# Shawnee National Forest



## southGAlefty (Oct 27, 2009)

Anybody every hunted the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois? What can a newbie to the midwest expect when it comes to public land hunting up there? Trying to get a trip or 2 planned for next fall. Thanks for any input.


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## btanner (Oct 27, 2009)

i hunted the conservation last year on shawnee and loved it a friend of mine the lives up there said the when the ice syorms came trough last winter it cause a lot of damage to the tree all over south IL. so bad that u couldn't even go in the woods so were ever your going i would check out the terrian with DNR


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Oct 27, 2009)

I've heard the exact same thing... if you're going to Shawnee, take a chainsaw.


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## hoyt84 (Oct 27, 2009)

Never hunted it but we do hunt private land near it. There is some good deer around there amd I have heard of people seeing and killing good deer off of it.

Good luck


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## southGAlefty (Oct 28, 2009)

bump


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## bownut-x2 (Oct 28, 2009)

My friends from work are going up the the week of november 7th,, they went last year too but couldn't close the deal on some big ones


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## southGAlefty (Oct 29, 2009)

bump


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## SouthernMP (Oct 29, 2009)

i duck hunted during that ice storm up there last year and it was freaking crazy man...trees down everywhere...but there are some other public hunting areas around there...pm me and ill shoot you some details. Saw several P&Y and watched a guy shoot a 155" 10 pnt through my spotting scope from the duck boat one morning.


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## Ihunt (Oct 29, 2009)

Go.You may not shoot one but you will enjoy it and you will see big deer.Probably bigger than anything you have ever seen or shot in Georgia.


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## southGAlefty (Oct 29, 2009)

Thats really all I care about is the opportunity to see something and have the chance to kill a decent deer with my bow. None of the property I hunt here sets up real well for bowhunting but I'd rather have my bow in my hand than my rifle anyday...so I'm looking for some more options! Think the midwest may be a good place to start!


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## Hoyt (Oct 29, 2009)

I live in Galatin Co...Southern Illinois and the property I live on joins Shawnee. The damage around here was caused more from a bad wind storm than the ice. There's a lot of trash in the woods...limbs, etc., but the worst is the wind blew down a lot of real big, old, white oak trees. Got three in one spot I hunted that were loaded with acorns last yr.
In this area anyway it's no problem getting around in the woods.

Shawnee has a lot of good bucks and a good deer population and plenty of room to get away from other hunters. I've never even seen another hunter in the woods. 

This is a rub right behind where I live...haven't seen the buck yet, but I have a climber in that area now.


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## clark22 (Oct 30, 2009)

*go*

i got 2 friends that went there last year and they seen alot of deer ,one of them shot a nice 10pt.they loved it and would go back but we got drawed to hunt panther creek wma 13th-19th and cant wait.


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## DeepweR (Dec 22, 2010)

can someone pm me some good locations? PLEASE i plan on hunting here in 2011 and i aint ever set foot on it.


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## DeepweR (Dec 22, 2010)

deep'we R said:


> can someone pm me some good locations? PLEASE i plan on hunting here in 2011 and i aint ever set foot on it.



am i peeing in the wind here?


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## Brian from GA (Dec 23, 2010)

Start by contacting the office in Harrisburg. They can sell you maps of the entire area. I bought one map of the entire Shawnee.... which is huge by the way. From there I found spots that looked good and then ordered blown up maps of that area. The year I hunted the Shawnee they were in a drought so I looked for water. I think I hunted in Saline County. I killed a doe first morning (scouted one day hunted the next like you never been on the property until then) my buddy killed a  buck that evening. Saw one other group of two hunters and helped them trail a deer. That was it. Of course we went early October. Locals will tell you that you will see tons of hunters... maybe so in shotgun season but not during October. Good luck.


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## Killdee (Dec 23, 2010)

deep'we R said:


> am i peeing in the wind here?



Pretty much... 

I went up for the first time last year with a buddy who has hunted there a good bit, he had skipped the previous year to hunt Ohio. All the places he had hunted before were real hard to hunt due to the wind/ice damage from prior years.If your serious, run up there in the early spring for a few days and put in the walking around, that what we plan to do this spring.


