Heartland Outdoors Forum

Lighted knocks

2013-04-17T21:45:48+00:00

I’ve been considering trying out lighted knocks. I’ve never used them before and was wondering if any of the HO guys use them and if it has helped them out in any way in seeing shot placement on a deer or maybe an added advantage that I may be missing. I know it is common knowledge that P&Y does not accept the use of lighted knocks and accept that because the status thing is just not for me so I’m considering giving it a try. Anybody have any input for me? Good or bad I’m up for ideas.

my first buck with a bow (3 months late on posting it)

2013-01-19T13:40:00+00:00

Just after my high school football season was over i had some time to do a little more hunting. i went out on a Friday evening just after school to a new spot i put my climber up and was up about an hour when this buck came running in from up the it was 40 yards away when i drew back it never stopped walking until it was only 5 yards away and that’s when i shot. As my buck ran away it fell near a group of trees where it broke a point just above its eye, with this point it was a 10 point.

My Daughter finally gets it done with her bow

2012-12-28T19:18:36+00:00

I thought I would make my first post on this forum a special one by sharing with you my daughters success this season.

This is my daughter Ellie’s 3rd season bowhunting. She’s had some close calls…even gotten to full draw in the past, but has never taken a deer with her bow. At first, I thought I would sit with her…coach her…help her get her first with a bow…but ended up deciding it would be better for her (less pressure, the satisfaction of doing it alone, etc.) if I just let her do her thing. She’s a good shot…knows her shooting “routine”...and has been hunting long enough to handle herself.

Well…On November 10th she was sitting in a stand I had put up for her along the Macinaw river…and I was in a stand a few hundred yards away. I texted her asking what she was seeing…she said nothing, so I told her if she hadn’t seen anything by 9am, I would head her way…maybe bump something, and when I got to her, I would rattle a little, see if I couldn’t get something to come in. So…just before 9, I texted her that I was packing it up…and she said ok. A minute later she texts me…“2 deer coming”..so I told her I’d sit tight. A few minutes passed, and the next text almost choked me up….” I SHOT ONE!” I asked her about the shot…if she thought it was a good one, and she said it was…that blood was pouring out as it ran off. I told her to sit tight, and that I’d come over in a half hour. On my way to her stand…I saw it laying at the base of a tree…I can’t tell you how excited and proud I was! When I told her it was laying 40 yds. away…the smile on her face was priceless! It was a perfect 10 yard heart shot.

12 days later…on Thanksgiving morning…from the same stand…she watched a nice buck chase a doe…snort wheeze at another smaller buck…and even had him at 10 feet at one point…and eventually shot him at 10 yards. I was hunting on another farm when I got her text…“Dad, I just shot a monster!” Again…I asked her how the shot was…she said it was a little back, but should still be a kill shot. By time I arrived and got to her stand, she was a wreck. We followed blood for about 100 yards to the river…decided to back out…go to dinner at grandma’s…and then get the family together to look for it. We found blood across the river and followed it another 100 yards to where it just stopped. We grid searched the area for a few hours…were completely exhausted…and called it a day. She was so disappointed…and I felt sick for her…and told her we’d keep looking in the coming days. The next day, due to other obligations, we were unable to look…but Saturday after the morning hunt, my cousin and I decided to walk the river. The buck was laying on the edge of it about 1/4 mile from where we called it quits 2 days before. What a great feeling to be able to call her and give her the news. The shot was exactly where she said it was…but due to the closeness of the shot, and the angle of the shot from the treestand, the arrow exited under him after only hitting one lung. What a great first buck with a bow! 11 points…A split brow on the left and a split G-2 on the right. I’s so thankful for these moments I have been able to share with my daughter…and I can’t wait to share more of them!

Christmas Truce!!!

2012-12-24T20:37:01+00:00

1st of all!! Merry Christmas to Jeff and the gang at HO! Thank you for all that you guys do! We all love you guys and appreciate what you do! Awesome website! Can’t thank you enough!

For the rest of you guys! Merry Christmas to each and every one of you, your families, friends, and whoever else may fall into this equation! A wise man once said “life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get”

All differences aside, I’m glad to share the woods with you guys, we’re all individuals, we all have our own opinions, but we all share common ground. Join me these next couple of days, taking a break from life, and just being dad, mom, husband, wife, whatever! Hug your babies! Hug your other! There’s people less fortunate than us due to life or circumstance that will spend the holidays alone or missing someone close to their heart. I have a big family but in a way HO is kinda that way too. A big family!

So take a big hug and a Merry Christmas from that guy in your family that you never claim and remember what this is all about!

Let us all say a prayer for our neighbors in Connecticut and cherish what we have at home.

Merry Christmas my friends!!!!

Slingbow being proposed

2012-12-21T03:24:54+00:00

Not a fan myself

http://www.siloutdoors.com/showthread.php?25362-Working-on-a-New-bill-for-sportsmen-and-sportswomen-and-I-need-your-help!

Second Season and the Rut

2012-11-27T05:22:21+00:00

Do you guys think there is any chance we could hit the second rut during this weekend??? I am going to be out in the woods all day Friday thru Sunday (hopefully I am done by noon Friday).

Anyone going to try any new strategies this weekend. If not, what strategies are you going to use; sents, rattling, grunts, decoys, etc.???

Good luck and be safe… Know what you are shooting at and make sure you are wearing your orange…

Four Point Restriction

2012-11-27T02:35:11+00:00

Should Illinois have an antler point restricition law like other states? I think harevesting less small bucks woud improve the overall health of the Illinois deer herd. If such a law was implemented, I also think think that youth should be allowed to shoot small bucks, as it not only hooks them onto the sport, but also shows that any and all deer can be considered trophies. What do you guys think?

Target Panic

2012-11-22T01:27:34+00:00

Anyone out there ever dealt with target panic? I have been trying to get past it for years. I shot competitively growing up, and then after taking time in high school to play basketball decided to start shooting again in college. It comes and goes from time to time, I just don’t understand it and can’t get through it. While hunting I’ve killed many deer, I either make a great shot on the deer or shoot over their back. Any help or ideas would be great!

IL DNR RATING

2012-11-21T17:29:08+00:00

How would you rate the job the IL DNR is doing with the deer herd. Ten years ago I would have given them a 10, today a 2 would be generous. Your opinions please. >————>

How Far is Far Enough??

2012-11-12T15:55:01+00:00

How far do you park your 4 wheeler or truck from your actual tree stand you plan to be hunting? Is 400 yds., 800 yds., Mile enough? Just curious what others do who use a 4 wheeler or take their truck out. Good luck and be safe next weekend…