Anyone ever hunt Hadley Creek outfitters - pike county Il?

[Geno C]

Hi guys,

i was just wondering if anyone had hunted Hadley creek outfitters pike count Illinois?

Ivee seen some huge deer taken there and i was wondering if anyone hunted there, experiences and what did you harvest?

thanks!

Geno

[Doewhacker]

I haven't hunted any where yet but we are planning a trip in 5 years. We have started the research phase and have not found many good reveiws from Hadley creek, alot of places cycle too many hunters through the same stands all year and have low success rates. They all tend to over inflate the success rates and include any sighting of any buck in the numbers. Bowsite.com has a reveiw section and you can find hunter reveiws on alot of guides there. My wife is going and she doesn't want to stay in a shack  :  so our list is kinda small so far but here a few we are watching...

http://www.thequailshed.com/index.html 

http://www.copperscreek.com/

www.midwestbucks.com

www.heartlandlodge.com   

[Geno C]

really? i heard good things about hadley, i was just wondering if anyone had went there. Does your wife hunt or is she just going for the ride? keep us posted on what you go with.

[Doewhacker]

Yes she hunts, got her first last year, on her first bow hunt ever, and I was there. That was cool..

any way, we found 12 reveiws of Hadley creek and 10 of them were unsucessfull. I had posted a simular topic but I guess no one has been to Ill. Its alot of money so I feel the pressure to pick the right guide. I heard that are something like 150 guides in Pike county.. yikes!

[RTF]

Jeff Foiles hunts with them and I got to see the deer he took last season from them. Nice bucks. He has nothing but nice things to say about them, but then again they swap hunts back and forth (waterfowl for deer visa versa). Never heard of them until he brought them up in this years video.

[Doewhacker]

Look them up on Archery Talk in their guide reveiw section, you won't want to go with them after that.  ???  Lots of bad reveiws.

[ELMER J. FUDD]

Try these guys.

http://www.whitetailsonlyoutfitting.com/

[Geno C]

Yes she hunts, got her first last year, on her first bow hunt ever, and I was there. That was cool..

any way, we found 12 reveiws of Hadley creek and 10 of them were unsucessfull. I had posted a simular topic but I guess no one has been to Ill. Its alot of money so I feel the pressure to pick the right guide. I heard that are something like 150 guides in Pike county.. yikes!

thats cool good for her, with the bow none the less... yeah it is alot of pressure to pick the right place. It takes time, just keep us posted on who you go with...

[hunter49]

  I have not hunted Hadley Creek but did hunt in the area. Take a look at Trophy Bow hunters of Ill. I hunted with them, I did'nt take one but others did take some real trophy s. I had one at 18 yds but no clear shot. Also saw one 150 yds away with 2x4s on his head!! Monster bucks!  Also check out Flint Ridge Outfitters in Ohio they have monsters too.

[letinmfly]

Geno.

Don't get fixated on Pike county only.  Great bucks come from all across the state.  Pike county definitely has the reputation and also the highest number of hunters.  Don't overlook southern IL as there are some real monsters coming from that area.  Good luck!!

[Geno C]

will do, i ask because i see them on drury outdoors all the time and it looks like a great place for a hunt. plus they have the self guided hunts as well... i was only asing to see if anyone had tried hunting there

[max3]

In my opinion this is what you do. If you don't mind doing it on your own. Illinois is an awsome place to hunt. You join  Access Illinois. What it does is give you a list of farms that are in the program. I have done it and it works good. You interview the potential farmer. You want a farm that has a lot of woods not just fields & hedge rows. You get a good farmer and he will send you maps & most important references. Here is the site

http://www.accessil.org

Fixed the link for you. -WNY

[SplitG2]

In my opinion this is what you do. If you don't mind doing it on your own. Illinois is an awsome place to hunt. You join  Access Illinois. What it does is give you a list of farms that are in the program. I have done it and it works good. You interview the potential farmer. You want a farm that has a lot of woods not just fields & hedge rows. You get a good farmer and he will send you maps & most important references. Here is the sitehttp://www.accessil.org/

Looked at Access IL 6 years ago but never did it.  How much do the farmers charge?

