Overview
Trophy whitetail hunting is offered through a joint venture with some fine outfitters in southeastern Illinois. 8-day archery hunts are offered in early to mid November during the prime rut. A 3-day shotgun or muzzleloader hunt is offered in mid November.
In order to manage the quality of the bucks for the future, there will be a 130-inch minimum on all hunts. Does may be harvested on this hunt at
Hunting Area
The whitetail hunts are conducted on private land in Wayne, Edwards, and Wabash Counties. These counties are contiguous in southeastern Illinois.
More than 3,000 prime acres of prime whitetail habitat have been exclusively leased. The terrain consists of soybean, corn and winter wheat fields alternating with heavily wooded draws, river bottoms and fence rows. The habitat is exceptional and the number and quality of the deer is as good as it gets anywhere.
Tactics
The best way to hunt Illinois whitetails is with climbing tree stands. Hunters who bring their own climbers will have the maximum versatility when it comes to stand locations. There are more stand locations than you can ever hunt.
Lock-on stands with climbing sticks and 15- or 20-foot ladder stands are used on most hunts. Stand locations are placed with certain wind directions in mind. There are 50 or so stand locations to choose from. doesn't force you into using good stands under less than perfect conditions.
On the archery hunts, an emphasis on scent management will center around having multiple stand locations for each hunter to select from based on wind direction, rut phase, etc. The big bucks will not tolerate repeated activity on a stand location. Rubber boots are required for getting in and out of the hunting areas.
The buck pictured above was taken during the 2008 archery season. It gross-scored 201 inches. It was the best deer taken in the past three years.
Expectations
What should your expectations be on a
typical hunt in Illinois? Realistically, if you truly
know how to effectively hunt from a stand, and you will hunt all day, the
following shot-opportunity percentages should be the average
for a 8-day archery hunt:
Chance of a Shot Opportunity at a 130+ Buck = 95%
Chance of a Shot Opportunity at a 140+ Buck = 75%
Chance of a Shot Opportunity at a 150+ Buck = 60%
Chance of a Shot Opportunity at a 160+ Buck = 35%
Chance of a Shot Opportunity at a 170+ Buck = 20%
Chance of a Shot Opportunity at a 180+ Buck = 5%
These estimates are realistic. Anyone who claims they can do better is either, hunting behind a fence or just optimistically stretching the truth. A big whitetail is earned, even in the best whitetail country in the nation!
References
References will be available upon request. Please contact us at 575-336-9679 for more information.
The outfitters we work with in Illinois to offer these hunts, have worked hard putting together quality places to hunt. They work as crop specialists which exposed them to numerous properties. Having lived here their entire lives, they know, not only the country, but most importantly, how to bow hunt whitetails. They have combined to harvest 6 bucks over 180 inches in the last 7 years!
Accommodations/Meals
Fantastic accommodations will be provided at Thelma's Bed and Breakfast in West Salem, Illinois. Thelma's daughter, Barb Edmondson, runs the B&B. She is the highlight of the hunt. Barb takes great care of her patrons and her wonderful cooking will put 10 pounds on you in a week, if you're not careful. The minute you walk in the house, you become part of the family. Be ready for it. All meals and lodging are included in the hunt.
2010 Illinois Hunt Prices
8-Day Archery Whitetail Hunt - $3000
3-Day Shotgun/Muzzleloader Whitetail Hunt - $3000
2010 Illinois Whitetail Seasons
Archery - Nov 2-9, 2010
Archery - Nov 10-17, 2010
Shotgun/Muzzleloader - Nov 19-21, 2010
2010 Illinois License Fees
Archery Whitetail Deer - $400
The Illinois license application is currently on a draw with a deadline in mid-June. Draw success for archery was 100% the past three years. Leftover archery outfitter tags have been available the past two years that were available into November.
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