# Illinois!



## builderrwc (Dec 27, 2009)

Okay guys the honeymoon is over, if you went on a paid trip to Illinois let me know what you think. I paid to go with an outfitter and I really enjoyed the lodge but I really don't think I would pay to go back out there. I had a discount this year and next year would be full price, but I don't think I would pay the discount price again. Maybe someone could tell me where to do a self guided hunt. I truly feel that I was not given the same shot at killing deer as some of the others, some guys actually set in the lodge 2-3 days and then went out and killed big bucks. Me or my buddy did not even see one to kill. I dunno whatcha think.


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## kcausey (Dec 27, 2009)

My lodge is a 1980s model 3br 2bath single wide and i pay about $2500-$3000 less than the average guy going with an outfitter.  I don't see hadley creek bucks all day long, but i have yet to go and not see something worth shooting and worth my my time.


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## CCROLAND (Dec 27, 2009)

*Shu-Ro Outfitters  (Ohio)*

My parnter and I run an outfitter out of Ohio and Kentucky. We have do it yourself hunts starting at $75 a day with a 3 day minimum. Next year will be the first year we are opening it up to the public. We would love for you to come try us out. We are doing a couple late season hunts this year and our website should be up and going within a week or so. We will post some pics under the guide services forum. My number is 229-834-8206 if you have any questions. Thanks, Chris.


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## Huntr (Jan 13, 2010)

I hunted Hadley Creek 3x several yrs ago. See lots of deer, few shooters, lots of people. 30-35 people per lodge times 4 lodges.
One memory is long lines to get in community bathrooms every morning and evening.
Run people threw there like cows...
Hunt same stand as someone else day after day, supposed to be fresh stands, LOL.
Super nice people, lodge,etc. Seen near 100 deer per day, lots of does..... Private land, DYI all the way next time.


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## South GA Bow Only (Jan 14, 2010)

Illinois Wildlife Connections supposed to be good, never been though.


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## GREG66 (Jan 14, 2010)

Ive been to Hadley Creek the past two years, and loved it . I dont think I will be going back anytime soon though, work is getting slow around here. If I do go on another trip Im going to do a self guided hunt.


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## dbausano (Jan 14, 2010)

Personally, I wouldn't pay those prices to hunt, but I can understand why people can afford to do.  



builderrwc said:


> I truly feel that I was not given the same shot at killing deer as some of the others, some guys actually set in the lodge 2-3 days and then went out and killed big bucks. Me or my buddy did not even see one to kill. I dunno whatcha think.



I did want to respond to this particular part of your post.  My brother is a guide for our cousin, who is an outfitter with a lodge a couple of miles from Hadley Creek.  I  have been going up there for the past 4-5 years (I just go to hang out and shoot does late in the season and don't pay to hunt) and have gotten to know many of the guides very well.  

While you very well may be right that you were not given the same shot at killing a deer as others (they may be repeat customers who spend a lot of money and tip well), it is in the guides best interest to help you harvest a deer.  Although you spend a small fortune to go and hunt, the guides are paid very little in base salary.  The majority of there money comes from hunters who tip after a successful hunt.  Although I understand the reasons that certain customers are given a better chance of success, if I were in your shoes, I would be angry watching it happen so blatantly.  I don't want to justify or defend their behaviour as much as give you a different perspective.

One other point.  I luckily get to hunt quite a bit in Illinois as my wife's family are farmers in Jersey County, and I can tell you that this year there were far fewer deer killed on their farm and sorrounding farms than in recent years.  I heard the same story from my brother about his clients and those who hunted Hadley Creek (he lives with one of Hadley's guides).

If I wasn't lucky enough to be able to hunt where I do, I would be all over the public hunting opportunities in Illinois.


