# GON get-together - Rushville, Illinois / 5 November



## Jim Boyd

Hey Folks!

We are planning a get together for the souls that make the trek to west central Illinois each fall. 

Right now, the tentative plan is to meet at Deb and Di's in Rushville on Saturday night, the 5th of November. 

Depending on where everyone is coming in from, I would not mind if we moved it down to The Approach in Meredosia. 

D&D is very family oriented with great food - The Approach is a little more $$ but they have excellent seafood. 

Last year we had 3 GON members - Nutt, Sunday's Money and myself - along with Nutt's friend and my brother. 

Looking to ramp it up this year and enjoy a meal, get to know new friends, share some TC photos and some tall tales - and just have a great time in general. 

I will be arriving on the 4th or 5th, so I am going to be wound tight as a guitar string. 

Join us if you can!

Respectfully  - 

Jim


----------



## olddawg89

Sounds like a plan to me, Asehunter& I and our sons would be glad to ! Don't like to wish away time, but we're ready to roll!


----------



## flatsmaster

Jim we are in ... Just need Nov to get here !!!! We are ready


----------



## ASEHUNTER

Deb's sounds good to us. We are in.


----------



## Gajbird

*iowa*

I live about 3 hrs NW of there...I may be able to come and meet up with yall and just get to spend some time with Ga boys.... Everybody makes fun of the way I talk up here


----------



## DeepweR

I'll be in Vermont, not to far away, I'll have to see what I can do,


----------



## livetohunt

Deb and Di's and I'm in.. Several others from Georgia should tag along with me for the get together.


----------



## rstallings1979

Deb & Di's is about 1 hour 30 min north of our lease.  Wish we could make it but after hanging stands and hunting hard all day I am sure we will be hunting the bed that night.  If it were anywhere around Springfield we would be all in but Rushville is a little too far out of our reach.  Although it sounds like a great plan for all the GON members.


----------



## Curtis-UGA

Sounds like a blast! We will just be getting into town that day but hopefully we can make it.


----------



## Jim Thompson

We will be swinging from trees across the line in MO on the 5th and then headed to KS on the 6th or 7th.

Gonna have to pass, but yall have fun!


----------



## Jim Boyd

Hey Folks –

Looks like Deb and Di’s is the place… OldDawg, pleasure chatting with you – looking forward to meeting you and your crew!

Flats – knew you would be there, I think this will be the end of your trip – really looking forward to some hero pics and tall tales!

ASE – glad to know that you and OldDawg will be together – I think with your young ones, that will be great.

Ga J Bird – the trip is long – would love to have you. Plus….. we are just dying to get to know folks that live in Iowa (hint, hint).

Deep Wee - Vermont is not THAT far… looks like Vermont is about 18-20 miles north – come join us! We had a farm just west of there last year and it had some whoppers on it.

Livetohunt – looking forward to finally meeting you and I am glad you will be bringing some of your partners along.

Randy - would love to have you....I know it is a long way. 

Curtis - we will just be getting there also - I know we will all be about to bust (heck, I am already about to bust).

Jim, we will be following your exploits closely via LFTT. Sorry you cannot join in!

Thanks to everyone – as this grows, I will get us a headcount and call Deb and Di’s to make sure they are prepared for us.

Excited!

Jim


----------



## NUTT

Mr. Jim
We had a blast last year and timed it right with a huge rain storm that came through. If I remember correctly you smoked a giant the next day. It could happen twice! Hope to be there again somehow to hang out with yall!


----------



## Jim Boyd

Tim (Nutt) -

It won't be the same without you...counting on you to make it!

I needed some MoJo badly and you delivered last year. 

It was the next day (I think) that Ronnie put his tag on a 10 pointer.

I did not get mine til the following week on the Wednesday before the SG season started. 

Compared to the ones you have laid down, both of ours were little bitty guys. 

Hope you make it - congrats on the 4 nice gobblers your crew took this week up in Illinois!

You are the man. 

Jim


----------



## kevincox

All I need is a lease in the area and I will join you all for dinner! LoL


----------



## Jim Boyd

Kevin - I fear you are going to be over in Indiana chasing after some whoppers....

Love to have you in the area and at dinner with us - start looking for a spot to hunt!!!


----------



## NUTT

You are correct Mr. Jim about passing the mojo! You were the recipient because I was there shotgun week last year. We met on Tuesday and you tagged out on Wednesday and I went home with a tag sandwich as usual. Since my trip to Iowa didn't make this year I might be there earlier to bowhunt and then come back for shotgun. Hope I can talk Rstallings into riding up because we share leases in the same county. Thanks for all the motivation through the year!


