# opening day in Illinois



## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

it was cold and windy, so i put my ground blind on the downwind side of a brushy hedge/fence row. My only approach route was from the wrong way for the wind, but went anyway. Waited until it got light enough to glass the bean field and headed for my blind. I only got about half way down the bean filed, about 50 yards from my blind when out of no where came a small buck. I am stuck in the field about 20 yarsds out, trying to avoid the crunchy leaves. Couldn't get to the blind, couldn't get to the brush. Sat down, upwind of the deer. I ranged him at 97 yards, didn't want to shoot, but couldn't pass. Well there is one for the freezer.

went back out friday pm, sat for about 3 hours, napped for a 1/2 hour. woke up, looked around a little and was dozing again when I heard something crash thru the fence row. out come a big doe, smaller doe and a nice buck. still dazed from my nap, had to grab the shotgun quick. Took aim, BANG, the deer buckled, sucked his front legs up to his chest and never broke stride. Watched thru the binos, saw blood everywhere on his body. The Buck crossed the next fence row, 400 yards away and disappeared. Yea he went down, WRONG, no deer no blood, nothing. Went back to my blind, re-grouped and figured out which tree he ducked under. Got to the tree, wow blood everywhere, no deer. Followed trail acrossed a big corn field, lost it in the dark. Came back with flashlights, and followed it to the next road, another 500 yards from point of shoot.
found spots as big as a soup bowl where he would stop and bleed. then there would be nothing. then I would find a clot and good trail, then nothing. went ent back this am in the daylight. followed trail for a half mile acrossed a plowed field, good blood, no blood. came to the next patch of woods, heavy blood again. then no blood, found where he fell down, very heavy blood. probably went another 6-700 yards thru the woods, came to a clearing. could tell he laid down, a blanket of blood. came to a little pond, he made laps around the pond looking for a place to drink. it was all ice. that's where I lost the trail. so much blood, and tracks, couldn't tell where he went from there. circled, zizaged my back and forth looking for anthing for another hour, nothing.

had to give up. contacted a couple nieghbors, they said they would call if they see anything. I am about sick to my stomach, I hate loosing deer. He was one tough SOB.

Kep in mind this was a 12 ga. slug at less than 100 yards.


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

Your luck has improved greatly since we talked last, but sounds like not in all areas! :wink:

What slugs did you decide to shoot?

We only saw one shooter Friday, and he just didn't cooperate enough for a shot. Deer are moving VERY slow, and only 2 of the bucks we saw were behind does. Biggest one was almost 10:00 am, and he was acting like he was ready to bed. Not what I expected after seeing so many bucks in the open during the day all week.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

Hornady SST. Not sure I can blame the slugs, but I thought I made a good shot. All the signs from the deer said good shot.

I know it happens, and it has happened to me before. It still makes me sick, and after everything else that went wrong with this season, I am seriously thinking about retireing from deer hunting. Stick to coyotes and let everyone else shoot deer.


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

> and after everything else that went wrong with this season, I am seriously thinking about retireing from deer hunting.


That's what I was hearing before.

I was tempted to try those slugs, but no matter how accurate a slug is, if it doesn't plant what it hits it's a moot point, so I stuck with Barnes expanders since I don't know anyone with terminal performance experience with the Hornady slugs.

Sorry about your day. We've all lost deer, and there's nothing I can say to make it any better. Except maybe that there are more out there....and you should be glad you have enough land in Illinois to track that deer as far as you did without tresspassing !!!!!!!!!

So see...there's a bright side to everything! :wink:


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

yes your right. I also made several phone calls to surrounding farmers, and bumped into a nieghbor while tracking. They all gave permission to track, and the nieghbor even helped . He allowed me to go right thru his prime stand locations.

I know from the sign the deer is down, just can't find him. Would like to go back today and just walk around. It's the last day of the season, and don't want to spoil anyone elses hunt. The nieghbor said he will call if they see anyhting, and he said I would still get the deer. I told him to shoot and tag it, just let me know it's down and I would like to see how big it was.

This has just been a B.S. season. 2 days before season, the farmer kicked me off his property, took my stands, and left me hanging. We had a face to face visit and I explained that he had given me permission. He had forgot. No I have stands missing parts, personal belongs, bow hanger, steps etc. still hangin in trees. He called the night befoe season and I could go back out on his prpoerty. Thanks, now I have my stuff set up elsewhere. Had to go change stand location in the dark.

