Bowhunting Illinois Trophy Bucks At Wells Creek Outfitters

Nov 11 - 17 Bowhunting the Illinois rut in the famous Golden Triangle with Rob & Bob McNeff at Wells Creek Outfitters. Daily hunt logs and trophy pics. TO THE HUNT...

Rick Philippi's Illinois Bowhunt Report
Rick is reporting in on his cell phone (from Alhambra, IL) 
Nov 9 - Returning to his truck Rick noticed a slight movement 8 yards away and saw a doe hiding in the brush. Rick knew if he stopped it would run so kept walking and nocked an arrow. Then he drew, stopped and made a 15 yard double lung shot and harvested a 160 pound doe.
Nov 8 - He has seen several bucks and they were all chasing does. The rut is on.

Nov 25 - A New Bowhunter?
My bud John Askew came down to hunt with his youngest daughter Emily. We met for lunch at the Red Barn Restaurant and after the hellos Emily said she had a bow and wants to bowhunt. After eating we went to my house so Emily could check her sights. They were on and she stacked most of her arrows in my Cube target's bullseye from 7 to 20 yards.

Then we drove around looking for armadillo's and Emily snuck up on three and got the last one. However she lost 2 arrows and the armadillo broke one, which was all she had, so in the morning we are going to Peacock Archery for more arrows and also have Roger check her bow setup.

Emily wanted to set in a stand anyway and she saw a nice 8-point. John saw several does. I returned to secret Stand #5 and zipped. (That's Emily with the guitar at the jam session we had after dinner.)

Nov 23 - Wow!
My plan was to locate wild turkeys so I put up a Double Bull Matrix at Secret Stand #5. This afternoon was the first opportunity to hunt it. I took along my Pro Ears because they are good at picking up the soft travel vocalizations turkeys sometimes make in the Fall. As the sun dangled above the distant tree tops I heard a deer walking behind and to my right. A doe came into view 15 yards away and continued my way, getting closer with every step.

Holy Moley! Twenty yards behind the doe a buck walked out of the trees. And I mean a big buck ... with the biggest rack I've ever seen on the home hunting grounds -- long main beams, long tines, and heavy beams.

I turned on my camera and raised it to my eye. It touched the brim on my hat, making a very slight sound. The doe stopped and looked my way, she was 5 yards -- close -- and getting jittery. The buck walked behind some oak trees and I lost sight of him.

The doe turned, took a few steps and stopped -- looking the opposite way. The buck stepped out of the trees. What a set of antlers! The doe walked away and he followed. I tried for a pic but didn't get him in focus.

They were gone. The doe had not spooked and the buck's attention was on the doe. Maybe she will bring him back.

Making Water Where There Isn't Any

After the Illinois bowhunt I started up my watering program at an area I call the Point and set up to monitor it's activity as well as hunt it. Here's the pics of how I did it. GO...

Nov 26 - Rain ... But Not For Long
When I woke up to go hunting it was raining. We really need it, it's been a long time without any. I went back to sleep. 

At 8:53 the rain had stopped and I checked with John and see if he hunted. He had and saw a nice buck before it was light enough to see his pins. 

We drove to Peacock Archery. Both John and Emily needed a dozen new arrows and we wanted Roger Peacock to check out Emily's bow setup and give her a little shooting advice.

John Askew shoots them in the bullseye with his new Carbon Express arrows.

Roger Peacock checks Emily's arrow flight. 

Roger made a couple of shooting suggestions and Emily drilled the target, arrow after arrow. This was only the second time she had ever shot a bow and she was definitely in control of her arrows.

When we returned to the lease John had a change of plans and he and Emily returned home. Emily said she will keep practicing until she feels comfortable enough with the bow to hunt.

Once again, I hunted Secret Stand #5. A doe walked by my Double Bull blind. Today there was no buck behind her. Earlier, I saw turkey scratching and tracks at the Point and will go there tomorrow. 

Last Week Of November

After noticing turkey tracks at the edge of the water I've been making at the Point I went there to hunt. It was a good idea.  GO...

Last Week Of November - Day 2

Some days you just feel like it's gonna happen. This was one of those days. GO...

Day 3 - Dickie Wicker arrived bright and early. The temperature was in the 30's and it was calm and foggy. A good hunting day. Go...

Last Of The Last Week Of November
The remaining 4 days of the week I switched areas from the Point, Secret Stand #5, and my Food Plot. Basically it went like this, young bucks and does were on the move, even during the day. Two afternoons were eventless. I saw one group of wild turkeys several steps before I was to get in my blind. But they saw me and moved away. I didn't see them any more this week.