Illinois Dream Buck

[iawhitetail3]

Yup. I actually got the last one like that ILDNR sold in July 2006, for $190. So I get all the same rights & privileges as a resident for life. Includes lotteries too. They changed the LL after that, making it only valid if you lived within the state. I did end up living in St. Charles for 13 years (2006-2019), so didn't need the resident feature until two years ago. Best investment I ever made. Had plenty of bad ones.

Hell of a buck...Congrats!! I grew up in Illinois and wish I had bought that lifetime license before I left the state in 2006. Still kick myself today for it. While I live in Iowa and have plenty of ground to hunt here, it sure would be nice to go back and hunt with family in Illinois at resident prices!

 

[Zim]

Hell of a buck...Congrats!! I grew up in Illinois and wish I had bought that lifetime license before I left the state in 2006. Still kick myself today for it. While I live in Iowa and have plenty of ground to hunt here, it sure would be nice to go back and hunt with family in Illinois at resident prices!

Lol, Iowa is a hell of a consolation prize. Only the #1 public land state in the US. I’ll be sitting on 4 points this year there but will save until my current IL property gets over run by NR’s.

 

[Zim]

Had my November 16th buck officially scored today after 60 day drying period. He made both Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett at 185 5/8” nontypical.

 

[kiwi hunter]

Took buck in southern part of state. An overlooked County. I got rack in spare bedroom now and don't even look at it or touch it. It's so foreign to me like it's not real. Out of my league.

happy to swap if it's not being touched each day

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Unbelievable buck, congrats! Doubt I'll ever even see one like that on the hoof..

Had my November 16th buck officially scored today after 60 day drying period. He made both Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett at 185 5/8” nontypical.

I don't know how these things work, is that gross or does that score include deductions? (not sure if they do deductions on non-typs?).

 

[schmalts]

What a dink. Only in the mid 180's...... let them grow Zim

 

[Zim]

Unbelievable buck, congrats! Doubt I'll ever even see one like that on the hoof..



I don't know how these things work, is that gross or does that score include deductions? (not sure if they do deductions on non-typs?).

I believe I could have elected to enter him as a typical but the net score would have been only around 140” with all the deductions. I think when you go nontypical there is only one score and that is basically gross. No deductions. But the minimum score standard is obviously higher. I think 155” for P&Y. I don’t enter all my bucks and don’t know all the rules.

 

[SC Living Outdoors]

Wow. That is a giant. Congrats. That is really awesome.

 

[Huntnut60]

I believe I could have elected to enter him as a typical but the net score would have been only around 140” with all the deductions. I think when you go nontypical there is only one score and that is basically gross. No deductions. But the minimum score standard is obviously higher. I think 155” for P&Y. I don’t enter all my bucks and don’t know all the rules.

Unbelievable buck. If I am not mistaken, they will determine the typical portion of the rack and deduct for any asymmetry then they add the non-typical points.

 

[noharleyyet]

Had my November 16th buck officially scored today after 60 day drying period. He made both Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett at 185 5/8” nontypical.

Many, many hunters have no idea how much bone a 180 plus looks like...and on the hoof they are stone cold heart stoppers...if I ever see one.

Big time congrats Zim.

 

[Zim]

A lot of it was luck because he came in straight downwind of the scrape pod I was hunting, but I was off to one side about 20 yards so my scent just skirted by him. Barely a wind at only 2-3 mph. Plus he was blind on my side. The other real lucky thing was since I had already shot a 140” buck November 3rd, that helped me pass on three subsequent 140’s, and a 160” the morning before. I’ve never done that before. Sure wish I had video of them. But I was holding my bow because I was unsure if I’d pass. Maybe get one of those camera mounts for next year, if they make them for iPhones.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Congrats to you, sir! I’m especially happy to see an “everyday guy” get something like this who can really appreciate it. Cool to see your humility (while still being proud of your accomplishment) in calling it “out of your league” rather than doing the pretty boy chest thumping that some pro, semi-pro, and wannabe-pro (“influencers”) guys sometimes do. Thank you for respecting the game that you hunt and sharing with us!

