I hunted Illinois public land three years in a row before getting married and having kids. It was much easier hunting and really good bucks were a dime a dozen, but I think there are some sleeper states that don't get as much hype that can really produce... Indiana would be one of them.

I have only been to MO one time and it will ruin you. With that being said, it has made me less angry at the AL whitetails. If I kill a buck, great. If I don't, that is fine as well. Midwest with a bow, the first week of November...there is nothing better.

I hear ya. I went to the land of giants 3 times, only saw 1 buck bigger than anything I'd killed here. I decided I had no business going North for Whitetails. Now West for Elk, something else, that's where I'll spend my out of state hunting $. You get one of those monsters bugling,breaking trees and blowing snot about 75 yards, now that'll get your blood pumpin'!

If you have 5k a year to spend I know of a couple of clubs in Alabama that rival most anything around. 130-140" deer feeding in food plots and 160" plus killed every year. Of course, they let a lot of 130-140 walk , pressure is minimal and they are located in the very best soils. Also, if you bring any publicity to the club or you like to ride your deer around town and show off you won't last long. I'd love to be able to hunt those places and that is as much as I ever aspire to. I'd like to hunt public land in Kentucky or one of the other Midwest states but I'd never trade it for Alabama.

You need to spend your money in the Red states. I've always wanted to hunt Illinois, but I wouldn't spend A DIME of my southern money in that cest pool of liberalism........my .02


THINK ABOUT IT!!

When I choose a state to deer hunt I can careless about if its blue, red, green or yellow. This country in going shucks so fast in every state. If it has big Whitetails and quality land I would spend my money there an be happy about it. I hunt for the enjoyment of it and I'm not letting the fact IL is a blue state get in my way

I doubt there are many deer in Chicago or Democrat farmers. So, the 'ban the red state' really does not mean that much in this instance.

X2

Actually the two counties, Lake and Will, that Chicago is in are bow hunting only and that is where some of the biggest bucks ever killed in IL came from.

Even though the occurrence is a lot less i have been on land that produced a couple of 170s. I finally got to put my hands on Mr. Clemons 174 deer and let me tell you that makes me even more picky about what I want to shoot. I'm all for going west for some bugling Elk.

I THOUGHT ABOUT IT...I think I'm gonna lease multiple farms up there next year...
The majority of my money is going to a farmer that bust his ass in the fields every day and I can assure you, he doesn't have an Obama sticker on his truck or tractor

Power to you

IL isn't a blue state! Well, Chicago is blue b/c of all those damn demoquacks packed in the city living off the government. The rest of the state is red.

I'd hunt there in a second if I could and if you hunt with Squeaky, you'll be spending your money wisely! I spend too much $ here in Bama but if I didn't, I'd hunt with Squeaky in IL, KS, MO or KY!!

True. Chicago is such a big city it swings the whole state to the blue in general elections but it's way up in the northeast corner of the state. The people in central and southern Illinois are as hardcore republican as any people I have ever been around anywhere. The town of Pittsfield Chris and I stayed in on our last trip up was like being in Mayberry on the Andy Griffith show.

As somebody who hasn't deer hunted in Alabama but has seen deer in Alabama and other southern states and lives in the midwest (Northern Indiana)body size is the biggest difference I've noticed.

Redman, its worth hunting the Midwest just strictly based on deer behavior alone. I don't like it so much just because the deer are larger, but because they are so much easier to hunt and are on their feet more. Southern deer are born looking up in trees.

Best thing that ever happened to me was going to Illinois deer hunting. Made me realize how pitiful our hunting is down here so now I don't have the desire to waste so much time and vacation. The wife is more happy too. Win-win.

Sounds to me like some of you are saying compared to the Midwest hunting in Alabama sucks.

LMAO

No way...they would get bashed for that.
They are simply say it is WAY better in the mid-west!

My mistake.