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## DeepweR (Dec 23, 2010)

thanks yall for the info


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## ILHunter (Jan 2, 2011)

I have hunted in Gallatin county for most of my life. My entire family lives in or around the Shawneetown/Junction area. Great land to hunt and some really nice deer. I've seen a lot of big chocolate racks come out of the pounds hollow area. Great place to start. Also some small patches of government ground near the river. Most landowners sell hunts on their land. Not outfitters though. Best thing to do is go in the spring and walk the woods mushroom hunting. It's early enough to see the sign and the under brush hasn't gotten to tall.


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## MathewsArcher (Jan 4, 2011)

I hunted at rend lake about an hour and a half above shawnee. 

But we had some friends hunt at shawnee and saw a couple of 
130's and shot a 125 eight point.


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## BornToHuntAndFish (Jan 4, 2011)

Have read & heard lots of good reports about Shawnee.  Supposedly it's the closest Illinois public hunting land to Georgia.  Good luck there.


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## ILHunter (Jan 5, 2011)

Shoot me a pm and I can put you in 80 acres of government ground that is only hunted during gun season by a family that live in northern Illinois. It's got some great deer on it and is river bottom land filled with oaks and hickory trees with a great funnel


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## kevincox (Jan 5, 2011)

ILHunter said:


> Shoot me a pm and I can put you in 80 acres of government ground that is only hunted during gun season by a family that live in northern Illinois. It's got some great deer on it and is river bottom land filled with oaks and hickory trees with a great funnel



That sounds pretty good


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## dougdevore (Jan 5, 2011)

Hope you guys don't mind me adding my two cents to this conversation.  This thread popped up on my radar and caught my interest.  I live and work in Union County Illinois, but play over in Pope County often (southern Illinois).  

2011 will be the year to hunt the Shawnee National Forest without question.  This past season we have had a bumper crop of acorns - the most I have ever seen in 15 years.  And so far a pretty mild winter.  The forest will be able to carry more young deer and turkey through the hard winter months (Jan - Feb).  I have not seen the official numbers for the harvest this year, but according to dec 19th numbers, it is slightly down.  Season ends Jan 16th.

The key to having an enjoyable hunt in the Shawnee Forest is timing and trade offs.  

Bow-
Bow hunters experience very little pressure up to first shotgun season.  After that, the pressure can be pretty high in easy access areas until the first week of December.  This is good, but it also becomes a gamble that you may hit the woods before rut sets in - don't come too early.  Not much you can do about that but do take a look at a moon schedule and plan accordingly.  After the first week of December, pressure settles back down, but it can be cold.  Southern Illinois is one of those weird weather spots.  It can be cold or warm Dec, Jan, Feb.  I've poured concrete in short sleeves in December (Without calcium) and have played golf in January.  I have also not wanted to step foot outside it so darn cold!

Shotgun-
Shotgun hunters will have to deal with some pressure unless you go deep into the forest.  I am not talking miles, but most guys won't go more than .75 - 1.25 miles in.  No one wants to drag a deer out that far back.  Stay away from easy access area's - Everyone will be there.  I personally hunted public for years before buying land in Union county.  I have to say, there is still a draw to go hunt public because I feel like I know most of deer around me.  On public land, you never know when that monster will step out and show himself. 

Finding a spot-  
As someone else suggested, order a map from DNR's website and look it over.  If your coming for shotgun, get here early and stake your claim.  You may make someone mad that has been hunting the same spot for 35 years, but it's your ground too (_National_Forest_).  Bow season you won't have any problems.  I've always found it interesting that Pope county has more public land than private land.  Also keep in mind the state of Illinois is like a big feed plot for deer....nothing but corn and soybeans 

Lodging-
Try to find a spot close to where you are hunting.  Nothing worse than having to drive a distance to get to your spot.  And I cannot stress this enough....book it now!

Hope this helps with your decision.  Let me know if you have any questions - I'll try my best to answer them.


