Illinois Archery Whitetail-Big Buck Down!

[lucky2hunt]

As I sat feeling sorry for myself because I didn’t draw any Arizona tags, wondering how I was going to make it through the Fall season, I stumble upon a very interesting hunt. One of my favorite hunting shows is The Choice with Ralph & Vicki Cianciarulo, as I was on their website watching old clips I see that Vickie is going to an 6 day All-Ladies Archery Whitetail Hunt in Illinois with Eagle Lakes Outfitting. I thought to myself how cool it would be to hunt with Vicki, I went to the Outfitters website to find more info and discovered there were still openings!!! Rather than listening to me whine about no tags, my husband told me to “Book It”!

 

I took off for Eagle Lakes Outfitters in Pike County, Illinois with lots of anticipation and excitement. Greeted at the door with a big hug, introductions to the 5 other women bowhunters and guides with the words “You want to go Hunt’n”?

A majority of the hunting is from treestands but also some groundblinds, on trails, edges of fields and small wooded openings, with over 800 stands on the different properties there was plenty to choose from. I had never been in a treestand and was understandably a little nervous about it. Also, there is a 130” minimum on the bucks, I’ve never judge antlers before so that also made me nervous. My guide Dan, gave me some instruction on both judging and treestand safety and off we went. I was somewhat apprehensive, but amazed at the view the treestand allowed me above in the canopy at 22’.

The next few days followed a routine up at 4:45 a.m. in the stand by 6:00, sit until 10:00 back to the lodge to eat and rest, admire trophies brought in, and plenty of good belly laughs. Then, back out into the stands at 3:00 until dark. In those day I saw plenty of does, spikes, and non-shooter bucks, I elected to not shoot a doe until I shot a buck, there were so many deer in the area I didn’t want to booger anything up by shooting a doe. One morning I encountered an old doe at 6 yards, she was with two other deer, she mingled around my stand in the close vicinity, I had counted 17 other deer with one maybe shooter. I was so tempted to take her as this was my third day hunting and my trigger finger was getting itchy. Instead, I went with my original plan and opted to take pictures of her instead, even with looking up at me she still didn’t spook off too far.

That night my guide informed me I was going to sit the edge of the field that had just been harvested. As I got settled into my stand I could see that behind me was a hill and a stream right below it, Dan told me the deer will come off the hill, get a drink and filter out to the field to munch on the left over corn.

Sure enough, soon I heard crunching sounds as the deer walked through the stream bed, I was amazed as I watch deer after deer trickle out to the field, at one time I counted 45 deer. I didn’t see any shooter bucks but had a incredible evening watching deer everywhere. The next evening I sat the same stand, it started pretty much the same, then I notice 80 yards away a buck steps out, then another, followed by two more. I bring up my binos to try and judge the antlers, I’m worried I can’t judge that magic 130" mark, they are hard to see because there is a giant oak in between me and them, one sticks out, he’s bigger in body and he keeps posturing at the others. They eat and mill around, the bigger one wonders to the middle of the field 150+ yards, it’s getting darker, I tell myself it’s over. All of a sudden the big guy, charges a forked horn, then turns and runs directly towards me, he keeps coming, I think to myself “that’s a trophy”. All of a sudden he stops, I range him 35 yards, I hook my release, draw... WTH???? My elbow is wrapped around my body harness behind me, I let down then try to draw again, ahhhhh it happened again, I unhook and move the strap around the tree, he’s still standing there nibbling grass, I draw again... WHAT??? No peep!!! It has turned, I don’t know how, I don’t know why, ugh! I let down, turn my peep, the buck steps toward me, very slight quarter, I think “oh crap it’s dark” but I can still see shoulder, I line it up, split my 30 & 40 yard pins and pull the trigger, my Terminator broadhead is on it’s way. Thwack! I see the buck jump, I see dirt behind him, did I miss? No, I couldn’t have, I was steady, I was solid. He runs 20 yards, I can’t see blood, then slows to a walk, 20 more yards he stops, wait, ”is that blood” I can’t tell. I’m shaking so bad I can’t watch him through my binos, I have to tell myself to sit down before I fall 22’. I sit and bring up my binos, he’s laying down head swaying, he gets back up, he’s all hunched in the middle, lays back down... I call Dan, I told him what happened, he wants me to get down and sneak out of the opposite side of the field and he’ll pick me up 1/4 of a mile away. One big problem Dan... I’m shaking so bad I’m afraid to unhook my treestrap. He tells me to calm down, when I’m settled climb down and get out of there. I finally make it down and out of the field, Dan greets me with a hug, we go over the events step by step, Dan wants to leave him overnight, he doesn’t want to chance bumping him. Oh man, it’s going to be a long night! I woke early, Dan didn’t want to bust into the field until 8:00, I waited not very patiently. Finally a bunch of us load up for the drive over to the stand, we approach and I show them where he was standing at the shot, then where he went, as I point over I see white belly, relief washes over me, as I hear “he’s still there Ilene”! Then I hear, “oh my gosh, good buck”! All the tension and weight on my shoulders lifts, I walk up to my beautiful Pike County Buck. We examine him and note the massive hole made by my V.P.A. Terminator broadhead, it is a phenomenally lethal broadhead.

