New here at this sight and IL. Just wondering if anyone here is from IL. and handgun hunts, even better handgun hunts only? Anyone from IL. get together to do any hunts out west, Texas, Alaska, etc.? Just looking for a little comradery, and talk with others about a sport that I can only hope my 2 year old son someday will be able to enjoy as much as I have.
Aim small, miss small..

I live in Delavan,Ill. about 30 miles from Peoria.

I live very close to Round lake, NE Il. not far from Gurnee Mills, if you know what that is. I know there are a lot more of us here in IL. but not to many want to speak up. Oh well, one fellow handgun hunter. Glad to know ya.
Aim small, miss small..

I live just outside of Morton and am looking into hog hunting somwhere out west. TX or NM seem like possibilities. I am about 10 miles east of Peoria.

I might be interested in that. If we would head to Texas, whitetail has to be on the menu!!

Any of you gents ever hunt Schuyler Co. Ill. . I have a chance to hunt that area on a bunch of private land next year. I'm from Wisconsin and have never hunted Ill. . Just wondering if that area is noted has a good place to hunt or not. Oh by the way... GO PACKERS!!!

I've heard thats its pretty good deer hunting from a couple of old hunters but I haven't personally been there so I'm just going on what they tell me.

I haven't hunted in any co in IL other than Jackson, but Schuyler is in a hotbed of trophy deer hunting in IL. Google deer harvest results and you'll find a bunch of outfitter web sites for Pike, Adams, Schuyler, and Adams.

Can't say if the property you will hunt on is a good chunk of land, but that general area has an excellent reputation.

and by the way, GO BEARS!

and if the Packers win, GO PACKERS in the Super Bowl...against the Steelers (I may not watch if the Jets are in it)

Thanks for the info. Sunday is going to be a nail biter! And the same goes for me..... Go Bears, if they make it to the big game. It looks like I will have a few days hunting with my recurve or longbow before the gun season.

Yes. Pontiac on I55 and rt. 116 35 miles north of Bloomington, 60 miles west of Peoria, and 100 miles south of Chicago. I handgun hunt deer in Illinois National Guard training area near Marsailles, where the Fox river dumps into the Illinois river. Welcome aboard.
Steve

Try Wild Hills in Vermont. Owner Bill was an original guide for Fred Bear in Alaska. My son and I both took pure Russians out there in '05.
Steve

Thanks Steve. I will look into his place. I know nothing about hog hunting but it looks like a lot of fun. In talking to my mother, she said a couple of fellas at her church in Morton do this. I asked her to put me in touch with them. Hope this is one of my things to do this year.

Gary

Hi all Illinois handgun hunters! I live in the northwest suburbs in Crystal Lake... I'd be interested in getting together with any fellow handgun hunters and maybe plan a hunt in Illinois or anywhere! I love to hunt Mule Deer and have taken several with my .375 JDJ contender and several whitetails with 300 whisper.
I end up hunting alone in Illinois, since I don't know any hunter around here, so if anyone wants to get together, email me at andrew@nichols.net.

Hi Andrew. Would like to hook up sometime. Love to hunt and been around the block. I will email you from my gmail account.
Eric

New here and new to handgun hunting... Matters of fact my gun is still on layaway.. It's a Ruger Super Redhawk .44mag 9.5" barrel. Some of my buddies dropped down to Texas fot a hog hunt in Jan ..Had so much fun . Invited me to go but work and $ wouldnt allow it this year.. So I am prepping for next year. I do some hunting. Had some handguns over the years.. But looks like I am in pretty deep this time. I have killed several deer with a bow.. So handgun range should be close to the same. I live 45 minutes west of Peoria Illinois. Hunting here is good. I am pretty sure I will be putting some sort of optic's on my handgun.. Just dont know what yet. So all.. Nice to meet ya and glad to be here
Drop

I started handgun hunting after bowhunting because with the hunting the rifle wasn't exciting anymore. You are correct about bowhunting and handgun hunting being about the same. With the 44 mag I would recommend staying away from the remington hollow points. I find them too soft and was not happy with the results. I would recommend the winchester supreme gold or platinum. I haven't shot a deer with them yet but they stay together well in my dirt pile test.