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## NDFAN (Jan 14, 2010)

dbausano said:


> Personally, I wouldn't pay those prices to hunt, but I can understand why people can afford to do.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I have to add my "two cents". The "guide" that dbausano refers to is my son and I can assure you that he works his tail off to give his hunters the best opportunity to get a shot at a trophy whether they are repeat customers or "first timers".  The "good guides" have a large number of stands to hunt from and place hunters in them based on wind, time of day, etc. If you think you are getting a raw deal speak up and let the outfitter (i.e. the bossman) know.

There are no guarantees when you pay the outfitter fees that you will kill a big buck. And to expect a "big buck parade" walking by your stand day after day is unrealisitc even in Pike County which once again was the top county in Illinois this year for deer harvested. I am sure it is frustrating and discouraging to see someone drive in to camp with a big buck while you didn't see anything. However, I hope that the guys that didn't kill anything still have the decency to tip their guides.


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## builderrwc (Jan 14, 2010)

Okay, I would like to say this...I do know for a fact that the camp was overbooked as guys were staying in the guides quarters, crops were not cut, and it was windy. But I also know that one guy slept quit a bit and saw many large bucks, one guy was drunk 4 days and killed a 170 on the last day, 2 guys that come every year and come back to help kill does saw and 1 killed a buck, 1 TV guy came and first day saw and shot big buck..bad shot could not find, 2 days later got on another nice buck but camera was broke. All these guys may be regulars and play cards and sit upstairs with the owner all evening but I saw only 1 120 class buck and few does. I will go back but not with this outfitter, but that is just me. And yes I did tip the guide and cooks and and thanked them greatly, even with my dissatisfaction.


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## dbausano (Jan 14, 2010)

builderrwc - there is a thread going on in another forum about public hunting in Illinois that you may be interested in - http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=472468&highlight=illinois+public


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## builderrwc (Jan 14, 2010)

dbausano, thanks I am giving thought to a public land hunt this year. We got lost looking around this year and found some great looking land, but the guides said you had to a resident to hunt it. Is this the case on much of the public land or was this a fib?


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## formula1 (Jan 14, 2010)

*Re:*

Find a private farm, pay a little for access, do it yourself and have a blast.  This is the way we do it and we don't have to pay big $$$ for an outfitter. (See Avatar)


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## dbausano (Jan 15, 2010)

builderrwc said:


> dbausano, thanks I am giving thought to a public land hunt this year. We got lost looking around this year and found some great looking land, but the guides said you had to a resident to hunt it. Is this the case on much of the public land or was this a fib?



As far as I know, that is a fib.  I think all public land is open to both residents and non-residents as long as you purchase the required licenses.  I have skimmed through the regs, and I didn't see anything like that.  Here is a the link to thier regulations - http://dnr.state.il.us/admin/pdf/season_dates.pdf

Could the guide have been talking about "property only" tags.  Landowners, or outfitters, can buy tags that limit them or their customers their own land.


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## builderrwc (Jan 15, 2010)

This was beautiful mountain land that was like Va. hunting. Had these parking areas marked with names. They seemed to go nuts when we told them we got lost and just hunted there instead! LOL Of course that was a fib, I will try to remember what it was called.


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## dmedd (Jan 15, 2010)

I think someone mentioned Jim Edgar Panther creek. Here's a couple of bucks that two of my friends killed there in 08. I hunt the same county but I hunt private land. If you do go to Panther Creek be prepared for big crowds and long walks in hilly terrain. I'm pretty sure you have to put in for a drawing to get a permit to hunt there also.

The smaller one grossed 155 and the big one grossed 209.






Another pic of the big one.


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## LEGHORN (Jan 15, 2010)

dbausano said:


> As far as I know, that is a fib.  I think all public land is open to both residents and non-residents as long as you purchase the required licenses.  I have skimmed through the regs, and I didn't see anything like that.  Here is a the link to thier regulations - http://dnr.state.il.us/admin/pdf/season_dates.pdf
> 
> Could the guide have been talking about "property only" tags.  Landowners, or outfitters, can buy tags that limit them or their customers their own land.