I hate fighting for deer hunting, love the soprt, but not the politics. I think it's time to retire. I have had a good deer hunting career. I have harvested alot of deer, made alot of hunting friends, and shared alot of stories. But it has been soured too many times in the last couple years. It's time to move on.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

went back this am. zigzaged thru the entire woods, went all the way around the outside. up and down all fence rows, ditches, brush piles nothing. was out there another 3 1/2 hours. I'm done, someone will find him. I have run out of ideas, so I give up. I gave it an honest try, so at least I feel alittle better, still hate to loose one.


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

I'm confused? You said you shot a little buck opening day? Why did you shoot another buck. You only get to shoot one in Illinois....


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

Glad you aren't writing the rules here!!!!!

We can have many either sex tags. I have 3 right now counting my bow tag, and bow tags are unlimited, and purchased over the counter, so I could have 4 if I wanted.

But we can only kill 2 bucks per year.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

I have a either sex and a antlerless landowner tag. Also have my either sex hunting permit. The first buck was tagged and registered as a landowner deer.

sorry for the confussion, and yes you are correct I only have one actuall hunting tag.

I also have my archery tags, but don't think I will bow hunt anymore this season. Time to kill some coyotes. I have to wait until after muzzle loader season to hunt my honey holes.


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

When did it change to two bucks a year. I would have bet my life when I went out there last year it was one buck a year.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

I lost my first buck this year too. The first shot hit him high, they 2 shot hit his jaw and either the 3 or 4 shot hit him in the leg. I tracked until I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. I went back the next morning and saw him chasing does but looking very sick. I couldn't get a shot on him. Well my grandpa as his friend found what they think is parts of my buck. The yotes got him. I felt awful for awhile, it was a nice buck, nothing huge, but he had huge potential.

Well I guess there is always next year.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

blhunter- this is my second lost deer in 2 years. My nieghbor finished that deer. I blamed the slugs and gun last year. Changed slugs, had the gun worked on. I still don't like the trigger pull on this gun, very stiff. Might account for a poor shot. Might be me. It is an awful feeling to leave a deer or any animal you know is dead. I feel I did everything I could to find it, so it too may still be chasing, hope so.

Impala- as far as I know, it is 2 bucks a year. That includes shotgun, handgun, muzzle loader and archery. I don't know if that would include the Landowner tags. Doesn't matter I can't seem to fill my tag anyway.

Not sure about second season yet. Very possible I won't go back out. Next year, maybe. If I decide to hunt next year, I will have a new slug gun, or I will stay home. Maybe go back to the old smoothbore and cheap slugs.


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

> When did it change to two bucks a year. I would have bet my life when I went out there last year it was one buck a year.


It changed to 2 bucks several years ago, Impala. But before it changed we were not limited by sex, just by tags, and the first few years they made archery tags available over the counter some guys killed MANY bucks. My cousin personally killed 7 the last year they were not limited...which wasn't a good thing. 

I am not familiar with non-resident regs, but you don't want to know what *that* number would be if it were up to me. :wink:

:beer:


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

Kelly,

It didn't say in your story, but hopefully you waited a while instead of just going out looking for him. It is always better to wait at least an hour to make sure he is down. If you do not see him crash that is.

Just a thought.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

you are exactly right that would be best. No I didn't wait. The deer crossed a large picked bean field and into a fence row. I was watching thru the bino's and he just disappeared. While running away I could see blood coming out of his side, down the front and back legs, and on his belly. Because of his reaction to the shot, I thought heart. When he disappeared in the fence row, I thought he went down. I got out of my blind and tried to circle around to possible catch him in the open if he got back up. I didn't see anything, went back to where I thought he crashed and nothing. He did not have time to lay down, he was out of sight and acrossed the road before I got to him.

I totally agree, I should have waited. Had I seen him run off on the other side of the fence I would have backed out, and went back later. My bad, but I really don't think I bumped him. I think he ws following the 2 doe that were with him.

Thanks for the advice though.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Thats what my deer my deer did to the does stayed with him while he layed down and then after the other gun shot they took off and so did he.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

from the sign and blood, I don't think mine ever stopped. There was jsut enough cover and difference in the ground that it looked like he went down. He actually just stepped thru to the other side.