 

 

The rest of the week I spent in treestands looking for an old doe, most of the does still had fawns and I wasn’t really interested in harvesting one of those. I enjoyed watching raccoons, groundhogs, opossum, and tons of turkeys, watching deer and generally appreciating how beautiful it was.

I can’t even explain how much fun I had, to meet and enjoy the company of other women that share the same passion for hunting and the outdoors as I do was incredible. I have made friendships that will last a lifetime, we have already made plans to hunt again next year. Vicki and her Posse from Archer’s Choice were fantastic, it was so enjoyable to share a camp with them.

I have to thank Tina & Ted @ Eagle Lakes Outfitters for an amazing experience. Top notch lodge, staff, deer and super great people! Really, I have never laughed so much in my life!! And Margarita Night was truly unforgettable!

 

As always, a big Thank You to the guys from Bull Basin Archery here in Flagstaff, the expertise and care they give each and every customer is awesome! A special thanks to my husband Roger, who continually encourages me to chase my archery passion.

[Tucson John]

Wow! That is totally AWESOME! I really enjoyed the story and photos...........congratulations!

[gotcoues]

That's a real bruiser! I enjoyed reading your story. So glad you had a wonderful adventure with the other ladies. Treestands are great aren't they? My first experience with stands was in PA 5 years ago and I love em!

[bonecollector]

Awesome story, pics, and a great looking deer to top it off. Congrats.

[cramerhunts]

What a fantastic experience, thanks for sharing it with us and congrats on a great buck! That's really cool how everything played out from checking out the website to booking the hunt to taking a great buck!

[lucky2hunt]

Forgot the picture of me representing the CWT shirt!

[Will K]

Thats awesome and congrats. Im heading to Virginia the second week of Nov. for some of those big eastern whitetail bucks. Can hardly wait...

[The Coues]

Congrats on a very nice buck!!!

[WFGinNM]

Great Buck!! Thanks for sharing you story and pictures. I'm heading to PA in a little over a week, I would love to see a buck like yours.

 

--Bill

[Pine Donkey]

That sounds like a great time. Congrats on a good buck.

[The Claw]

Great story and a BIG congrats. Beautiful buck. Nice job in staying calm with all those events. Can't wait till my first Whitey hunt in Kansas in December.

[Red Rabbit]

Ilene,

Nice job spoiling yourself on a great hunt. Have bobsa fun again next year. Cool forked brow tine too.

Pike County isn't known for nice bucks, is it?

 

Doug

[izquik72]

Wowzer thats a dandy

[lucky2hunt]

Thanks everyone! Doug, Pike County certainly lived up to it's reputation, even with the warm weather we had. Two of us harvested bucks, another missed a good buck. Here is a picture of the other buck, it was a toad! Main beams almost touch!

[Weston]

Ilene, That buck is a stud! congrats! bring it by the shop sometime so we can check it out!