Doug


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## Brad C. (Jan 5, 2011)

I have never hunted it, but I know they have killed some Boone and Crockett bucks out of it over the years.  Shawnee is 280,000 acres and runs like 70 miles and runs through several counties.  It's the biggest tract of public land in the whole state of IL.  I don't live too far from it.  Just across the river from me in MO.  But I have been in it.  It looks real good.  There are some monsters that roam there for sure.


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## DeepweR (Jan 6, 2011)

thanks guys for the info.....i really appreciate it.
Jason


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## JoeyWommack (Jan 7, 2011)

I am going to hijack for a second:

If yall had to choose between MO and IL which would it be?

I am trying to make that decision now.


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## kevincox (Jan 7, 2011)

JoeyWommack said:


> I am going to hijack for a second:
> 
> If yall had to choose between MO and IL which would it be?
> 
> I am trying to make that decision now.



IL unless the county in MO is right next to IL


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## Andy Parker (Jan 7, 2011)

X2 on what kevincox said license are cheaper in Mo.


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## dougdevore (Jan 7, 2011)

As the other guys pointed out - Illinois tags are a little expensive.  I can honestly say I cannot remember the last time I went out and did not see anything.  Sure, I may not see the monster, but I am usually presented with some type of opportunity - especially shotgun season. 

From what I gather, most out of state hunters are semi serious and know the difference between a good and a great spot.  I think you will struggle more with which one.   

The cost of a Non-Resident Combination Firearm deer permit (either-sex and antlerless-only): $325

The cost of a Non-Resident Combination Archery deer permit (either-sex and antlerless-only): $410

Just saw the numbers for muzzle loader season...they were down to.  Next year is going to be a good one.


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## ILHunter (Jan 9, 2011)

Doug
Being an Illinois native for over 30 years, I pretty much stopped hunting there due to the cost. Still nothing like those southern Illinois river bottoms. Always will be my favorite place in the world. I have started hunting Ohio. Only $165 for either sex and antlerless only tags and that includes non residentannual license. My wife has family there.


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## titlewave (Jan 18, 2011)

Hoyt said:


> I live in Galatin Co...Southern Illinois and the property I live on joins Shawnee. The damage around here was caused more from a bad wind storm than the ice. There's a lot of trash in the woods...limbs, etc., but the worst is the wind blew down a lot of real big, old, white oak trees. Got three in one spot I hunted that were loaded with acorns last yr.
> In this area anyway it's no problem getting around in the woods.
> 
> Shawnee has a lot of good bucks and a good deer population and plenty of room to get away from other hunters. I've never even seen another hunter in the woods.
> ...



I was lucky enough to hunt your county this Nov.

I was at a outfitter and they stuck me in your county the last 2 days of my hunt.

In those 2 all days sits I saw over 45 bucks , and had a 185 inch monster 14 pointer with trash every where walk right under me and I blew it ( please don't ask IM still seeing a professional about that).

Managed to miss two other monsters in the 150 class and had a arrow deflection on the last afternoon that cost me a 160 class 10 point.

Needless to say you have some great deer in galitain !

I hunted 2009 in Illinois near the Shawnee forest on the western side of the state and saw huge deer that trip too.


I too noticed the Shawnee  and thought to myself " I need to try that"


I may go public this year and give it a try by scouting early and going back for bow season.

I thought I may try to hike in several miles and set up camp and hunt a climber over acorns or travel lanes.


Looks like I am not the only one looking to try this, but with 300 thousand acres to hunt there should be plenty of room, plus I am sure most people will not hike in as far as I am willing to go to get one.

With that said hiking back out with a 300 pound deer could be a issue. I figure if I score one I will cap it and hike it out leaving all gear in the woods , then return for my gear once the trophy is stashed.

Good plan , but I have to kill a deer before that's a issue


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## NwRedFisher (Jan 18, 2011)

titlewave said:


> I was lucky enough to hunt your county this Nov.
> 
> I was at a outfitter and they stuck me in your county the last 2 days of my hunt.
> 
> ...



What outfitter did you use?


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## titlewave (Jan 18, 2011)

NwRedFisher said:


> What outfitter did you use?



Campbell's ..........


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