In a sure sign of the rut, the number of bucks in harvest last week dramatically jumped for bowhunters, but overall harvest by bow continues to lag well behind last year in Illinois.
Here is the latest word from the IDNR:
Through Sunday, November 3, 2013, Illinois archery deer hunters harvested a preliminary total of 24,625 deer. Preliminary harvest through the same period last year was 28,543. Significant rainfall last week on Wednesday and Thursday kept harvest very low on those dates, but weekend harvest was good (about 4,000 deer taken on Saturday and Sunday). Total harvest to date has consisted of 61% does and 39% males (15039; 9586), but buck harvest last week topped doe harvest for the first time with bucks comprising 52% of the seven-day harvest. Top five counties were Pike (988), Fulton (712), Jefferson (602), JoDaviess (529), and Adams (505).