----------



## kevincox

Jim Boyd said:


> Kevin - I fear you are going to be over in Indiana chasing after some whoppers....
> 
> Love to have you in the area and at dinner with us - start looking for a spot to hunt!!!



Saw a decent looking farm in Morgan county for lease. I don't know much about the county but it is Illinois. LoL


----------



## Jim Boyd

*Morgan county*

Kevin,  

 I think a farm in Morgan County could be an excellent option.  

 I tried to get a farm in the northwestern portion of that county a few years ago and was unsuccessful.

 As you can see, the county is nestled among some other very good counties!

I have access to a small farm in Scott county and while I have yet to get my arrow into any of them, there are some true giants there. 

Good luck if you look into it. 

Jim


----------



## kevincox

Yea, its in a good area for sure. I just didn't like the fact there wasn't any row crops on the tract. Had some nice funnels though


----------



## Sundays Money

Jim 
I'll be there this year also 
I should be getting up there on 4 Nov for a couple of weeks of chasing some gaints. 
I'll keep in touch I will be up for Labor Day also if you need a hand


----------



## Jim Boyd

Excellent Larry - that Friday is our travel day also. 

The truck convoy heading north will be "on" that weekend. 

I am already stoked!


----------



## bilgerat

Ill be part of the truck convoy headed north the first of November but will only be passin thru all that great huntin land on my way to my annual hunt in Ontario. Good luck to all on your midwest adventures


----------



## Jim Boyd

Bilge - maybe Rushville could be a stop and layover point for you ??


----------



## ASEHUNTER

Come on November


----------



## Jim Boyd

Amen, ASE. 

We thought we were going up Labor Day to put up stands and cams, that got pushed back to mid September. 

We will have almost two months worth of trail cam pics when we get there - so we will be about to bust!

Looks like we are gonna have a great group for the dinner. 

When we get close we will get a head count and call so we can get some tables moved together. 

Bring it on!!!


----------



## livetohunt

I was just in Rushville last weekend looking at some land and putting cameras out on my farm. It is a really bad drought up there right now...So hopefully they will get some rain up there soon before it really does harm to the crops. I saw a lot of deer in the evenings while riding around looking at bean fields.


----------



## flatsmaster

They are needing rain BAD ..... my farmer said he really needs some rain soon ...i wish i could send him some ... we have had plenty in Florida


----------



## Jim Boyd

*Praying for rain...*

....for the crops and to prevent another round of EHD.


----------



## Curtis-UGA

Jim Boyd said:


> ....for the crops and to prevent another round of EHD.



No doubt!


----------



## flatsmaster

My farm has been getting some timely rain and 90 days till I'm sitting in a Illinois tree ... We will be in a tree Halloween afternoon wanting to deliver a treat to a Midwest beast ... I am beyond ready!!!!


----------



## kevincox

Do all you guys meeting in Rushville hunt Schuyler county? I will be in Pike. Guess it's too far a drive for me?


----------



## Jim Boyd

Mostly Schuyler but some other counties Kevin. Not sure where you are in Pike...I think northern - you might not be that far at all. 

I am thinking Tim Shellnut will come and he is down in Macoupin. He came last year....

Love to meet you - and Ronnie (whom you know) will be there. 



Chuck!! You will be ahead of us and we are counting on you to give us a LFTT during your hunt and then some great details as we eat. 


It will be here before we know it......


----------



## flatsmaster

Kevin I'm in Fulton county .... It's only 1 night so even if it's a 45 minute or hour drive I'll be there  ... Of course if one takes a dirt nap that night I might be late !!!! Jim we will be live and hopefully someone has deflated one .... Come on Nov !!!!


----------



## Jim Boyd

We will be counting on you, Chuck!

For the week leading up to our trip, we will be living vicariously through you and the LFTT team.

We will be rooting for you, brother!!!!!


----------



## NUTT

I'm planning on being there Mr. Jim! I will make the drive from Macoupin again just to be in some great company! Hope to meet some new folks and then watch some Midwest Beast take the shaft! Hope LivetoHunt(Dave) makes it up too. He will be in Schuyler County as well.


----------



## Jim Boyd

Tim

Dave said he and some of his partners will be there. 

We should hear some great tales and have some high expectations!

Bout to bust.....