There are numerous public sites in Illinois that are open to residents only. The IL DNR has a great web site that gives hunter fact sheets and maps to the public spots.  The hunter fact sheet usually has a table type information area that lists any restrictions for the particular site and some are resident-only, others are by application or permit only.  This is true for archery deer as well.


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## South GA Bow Only (Jan 15, 2010)

dmedd said:


> I think someone mentioned Jim Edgar Panther creek. Here's a couple of bucks that two of my friends killed there in 08. I hunt the same county but I hunt private land. If you do go to Panther Creek be prepared for big crowds and long walks in hilly terrain. I'm pretty sure you have to put in for a drawing to get a permit to hunt there also.
> 
> The smaller one grossed 155 and the big one grossed 209.
> 
> ...



Non residents have to be drawn for rut hunts at JEPC. I think they consider rut hunts from last week of Oct. to gun season begins. Your friends killed some jam up deer! 209 that is sick!


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## threadfin-nole (Jan 16, 2010)

Before any outfitters blast me let me say this....

I have nothing against outfitters and DIY hunts are not for everybody.

This was my first year going to Illinois(Pike county). We went with a group of guys that lease a few farms from a private landowner. We find our own lodging, cook our own meals, scout our own ground, hang our own stands, ect ect. Complete DIY. We spend a third of what you will for an outfitter. We hunt basically the same property the outfitters are putting you on. In fact, I could see Hadley Creek's big lodge from my treestand on one of the corn fields I was sitting on. There are lots of private land owners up there who charge per week or per day to hunt their property. Some even have a place for you to stay.  Now I don't knock anyone who wants to pay an outfitter 3-4k to cater to them for a week. If thats your cup of tea more power to ya. But folks need to understand that if you  just want the chance to kill a big deer then it can be done for less money if you are willing to do the leg work. You may even be more successfull too. I know one thing is for sure. If you don't fill your tag you will feel a lot less down about it knowing you spent a lot less money. 

We hunted for 5 days. I was there from Nov 8-13. I saw probably 100 deer over those 5 days. Some days I saw 30 some days I saw 10. Every day I was there I saw a shooter buck. My buddy saw 2 shooter bucks during the same time frame. He shot one but didn't get to recover it. I didn't get a shot on a deer but I had a blast and will be back next year.  
PM me BUILDERRWC and I will help  you find a place.

click the link below and scroll down to bottom of page see their lodge.
http://www.hadleycreek.com/about.html


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## Alfie (Jan 14, 2020)

I've been to Hadley Creek the previous two years and cherished it. I don't figure I will be returning at any point in the near future however, work is getting delayed around here. On the off chance that I do go on another outing I will do an independently directed chase.


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## goshenmountainman (Jan 14, 2020)

builderrwc said:


> Okay, I would like to say this...I do know for a fact that the camp was overbooked as guys were staying in the guides quarters, crops were not cut, and it was windy. But I also know that one guy slept quit a bit and saw many large bucks, one guy was drunk 4 days and killed a 170 on the last day, 2 guys that come every year and come back to help kill does saw and 1 killed a buck, 1 TV guy came and first day saw and shot big buck..bad shot could not find, 2 days later got on another nice buck but camera was broke. All these guys may be regulars and play cards and sit upstairs with the owner all evening but I saw only 1 120 class buck and few does. I will go back but not with this outfitter, but that is just me. And yes I did tip the guide and cooks and and thanked them greatly, even with my dissatisfaction.


Not the only guide service that I have heard the same reviews from.


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## livetohunt (Jan 17, 2020)

Old thread. If you go with an outfitter, chances are that you are hunting stands that get hunted a lot. Obviously some are better than others, and the good ones are not cheap. I personally know that one popular outfitter in Illinois was posting a big buck on his facebook and telling everyone come hunt this deer. Turns out he was personally hunting that deer and not putting clients on him.


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## Jim Boyd (Jan 23, 2020)

Great points, Dave. 

Make contacts, lease a farm full time and build knowledge. 

Hunt year after year.

In any given year, you can hunt how and when you want. 

Good luck.


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