Illinois advice?

[perma]

I should have added the laugh emoji. Wasn't a personal attack over gas station breakfast lol.

It’s all good. If you ever drive through WY I’ll get you a good burrito though. Casey’s ain’t hittin right.

 

[Dave N]

Probably seen 3 in the last 25 years. My dad has pics as a kid of them having piles of then on the tail gate. Same by you guys I'm sure.

I used to walk the fence lines and shoot pheasants and rabbits. No fences left!

 

[perma]

FWIW, I’ve never even had an opportunity on a pheasant. They seem to be more private land animals than the big game!

I must have beginners luck or something, all 3 of my birds were public land.

Planted birds, but public land none the less. One of them was without dogs.

 

[Bigbucky]

Most all IL DNR owned properties require you to park at designated. Not sure how enforced it is though. Not sure about NF or Army Corps land down southern IL way. Figuring out hunting rules and regs on public in IL is confusing.

Do you find much difference between the types of public land available? I guess a better way to ask is of the 3 types of public do you prefer one over the other two?

 

[Steiny77]

I've fished quite a few places in southern IL that have public land adjacent the water.
Seems like boating into some of these harder to access places could get you into some good hunting.

 

[TheGreek]

Do you find much difference between the types of public land available? I guess a better way to ask is of the 3 types of public do you prefer one over the other two?

I’m not much help there. I only ever deer hunted on IL DNR land, never on NF or Corps land.

 

[perma]

Do you find much difference between the types of public land available? I guess a better way to ask is of the 3 types of public do you prefer one over the other two?

FS land is about the same as state land. You have to sign in a book to most. The state land seems to be more strict while the FS land seems to be over used. I applied one year to the base but didn’t draw for some reason.

 

[Bigbucky]

I've fished quite a few places in southern IL that have public land adjacent the water.
Seems like boating into some of these harder to access places could get you into some good hunting.

I was thinking the same. Do you see many animals when fishing?

 

[Bigbucky]

I’m not much help there. I only ever deer hunted on IL DNR land, never on NF or Corps land.

Thanks anyways. In my home state the state owned lands are more aggressively managed than our national forest lands. I am sure the National Forest has budget problems!

 

[Bigbucky]

FS land is about the same as state land. You have to sign in a book to most. The state land seems to be more strict while the FS land seems to be over used. I applied one year to the base but didn’t draw for some reason.

Thank you for your input!

 

[R.K.]

FWS/Refuge land is managed deer hunting through a lottery system independent of the deer license.

Other than that? Mind your wind & scent, try to keep immediately out of bedding areas, and disturb things as little as possible.