 

[VAhunter2014]

After losing virtually my entire deer season to a severe case of Covid last year, I can’t describe how great it was just to be in a tree this fall. I spent the peak rut 2020 quarantined on a cot in my Kodiak 10'x10' tent. Getting out just once to go to the ER for oxygen. It was so awesome just to be outside to watch the leaves change and take in the views. On November 3rd I took a nice 140” Illinois buck with my first Illinois tag. Then on November 16th, after 32 years of bow hunting, my dream buck finally paid me a visit.

That morning I overslept an hour and had to rush just to get to my stand at dawn 6:15 am. That may have actually helped me. Wind was light and variable. I always move around between trees and areas to keep my setup clean. This buck may have been patrolling and scented me had I been there longer. Will never know. Was set up in a telephone pole tree 22’ high with a primary bedding area marsh to my back. Facing a thick briar filled clear cut. With timber, lots of rubs/scrapes beyond that 30 yards. Forty minutes later at 6:55 am this buck walks out of the marsh to my right 30 yards and I freeze. He was downwind but not completely. I had about a 15 degree advantage. My next pacer checkup at Central DuPage the cardio nurse is probably going to ask me what I was doing 11/16/21 at 6:55 am.

The buck stared me down for about 20 seconds, but I did not budge. To my surprise, he then just put his head down and proceeded across the clear cut. When he went behind a shrub, I was able to stay seated and pivot my legs to the right, in position to draw. 8” Tree was too thin to stand up and not shake. Buck walked up a trail I had ranged the evening before at 25 yards. My only chance would be to draw now, before the trail split, because if he took the right trail I would only see his rump. My mode shifted to stone cold and I held the 20 yard pin a bit high, rock steady at release. (My 30 yard pin had bent the day before pulling it through some briars) The pop sound on impact was right, but he bounded off before I could see the arrow. It was not an easy shot. I had to squat down to send arrow under an overhanging branch. And the buck’s bottom 1/3rd of his torso was covered by grass. Despite my confidence, I stayed on stand for 2 1/2 hours, giving him time.

At 9:30 I climbed down and began searching. Found no arrow and zero blood for an hour of searching, so began a grid search. Not ten minutes into it, looked up and saw an image I thought was a mirage. A bow hunter’s dream.

Most folks who looked at him estimate him at 190”. I have no idea because I’ve never shot anything close to this caliber. Will find out in January when I’ll have him measured by P&Y. Was very fortunate to buy the last real Illinois lifetime hunting license back in 2006. Finally paid off when I bailed on the state and moved here to Indiana two years ago. Otherwise I could not have even bought a 2nd archery buck tag this year, much less for only $26. Noticed this buck was blind on the driver’s side. Probably helped to prevent him from seeing me in that toothpick tree. No long armin in the photo.

That's a beauty. Lived in Illinois for 3.5 years. I didn't get to kill one that nice. Good job man.

 

[Swamp Hunter]

That is one fine buck! Congrats!

 

[Zim]

Thought I’d post an image of why I won’t waste a single day deer hunting public in my state of Indiana. Once October hits I’m outta here!

 

[Zim]

Finally got scoresheet back. His gross score is actually 195 2/8” P&Y. The 185 5/8” was net. I wasn’t even aware nontypicals had both net & gross scores.

 

[SC Living Outdoors]

Finally got scoresheet back. His gross score is actually 195 2/8” P&Y. The 185 5/8” was net. I wasn’t even aware nontypicals had both net & gross scores.

195” is strong. Heck of a buck!

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Holy smokes! Nice shootin! Truly the deer of a lifetime. Congratulations!

 

[Zim]

Never imagined I’d ever arrow one over 190”. Still can’t believe it.

 

[nwihunter]

Dream buck for sure.