over the place and knew that we were over there.  I am videoing while Lane calls his dad and that little deer came within 20 yds!!  We were talking and moving but it just stood and watched us.  Finally it blew and took off across the field but it stayed over there.  Another little one came out and they both stayed in the field for at least half an hour!   Jon had told Lane that he still had a buck tag and with the deer in the field that was the best kind of decoy.  The little ones were browsing at that point.

We hear movement behind us.  I whisper "Deer, Lane, dont move!"  The come out not but 10 yds right beside us!  Had I taken my bow both my son and I would be tagging does in tonight.  5 or 6 came out at that spot and went to join the two little ones.  They really checked out the deer on the ground and then slipped off, including the other 2, to the west side of the field.  I told Lane to sit tight and I would go get the truck. 

He said that 2 of the does had came back when I was gone but left when they heard the truck.  Lane and I had a time getting that doe into the truck but we managed and then came home to show Daddy.  Jon wanted to go tag it in with him and then they are stopping by my parents to show them and Brooke. 

It was an amazing night and I got to experience that with him.  Its his biggest doe yet and he is on cloud 9!

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Story time:

I got home from work kinda bummed that it was like the last evening I was going to be able to hunt because closing days evening I was headed to a Singing Churchmens concert that Jons brother is a part of. I was doing the dishes while Lane got ready to go to baseball practice. Jon got home in time to take him to practice so I asked Jon is he minded if I went hunting instead of going to practice. I knew it was that night or nothing.

Jon told me where they had seen the bird a couple of weeks before. I was headed to that spot but parked so I could take the long way around. I wanted to see if there were any tracks near where I knew they roosted last year. As I went through there I could see a lot of damage that the ice storm had caused. The path was still clear but no where near the tracks in there as previous years. I got to the back corner and did see some tracks before crossing the fence and heading towards the field near where Jon was talking about. I passed the pond and walked carefully to the field. I got to the edge of the field and figured out where I was going to set up the decoys. I set up the jake and went to set up the hen. By scanning the area as I set up I seen that the birds were right there on the other side of a broken up cedar tree line. I belly crawled back over to where I had planned to position myself. Peering through the trees I could see that the birds had no intention of coming close enough for me to get a shot. They still had not seen the decoys so I let out a couple of soft calls just to get their attention. The turkey raised its head and seen the decoys. It did not like the decoys and took off in the other direction. Kicking myself for trying to get its attention and deeming myself an uneducated turkey hunter I was trying to convince myself that they might return but I needed to be patient, and praying that God would let me have another chance at them even though I didnt deserve it.

The wind started really picking up. I couldnt believe how gusty the wind had become all of the sudden. It pushed over the jake and was whipping around the hen. I sighed and stood looking around again knowing that I wasnt doing any good in that spot. The wind pushed over the hen as well so that did it! I picked them up and shoved them into my pack. I knew where the turkeys had ran into the woods and I knew where I had seen the freshest tracks so I was headed in between those two places hoping to cut them off. I crept through the woods and on the other side of the wood line was a little hill. I crawled up the hill and looked down the line of open area. There they were! I couldnt believe it! I might just get another chance a that bird. I thanked God for giving me the chance to at least see them again. I knew there were at least two birds there. I layed on my stomach up the hill and placed my barrel where I thought they may appear. If they didnt go into the woods or turn around they would have to walk down that line. After seeming like FOREVER...in reality probably only a few minutes....I see one head. It was a hen and she was checking me out but decided I was okay. Soon after she passed another hen walks in front of my gun. Well...two turkeys had passed and I didnt know if there were more. I sat still though waiting. I had a spot that was pretty comfy so the gun never became heavy. I watched to the left as the two hens were going down the incline. Seeing movement again in front of my gun I see another hen watching me. Again she wasnt too concerned and continued on her way. I thought..."wow, that was cool" I still didnt move although I thought that was probably the end of the line. I thanked God for letting me get to see the turkeys even though none were gobblers. Mid thanksgiving I see movement again. I felt like a giddy child as the feathers came up again and watched closely trying to see the gender of the bird about to pass in front of my gun. Up comes the head and its a tom! I had him beaded immediately and pulled the trigger. He went down and I jumped from my spot to get him. It was only about a 10 yd shot. As I ran up to him the hens took off into the woods. I stood on his neck as I called Jon who was at practice by then. As I was telling him about the hunt the bird started going nuts and Jon said..."youre going to have to break its neck" He told me to put the phone down and he would be right there. I put the phone down and grabbed his neck. It was soooo sick! I was squealing as I broke his neck. I hated that but had to do it. I picked up the phone to Jon laughing and said "done" He was telling the coach, who I had told how unhappy I was that a turkey hunting coach would schedule tournaments every weekend except one during turkey season, about me just getting a bird by myself. He said he didnt think he really believed me so tonights game should be funny. LOL

I got him tagged in and was happy with my first mature bird!

Pics are in my gallery.

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