For Buck of the Week, I’ve had entries for deer taken in Indiana and Iowa. (And I am sure shortly from Michigan and Wisconsin, too.)
My instinct is to follow my general rule for Fish of the Week, if the story (and animal) from a Chicago-area angler/hunter is good enough, it is eligible.
If you have thoughts post below, even better or with BOTW nominations e-mail me at outdoordb@sbcglobal.net.
Bowhunting for deer in Illinois has slowed (I’m guessing because of the heat) and the fall gun season for turkey was down.
Latest figures from forest wildlife program manager Paul Shelton are below.
On bowhunting for deer through Sunday, Nov. 4, Shelton sent this:
Harvest so far this year is 27921, compared to 30721 (2007), 32908(2006), and 32281 (2005). Daily harvest sex ratios have been running about 60% males:40% females for the past few days; but the cumulative harvest ratio to date is 40% male:60% female. Buck-dominated harvest will be the rule for the next few weeks until we reach the firearm deer season. Top five counties are Pike (1568), Fulton (741), Peoria (656), Adams (604), and Jefferson (591).
On the nine-day fall turkey gun season that ended Sunday, Nov 4, Shelton sent this:
Harvest this year was 878, down somewhat from harvests observed during the previous three years. Illinois has had two successive years of below average turkey reproduction, but hunter numbers during the fall gun season have declined as well. Top five counties were JoDaviess (80), Marion (52), Wayne (49), Jefferson (46) and Pope (35).
