Last minute Illinois buck

[tcook8296]

47 minutes ago, Farmshine said:

Congrats! Looks like winter out there.


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The temps were 60 degrees on Sunday. Dropped 40 degrees with heavy winds,rain, then ice then about 4 inches of snow in less than 24 hours. 

 I sit dark to dark in November. It was a brutal sit. 

My clothes were frozen. They stood up by themselves when I took them off. 

Having good cold weather gear from head to toe can make all the difference in your hunt. 

The deer hunkered down during the storm but as soon as it slowed up they were on their feet. 

Everything can change in 30 seconds

Edited November 13, 2019 by tcook8296

[BowhunterNJ]

26 minutes ago, tcook8296 said:

The temps were 60 degrees on Sunday. Dropped 40 degrees with heavy winds,rain, then ice then about 4 inches of snow in less than 24 hours. 

 I sit dark to dark in November. It was a brutal sit. 

My clothes were frozen. They stood up by themselves when I took them off. 

Having good cold weather gear from head to toe can make all the difference in your hunt. 

The deer hunkered down during the storm but as soon as it slowed up they were on their feet. 

Everything can change in 30 seconds

What's your clothing choice for those kind of sits?  Those windy, freezing sleet and wet snow sits are brutal. Temps plummeting after you've been drenched just makes it miserable if any of that cold reaches your body. 

[Haskell_Hunter]

Nice!  Congrats!

[tcook8296]

1 hour ago, BowhunterNJ said:

What's your clothing choice for those kind of sits?  Those windy, freezing sleet and wet snow sits are brutal. Temps plummeting after you've been drenched just makes it miserable if any of that cold reaches your body. 

I dont recall the exact series of clothing but I picked it up at the end of the season at Cabelas for 50 percent off. 

It was 600 marked down to 300. 

Insulated pants with an insulated jacket liner and then another outer jacket thats insulated, has a hood and hand warmer pockets and waterproof. I dont even have to wear gloves with those pockets. Stuff a handwarmer in there and you are good to go. I can hunt all day in the cold. 

A thermos of coffee and a thermos of hot soup, a comfy ladder stand and Im ready for a nap. 

Ha, I forgot to mention I had a bigger buck sneak past me while snoozing mid day. 

Snapped a twig while going by I couldnt grab my bow fast enough. That one will haunt me forever. 

[BowhunterNJ]

Coffee saved my ass yesterday to keep me warm through that crap.  Today too.  Hot liquids make a huge difference.  Nothing like that warm up!

[gonefishing]

Congrats that's a nice buck 

[Blackfin89]

Real nice deer always like seeing your updates on your house and property congrats and well  deserved.

[tcook8296]

On 11/12/2019 at 5:51 PM, Rusty said:

I ain't good for much, but I can drag a deer.  

No one is dragging a deer off this farm by them selves unless its a very small one. A good buck will go easy 180 to 200+ lbs. I have to walk in with the absolute least clothing possible and Im still huffing and puffing and sweating by time I get to my stand. I usually get dressed at the bottom of the tree.  I tell guys all the time there is no flat land. 

Even my quad had a hard time in the snow and ice. Its not a 4x4 but ususlly gets around pretty well. 

[tcook8296]

On 11/12/2019 at 6:17 PM, stratocaster said:

Just a great buck and in the snow makes it so much sweeter.   Did he dress over 240#?

I dont know what he weighed but he was a beast getting out on my own

[archer36]

23 hours ago, tcook8296 said:

I dont recall the exact series of clothing but I picked it up at the end of the season at Cabelas for 50 percent off. 

It was 600 marked down to 300. 

Insulated pants with an insulated jacket liner and then another outer jacket thats insulated, has a hood and hand warmer pockets and waterproof. I dont even have to wear gloves with those pockets. Stuff a handwarmer in there and you are good to go. I can hunt all day in the cold. 

A thermos of coffee and a thermos of hot soup, a comfy ladder stand and Im ready for a nap. 

Ha, I forgot to mention I had a bigger buck sneak past me while snoozing mid day. 

Snapped a twig while going by I couldnt grab my bow fast enough. That one will haunt me forever. 

That right there shows how much you earned that deer. Real dedication!

[tcook8296]

On 11/13/2019 at 4:00 AM, Jafgasa said:

Another great deer Tom, congrats.  How did the guys do that booked a hunt through your offer?

They saw quite a few bucks, but didnt shoot anything. 

True trophy hunters, great guys, I got to meet up with them on their last day and respectful to my land. 

The guys that hunted last year and this year are the type I want hunting my farm. They had several opportunities to kill 130s and 140s and passed everything. The one guy saw a 160+ with no shot and also said he saw the biggest 6 pointer he ever seen in his life. 

One of the hunters last year shot a 150 10pt

And I got my biggest off the farm (that I recovered) at 162 in the snow also. 

I also had another friend tag his largest buck ever last year too

 

[tcook8296]

The best ones Ive had opportunities at to date was this 15 pt that stayed just out of bow range and this other 11 pt I shot during the gun season and did not recover. One of the few deer that will haunt me forever

[nickyan04]

congrats awesome buck

[Gunsmoke]

awesome buck!

[dlist777]

I love a dead buck in the snow!  Congrats.