----------



## livetohunt

I just returned from another trip up to Rushville to do some work. Crops look better than I expected with the drought even though Schuyler county continues to miss most of the rain. Acorn crop looks good this year but maybe a little stunted due to the drought. Driving around in the evenings glassing I didn't see as many nice bucks as usual(probably just bad timing), and most of the deer were in alfalfa as opposed to beans. Looking forward to the Rushville get together.


----------



## Bucksport

I am headed up to Schuyler Co. tomorrow for the weekend for our annual summer setup trip. Will report back on area conditions. Will tell everyone at Deb and Di's yall said hello!


----------



## Curtis-UGA

livetohunt said:


> I just returned from another trip up to Rushville to do some work. Crops look better than I expected with the drought even though Schuyler county continues to miss most of the rain. Acorn crop looks good this year but maybe a little stunted due to the drought. Driving around in the evenings glassing I didn't see as many nice bucks as usual(probably just bad timing), and most of the deer were in alfalfa as opposed to beans. Looking forward to the Rushville get together.



Any in the Alfalfa on my lease?


----------



## livetohunt

Curtis-UGA said:


> Any in the Alfalfa on my lease?



No, they are cutting timber on Heatons and moving to the property east of him this fall. It has the deer scattered around there right now.


----------



## Jim Boyd

Dave,

Thanks for the info. Hopefully it was just bad timing and your farms (and ours) have great bucks on them!

Looking forward to seeing you in November. 



Bucksport -

Please do let us know any information you can. 

We are dying for feedback about the area. 

Also, love to have you join us for the 5 November get together at Deb and Di's if you are gonna be there then!


----------



## kevincox

Jim Boyd said:


> Mostly Schuyler but some other counties Kevin. Not sure where you are in Pike...I think northern - you might not be that far at all.
> 
> I am thinking Tim Shellnut will come and he is down in Macoupin. He came last year....
> 
> Love to meet you - and Ronnie (whom you know) will be there.
> 
> 
> 
> Chuck!! You will be ahead of us and we are counting on you to give us a LFTT during your hunt and then some great details as we eat.
> 
> 
> It will be here before we know it......



I am in Northern Pike Jim. Looks like it's about 40 miles. Not bad at all


----------



## Jim Boyd

We will be looking for you, Kevin!

I will let Ronnie know.


----------



## rosco772001

I will head to Rushville for dinner with you southern gentlemen. Fulton co il has had decent rains in the last few weeks and creeks are running and mud holes are full of water. Ehd shouldn't be a problem this year. Corn was planted about a week and a half early this year so as long as we get some good drying weather . Combines should be ahead of a normal year. Seeing a tremendous amount of mature . We are finally pulling out of two hard years in the last 6 of disease. Should be a good one fellas&#55357;&#56397;&#55356;&#57339;


----------



## rosco772001

Mature bucks


----------



## flatsmaster

Good to hear from u Roscoe .... my buddy that owns my farm in Fulton text me a little while back and said they got 7.5 inches of rain and on my weather app i was hopeful they got any ... Im ready to get in a Illinois tree !!!!!


----------



## Bucksport

Jim Boyd said:


> Dave,
> 
> Thanks for the info. Hopefully it was just bad timing and your farms (and ours) have great bucks on them!
> 
> Looking forward to seeing you in November.
> 
> 
> 
> Bucksport -
> 
> Please do let us know any information you can.
> 
> We are dying for feedback about the area.
> 
> Also, love to have you join us for the 5 November get together at Deb and Di's if you are gonna be there then!



Got back last night from Rushville. Everything up there looks great. The fields look awesome, thick and lush. They have been receiving plenty of rain. The hundreds of acres our land owner farms are stretched over a few farms all over Schuyler and he said he will have some of the best yields he has ever had. That doesn't necessarily equate to good $$ returns however, but don't ask me to explain that. I talked to a few other farmers and they felt the same about the crops so all looks good on that front. They should be able to start harvesting earlier this year than in years past and getting them all out by November shouldn't be an issue. I am excited now, can't wait to get back. Let me know if yall have any questions. 

We haven't finalized our trip dates yet but if I am up there on the 5th I will definitely try to be there for the get together.


----------



## Jim Boyd

Our scouting trip was excellent. 

Got stands and cameras out - can't wait to see the photos!!

Come on, November.


----------



## Jim Boyd

Guys - we are gonna get together at Deb and Di's diner on Saturday, 5 November. 

We have set the time as 7:00 to 7:30 PM - as many will already be hunting and will need time to climb down and travel to the restaurant. 

My cell is 803-479-8975, please call if I can help in any way. 

Travel safe, my friends....


----------

