Pre-Rut Whitetail Hunting Using Calls & Deer Decoys Hunting whitetails during the pre-rut can be a great time to get a shot at a mature deer. Cupple the right weather conditions, trail-camera scrape monitoring, a good food source, and you have all the right ingredients for a high-quality pre-rut hunt. Hunting Scrapes Monitoring social scrapes
Early season whitetail hunting comes with its fair share of challenges, hot weather, mosquitos, long daylight hours and sporadic deer movement. However, with a good understanding of a buck’s tendencies a hunter’s odds can be improved. The whitetail’s necessities may shift with the seasons but can often be simplified to “food, water, and shelter (bedding)”.
After a long history of being a shotgun only deer hunting state, Illinois is the most recent state to join the movement by allowing straight walled/single shot rifles to be used in the pursuit of whitetail deer. While the ammunition industry has advanced shotgun slug technology significantly in the last thirty years, the slug’s abilities
Crossbow Deer Hunting in Illinois Crossbow whitetail hunting in Illinois is legal throughout the entire archery season regardless of age or physical ability. What affect will this have on the deer population and hunting in the state? We’ll touch on that in a moment but for now let’s look at the pros and cons of
Win a 5-night, 4-day November whitetail hunt for two hunters! A $5,000 value! To register all you have to do is enter your e-mail on the Whitetail Hunt Giveaway (Click link to enter email & giveaway) option, and that’s it!!! Heartland Lodge owns and leases thousands of acres of some of the best whitetail hunting
Still have to play Santa and need a good idea for the hunter in your family? A gift certificate for a whitetail hunt at Heartland Lodge is a perfect Christmas gift for that special someone on your list! This unique gift will be one that they will never fo
With only a few days to go before the archery season opens, you begin to finalize your October game plan. Maybe you already have a buck from last season that’s at the top of your list for this fall or you’re still waiting for him to show up. Either way, the days are getting shorter
Things To Know You must purchase your deer permit and licenses in advance. You need the following: Deer Tags (Firearm Hunters, please send a copy of your deer tags to Mattb@HeartlandLodge.com if you have not done so already!) 5-Day Hunting License (You will need the full season hunting license if you are here for more
I grew up with a large extended family and a deep hunting tradition. My parents were both from Pike County, Illinois and moved to Quincy where I was born. We visited my grandparents and extended family often. Many of the visits included hunting. The memories that were created will be with me for the rest
In over a quarter of a century watching and learning from all the hunters who have visited Heartland Lodge, I’ve learned going on hunting trips or hunting in general is like enjoying a milkshake. The planning and anticipation of the trip. Traveling to the destination where you will be spending the next several days. Being
