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If you have never been to Illinois hunting whitetails and don't know about the timing for the different
stages of the rut or the buck activity. Let us help you better understand, so you can feel confident
when selecting the right date for your hunt to Illinois.
October hunting:
1st week of October is usually hot weather and deer movement is very minimal. Hunters booking
hunts at this time can expect to be hunting the bucks that we have on trail camera or that are local to
that farms area. Hunters will usually only hunt 3 - 4 hours in the morning and evenings when deer
movement is at its peak. Big bucks at this time have just shed velvet and will start to go nocturnal in a
week or so. Moon position is critical in harvesting a nice trophy at this time. Bottom line is, if the moon
isn't in the right place in the sky (click here to moon info THAT WORKS!), you can count on mostly
seeing smaller bucks and doe. Not saying that it doesn't ever happen and that seasoned hunters
cannot harvest a good buck. Each year at this time, we take some good bucks that have been
monitored from our trail camera's. But to be upfront, the odds can be sometimes stacked against you
for spending money on a hunt. At this time deer are in normal feeding patterns on acorn, browse and
green fields. Scraping and rubbing activity is still minimal making it hard to pin down a good buck.
Hunters should hunt concentrated sign near bedding areas in the mornings and near food and water
sources in the evenings to succeed.
2nd and 3rd week of October is what we call the October Lull and we DO NOT SELL HUNTS DURING
THIS PERIOD!! of the Illinois archery season. The same hunting tactics should be used as during the
first week of October. This is usually a tough time to harvest a slammer buck as they usually go strictly
nocturnal prior to the peak of the rut. However, closer to the end of the third week, scraping and
rubbing activity will increase as the bucks begin their peak rutting motions. This is a time to start
hunting scrapes and rub lines to harvest a buck that is personally using that scrape. Food and water
sources are still a key factor in success.
4th week of October is when the rutting activity tends to take off. If you are a scrape hunter then this
is the time for you to be here. Combined with some of the bucks on trail camera, the hunter can start
seeing a mix of different bucks that are starting to travel outside their home range. Bucks are
regularly visiting scrapes and rub lines. Though hunters should still take into consideration key food
and water sources, hunting concentrated buck sign in travel corridors near bedding and feeding
areas usually pay off quickly. Rattling and grunting are effective and this time and no hunter should
leave home without a good grunt call in hand.
1st Week of November is the most sought after time in the whitetail woods. At this time of the rut,
hunters will see bucks traveling from bedding area to bedding area in search of a doe. Bucks are
leaving their normal home ranges and will travel up to several miles away to breed as many doe as
possible. This is the grunting and chasing stage that everyone loves to experience. At this time
hunters should be hunting travel corridors between properties and bedding areas next to food
sources. Hunters need to pack a lunch and be able to sit in a stand ALL DAY. Leaving the stand midday
can hurt your odds of taking home that trophy of a lifetime. Understand that once the doe lay down, the
bucks travel from property to property and from bedding area to bedding area to find a receptive doe.
This is the time of year that our trail camera's show high activity of buck movement during midday.
DON"T LEAVE THE STAND!!!
2nd week of November is still a time of big buck travel combined with chasing and bucks are starting
to pin down a doe. At this time bucks are starting to try and keep that specific doe for themselves.
Hunters should hunt all day and remain hunting travel corridors but start to shift their stand position in
the travel corridors closer to the bedding areas next to feeding sites. And don't forget the rattling and
grunting!
3rd week of November is the actual PEAK RUT. Bucks are on top of doe's and the hunting can get
tough. Due to the bucks running doe's around for the last three weeks, the doe's are tired of being
harassed and will stay on their bellies all day long. This is what we call the lock down period. Bottom
line: If the doe doesn't move, neither does the buck. So hunters should shift to hunting right on top of
the bedding areas. This style of hunting should be for the skilled and experienced hunter with the
ability to get to the woods an extra hour early and have the butt to stay all day long. Grunting can be
successful at this time. But if there is a buck with a doe? Your odd of grunting him away are close to
zero.
4th week of November usually entails the first Firearm season in Illinois. The 7 day firearm season is
split up into two weekends of hunting. It is always scheduled the weekend before and the weekend
following Thanksgiving. Now for firearm hunters the first firearm season is the weekend to book a hunt
with a smoke pole. Look at the statistic on the IL DNR website and you will notice that 80% of the deer
killed during the firearm season are harvested during the first three days. Not saying that you can't
harvest a monster during the second firearm season, But I always say, half the deer are dead and the
other half are spooked. But with the Peak rut still being in full swing, any remaining doe's are sure to
have a slammer on their tail.
Just so you know: For archers thinking about the booking a hunt the weeks between the firearm
seasons? Though the rut is still going, we strongly DO NOT recommend it!. Even though archery
hunting is open at this time, WE SHUT IT DOWN!!! After three days of lead being slung by a deers head,
they are to much into coming out of hiding. My theory is half the deer are dead and the other half are
SPOOKED!! And the other half start to yard up.
Muzzle Loader Only: There is a 3 Day muzzle loader only season that is usually scheduled during the
second weekend in December. Deer at this time have calmed down and are yarded up. The whitetails
will return to simple feeding patterns. Nothing but bedding and food sources on the deers mind. So
these are the key factors in success at this time and hunters should adjust stand sites accordingly.
Early January: Now hunters wanting a reasonably priced bow hunt should consider a deer hunting at
this time. Actually I would recommend a late season archery over a pre rut October hunt. Deer are all
yarded up and are specifically on food sources and they don't travel from bedding area's. Deer are
easy to pattern at this time and hunting is usually three hours in the morning and afternoons. Hunters
should hunt feeding areas in the evening close to bedding areas that are on south facing hillsides.
Extra Advice: For hunters inquiring about the use of decoys and deer scents remember this is my
opinion based on personal experiences.
Decoys: I will be the first to say that they have worked for some hunters and for others not for all.
Deer decoys can be effective in the right situation and can be destructive to a hunt in the wrong one.
So with that being said, Hunters should decide if it is worth the gamble and the extra effort of packing
it into the woods.
Deer scents: As for deer scents, I don't personally recommend the use of bottle or over the counter
scents or attractants. I have been the user of several scents over the period of my years of deer
hunting. I have had results using them, but only with young bucks. I have also witnessed first hand
that the use of bottled scents will shut off big buck movement in an area and sometimes deer
movement period. I even did a personal study with the use of trail camera and different over the
counter deer scents. The results was as expected. NONE! I put out scent wicks on different farms with
some of the top name brand scents. ( James Valley, Tinks 69, Wildlife Research and H&S. Not putting
down what they are selling, but not one buck even stopped to stick his nose to the wick. What i did
find to be very effective was the use of a FRESH tarsal gland taken from a deer. I personally don't miss
a chance at a fresh tarsal gland and urine filled bladder from a deer of any sex or size. Not only do the
deer respond in a positive way, but it also makes a deer drop his guard when they get down wind of
you.
Bottom Line: Don't spend money to come and hunt Illinois, buy all the scent lock clothing, scent away
soaps and sprays, request an unpressured hunting property and then pressure the hell out of it right
off the bat with human handled, manufactured, old sit on the shelf for more than a year deer scents.
Best way to succeed is keep the property and the deers area like you found it. ALL NATURAL!!! Find a
stand site that allows you to enter and leave the property without being seen, heard or smelled. Only
use a fresh gland and urine (if you are lucky enough to get it) then hunt long and hard.
Good Luck this hunting season!!
