WNYBuckHunter

Little 4 pt and a fawn doe wandered into an out of the other plot.

First deer of the afternoon. A spike in the other plot.

In a blind on the other farm for the afternoon. Setup on a brassica plot with a winter rye, clover and corn plot about 100 yards away to our left. Hopefully a nice doe somea in for a snack. First hunt on this farm this year.

Great job buddy! The whole story and your decisions in it speak volumes for the kind of person you are. Big congrats!

All of the above for me

Evan and I saw a few does out of range and a 2.5 year old buck out cruising this morning. Have a house showing at 11 so we are in for some breakfast, then take the dogs for a ride while they show the house. We will be back out this afternoon. Gotta get a ground blind setup, then we will be in a different blind on a brassica plot. Weather is about perfect today, great wind for where we are going too.

There have been people in this years threads that said it.

Not true at all. We have members that have changed their stance.

http://www.wideopenspaces.com/new-law-allows-illinois-hunters-use-crossbows-archery-season/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=sendible&utm_term=mm&utm_campaign=mm

Guess I have to repeat the rules of this thread... Post up pics of your 2017 archery season deer here! Only pictures with the associated story will be allowed in this thread. If you want to congratulate someone, please do it by clicking on the "like this" button for the post. There will be no exceptions.

Out in a Blind with Evan this morning. I let him skip school today so he could come with me. We’re on a doe mission today!

The minimum width is not axle to axle. It’s limbtip to limbtip.

I usually have some peanuts, fireballs and venison jerky in my pack. In the morning I’ll bring a Java Monster poured into a water bottle. Afternoons it’s cider or a Monster drink. If I’m sitting all day, I’ll throw a PB&J into the mix. If the kids are with me, I’ll take extra stuff to keep them going.

Dan, he hit 194 on the scale. 21” & 22” main beams with an 18” spread. Tons of fat on him. He was eating good. ***I have to correct this, as I was told tonight that the scale I used is off by 14-15lbs so weight is actually around 180.

Looks like you have some trespasser issues to deal with. That sucks.

The big leather chair I’m relaxing in right now feels great. The last week of hunting, cleaning the house and helping a buddy store his boat in one of my lean tos has me wiped and my knee pretty sore. I probably won’t be back in a stand till tomorrow afternoon. Have the inspection on the new house in the morning.

I might take you up on that. Illlet you know. Thanks!

Windy as heck out there this morning. I’m in, as we have our open house this afternoon and I need to get the garage reorganized. Have to figure something out with my buck, can’t have him in there and I need to cut him up with these warm temps. Good luck out there everyone!

Congrats Grampy! Great buck and good on you for pulling out and giving him time! Sounds like a great hunt!

This afternoon I jumped into the stand around 130 or 2. The wind was perfect for the stand I was in, which is about 100 yards outside of a big bedding area in a swampy area bordering a large creek. I didn’t see anything until around 5 when a 1.5 year old 6 point came through about 35 yards behind me. He walked over to a scrape and freshened it up, then walked 10 yards to my right. I was texting a few people and heard some splashing and brush breaking back in the swamp. I turned and looked for a few minutes but did not see anything. After a few minutes I sat back down, texted my daughter about the 6 that went through. As I was putting my phone in my pocket, I heard a splash from the small stream behind me. I looked but did not see anything. As I was turning my head, I heard some sticks break behind me on my left. I slowly turned my head to see a wide rack and big body about 25 yards away. Without thinking, I turned a bit and reached up for my crossbow, which was hanging on a hook. Just then I thought “ahh crap, that was too much movement” and slowly looked back to the buck, which was staring right at me. We had a stare down and then the farmer up by the road, made a large bang sound and the buck turned his head to look. Seeing my chance, I took my crossbow down and got it shouldered. The buck turned his head back and started walking forward. He took 5 or 6 steps and was in a shooting lane at 20 yards. I put my 20 yard circle on him and pulled the trigger. I saw the lighted nock hit him right behind the shoulder about 2/3rds down his body. He bolted and ran about 60 yards, crashed into a tree and went down. I started shaking hard and called my girlfriend and a buddy that was hunting at the farm. After about 20 mins of shaking, texts, etc I got down to retrieve my buck. He is a 4.5 year old 8 point that I call Yardstick. He was a fighter and is missing his right G2 and left G3 from fighting.

Thanks Dan! Me too. He’s so heavy I can’t drag him. Waiting for reinforcements!

Here he is. He’s a 4 year old I call Yardstick. He’s a bit busted up but that’s ok.

So I’ve been sitting here for 10 minutes shaking like crazy. Big buck down baby!

6 point at 35