I think this was the Bionic Buck, he lost alot of blood, but kept his mind on the women. I know the feeling, if I could only get it once I year, I would probably die trying too.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Saw my wounder buck sniffin does the next morning but was unable to get close enough to get a shot.

I don't think women will ever understand what men go though to get some. :wink:


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Kelly Hannan said:



> While running away I could see blood coming out of his side, down the front and back legs, and on his belly.


Sounds like a grazing belly shot. Blood on BOTH front and back legs? Belly? Sounds like a very low chest/belly hit. And judging from the distance he ran, he may very well of survived. Superficial wounds will bleed profusely but not very long (like scalp/head wounds). They also will open back up if the animal moves again.

You werent pushing him when you were tracking were you? Busting him from beds?

If not, id put money down that says he had a good chance of surviving. Im thinking you hit real low in the chest, grazed him and opened him up a bit. A slug would have put a pretty good gash on him, hence all the blood, but still superficial.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

I may very possibly been bumping him the next morning. If so he didn't go very far before the stop. I am going back out tomorrow morning to look again, I sure hope your right. I figured leg or maybe stomach, but you could be right. Would make sense. Thanks.


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## robert harper (Oct 28, 2008)

sorry bout the misfortune kelly...my son and i both got 8 pointers here in indiana in the same rain that fell on you...ok lets talk about the wounded deer...a 70 yard shot is not too long for even a foster type slug so slug type in respect to energy is not an issue..ive heard that the big hit on the sst is complete pass throughs without much expansion or knock down..but even with no expansion a lung shot deer seldom if ever travel very far...in most cases they are down by the time you get out of your tree stand..im thinking you might have took out a shoulder but an sst should have passed through and taken both shoulders ... he should have hit the ground in that case ..he was a tough rascal...i shot mine through the top of the shoulders at 75 yards with a breneke short field mag. and he dropped like a rock...my son shot his 8 pointer with a sst ..complete pass through in the neck at 15 yards..he dropped too...good hunting and always wear your safety harness


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

robert- thanks for the response. First I was in a ground blind, and second the deer was quartering away. I am thinking a low gut shot that traveled up into the chest cavity. Maybe to low to be fatal, but lots of blood.

No rain here in Illinois, we had beautiful weather, but a little windy.

I went back again Thanksgiving day and looked some more. I went into the patches of woods close to where we lost the trail. I went back and forth in 15 -20 yards intervals. I covered every grass patch, brush pile, fence row, log, and thicket in the surrounding area. That buck isn't there. I know the coyotes would have found him by now, but there should have been some hair, bones, horns something.

I hope it's alive and healthy, maybe I will get another chance next weekend, or with the bow.


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## robert harper (Oct 28, 2008)

from time to time everyone fail to find a wounded deer...its a bad feeling but sounds like you took more effort then most to recover your deer...maybe next year he will be a big ol non typical...my experience has been that gut shot deer sometimes dont leave excessive amounts of blood and many times a shoulder wound actually leaves blood in the front tracks but at any rate get out there and enjoy hunting knowing you took extra effort to recover your deer...hunt safely and always wear a safety harness


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

I don't believe deer bleed out. Totally from bleeding that is... I tracked a buck I shot in Ohio this year for I bet almost a damn mile, w/ a decent blood trail the whole way. He bedded twice, i didn't jump him either time, and was still bleeding. We had walked so far that we didn't know who's property we were on and pulled out. That deer lost enough blood that he should fell over dead....

Hmmm, coulda swore it was a one buck limit guys. I went to Illinois last year and wasn't impressed. I hunted hard for a week and didn't see one good deer. Sure could have been the property, but I can go to public ground in Ohio(closer) and see a 125 inch deer every year. Illinois isn't king of the hill anymore IMO.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

2 bucks a year, but that includes all forms of hunting.

I tracked this deer for over 3 miles, with blood the whole time. Many places where he laid down, you could see where he stumbled. I still can't believe it. Oh well I tried, and tried but couldn't find him. Haven't seen a deer of any kind since.


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

> Hmmm, coulda swore it was a one buck limit guys. I went to Illinois last year and wasn't impressed. I hunted hard for a week and didn't see one good deer. Sure could have been the property, but I can go to public ground in Ohio(closer) and see a 125 inch deer every year. Illinois isn't king of the hill anymore IMO.


You're absolutely right. Illinois sucks at producing deer. We rarely see any bucks over 100 inches. 

I would agree you'd be best to stick to Ohio !!! :wink:


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