Had a good sit last night!

For those that have been following along with me, my son and I went out for IL shotgun season for the first time last year [2017]. Didn’t get anything, but learned a lot. The IL DNR changed the laws last season to open up for crossbows.

So for this season, we’re now using crossbows in a ground blind on the other side of a big opening where we saw all the traffic last year (from 300 yards away).

So we went out last night for the first time at this site. A doe and three fawns walked right across us from about 25 yards. My son (just 12) just didn’t have the shot because he was angled the wrong way. I had the perfect angle and probably could have shot her twice, but I waited hoping she would keep moving and into his view. Unfortunately, by the time she moved in to his shooting lane, she was beyond his comfortable shooting distance, so we just ended up watching them for about 45mins.

Another cool thing is that one more doe and two bucks walked into view, about 70 yards out and I was pleased to find that none of them busted us. They took their time and sniffed around a little, but appeared to have ambled off without knowing that we were there.

So that’s about as productive as a sit can be without taking one home. It feels like we’re close and he’s begging me to go out again tonight, which I think we’re going to do.

On another note, after we packed up to leave, we had to cross through some thick woods to get back to the truck, which is basically where all the deer headed off to. As we were walking across to clearing to head into the thick stuff, we got snorted at very loudly by a buck, presumably as a sign of aggression. So rather than meet a buck on HIS terms in the dark, we walked around this little finger and stayed in the open. You guys ever get nervous about a buck taking after you, or do you think they’re skiddish enough that they’d just take off if you got close? I really don’t wanna be that guy that goes viral for getting killed by a deer while deer hunting.... ;P


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You have a better chance of winning the lottery than being attacked by a deer. Both does and bucks will snort when they sense danger or are alarmed. Often accompanied by stomping a hoof too. Glad to hear you’re enjoying your outings and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time till you have one on the ground. You’ll find your success will go up if you’re able to enter and exit your hunting area without spooking deer.


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Hoosierhunting said:

You’ll find your success will go up if you’re able to enter and exit your hunting area without spooking deer.


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Yeah, I’d definitely prefer to come and go undetected. When it’s dry, we can enter from the north and just walk straight south across an open field. But we’ve gotten a lot of rain lately and there’s a chance of me getting stuck that way, so we entered through the woods from the east this time. Probably won’t get back there for at least a week or two, so I’m hoping that by then we can travel form the north and that the offended snorter has forgotten what he/she saw!



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When deer snort/blow. They are trying to get you to move. Typically what happens is that they have detected you, but are not 100% sure just yet. So they blow and stomp in an effect to get you to move so they can better identify what you are and exactly where you are. I agree in that being actually attacked is grossly unlikely. The only time I have ever heard of any such thing was when a hunter had applied scent directly to his clothing.... otherwise, the deer are far more afraid of you. The closest I ever came to a dear hurting me or someone with me was when some does came crashing thru some tall weeds as I was leaving the stand in the dark. The deer had no idea we where there. We literally had one bound in front of me and the other right behind me. I could have grabbed either one (which I wouldn't advise doing either). Deer are prey animals and we are predators.... They will run.

it sounds like you need to change access or only hunt when you have the other access. it sounds like your walking right thru a bedding area....which is bad for your hunting success. You just told the deer you are hunting that area. They will not stick around if you continue to educate them.

Taking kids hunting is a blast, but you have to be patient and set them up for success. They have to take slam dunk type shots because you want to give them every chance to succeed. A lost deer is the last thing you want. I'll take a clean miss of a poor hit any day.

All good info. Yes I’m very much going to prefer entry from the north. Our blind is in the SW corner of the property, so we can park in a waterway if it’s dry and walk south along the western fence line. This past summer, I had a buck walk past me from about 12’ while we were both straddling that fence line. He was walking on the corn side, about two rows in, and I was standing straight up in soybeans on the other side of the fence line. It was hotter than hades that day and I’ve probably never smelled worse in my life than I did at that point, and he walked right by me and presumably didn’t even notice me. There were signs of bedding all along that fence line then, but now that all the crops are out, there’s probably no cover there, so I don’t know that they would still be bedding there.

So the trick is, I can enter from East through the woods or from the North along that fence line which would essentially be through a wide open field and we’d be pretty visible to anyone looking. There’s a possibility of crossing over their path either way.

Do you think the west fence line is still the preferred route? On this day, the wind was blowing south to north. Right this moment, it’s blowing NW to SE.


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Yes I would definitely walk the fence line in. Like the others have said, it will be very hard to continuously see deer if you stomp through the area they feel safe in. They may not move far, but they could become completely nocturnal quick.

Glad to see you are 2 new hunters trying your hand at this! It's addicting so be careful. Keep us up to date on how you're doing! Where in Illinois by the way? I hunt in Mercer County about 5 miles off the Mississippi River.

Sam16 said:

Yes I would definitely walk the fence line in. Like the others have said, it will be very hard to continuously see deer if you stomp through the area they feel safe in. They may not move far, but they could become completely nocturnal quick.

Glad to see you are 2 new hunters trying your hand at this! It's addicting so be careful. Keep us up to date on how you're doing! Where in Illinois by the way? I hunt in Mercer County about 5 miles off the Mississippi River.

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Yeah I’m definitely now making the west fence line the “plan A” travel route. It’s been dry here, so we can probably use that route now and should be good for the season unless we get a real long wet streak again.

I live in Peoria county, but that piece of hunting ground is in rural Knox County. As for my background, it’s all basically driven by my son. I’ve told the story I previous posts if you’re interested. I guess we’re kind of a cool story, sorta.

Anyway going out to our other spot tomorrow at dawn, so wish us luck!


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