I booked a hunt earlier this year for Illinois with ITB. Can't wait to go myself and give it a try. From all the stories I hear I will probably be ruined before I get back.

The hunting is no good up there......

I have heard that it sometimes takes as many as 3 trips to see anything bigger than anything you have killed in Bama.

Well its been two seasons since i have taken a buck. Its not so much killing anything bigger its going to be more about taking a buck in the only few days i will get to hunt. Ive taken bigger deer but i would be thrilled with something in the 120s right now

I have to laugh every time I'm on a national (instead of Southeastern state-specific) Talk Forum and Midwestern hunters are insinuating (or outright bragging about) their hunting prowess after killing an average Midwest buck. They tend to get rather irate when I point out just how easy Midwest bucks are to grow and kill. The absolutely refuse to believe growing and killing big bucks is easier in the Midwest than the South. Of course, none of them have ever managed or hunted in the South. I have not seen older bucks anywhere else in the country that are as active during daylight or as predictable as mature bucks in the Midwest.

At the same time, why are AL hunters so shocked that bucks are bigger and easier to kill in the Midwest? That's like fishermen from Minnesota being shocked that bass fishing is better in Florida than their home state. Well of course bass fishing is going to better in the best environment for that species' growth. Same goes for deer...

Do deer hunters in AL think think they have some "right" to equal quality deer hunting? Boy, they're really going to be upset when they start expecting equal elk hunting compared to the mountain states...

Your lack of deer hunting has NOTHING to do with the increase in your wife's happpiness over the last 4 years....Do you remember how long we've known each other?

I have been to Illinois 2 years for a "rut" bow hunt....I have not seen a single buck chasing a doe....Out of the 12 hunting days, I've seen a total of 21 deer....I have to say I've missed all the hype....Just goes to prove just how bad of a deer hunter I am I guess.....

You should start all your posts just like that, just so everyone knows the value of your opinions

WILCO....as long as you start yours with, "I'm a Nancy that thinks 7.1 lbs is heavy."

Actually Mike, I think the hunting in AL is great. We have plenty of deer, a long and liberal season, and landowners get to choose how to manage their deer. I love hunting AL. There are some very nice bucks here, but they are harder to hunt and kill. If every year in AL went like my trips to the Midwest it wouldn't be as fun.

I personally wish hunting in Al was the same as the Midwest. When you can see mature buck consistently it makes it a lot easier passing up lesser bucks in hopes of a 170.

Great post Matt. Everything about hunting location is a tradeoff. Personally, I'll take hunting the tougher conditions and smaller deer of TN over anything in the Midwest because of what you said: much longer firearms season, much more liberal bag limits, and much more management freedom. I still have my childhood farm in southcentral KY to hunt, but I never hunt it. I HATE hunting areas with very short gun season where every yahoo is in a tree for those few days a year. I prefer hunting longer with fewer hunters in the woods at one time, even if that means giving up buck size.

Does this mean you'll write permission slips for those willing to fight the yahoos?

2 great posts, love me some Sweet Home Alabama.

I didn't say it sucked I learned my lesson about that. I now believe it is the best state in the country to deer hunt and kill big bucks as long as you kill most of the does first. I will never understand why anyone would go to another state to hunt. I just stated it sounded like that was what some other people were saying. But I was set straight by Hogwild.

HA!

Don't get me wrong. If killing the largest bucks possible was my primary hunting goal, you would never get me out of the Midwest. That is where they live in the greatest number and are the easiest to kill.

But that isn't my primary hunting goal.

LOL...Just messing man....You just set that one on a tee for me...

I love hunting Bama also since I have found quality land to hunt. The property has a very healthy herd with decent bucks but there aren't many 140 class deer on the property. If I had land that produced 140 to 170 plus deer every year I would stay home a lot more. I don't go to the Midwest to experience the rut like most do. I have seen a good rut in Bama every year since I've been a member in my current club. Actually, I normally see a better rut in our home state. I hunt the Midwest for the quality of bucks that are not common in our state. Yeah, we have them but you better own the property or know the right people to have access to such places. What I enjoy about hunting the Midwest the most....Is I can lease a small farm, hunt quality deer and not have to deal with the BS of a hunting club or hunt around a bunch of people. The older I get the more I rather do my own thing and that's hard to do in this state at my current yearly salary. The Midwest offers quality land in smaller tracts that I can afford to lease by myself or with a group of close friends.