[max3]

I haven't been out to illinois in the past two years. But prior to that 7 yrs in a row. The prices would vary but most time 200.00 per day but I had some farmers that would go as low as 15.00 per day. You have to research the prospective landowner. we were lucky and got some good areas to hunt. My friends still hunt the properties. I could have killed a 130 class buck every year I went. Or at least had the oppertunity. Killed two nice bucks and then was holding out for a slammer. I think it is a great program.

[First-light]

My brother-in-law hunted with them his first year going to Ohio. Seems like he wasn't too impressed with the guides and the stands he was put in. Nice place but he now hunts with Ludwig outfitters in Ohio. Real down to earth place.

[Doewhacker]

In my opinion this is what you do. If you don't mind doing it on your own. Illinois is an awsome place to hunt. You join  Access Illinois. What it does is give you a list of farms that are in the program. I have done it and it works good. You interview the potential farmer. You want a farm that has a lot of woods not just fields & hedge rows. You get a good farmer and he will send you maps & most important references. Here is the sitehttp://www.accessil.org/

I checked that out a little and it looks like a neat program, it cuts out the middle man so to speak. What size group did you go with, and do you think that had any impact on getting a better spot. Thanks for providing the link.

[max3]

Most places require four people minimum. But again it depends on the landowner. I think it's a great program. It's like 25.00 dollars to join and then they send you a list of landowners who are in the program. I did two different landowners and both worked out well. If you don't mind doing your own thing. It's great !

[bighorn]

check out trophy bowhunters of illinois. bill will treat you right

[hunter49]

  When I was out there last season we were told that Hadley creek was going under & Drury brothers broke ties with them. I also read somewhere that because pike co. is so popular that the deer population has been declineing & size is dropping. ( D&DH or F&S)?? Don't know how true this is?

[Geno C]

  When I was out there last season we were told that Hadley creek was going under & Drury brothers broke ties with them. I also read somewhere that because pike co. is so popular that the deer population has been declineing & size is dropping. ( D&DH or F&S)?? Don't know how true this is?

Wow really????

thats crazy... i did not hear that. i thought hadley was doing very well and i could have sworn last seasons drury dvds had a few hunts from hadley creek OF. What you mentioned doesnt make much sense but i guess anything is possible. let me know if you hear anything.

[Whitetail]

I haven't hunted any where yet but we are planning a trip in 5 years. We have started the research phase and have not found many good reveiws from Hadley creek, alot of places cycle too many hunters through the same stands all year and have low success rates. They all tend to over inflate the success rates and include any sighting of any buck in the numbers. Bowsite.com has a reveiw section and you can find hunter reveiws on alot of guides there. My wife is going and she doesn't want to stay in a shack : so our list is kinda small so far but here a few we are watching...

http://www.thequailshed.com/index.html

http://www.copperscreek.com/

www.midwestbucks.com

www.heartlandlodge.com

I lived out in Illinois for a time. Near the Midwestbucks & QuailShed company setups. I prefer not to leave comments about these(due to Legal Reasons). But contact me if you want some REAL INFORMATION on these two.

Whitetail

[nyslowhand]

No review for Hadley Creek, but there are alternatives...

Looked into an out of state big buck archery hunt a couple of years ago.

Did all the prelim leg work, but unfortunately had to cancel the hunt.

For what I wanted, could afford and expected from the experience - Ohio had it. Western Kentucky has similiar opportunties.

Can drive there, get a guide, rent a motel room, be responsible for own food/provisions and be put on big bucks for little $$.

Lot of guides S/SE Ohio that lease properties and only put you on those parcels.

You do the rest..... Guide I found was ~$700, of course plus my travel, license, food & accomodation expenses.

What you get is a 3rd or 4th choice location, as the outfitter has the prime spots and is trying to recoup his lease fees

If you're looking for the "whole experience" hunt, then maybe an outfitter would work for you.

I just couldn't justify the $4/5K for a whitetail hunt.